ATIS INTERROGATION REPORT NO. 1768 10 October 1950
FIELD REPORT (ADVATIS - 1041) 5 October 1950
1. PERSONAL DETAILS:| PW NAME: | LEE, Ch'ol Hong (李哲弘) (이철홍) |
| RANK: | Maj (少佐) |
| AGE: | 37 |
| DUTY: | Surgeon |
| UNIT: | 17th Field Hospital |
| EDUCATION: | SEOUL SEVERANCE Medical College (4 years) |
| OCCUPATION: | Surgeon |
| PLACE OF CAPTURE: | 20 km S of POUN (報恩) |
| DATE OF CAPTURE: | 1 Oct 50 |
| PLACE OF BIRTH: | P'YONGANPUKTO, KANGGYE-UP, TONGBU-DONG #805 (平安北道 江界邑 東部洞 八0五番地) |
| HOME ADDRESS: | HWANGHAEDO, HAEJU, SAMI-Ri #128 (黃海道 海州市 四美里 一二八番地) |
| INTERROGATOR: | MORI (FEAF) |
PW talked freely was cooperative and intelligent. PW seemed to be anti-Communist and stated that his uncle, KIM, Song Su (金性洙) is head of the South Korean Democratic National Party (南韓民主國民党党首).
3. TACTICAL INFORMATION:Chronology:
15 Jun 50 - Inducted in NKPA at P'YONGYANG. Commissioned Major and assigned to the 17th Field Hospital as Chief Surgeon.
19 Jun 50 - Arrived KUMCH'ON (金川) with the 17th Field Hospital.
24 Jun 50 - Transferred the hospital southward to 6 km N of 38° Parallel.
26 Jun 50 - Arrived KAESONG. Received 500 wounded who had been temporarily treated at the 1st Div Hospital. Evacuated casualties to P'YONGYANG Area.
4 Jul 50 - Arrived SEOUL. The 17th Field Hospital stayed 4 days at the SEVERANCE Hospital where it treated approx 1,500 wounded.
8 Jul 50 - Arrived YONGDUNG-P'O. Treated approx 1,500 wounded and evacuated them to SEOUL. Stationed here for two weeks. Hospital was strafed on five occasions by US fighter aircraft. No casualties.
24 Jul 50 - Arrived CHOCH'IWON. Stayed approx 3 weeks. Treated approx 3,000 wounded received from the 3rd Div Hospital. Also treated approx 10 US PsW. The PsW were evacuated to the 11th Rear Hospital located at SUWON.
O/a 15 Aug 50 - Advanced 17th Field Hospital (approx half of hospital personnel) was established at KAL'MA (葛麻), located 6 km N of TAEJON. Approx 300 casualties from the 3rd Div were treated at this advance Field Hospital. PW, as Head Surgeon, stayed with 17th Hospital at CHOCH'IWON.
O/a 25 Aug 50 - Hospital transferred to IWON (伊院) located E of TAEJON. Stayed 5 days. Treated approx 150 casualties from the 3rd Div Hospital. Hospital strafed by US aircraft on five occasions. One truck, loaded with medicine, blankets and provision, was burned. No casualties.
30 Aug 50 - Arrived YONGDONG. The 17th Field Hospital was set up in the SALVATION ARMY HOSPITAL. Treated approx 300 casualties from the 3rd Div Hospital. Departed after 10 days with half of the 17th Field Hospital group on two trucks. (First Half of hospital group departed for CHIRYE on 5 Sep 50).
O/a 12 Sep 50 - Arrived WOLGOKTONG (月谷洞) located 4 km W of KUMCH'ON (金泉). Treated approx 150 wounded from the 3rd Div. The hospital personnel who were at CHIRYE were transferred to WOLMYONGDONG (月明洞). The WOLGOKTONG Hospital received approx 1,000 wounded from the WOLMYONGTONG Hospital. Patients were evacuated to the YONGDONG and TAEJON Areas.
The WOLMYONGDONG Hospital was attacked by US aircraft on 14 Sep 50. 2 nurses killed and 2 doctors wounded.
15 Sep 50 - Arrived KORYONG (高靈) with the complete 17th Field Hospital. The 17th Field Hospital took over the duties of the 45th Field Hospital along with their 100 patients. The 45th Field Hospital had been transferred to HYOPCH'ON. Treated 500 casualties received from the 10th Div Hospital.
25 Sep 50 - The 17th Field Hospital group retreated to YONGDONG. Prior to retreat all personnel of hospital were ordered to remove their epaulets.
26 Sep 50 - The 17th Field Hospital was disorganized. Personnel received orders to regroup at the TAEJON Prefectural Hospital. No specific date was set.
Some of the hospital personnel departed for TAEJON on two trucks but, PW, with 10 soldiers of other units departed through mountain trails northward on foot. PW lost track of the 10 soldiers.
1 Oct 50 - Surrendered to ROK Forces at a point 20 km S of POUN (報恩).
Unit Organization and Strength:
The 17th Field Hospital was directly under the War Dept Medical Bureau (保衛部軍医局). The Field Hospital (approx 120 men) consisted of a Receiving Section and a Surgical Section. The Receiving Section (2 doctors and 2 female nurses) consisted of a Stretcher team (10 men) and examination or assigning section.
The Surgical Section (10 doctors, 50 female nurses) consisted of a minor wounds treating dept, a serious wound treating dept, a surgical dept and a clinic.
The 17th Field Hospital was disorganized at YONGDONG 26 Sep 50.
Equipment:
1 x Operation table
1 x set instruments (none for special operations such as brain surgery. Instruments for amputation were included in above category.
The materials for making casts were exhausted by early Sep 50.
Medicine: (as of 26 Sep 50)
| Novocaine 0.5% | 1,000 Gr |
| Ether | None |
| Sulpha-diazine | 500 tablets |
| Penicillin (200,000 unit) | 50 ampules |
| Aspirin tablets | 500 tablets |
| MP tablets | 500 tablets |
| Iodine | 2x 500 Gr |
The Hospital also faced a critical shortage of bandages and gauze.
Disposition:
The 10th Rifle Div and CP was located in KORYONG (高靈) as of 25 Sep 50.
The following Field Hospitals, directly under the War Dept Medical Bureau (保衛部軍医局), were located in the following areas (as of 25 Sep 50):
39th Field Hospital - KUMCH'ON (金泉)
27th Field Hospital - HYOPCH'ON
45th Field Hospital - MYOSAN (妙山), located SE of KOCH'ANG (居昌).
50th Field Hospital - Located on E coast area E of CHUNGJU (忠州).
The 11th General Hospital was divided into three parts located at:
1. KOCH'ANG
2. CHUPUNGNYONG (秋風嶺), located W of KUMCH'ON (金泉).
3. Location unknown.
Supply:
An advance medical supply center was located at the 11th General Hospital in KOCH'ANG as of 25 Sep 50.
A provision and ammunition dump was located at CHUP'UNGNYONG (秋風嶺) o/a 20 Sep 50. Supplies were brought in by train.
Most medicines were American. Ether, bandages and gauze were made in RUSSIA. PW heard that the Penicillin was brought in from HONGKONG.
The 17th Hospital was short of materials for casts, ether, sulpha-diazine and penicillin. It took approx one week after the request was made to receive the medicine from the advance medical supply center.
Intentions:
The 17th Field Hospital was completely disorganized on 26 Sep 50, at YONGDONG and was ordered to regroup at TAEJON. After regrouping they were to move towards SEOUL.
Knowledge of Other Units:
The 11th and 24th General Hospitals were directly under the War Dept Medical Bureau (保衛部軍医局) as were the Field Hospitals. Stretcher teams were dispatched from the General Hospitals to nearby Field Hospitals to evacuate seriously wounded soldiers.
The General Hospitals had a Medicine Section, Surgical Section, Dental Section, Optical Section and a Receiving Section.
PW heard that the 24th Rear Hospital was organized in mid-Jul 50 and stationed in the TAEJON Area.
Personalities:
Head of War Dept Medical Bureau (保衛部軍医局):
LEE, Tong Hwa (李東華); Lt Gen; Age 50.
Remarks: LEE was born in the USSR and is a graduate of a Russian Medical College. Served in the USSR Army Field Hospital as medical officer and held rank of Major during World War Ⅱ. Was Vice Public Health Minister before assuming the above position. Speaks Korean poorly.
CO, 17th Field Hospital: KIM, Myong Jun (金明俊); Lt Col; Age 34.
Remarks: Graduate of P'YONGYANG Medical College. Joined NKPA in Aug 49. Engaged in research work as assistant to a Russian Medical Professor at the P'YONGYANG Medical College Hospital.
Head of 17th Field Hospital Receiving Section:
KIM, Chang Ok (金昌玉); Maj; Age 35.
Remarks: Not a graduate of medical college. Passed medical examining board in 40. Worked at the HUNGNAM Chemical Plant Hospital, as surgeon.
The following Capts were Surgeons in the 17th Field Hospital Surgical Section under PW, who was Head of the Section:
KIM, Bong Gon (金鳳健); Capt; Age 28.
Remarks: Graduate of P'YONGYANG Medical College. Wounded US aircraft strafing 19 Aug 50.
CHANG, Hyo Un (張孝運); Capt; Age 39.
Remarks: Was civilian doctor at KOKSAN (谷山).
KIM, Chang Sok (金昌錫); Capt; Age 46.
Remarks: Was civilian doctor at HAEJU.
HAN, Chin Gol (韓軫傑); Capt; Age 30.
Remarks: Was civilian doctor at SEOUL. Was assigned to the 17th Field Hospital as member of the SEOUL Red Cross o/a 20 Jul 50.
Sin, Ung Su (申應洙); Capt; Age 27.
Remarks: Was surgeon at the SEOUL Medical College Hospital. Volunteered for the 17th Field Hospital in early Jul 50.
Yu, Ung Yol (柳應烈); Capt; Age 28.
Remarks: Was surgeon at the SEOUL Medical College Hospital. Also volunteered for the 17th Field Hospital.
Cholera:
NKPA received orders from the War Dept, Medical Bureau to take Cholera vaccines, in early Sep 50, as Cholera was prevalent in the TAEGU Area. Hospital received Cholera vaccine. Only hospital personnel received innoculation. Patients were not innoculated.
Wounded personnel were given Tetanus Anti-Toxin on admittance to the hospital.
NKPA personnel did not carry any immunization register card.
Chemical Warfare:
No chemical warfare equipment or countermeasure facilities located at the 17th Field Hospital. PW stated that they were never given instructions concerning poison gas or any chemical agents.
50% of the wounded suffered from wounds caused by artillery shell fragments, 20% bullet wounds and the remaining 30% by mines, aircraft, etc.
PW estimated 10% of the wounded died. Deaths occurred most frequently in cases of head or abdominal wounds.
The Bn Medical Sections were unable to treat the wounded during daylight due to aircraft attacks therefore only minor wounds were treated during the night and no effort was made to give treatment to the seriously wounded. They were left on the spot to die.
It took from five to seven days for wounded soldiers to be evacuated to Field Hospitals. Trucks used as ambulances were capable of evacuating only 4 patients at a time.
It took at least two days to arrange means of transportation for the seriously wounded to the Field Hospitals. And it took, on the average, five more days to evacuate the patients to a well-equipped General Hospital. Cause of delay was that personnel were unable to work during daylight.
4. GENERAL:Use of Red Cross Insignia:
The Head of the 17th Field Hospital forbade the use of the Red Cross Insignia. PW stated that he personally made several requests to the Head of Hospital to use Red Cross markings on roof of hospital, as he heard from a Div Hospital doctor how the US aircraft destroyed only military installations and never damaged hospitals which had Red Cross markings. Request was denied and PW was told by the Head of Hospital that US aircraft destroyed hospitals in P'YONGYANG which had Red Cross markings.
PW Camps:
PW heard in Mid-Aug 50, that several thousand US PsW were interned at a PW camp located in SUKCH'ON (肅川) from a nurse who was in the INCH'ON Area during the US Landing but all stories were denied by the Head of Hospital.
The NKPA Propaganda was along the following lines:
1. The US tortured NKPA PsW.
2. The NKPA had annihilated the ROK Forces at the fight in the NAM River Area.
3. If the US Forces do not withdraw from the Korean Civil War the USSR Army and CCF would join the NKPA against the invaders.
4. The Japanese Army is fighting for the ROK and are not as tough as before.
5. When NKPA pilots finish their training course on 1 Oct 50, the NKPA will receive strong air support.
For the Commanding Officer:
WEELDREYER
Executive
