Office of the Historian

Marshall Mission Files, Lot 54–D270: Telegram

Mr. Walter S. Robertson to General Marshall

Peiping, 20 June 1946.

4293. Now coming is Opsum35 number 11. Hsinhsiang:36 United States member subteam 10 report 19 June. Subteam 10 was fired upon by CCP outpost at range of 200 yards 19 June while proceeding by jeep to Hsiuwu37 for conference with Major General [Page 1111] Huang Shin Yin, CO of 4th subdistrict of Ta Huang Hang CCP Military District. The jeep was plainly visible for at least a thousand yards. The American flag was blowing directly across the jeep front and was plainly visible. Several shots were fired. One bullet killed Major Kuo Tze Chi Chang, interpreter, and wounded Major Ming Ching Shu, NG subject member. The commissioner Communist Branch agreed this date to investigate.

Comment: On 11 June Major Lei, Liaison Officer of team 23, was killed by CCP troops near Yencheng,38 while on team business (special team departed this day for Tainan39 to investigate). There have been 3 other incidents in which teams or member of teams have been fired upon by CCP troops since 28 April. In addition 4 other teams have been under fire in cities besieged by CCP troops. Total casualties from these incidents have been 2 NG representatives and one civilian guide killed, 1 NG representative and one United States member wounded.

Both commissioners express great concern over these incidents and are again instructing all troop commanders to forcibly carry out orders to insure safety of teams, reiterating that failure will be dealt with severely.

  1. Operations summary.↩
  2. Notation on the original: “40 Mi NW of Kaifeng”.↩
  3. Notation on the original: “20 Mi W of Hsinhsiang”.↩
  4. Notation on the original: “10 NW of Tsinan”.↩
  5. Notation on the original: “30 Mi S of Tsinan”.↩