ATIS INTERROGATION REPORT NO. 2859 15 January 1951
The following information was obtained from recovered American military personnel who were interrogated upon their arrival in JAPAN from KOREA, by Central Interrogation Center, ATIS.
Interrogation was conducted at the Tokyo Army Hospital by Lt FUSCO.
Source with 3 other American enlisted personnel was captured on 20 November 1950, 13 miles north of MAJON-NI by North Korean forces. They took his boots, dog tags, wallet, jacket and all identification papers. They kept moving the Source around behind the lines and interrogated him frequently for 27 days.
During their first interrogations they were primarily interested in tactical information. Later they emphasized family life and then attempted to indoctrinate the Source and other members of the group.
One of the members of the NK unit guarding the Americans was a former chef at the Seoul Officers Club named KIM who was about 20-25 years old, 5’4’’ tall and who weighed about 130 lbs. KIM could speak English and when the Source asked why he was on the side of the North Koreans, he said that he believed the way the North Koreans did.
During his capture, Source was told by a NK interpreter that General DEAN was still alive. The interpreter would not elaborate on that statement. He was also given some pamphlets to read. One of them was a declaration by American prisoners that they were being well treated. There were about 100 signatures attached to the above, headed by a Major whose name could not be remembered. This particular pamphlet seemed to be very popular with the North Koreans.
The interpreter who was best liked and whose mission was to try to indoctrinate the Americans was name LEE. LEE stated that he was a former professor of Seoul University. He was about 30-35 years old, 5’7’’ tall and weighed about 150 lbs. He either wore glasses which hurt him or it was a habit but he was constantly taking them off and putting them on again. He was definitely an officer although his insignia was never observed nor his rank determined. His interrogations were called “friendly conversations” by the Source. His indoctrination attempts were along the lines of working class versus capitalists. He assured Source the he would see that the group was not shot but released. LEE advised him not to change any answers made previously and he would not get into trouble. He also encouraged Source to write him upon his return to the United States and that he would received any letters addressed to :
Mr LEE
c/o SEOUL UNIVERSITY, SEOUL, KOREA
On 3 December 1950, the group to which the Source belonged was joined by another composed of 2 Americans and 3 British prisoners of the Royal Northumberland Fusileers of the 29th Brigade who were captured at SIBYON-NI on 30 November 1950. After being constantly moved around behind the lines, the entire group was finally relased on 17 December 1950 just north of the 38th parallel.
Source who was captured and released with Cpl ROUSH corroborates the facts contained in the preceding report. Each was interviewed separately at locations unknown to each other by this section.
For the Commending Officer, TIS:
AURELL
