This article presents the oral recollections of two Chinese POWs who participated in the Korean War. Zhang Zeshi (张澤石) and Liu Chunchien (劉純儉) both served in companies of the Chinese People’s Volunteer Army, with one returning to the People’s Republic of China and the other heading to Taiwan after the war. After returning home, Zhang worked as a teacher and faced many hardships. Liu joined the Taiwanese navy and made a living as a soldier. The testimonies of the Chinese POWs indicate that their identities were heavily influenced by their personal experiences during the war, social status, and education background, rather than by the official war ideology of ‘Resisting the U.S. and Aiding Chosun’. Prior to joining the war effort, both of them had a relatively strong sense of identity, which led them to decide their ultimate destination without wavering. Though with limitations, the case study was able to reveal that pro-communist POWs remember their experience and activities in POW camps relatively well and talk freely. Conversely, anti-communist POWs either have a rather vague memory of what happened in the camp or seek to avoid commenting on such matters. The oral testimonies of POWs can often exhibit an ex post facto effect in which those being interviewed attempt to reconstruct their lived experiences in a present-centered manner. It is important to be mindful of these aspects when interpreting what is remembered.