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보/고/서

ATIS INTERROGATION REPORT NO. 2312　20 November 1950

FIELD REPORT (521 - MISD - 0250)

Age: 23

Reliability: Good

Education: None

Length of Service: 8 months

Physical Condition: Good (slight stomach trouble)

o/a 25 Mar 50 - Captured by CCF at his home and inducted into the 375th Regiment located at CHINAN HIEN (phonetic) MANCHURIA. He received two months' basic training, and was then assigned to duty as a mortar carrier for 60mm Mortars. The 374th Regiment was also at CHINAN HIEN at that time. Whereabouts of ether elements of the 125th Division or the 42nd Army unknown.

o/a 24 Sep 50 - The 374th Regiment and the 375th Regiment marched to ANTUNG (安東) MANCHURIA, arriving about 10 days later.

o/a 4 Oct 50 - Both regiments crossed the river and separated. The 375th Regiment continued southeast and arrived near MAENGSAN on l3 Nov 50. The 2d Artillery Bn was the advance party for the Regt. The main body of the Regiment followed about 4 or 5 hours march behind.

13 Nov 50 - The reconnaissance party of the 2nd Arty Bn reported the presence of UN Forces. The battalion deployed in the surrounding hills and within a short time were engaged, After about three hours fighting the battalion began a disorderly withdrawal to the north leaving 200 dead, The wounded, about 50 in number, were evacuated with the retreating forces. Weapons were also evacuated as much as possible. PW surrendered.

The 42nd Army consists of three divisions, the 125th, the 124th, and one whose designation is unknown.

In addition to the 375th there were two other regiments in the 125th Division, One of these is the 374th and the other the 373d.

The 375th Regiment is made up of the 1st, 2d, and 3d Infantry Battalions and an Artillery Battalion (no designation). Each infantry battalion consists of 3 infantry companies, The infantry companies of the Infantry (1st Battalion) are numbered 1, 2 and 3. Those of the 2d Infantry Battalion 4, 5 and 6 etc. There is a small medical unit (about 10 men) attached to each infantry battalion and two medical corpsmen with each infantry company. Whether or not other technical service units (signal, etc) are attached to infantry battalions is unknown.

The 2d, 3d, and 4th Infantry Platoons and. the 1st Platoon (heavy weapons) comprise the 4th Inf Company, 2d Battalion. Each infantry platoon is made up of 40 men, armed with rifles and 2 light machine guns. The 1st Platoon (called an Artillery Platoon by this source) consists of 3 gunners (60mm mortar), four men form in each mortar squad and ammunition carriers. There are no other arms in this platoon. The total strength of the 4th Infantry Company is approximately 175.

The Artillery Battalion of the 375th Infantry Regiment has a strength of about 120 men, armed with two 120mm mortars and two heavy machine guns.

PW stated that he heard from his platoon leader that the strength of the 2d Battalion was about 800, and that of the 375th Regiment about 2500, He further stated that the strength of the 2d Battalion at the time of the encounter with UN Forces was about 600.

The 375th Regiment was addressed by KIM Il Sung (金日成) for approximately 1 hour at SINUIJU.

PW does not know KIM Il Sung by sight, He was told by his Platoon Leader that the man addressing the troops in Chinese was KIM Il Sung, the Premier of North KOREA. Source described the speaker as being about 5 feet 6 inches tall ·and having a very round face.

PW heard him say “I am in a difficult position and have lost the war.” He welcomed the CCF and wished that they would be victorious.

He said some other things but since PW was in the background he could not hear well.

Source denied an earlier statement which he was credited with having made at the 65th RCT Headquarters that the CCF Troops came to KOREA only to contain the UN Forces’ further advance into KOREA. He himself thought the regiment had travelled to ANTUNG to defend MANCHURIA from invasion. After the regiment had crossed into KOREA he felt that their mission was to engage the UN Forces regardless of how far North or South they might be encountered. The troops were told nothing at all about mission or tactical plan by their superiors.

PW did not know the rank of officers in his unit as they were always addressed by the position held for example “Plat Ldr” and “Company Commander,” etc, Soldiers were addressed as “Comrade.”

Morale of the men in the 375th was low mainly due to the poor quality and sufficient amount of food and lack of ammo. The men felt that there was no need for them to risk their lives fighting the UN Forces.

The political officers were strict about the men gathering in groups and talking. If a group of men was seen talking the political officers would question each man separately on what they were talking about and if the stories of the men did not agree they were punished.

For the AC of S, G-2:

INTERROGATOR: SASAKI