ATIS INTERROGATION REPORT NO. 4040 16 March 1951
FIELD REPORT (164 MISDI 1662) 6 March 1951
| PW NAME: | CH'ANG, Tung Chi (張東計) (CCF) |
| RANK: | Sqd Ldr |
| ORGN: | 66th Army, 197th Div, 591st Regt, 3d Bn, 8th Co, 3d Plat |
| DUTIES: | Sqd Ldr |
| EDUCATION: | None |
| AGE: | 23 |
| OCCUPATION: | Farmer |
| ADDRESS: | HOPEI SHENG, HSIEN TSOU HSIA, HSI WAI TSUN (河北省 失走下 西外村) |
| DATE & PLACE OF CAPTURE: | 021200 I March 51, at (DS 0950) N of HOENGSONG by US 1st Marine Division. |
| INTERROGATOR: | W.T.O. |
PW cooperative.
Information seems fairly reliable, but limited.
a. Chronology:
Conscripted early 48 at HOPEI SHENG (河北省) into CNA 32d Division.
Received 6 months training.
Captured at PAOTING (保定) in 49 and assigned to CCF Independent 72d Regiment at HOPEI SHENG. Deserted this unit and returned home 3 Jan 50. Apprehended Feb 50 and reassigned to 72d Regt. Deserted again May 50 and lived with relatives at HOPEI SHENG until apprehended again, ten days later.
Again assigned to 72d Regiment and imprisoned for 4 days. Deserted again two weeks later and returned to his home. Apprehended ten days later and assigned to 66th Army, 197th Div, 591st Regt which was enroute to PEIPING. Arrived in PEIPING during summer of 50.
Underwent three months training at PEIPING.
66th Army passed through SHENYANG (瀋陽) by train and arrived at ANTUNG (安東) Oct 50.
Army entered SINUIJU, passing through KUSONG (XE 9228) and crossed the 38th Parallel 1 Jan 51. Continued marching until it arrived at HOENGSONG (DS 1049) late Feb 51. 66th Army's first engagement was at HOENGSONG.
When PW deserted 2 March 51, Army was engaged in constructing defensive positions in HOENGSONG area.
b. Location and Activities of Unit:
591st Regt last seen 2 Mar 50 retreating from HOENGSONG (DS 1049) toward HONGCH'ON after engaging UN units.
c. T/O & E and Strength of Unit:
66th Army: 196th, 197th and 198th Divisions and an Arty Bn.
197th Div: 589th (Code: 28 "PU"), 590th (Code: 27 "PU") and 591st (Code: 26 "PU") Regiments, Recon Co, Mountain Gun Company and Propaganda unit.
591st Regt: 3 Rifle Battalions, Arty Battery and Recon Co.
Each Rifle Bn: 3 Rifle Companies and Heavy Weapons Company.
Each Rifle Co: 3 Rifle Platoons and 60mm Mortar Platoon.
Each Rifle Plat: 3 Rifle Squads and HMG Squad.
| 8th Co, 3d Bn, 591st Regt: | Original (Feb 51) | Present (Mar 51) |
| EM | 122 | 63 |
| Officers | 8 | 7 |
| Equipment & ammo: | ||
| LMG (Chinese) | 4 (1,000 rd ea) | 4 (1,000 rd ea) |
| 60mm Mortars | 2 (20 rd ea) | 2 (6 rd ea) |
| Rifles, M-38 | 60 (70 rd ea) | Unk |
| Grenades | 6 per man | Unk |
| SMG (Chinese) | 3 (100 rd ea) | 3 (100 rd ea) |
| Pistols | 4 (60 rd ea) | 4 |
| Heavy Weapons Co: | ||
| Equipment & ammo: | ||
| HMG | 4 | Unk |
| Mortars | 2 | 〃 |
| Pistols | 4 | 〃 |
3d Bn strength formerly 500. Present strength estimated 270 troops. Former strength of 591st Regt 2,000.
50% of the casualties in 3d Bn resulted from frozen feet. Frozen feet cases usually separated from unit because of being unable to march. Minor cases usually joined unit when healed. Severe cases evacuated to the rear by stretchers.
3d Bn had approx 13 cases of illness which were evacuated to the rear.
An undetermined number of casualties resulted from air attacks.
d. Personalities:
YANG, Wei Shan (楊隹山), Regt Comdr, 591st Regt.
LI, Chang Shui (李長誰), Co Comdr, 8th Co.
e. Replacements:
Heard that replacements were arriving from CHINA.
f. Food and Ammo Supply:
Insufficient amounts of food procured locally. Two meals received daily.
8th Co received two boxes of grenades after crossing 38th Parallel. No further ammo issues.
g. Morale:
Morale low due to insufficient clothing and food supplies. Long marches were despised by the troops.
h. UN PW:
Two US PW seen at HOENGSONG, captured by 591st Regt during Feb 51.
i. Signal:
Runners used by companies.
Phones used by battalion level and higher.
j. Psychological Warfare:
Surrendered voluntarily after reading UN leaflet at HOENGSONG, during latter part of Feb 51 and believed contents.
No conversations concerning leaflets overheard among troops.
For the AC of S, G-2:
HONG
