ATIS INTERROGATION REPORT NO. 1473 29 September 1950
FIELD REPORT (ADVATIS - 0903) 24 September 1950
1. PERSONAL DETAILS:| PW NAME: | CHIN Tong Sop (陳東燮) (진동섭) |
| PW NO: | 63 NK 4613 |
| RANK: | Pvt (戰士) |
| AGE: | 20 |
| DUTY: | Rifleman |
| UNIT: | 10th Div, 27th Regt, 1st Bn, Mortar Co, 3rd Plt, 3rd Sqd |
| EDUCATION: | Primary School (5 yrs) |
| OCCUPATION: | Farmer |
| PLACE OF CAPTURE: | 3km S of WAEGWAN (倭館) (1130-1450) |
| DATE OF CAPTURE: | 20 Sep 50 |
| PLACE OF BIRTH: | HAMGYONG NAMDO, YONGHUNG GUN, CHIN PYONG MYON, POMAKNI #47 (咸鏡南道 永興郡 鎭坪面 寶幕里 四七番地) |
| HOME ADDRESS: | Same as above |
| INTERROGATOR: | NAGAO (FEAF) |
PW joined the MINCHON (Communist Youth League) 26 Aug 46 and received political indoctrination regularly until his induction. PW deserted his unit and surrendered to ROK forces. Physical condition of PW was good. PW spoke freely but was not familiar with military matters.
3. TACTICAL INFORMATION:Chronology:
| 18 Mar 50: | PW ran away from home in YONGHUNG to escape draft but was caught at his relative’s home in P’YONGYANG (平壤) and immediately inducted in the NKPA at SUKCH’ON (肅川). Received 3 months of basic infantry training and was assigned to the 10th Div, 27th Regt, 1st Bn, Mortar Co, 3rd Plt, 3rd Sqd. |
| 26 Jul 50: | The 1st Bn of the 27th Regt, 10th Div departed SUKCH’ON by train. |
| 29 Jul 50: | The Bn arrived at SEOUL. PW heard that other units of the 10th Div preceded the 1st Bn but details unknown. 1st Bn departed by train after 3 days. |
| 1 Aug 50: | The troop train of the 1st Bn was bombed and strafed by aircraft immediately south of SUWON (水原). The casualties were, 1 killed and 14 wounded. After the air raid, the troops detrained and started marching. |
| 26 Aug 50: | The Bn arrived at a point somewhere midway between WAEGWAN (倭館) and SONGJU (居州) via TAEJON (大田) and KUMCH’ON. Travelled only during the night and the companies travelled separately. The Mortar Co was attacked 3 times by fighter aircraft but no casualties were inflicted. PW heard that the 10th Div was deployed in this general area. |
| 19 Sep 50: | Very strong pressure was applied from the WAEGWAN Area by ROK forces and the 10th Div commenced an orderly withdrawal to the SONGJU Area. PW observed approximately 100 men of the 1st Bn killed by artillery fire. They were attacked by aircraft several times but no casualties were inflicted. |
| 20 Sep 50: | The Mortar Co of the 1st Bn, was ordered to retreat but PW deserted his unit, together with another soldier, and surrendered to the ROK forces. |
Unit Organization and Strength:
1. Original Organization & Strength: The 1st Bn was composed of the following units: 1st, 2nd, and 3rd Rifle Cos, one (1) mortar Co, one (1) HMG Co, one (1) 45mm AT Gun Co, one (1) AT Rifle plt and one (1) supply plt. The original strength was approximately 1,500 men.
2. Actual battle organization and strength: For actual combat, the 1st Bn was reorganized on 26 Aug 50. The Mortar Co and the HMG Co was dissolved and the men were assigned to the three infantry companies.
3. Last known composition of unit: After the Mortar Co was dissolved PW was attached to the 3rd Rifle Co. The company had four (4) rifle plts (40 to 45 men in each plt), two (2) HMG plt’s (1 men), and one (1) mortar plt (20 men) and one (1) AT Rifle plt (7 men).
Equipment:
A 45mm AT Gun Co was attached to each Bn and each platoon was equipped with 5 x 45mm AT Guns. An anti-tank rifle platoon was attached to each Bn and each platoon was equipped with 10 x 14.5-mm “SIKINOV” PTRS-1941 AT rifles. The 3rd Co of the 1st Bn, was equipped with a total of 13 x HMG’s, 2 x 82mm mortars, and 3 x anti-tank rifles. All gunners were equipped with SMG’s and 300 rounds of ammunition. All riflemen had 70 rounds of ammunition and 2 hand grenades each. PW observed 2 x T-34/85 tanks in the mountains between WAEGWAN and SONGJU.
Communications:
Bridges: All large bridges were damaged but some of them were temporarily repaired for trucks to use.
Roads: The roads were generally in good condition.
Personalities:
Mortar Co CO was a Sr Lt (大尉) KWON O Sam (權吾三) (권오삼). After the Mortar Co was dissolved and its men were assigned to the rifle companies of the 1st Bn, the Mortar Co CO became a liaison officer between the Rifle Cos and the 1st Bn CP.
Morale and Propaganda:
PW believes that majority of the original units were replaced by large numbers of inexperienced conscripts and the morale of the troops was very low. They did not hold much hope of winning the war and the increasing attacks by aircraft was a big factor in lowering the morale of the men. PW read US propaganda leaflets twice between WAEGWAN and SONGJU but did not believe them. He believed that if captured by ROK forces he would be killed but decided to desert his unit because he hated the idea of fighting.
For the Commanding Officer:
WEELDREYER
Executive
