Last April 23, 2026 was the 75th anniversary of the Battle of Yultong. As battles go, it may not rank high among historians around the world. For Filipinos, however, the battle of Yultong, which occurred in the Korean War in the 1950’s, will always be an important and relevant event. During those two days of the Battle of Yultong, 900 Filipino soldiers from the 10th Battalion Combat Team (BCT) successfully held their ground against a large force of 10,000 to 40,000 Chinese and North Koreans.
The 900 Filipinos of the 10th BCT were part of a specialized motorized unit of the Philippine Expeditionary Forces to Korea (PEFTOK). Majority of the personnel of the 10th BCT were part of the active duty regular army, but many of the officers of the unit were products of the Reserved Officers Training Corps program in the colleges and universities in the Philippines, who augmented the officers from the Philippine Military Academy. The enlisted personnel came from all walks of life. There were WW 2 veterans, former guerrillas, college students and dropouts, professionals, and ordinary joes. Many so-called experts question the circumstances surrounding the Philippine involvement in the said war. One thing no one can question though, is the bravery and courage shown by our countrymen during that battle.
During the intense two-day fighting, every man in the unit, including the cooks, clerks, typists, staff,, and even medics, took up arms and fought throughout the engagement. Even though the other countries’ units holding the flanks of the 10th BCT bugged out, the fighting Filipinos refused to budge from their position even when facing a 40-to-1 odds against them.
Two officers of the unit distinguished themselves in the battle. Captain Conrado Yap heroically led a desperate counterattack to rescue trapped comrades but perished. For his efforts, he was awarded three medals from three different countries. He was given the Philippine Medal of Valor, the US Distinguished Service Cross, and the South Korean Taegeuk Order of Military Merit. The other officer of the unit who was awarded the US DSC was Lt. Jose Artiaga Jr.
Lt. Artiaga led a unit of men who were overrun by superior forces but made the enemy pay. In all, 15 Filipinos gave their lives on a lonely patch of earth far away from their homes, defending the citizens of another country. On the other side, it was said that no less than 500 enemy soldiers were killed by the unit. Their courage is a testament to the martial ability of Filipinos when called to battle.
A simple but solemn wreath-laying ceremony was held last April 23, 2026 at the PEFTOK Korean War Memorial Pylon in the Libingan ng mga Bayani at Fort Bonifacio, Taguig. Led by Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr. and South Korean Ambassador Lee Sanghwa, the participants of that ceremony honored the Fighting Tenth and their achievements.
As time goes by, the deeds of our heroic countrymen seem to slowly fade from our collective memory. In fact, the last time I was in Korea, I visited the War Memorial of Korea in Seoul and the small corner dedicated to the PEFTOK filled with old uniforms and weapons of the 10th. I met a Filipino who was surprised that our countrymen bled for Korea not so long ago.
We do not know when the next call to take up arms will come. We only hope that we can always remember the 900 Filipinos of the 10th BCT and be inspired by their courage.
