ATIS INTERROGATION REPORT NO. 2035 25 October 1950
FIELD REPORT (ADVATIS FWD - 0052) 18 October 1950
1. PERSONAL DETAILS:| PW NAME: | PYONG, Son Tok (邊成德) |
| RANK: | Pvt (戰士) |
| AGE: | 25 |
| DUTY: | Engineer |
| UNIT: | 816 Unit, 4th Bn, 3rd Co |
| EDUCATION: | Primary School (6 yrs) |
| OCCUPATION: | Farmer |
| PLACE OF CAPTURE: | KAESONG (開城) |
| DATE OF CAPTURE: | 12 Oct 50 |
| PLACE OF BIRTH: | HWANG HAE TO, PONSAN KUN, CHOWA MYON, YANGTONGLI #617 (黃海道 鳳山郡 楚田面 養洞里 #617) |
| HOME ADDRESS: | Same as above |
| INTERROGATOR: | Cpl HAMASU (ATIS) |
Information is fairly reliable. Informant was cooperative and answered questions clearly, but did not possess detailed information on engineer work.
3. TACTICAL INFORMATION:Chronology:
25 Jul 50 - Inducted into NKA.
6 Aug 50 - Received basic training at KUNLI (間里)
18 Sep 50 - With 4th Bn, 816th unit in CHANDAN. (長湍). Charged with the defense of IMJIN River.
2 Oct 50 - Retreated from CHANDAN to above 38th Parallel.
12 Oct 50 - After reading propaganda leaflet, PW and 3 others (one of them Plat Ldr) surrendered voluntarily to the US Troops.
Unit Organization and Strength:
816th Unit was an Engr Unit with 5 Bn’s (formerly Ind Bn’s). Each Bn had 4 Engr Co’s and a transportation, signal and recon plat. About 3,000 men in 816th Unit.
Actual battle strength: Same as above.
Last known composition: Little more than half.
Equipment:
Bn Equipment - trucks, two; still in unit.
Unit Duties:
Build bridges and roads, plant mines, and gid trenches, etc. But instead they damaged bridges and roads and searched for unauthorized mines.
Unit History:
816th Engr Unit was organized sometime in Jul 50.
On 15 Aug 50, the 816th Engr Unit was activated and Bn’s numbering form 1-5 were all attached to it.
20 Aug 50, PW heard from Bn CO that #1, 2, and 3 Bn’s were in PYONGYANG. At that time, 4th and 5th Bn’s were in KUNLI.
Personalities:
Capt LEE, Tok An, 4th Bn Co, age - 24 (?) (became 4th Bn CO immediately after he graduated OCS at PYONGYANG o/a 16 Aug 50.)
Sr Lt LEE, Son Ho, 4th Bn Asst CO, age 22 (?) (Graduate of PYONGYANG OCS) Former student of KIM IL SON University in P’YONGYANG.
Sr Lt Park, Kee Chae, 4th Bn Political Officer, age- 26 (?) Graduate of PYONGYANG OCS. Former student of KIM IL SON University.
Sr Lt or Lt YOO, Kwan Chung, 4th Bn Asst Political Officer, age - 22 (?) OCS graduate, and student at KIM IL SON University. (hearsay)
Morale and Propaganda:
Morale of unit was low, about 8 out of 10 men had no interest in war whatever; These men looked only for opportunities to desert their unit. The main reason for this was chiefly due to the treatment they received while being forcibly drafted into the army. Secondary reason was the distasteful policy of the NK, and also, because weapons, training, food, etc were inadequate. In KAESONG, PW and 2 others read propaganda leaflets, deserted their unit, and surrendered to the UN troops. PW feels that at that time all those who read the leaflets had some inclination to surrender at the earliest opportunity. Propaganda leaflets were not supposed to be read by men below the grade of officer. If caught reading them they would be shot on the spot.
4. GENERAL:Foreign Elements:
6 Aug 50 - 18 Sep 50 - PW frequently saw Russian officers, most field grade in KUNLI (間里) during basic training. These officers were military advisers. PW does not know where they came from or where they stayed.
For the Commanding Officer:
BATEMAN
Executive
