Fewer Filipino veterans of Korean War attend Memorial Day

From the Philippine News Agency (Sep 7): Fewer Filipino veterans of Korean War attend Memorial Day

Only a handful of the dwindling members of the 7,420-strong Philippine Expeditionary Force to Korea (PEFTOK) that saw action during the Korean War 65 years ago attended this year’s Korean War Veterans of the Philippines Memorial Day on Monday.

The Philippine Veterans Affairs Office (PVAO) under Lt. Gen. Ernesto G. Carolina (Ret.) led the celebration in Fort Bonifacio, Taguig City.

Leading the Korean War veterans was former President Fidel V. Ramos, a member of the 20th Battalion Combat Team (BCT) that captured the strategic Eerie Hill, following a fierce gun battle with Red Chinese troops.

The celebration opened with a wreath-laying ceremony held at the Korean War Memorial Pylon at the Libingan ng mga Bayani with South Korean Ambassador Kim Jae Shin as guest of honor and speaker.

This year’s theme is “Pagkakaisa Tungo sa Kapayapaan.”

Only about 20 PEFTOK veterans showed up in today’s ceremony. All are in their 90s or late 80s. But they proudly wore their veteran’s uniform and medals as they recalled their combat duty during the Korean War.

The greatest battle where the Filipinos saw action was the Battle of Yultong. The fighting was between elements of the Chinese People's Volunteer Army 44th Division and the Filipino 10th Battalion Combat Team (BCT), north of Yeoncheon on April 22–23, 1951.

Official records show that “as part of the First Chinese Spring Offensive, the Chinese 44th Division attacked the US 65th Infantry Regiment of the US 3rd Infantry Division near Yeoncheon on the night of April 22.

The Filipino 10th BCT, part of the 65th Infantry Regiment, was soon trapped at the Yultong area by 11 p.m. Although the 10th BCT had lost all contacts with the outside world, the Filipinos held their position until the Chinese stopped their attacks on the morning of April 23.

The 10th BCT's action at Yultong allowed the US 3rd Infantry Division to successfully withdraw from the battlefield.

It may be recalled that then President Elpidio Quirino with the approval of Congress ordered the sending of the 7,420-man PEFTOK as the Philippines’ contribution to help South Korea which was invaded by communist North Korean troops from 1950-55.

The Korean War broke out on June 25, 1950 and the Philippines was one of the first countries that responded to help the beleaguered South Korean government.

It was during the Korean War that the Filipinos showed their gallantry in combat reminiscent of World War II.

The Filipinos also displayed to the world the sterling qualities of patriotism, courage and dedication to duty in mortal combat.

Twenty countries, including the Philippines, fought during the Korean War.

A total of 112 Filipino soldiers were killed in action and 313 others were wounded while 16 were missing.

Some 54,000 Americans were killed in the Korean War while the South Koreans suffered 228,000 killed in action.

http://www.pna.gov.ph/index.php?idn=1&sid=&nid=1&rid=801390