ATIS INTERROGATION REPORT NO. 2383 27 November 1950
FIELD REPORT (521 - MISD - 0292) 24 November 1950
1. PERSONAL DETAILS:| PW NAME: | MYON Kwan Suk (明光淑) (명광숙) |
| PW NO: | 469 |
| RANK: | Private |
| DUTY: | Rifleman |
| UNIT: | 588th Regt, 2nd Bn, 5th Co, 1st Plat. |
| PLACE OF CAPTURE: | SANNAM MYON (山南面) |
| DATE OF CAPTURE: | 16 Nov 50 |
| PLACE OF BIRTH: | PYONGANPUKTO, YONGBYONKUN PUKSINHYON. MYON IMHUNGNI 248 (咸北道 會寧郡 永豐面 涭下里) |
| HOME ADDRESS: | Same as above |
| INTERROGATOR: | TSUTAKAWA |
PW was cooperative and very talkative. He voluntarily gave military information. Memory of dates was good.
Reliability: Good
Length of Service: 4 months
Education: 6 years primary school
Physical condition: Fair
Age: 22
3. MILITARY HISTORY:29 Jul 50 - Inducted at HUNGNAM (興南) with about 10 others and assigned to 588th Unit, 2nd Bn, Signal Section. While stationed in HUNGNAM most of the time was spent in digging gun positions for the 2nd Bn in the mountains along the sea coast.
16 Oct 50 - The 588th Unit retreated when a UN mechanized unit advanced toward HUNGNAM, leaving behind only the guns (12x76mm) and. the gunners who were ordered to defend the city as long as possible.
17 Oct 50 - The 588th Unit arrived in SINHUNG (新興).
19 Oct 50 - Arrived in PUNG SAN (豐山).
o/a 24 Oct 50 - The 588th Unit departed PUNGSAN on foot.
o/a 28 Oat 50 - Arrived in HYESANJIN (惠山鎭).
1 Nov 50 - PW was told by his. Company CO that the 588th Unit, which was an artillery unit was now an infantry unit since all artillery pieces were lost at WONSAN (元山) or HUNGNAM. The 588th Unit departed HYESANJIN and moved southward on foot.
4 Nov 50 - The 588th Unit returned to vicinity of PUNGSAN and defended a mountain NW of the town.
9 Nov 50 - The same unit departed the mountain on foot and arrived in SANNAM MYON (山南面), a small village located approximately 8 km N of PUNGSAN. PW heard that the strength of the 588th Unit had dropped to 180 men.
16 Nov 50 - Captured by UN Forces with 10 others while the unit was retreating North from SANNAM MYON.
4. PERSONALITIES:| NAME | RANK | AGE | POSITION |
| KIM, Chun Taek | Col | 27 | CO of the 588th Unit |
| (金春宅) (김춘택) | OBS: | o/a 9 Nov 50 at SANNAMMYON (山南面) 8 km N of PUNGSAN. | |
| CHA (unk) | Capt | 26 | Political Ldr of 588th Unit |
| (車) (차) | OBS: | Jul 50 - 16 Nov 50 - Last observed in SANNAM MYON | |
| HAN In Hak | Capt | 23 | CO of 2 Bn, 588th Unit |
| (韓仁學) (한인학) | OBS: | 4 Nov 50 - PW heard that HAN was injured in leg and sent to HYESAJIN. | |
| PAK Yon Jun | Maj | 24 | Op (S-3) Officer of 588th Unit |
| (朴用駿) (박용준) | OBS: | 9 Nov 50 - 10 Nov 50 at SANNAM MYON | |
Russian, Col, 40 (?), Military Advisor of the 588th Unit, observed in Jul 50 at WONSAN (元山).
6. CODE NUMBER:APO number of the 588th Unit was 4866.
7. ORGANIZATION, STRENGTH AND WEAPONS:Original (as of 16 Oct 50) 588th Unit was composed of 3 Bns and one Hqs Co. Each Bn consisted of 3 Companies. The strength of the unit was 280 officers and 1200 men.
The Headquarters Company was composed of a Transportation Platoon for hauling food (2 trucks, 10 men), a Communications Platoon, an Intelligence Platoon, an Operations (S-3) Section (1), and a Political Section.
Each Battalion was armed with 12x76 mm field guns M1942 “ZIS 3”, and 12 Russian trucks (“ZIS”). 4/5 of the men were armed with 7.6 mm rifles (called model 39) and all officers were armed with 7.62 mm Automatic Pistols (“TOKAREV” TT 1930).
Present Strength:
The strength of the 588th had been reduced to 35 officers and 150 men, but the unit was still composed of 3 battalions. The 2nd Battalion was composed of 2 companies with a total strength of about 50 officers and men The composition of the 1st and 3d Battalions was believed to be similar to the 2nd.
The unit lost all it’s guns when departing HUNGNAM on 16th Oct and no replacements were made. When the unit was last observed (16 Nov 50) each man was armed with a rifle and approximately 200 rounds and all officers were armed with 7.6 mm PPSH submachine guns
in addition to their pistols. No vehicles were observed.
8. FOOD SUPPLIES:Food was plentiful but was frozen. It was obtained from the 588th Unit Headquarters. Source of arms was unknown.
9. REPLACEMENT, WOUNDED:The wounded were sent to KAPSAN (甲山) or HYESANJIN at night by trucks (hear say). There were no replacements for the killed and wounded.
10. ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:Other Units: PW heard that the 586th Unit and 401st Unit were engaged in battle against the UN Forces along with the 588th Unit at SANNAM MYON o/a S Nov 50.
11. REQUESTED EEI:While the 588th Unit was stationed in HYESANJIN (惠山鎭) between o/a 28 Oct 50 and 1 Nov 50, PW did not observe or hear that troops were crossing the YALU River and entering MANCHURIA. The 588th Unit was the only unit stationed in HYESANJIN at this time.
For the AC of S, G-2:
SHORT
