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보/고/서

ATIS INTERROGATION REPORT NO. 2014　25 October 1950

FIELD REPORT (ADVATIS - 1192)　18 October 1950

PW is very cooperative, but lacks military sense of discipline and organization. PW is worried about his wife and 2 children in P’YONGYANG and puts family responsibility before national obligation. PW is strongly anti-communist.

25 Jul 50: Reported for duty as a commissioned officer at P’YONGYANG.

26 Jul 50 - 17 Sep 50: Sr Lt with duty as ration supply officer in SARIWON (沙里院), with 78th Regt including 15 trips to ration storehouses in SOP’O (四浦).

21 Sep 50 - 22 Sep 50: SINCH’ON (新村).

23 Sep 50 - 25 Sep 50: SEOUL.

25 Sep 50 - 30 Sep 50: CH’ONGNANG-Ni (淸涼里)

30 Sep 50: Captured in SEOUL.

Armed forces　P’YONGYANG (HEIJO)

Observation 25 Jul 50

On 25 Jul 50 PW received orders to report for duty. PW reported to Ministry of Defense (保衛省) in P’YONGYANG (For location see sketch A) (For general bldg and ground plan see sketch B).

PW was issued uniform and commissioned ration supply officer for the 78th Ind Regt in SARIWON. The Ministry of Defense here issued only shipping papers. The staple stores was issued from SOP’O warehouses. This was the clearing place for all units of NKA. PW states that this office was still intact as of 14 Sep 50 however homes around this office were pretty well demolished.

Ration Warehouses　SOP’O (四浦)

Staple stores and clothing were stored in about 25 concrete buildings in SOP’O about 300m NE of SOP’O railroad station (See skect C). The row of warehouses next to spur line was the clothing stores and the line of buildings east was for dry stores. Each warehouse was served by a cartline from the spure line. The clothing warehouses may not have been completely full but staple store houses were well stocked. The clothing supply officer of SARIWON was LEE, Song Uk (李聖旭), a Capt who served in the 78th Ind Regt.

PW drew dry rations in 3 or 4 trucks, both ZIS-151 and GAZ-63. Monthly ration: “Miso” - 5 ton, Sugar - 7 ton, dried fish - 4 ton, seaweed - 3 ton, salad oil - 2 ton, dried biscuit - 10 ton, dried fish (Tachuwo) - 12 ton, tabacco (Chun Sun and Subo) - 1 ton, soy bans - 20ton and wheat - 15 ton. Wheat was used for animal feed. Ration strength was 3,400. Unpolished rice and shoyu was locally procured in the town of SARIWON. About 8 Aug 50 KOKUSAN KOJO was bombed. Sugar was not available. Dried fish shipped from SINP’O (新浦) HAMGYOUNGNAMDO was not available after late Aug 50 due to railroad being bombed. The SOP’O storehouses serviced most of the North Korean Troops.

PW claims no supplies were here on 13 Sep 50 as they were transferred to a location 2km NW in the mountains and covered with tarpaulins on the ground. The area was thickly wooded. PW thinks this area is still being used.

78th Regt　SARIWON, KOREA

26 Jul 50 to 17 SEP 50

PW was the ration supply officer of this regt and is aware of the mission and strength of the regt but had no knowledge of the T/O (See sketch D for rougth table).

PW claims the initial mission of this unit (activated about 23 Jul 50) was to furnish rations and clothing to other newly activated units until 10 Aug 50. PW drew 10,000 rations from 23 Jul 50 to 10 Aug 50. PW states that about 8 Aug 50 a battalion of about 700 EM and officers was marched to SINMAK (新幕) 40 km SE of SOP’O.

On 10 Aug 50, the unit shipped all excess men above authorized strength of 3,400 to activate the 98th Inf Regt. Thereafter There were two (2) regts in the SARIWON Area. PW claims there was no physical examination for induction. The ages of men ran from 18 to 39 with the average age 22 to 25. The troops suffered from malaria and possibly malnutrition. The number of sick ran from about 200 or 300 constantly. PW is not aware of any death.

There were 6 Russian Lt Colonels attached to the 78th Regt. PW was aware of the same setup in the 98th Regt. When the 78th Regt Departed, the Russian liaison officers remained at SARIWON. The companies were put through intensive training day and night, 7 days a week. On 16 Sep 50 Regt received orders to move to P’YONGT’AEK (平澤) and leave artillery Bn in SARIWON.

Name: P’AEK, Hang Nim (白學林) (백학림)

Rank: Col

Position: Regt’l commander

Name: LEE, Cha Hwa (李子華) (이자화)

Rank: Lt Col

Age: Unk

Position: Regt’l supply officer

Troop Movement　SINCH’ON (新村)

21 Sep 50 to 22 Sep 50

On 17 Sep 50 the 78th Regt, minus the artillery battalion (strength 2,700), was moved by rail, during the hours of 2200 to 0400. The rail movement was very slow due to slow locomotives and breakdowns attrituable to poor replacement parts and poor maintenance. During daylight the train was left in tunnels and troops dispersed in mountainous wooded areas.

PW claims the 98th Regt remained at SARIWON. Arrived SINCH’ON about 0400, departed on foot and moved up to SUSAEK (水色) 8 km due W of SINCH’ON.

Battle of SUSAEK　SUSAEK (水色)

21 Sep 50 to 22 Sep 50

Upon arrival at SINCH’ON on 21 Sep 50 at 0400 the troops were rushed to SUSAEK for combat. Personnel were given rifle ammunition. The regiment fought with small arms and machine guns. Regt was shelled by artillery (definitely not from battleships). The troops were under 24 hours aerial attack. The troops retreated to the mountains surrounding SHINCH’ON and reformed. The staff officer was hit in the right foot.

PW claims the strength then was about 720. PW does not know whether the remaining 2,000 unaccounted for were casualties or deserters. PW claims the other inf unit present is only known to him by its APO 563. There were other defensive units from SEOUL area but PW is not definite.

78th Regt (reformed strength 700)　SINCH’ON

23 Sep 50

After retreating from SUSAEK this unit engaged in another 8 hour fight during the night. the troops were constantly under aerial attack during daylight.

Supply and Transportation　SEOUL

23 Sep 50 to 25 Sep 50

On 22 Sep 50 about 1,400 NK troops with the following equipment and men left for SEOUL:

3 x trucks ZIS-151

2 x trucks GAZ-63

30 x EM

The trucks were loaded with rations and arrived SEOUL on 23 Sep to about 1500. Prepared rice ball ration and delivered to troops in the hills of SHINCH’ON. Troops were dissatisfied with ration. Water was individually procured from village homes. The medical aid was poor and could not cope with the situation due to lack of medical supplies. PW fed the troops twice on 24 Sep 50. About 1700 the Regt commander retreated with about 400 men for SEOUL.

PW issued breakfast ration to Regt commander and troops located near west gate in SEOUL Red Cross Hospital on 25 Sep 50. PW moved alone on foot as whereabouts of his trucks and men was unknown to him. PW retreated to his elder sister’s home in CH’ONGNANG-Ni (淸涼里) and changed into civilian clothes and lived there for 5 days until 30 Sep 50. PW finally reported to area police office, sent to G-2 office and to PW Camp in SEOUL.

PW most feared aerial attack from fighters with rockets and bombs. PW feels that UN troops will be victorious about the end of November. PW claims the troops awaiting above 38th parallel are recruits and with very little equipment. The units are full of anti-North Korean recruits and are wishing for fast surrender. The troops are inexperienced in combat and flee when rumors of enemy tanks are spread. PW feels that they are short of summer clothes and definitely of winter uniform. Food may be short.

For the Commanding Officer:

ARMED FORCES LOC. WAR DEFENSE DEPT P’YONGYANG (平壤) SKETCH A

WAR DEFENSE DEPT GROUND PLANS P’YONGYANG (平壤) SKETCH B

OBS: 15 OCCASIONS

26 JUL TO 17 SEP 50

RATION STOREHOUSES AT SOP’O (四浦) SKETCH C

ARMED FORCES ORGANIZATION 78th REGT Capt SKETCH D

Bn Str 600-700 EM and 0

Regt Str Approx 3,400

WEAPONS IDENTIFIED REF SOVIET ARMY DA PAM 30-2

120mm Box Type Mortars

76mm M1939 Guns

76mm M1942 AT Guns

45mm M1937 AT Guns

PPsh M1943 Tommy Gun

PPsh M1941 Sub MG - 150 ea

Pistol All Year Model (100 ea)

M1933 Carbine (1 per EM)

40 horses for 120mm Bn