[Daddy Max as President of the PEFTOK-10th BCT Chapter is shown at top photo delivering the WELCOME REMARKS at the 66th Anniversary of the BATTLE OF YULDONG which was held at 7:30 AM this morning (April 26, 2017) at the Libingan ng mga Bayani, Taguig, Metro-Manila. The BATTLE OF YULDONG is a great battle of the KOREAN WAR that chronicled the heroism and bravery of the Filipino soldier. Following the entry of Communist China into the fray in November 1950, the joint North Korean and communist Chinese militia forces composed of 250,000 ferocious warriors planned the launching of their GREAT SPRING OFFENSIVE to purportedly attain for themselves their desired VICTORY. At the early dawn of April 23, 1951; a horde of 40,000 of this 250,000 communist force which was designated to penetrate the FILIPINO DEFENSE LINE (manned by close to 1,000 10th BCT PEFTOKERS) attacked. After the smoke of the shooting war cleared up which ultimately ended in bloody hand-to-hand combat, the 10th BCT PEFTOKERS held their ground and totally vanquished the communist forces. The yearly anniversary to commemorate this victory of FREEDOM and DEMOCRACY is aimed at keeping the memory of FILIPINO HEROISM and to avoid this BATTLE OF YULDONG relegated into the dustbin of history.]
With the odds at FORTY to ONE1,
Our PEFTOK2 soldiers fought with a PLAN;
To kill as many of the ENEMIES,
End the WAR…to be with their FAMILIES!
And the VALOR of the FILIPINO SOLDIERS,
Though with casualties brought in BIERS3;
MacArthur praised & commended the PEFFTOK,
It was a recognition of heroism with such great TALK 4!
As they were holed up in those grubby FOXHOLES,
They were thinking of their wives & BOYS;
And those girls among their cute little CHILDREN,
Brought them tears; the officers and their SUBALTERNS!
And waves of communist warriors ARRIVED,
As though they’re cats with their fabled NINE LIVES;
But as the FILIPINO soldiers were so PASSIONATE,
Every adversary’s soul turned so very UNFORTUNATE…
When the dust of the gun smoke CLEARED,
The communist warriors eventually VEERED5;
They avoided the FILIPINO DEFENSE LINE,
Except for over a score6, the FILIPINOS were FINE!
And it was the 10th7 which went on a shooting WAR,
The other BCTs8 were still away…miles AFAR;
Still it was the FILIPINO SPIRIT that emerged as HERO,
A brand of BRAVERY championed by LAPU-LAPU9!
And the SOUTH KOREANS have been very GRATEFUL,
For the help of the FILIPINOS…an AID so WONDERFUL;
In fact, the PHILIPPINES sent the FIRST TROOPS10,
And the severe WINTER11 brought them fever and COLDS!
And in REMEMBERING the BATTLE OF YULDONG,
Posterity must treasure this memory for LONG;
If not indeed, it could turn into a FORGOTTEN WAR —
A victorious TRIUMPH that has raised the FILIPINO SOLDIER above PAR!!!!
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[Legend: 1 – At the BATTLE OF YULDONG which happened on April 23, 1951, less than 1,000 Filipino soldiers of the PEFTOK squared it off with over 40,000 Chinese communist warriors. But despite the massive superiority in number of the Chinese militia, which was ostensibly aimed to AWE and TERRIFY the Filipino soldiers; the communist forces were successfully vanquished by our brave and daring PEFTOKERS.
2 – PEFTOK is acronym for PHILIPPINE EXPEDITIONARY FORCE TO KOREA. This army contingent was sent via the
edict of former President Elpidio Quirino to Korea in September 1950 with the arrival in the Korean Peninsula of the 10th Battalion Combat Team. After the great Battle of Yuldong, the 10th BCT was relieved by the 20th BCT in September 1951.
3 – BIERS are coffins.
4 – General Douglas MacArthur was compelled to declare in virtual acknowledgment of the BRAVERY of the FILIPINO SOLDIERS, following the BATTLE OF YULDONG, through this resounding statement – “Give me 10,000 Filipino soldiers and I will conquer the WORLD.”
5 – As the FILIPINO DEFENSE LINE seemed impenetrable, the Chinese communist warriors veered away from this DEFENSE LINE in sheer exhaustion and consequent diminution.
6 – During the Battle of Yuldong 10 Filipinos soldiers got killed and another 14 were declared missing in action.
7 – 10th is the 10th Battalion Combat Team which was the first combat battalion sent by the Philippines to the Korean War as it arrived in the Korean Peninsula on September 19, 1950.
8 – BCT is acronym for Battalion Combat Team.
9 – Lapu-lapu is the FIRST FILIPINO HERO who is acknowledged as having killed the Portuguese Fernao Magallanes aka Ferdinand Magellan in the Battle of Mactan.
10 – Among the ALLIED NATIONS, it was the Philippines among those nations which quickly reacted in the call for help aired by South Korea government and eventually, the Philippine government was among the first to send its combat troops to the Korean War.
11 – That November in 1950 was recorded as the coldest WINTER ever in the Korean Peninsula.]
