ATIS INTERROGATION REPORT NO. 1405 27 September 1950
FIELD REPORT (ADVATIS - 0875) 23 September 1950
1. PERSONAL DETAILS:| PW NAME: | CH'OE Hwan In (崔煥仁) (최환인) |
| PW NO: | 63 NK 3591 |
| RANK: | Sr Lt (大尉) |
| AGE: | 21 |
| DUTY: | Company CO |
| UNIT: | 1st Div, AT Bn, 3rd Co |
| EDUCATION: | Middle School (4 yrs) |
| OCCUPATION: | Farmer |
| PLACE OF CAPTURE: | HYORYONG MYON (孝令面) (1150-1470) hill 173.6 |
| DATE OF CAPTURE: | 17 Sep 50 |
| PLACE OF BIRTH: | HAMGYONG PUKTO, HOERYONG GUN, POULMYON, NAMSAN DONG (咸鏡北道會寧郡甫乙面南山洞) |
| HOME ADDRESS: | Same as above |
| INTERROGATOR: | MORI (FEAF) |
PW seemed cooperative and talkative. Reliability of information doubtful. Further interrogation is recommended.
3. TACTICAL INFORMATION:Chronology:
| 24 Jan 48: | Inducted in NKPA at KANGGYE. Assigned to 1st Div Arty Bn. |
| 2 Apr 48: | Transferred with artillery Bn to SINUIJU. |
| 2 Apr 48 - 6 Apr 50: | Transferred to PAKCH'ON, P'YONGYANG, CHAERYONG and NAMCH'ON (南川) |
| 25 May 50: | Arrived at CHANGDAN (長湍) near the 38th parallel. |
| 28 Jun 50: | Crossed the 38th parallel. Crossed the IMJIN River. |
| 3 Jul 50: | Arrived SEOUL through the towns of CHOKSONG (積城) and MUNSAN (汶山). Attacked by aircraft. 2 trucks and 1 × 45mm AT gun destroyed. No casualties. Stayed three days at KWANGSIN Commercial School (光新商業中學校). |
| 11 Jul 50: | Arrived CH'UNGJU (忠州) via SUWON and ICH'ON. Joined 1st Div. |
| 2 Aug 50: | Arrived HAMCH'ANG (咸昌) by truck. Attacked by aircraft on five occasions. Five trucks and two 45mm AT guns destroyed. Approx 7 casualties in Artillery Bn. |
| 4 Aug 50: | Crossed the NAKTONG River 10 km S of HAMCH'ANG. |
| 20 Aug 50: | Arrived KUNWI by truck. Attacked almost daily by F-80 and F-51 type aircraft. Approx 4 trucks destroyed and 32 casualties in Artillery Bn. |
| 4 Sep 50: | Departed KUNWI by truck. AT guns were pulled by soldiers as the trucks had been destroyed. |
| 4 Sep 50: | Arrived HYORYONG MYON (孝令面). Hid At guns in village and all men stayed in the hills to escape aircraft attack. Two (2) AT guns destroyed by air attack. Approx 24 casualties. |
| 17 Sep 50: | PW with 22 men of his Co occupied a hill just N of hill 173.6. PW observed a group of ROK soldiers in the distance and told his men to stay at the hill while he made arrangements for surrender. While PW negotiated with the CO of the ROK unit, his men were attacked by the ROK forces. PW surrendered to ROK forces with two members of his company. |
Unit Organization and Strength:
Original Organization and strength:
The 1st Div (approx 13,000 men) was composed of the 1st, 2nd and 3rd Regts and the Div Arty Regt, Engineer Bn, Signal Bn, Medical Bn, HMG Bn, AT Bn, Training Bn, Recon Co, SP Artillery Co, AT Rifle Co and the Transportation Co, Security Guard Plt and Army Band Plts.
Present Organization and Strength:
As of 17 Sep 50 the strength of the 1st Div was less than 3,000 men.
Equipment:
Original: 12 × 122mm guns and 24 × 76mm guns at 1st Div Artillery Regt. 6 × 120mm mortars, 24 × 82mm mortars, 4 × 76mm Howitzers and 12 × 45mm AT guns per rifle regiment. There were 12 × 45mm AT guns in 1st Div AT gun Bn. 27 × MAXIM HMG's M1910 in Div HMG Bn, 9 × MAXIM HMG′s M1910 in Regts, 36 × 14.5mm PTRD-1941 AT rifles in Div At rifle Co, 9 × 14.5mm PTRD-1941 AT rifles in Regt At rifle plt. 30 × trucks in Div Transportation Co, 40 × trucks in Div Artillery Regt, 14 × trucks in Div AT Gun Bn, 6 × trucks in each Regt.
Present (As of 17 sep 50): 6 × 122mm guns and 6 × 76mm guns were with 1st Div Artillery Regt. There were three (3) 76mm Howitzers in the 3rd Regt, 7 × 45mm AT guns with 1st Div AT gun Bn. There were only two trucks in the Div AT gun Bn.
Unit History:
The 45mm AT guns were never used against tanks. PW heard that they were to be used against personnel. The 1st Div was activated in Dec 46 at KAECH'ON (价川) as Rifle Div. The Div At gun Bn was first organized in Dec 46 at KANGGYE. Div achieved its first victory in the two day battle 4 km SW of CHOKSONG during the early part of the war. During a battle in the MUNSAN Area the Div suffered the loss of one Bn. Also one SP Artillery piece was destroyed.
During the battle at CH'UNGJU the 1st Div lost 1 × 122mm gun, 3 × 76mm guns, 11 × trucks and approx 300 men. The 1st Div suffered severe losses during the twenty day right in the MUN'GYOUNG Area. The Div lost more than 5,000 men and the 2nd 3rd Div were annihilated. Heard from fellow soldiers that the 19th Regt of the 13th Div reinforced the 1st Div. Heard that the 1st Div CG received a commendation from the 2nd Corps CG for heroic actions during the MUN'GYONG battle. PW stated that there were only 6 × 122mm guns left in the 1st Div Artillery Regt when they arrived at KUNWI.
Disposition:
The 1st Div CP moved to HARYONG DONG (하寧洞) located 14 km WNW of UISONG (義城) on the night of 17 Sep 50, from TAEGOKU TONG (大谷洞) located between KUNWI and TABU DONG. The 2nd Corps CP was located at YONGJU (榮州). The 1st Div elements were located E of TABU DONG, the 13th Div was located W of TABU DONG and the 3rd Div was located W of the 13th Div.
PW heard that the 2nd and 3rd Regts of the 1st Div, approx 2,500 men, mostly recent conscripts, were to be pulled from the front line areas and assembled at KUNWI by 16 Sep 50. Heard that the 1st Div ammunition dump was located at TORIWON (桃李院) 4km N of KUNWI. Supply was brought to YONGJU by rail and from to the front by soldiers or civilians from nearby villages. PW stated that rifle ammunition, PPsh M1941 SMG ammunition and mortar shells were made in P'YONGYANG.
Artillery shells were made in the USSR. The following markings were found on 45mm AT shells:
YPC 64 - 45mm shells
F-47 - factory identification
45 1/7 - marked on bottom of shell
PW stated that YPC 264 markings were on 122mm Artillery shells. 122mm Artillery emplacements were moved to an apple orchard located 1.5 km NW of KUNWI. Four artillery pieces were there.
Communications:
Roads which were damaged by UN force mines were repaired and could be used by all vehicles. Most bridges were destroyed but have been repaired with sand bags. Tanks did not use these bridges. The RR was utilized as far South as YONGJU but only at night. Communication between Div Hqs, Regt Hqs and all artillery units was by radio but most radio sets were destroyed and field telephones were used. Runners were used for communication between Regts and Bns.
Intentions:
The mission of the 1st Div was to capture PUSAN by 15 Sep 50. The 2nd and 3rd Regts were withdrawn from the front line and ordered to assemble at KUNWI by 10 Sep 50.
Personalities:
Own unit: 2nd Corps CG MU Chong (武亭), Lt Gen (中將), age 50. Formerly with the Chinese Communist 8th Route Army in MANCHURIA. Joined NKPA in Aug 45.
1st Div CG CH'OE Kwang (崔光), Maj Gen (小將), age 45. Former Capt in USSR Army. Wounded at MUN'GYONG. New 1st Div CG KIM (fnu), Maj Gen (小將), 2nd Regt CO KIM Yang Chun (金養春), Col (大佐), age 30, AT Bn CO Kan Ye GU(姜礼九), Maj(少佐), age 27. Grad of P'YONGYANG Military school.
Morale and Propaganda:
Morale of troops was quite high until the personnel of the unit observed UN propaganda leaflets at HYORYONG (孝令) in early Sep 50. PW's unit was not short of rations. PW stated that the leaflets dropped by UN aircraft were very effective. A “front line Hq Newspaper” (前線指令部新聞) was published by the Div Culture Dept. PW stated that the news was usually one month old.
4. GENERAL:Code Numbers of units of 1st Div as of Jun 50:
| 1st Div | 115 |
| 1st Regt | 121 |
| 2nd Regt | 127 |
| 3rd Regt | 133 |
| Artillery | 139 |
| AT gun Bn | 157 |
| HMG Bn | 163 |
| Signal Bn | 151 |
| Engr Bn | 146 |
Artillery EEI:
1. Maximum Range of 45mm AT gun - 4,400 meters
122mm gun - 12,700 meters
76mm gun - 13,900 meters
2. Type of ammunition used: cement penetration (鉄甲彈), delay fuze, anti-personnel (榴彈) impact fuze and armor piercing (假帽鉄甲彈). The shell had a tempered steel core covered with soft steel. Can penetrate 9.6 cm steel plate at a distance of 500 m and generate 3000 degrees heat.
3. Types of fuzes used: cement penetrating shells had M-2 type fuzes and penetrated halfway through object before exploding. Anti-personnel shells had KTM-1 type fuzes. This fuze had a steel cap. If used without cap there was a delayed action. Armor piercing shells had MR-5 type fuzes and penetrated completely through object before exploding.
4. Rounds of ammo carried: The 45mm AT gun Bns 12 × pieces carried 2,400 rounds of ammo or 200 rounds per piece.
5. The anti-personnel shells were most effective at 1200 m, the cement penetrating shells at 800m and the armor piercing shells at 500m. However PW stated that the shells were used for longer distances.
6. AT Artillery positions were always in level area. Artillery positions were always in level area. Artillery positions were established in a straight line and an OP was set atop a hill approx 300m behind the gun positions.
7. In principle the AT guns were to be dug in but PW stated that this was not the practice in combat.
8. The guns are employed in general support.
9. Observation was carried out by observers with binoculars from CP.
10. One observer is used to adjust fire per company.
11. Massed fire was not used. Pieces were fired one at a time.
12. Captured US guns observed:
PW observed 2 × US 105mm Howitzers at SEOUL o/a 3 Jul 50 but no ammo was observed. PW later learned that these artillery pieces were to be used by NKPA. PW believed that these artillery pieces could easily be manipulated by the NKPA artillery men although different mill systems were employed.
13. Specialists in unit: An artillery technicians (Sr Lt) was assigned to the Bn and supervised the artillery maintenance man (Sgt) of each Co. The Sr Lt was trained in an artillery specialist school located in the former Japanese Army 77th Regt Area at P'YONGYANG.
Information of INCH'ON landing: Personnel of PW's unit were never informed of the INCH'ON landing.
For the Commanding Officer:
WEELDREYER
Executive
