The Battle of Yultong was a battle fought in the Korean War. The battle began as a result of the "Great Spring Offensive" against the United Nations Command. Combatants Western Allied/UN combatants: South Korea, United States Communist combatants: North Korea, Peoples Republic of China, Soviet Union Strength Note: All figures may vary according to source. ...

On September of 1950 a Filipino military contingent landed in South Korea , in fulfillment of the Philippines pledge of assistance to the United Nation’s effort to stem North Korea ’s Communist invasion of South Korea . The Philippines is a tropical country, but in Korea , the Filipinos faced the reality of a winter war. Raid after successful raid against the enemy gave the Filipinos a fighting reputation. The entry of China into the war, however, would give them the chance to sew into the fabric of the Philippine flag the meaning of valor to its highest possible degree.

When Allied forces neared the Yalu River , the boundary between Korea and Manchuria ( China ), Chinese troops attacked. The UN forces withdrew. Except the Filipinos. Not having received the order to withdraw, they remained, determined to fight to the last man. They were finally ordered to retreat, the last to leave the battlefield full of dead enemies. Operation after operation, the Filipinos shone that even Gen. MacArthur was mightily impressed. They were, on several occasions, became the unit farthest north among the UN forces. The story behind the Filipino defense of Yultong Ridge is a tale to be told in details. When the Chinese attack came, all UN forces retreated, except the Filipinos, who, rallying under the flag and defying orders, remained and engaged the Chinese in a bitter close quarter fighting. Considering the strength of the Chinese, UN Command wrote off the Filipino forces. Later, they were surprised to learn that the Filipinos were still fighting the enemy. They were immediately ordered to disengage. That order was ignored. They fought on and inspired the whole UN effort to stem the Communist attack. It would be an understatement to say that they prevented the UN front from collapsing.

And so it was that the whole world, again, saw the Philippine flag waving gallantly in Korean sky. No doubt, the ultimate standard of courage.

Peter Jaynul V. Uckung, Senior History Researcher, National Historical Institute

• Artiaga, Jose M., Jr.

First Lieutenant, Philippine Army 10th Battalion Combat Team, Army of the Philippines Date of Action: April 22 & 23, 1951

Citation: The Distinguished Service Cross is awarded to First Lieutenant Jose M. Artiaga, Jr., Army of the Philippines, for extraordinary heroism while serving with a tank (Special Weapons) company, Tenth Battalion Combat Team, Philippine Expeditionary Force to Korea, on April 22 and 23, 1951, at Yultong, Korea. Throughout the night his platoon was repeatedly assaulted by a fanatical and numerically superior hostile force of Chinese Communists. With utter disregard for his safety and constantly exposed to heavy machine-gun, mortar, and artillery fire, Lieutenant Artiaga moved about the sector held by his men to steady, encourage, and deploy them to insure the best defense of their positions. Despite exhaustion, isolation from other elements of the company, and the disaster which seemed imminent, his troops tenaciously repulsed repeated attacks and inflicted numerous casualties. While tirelessly directing the fire of his depleted force, he was mortally wounded, but his courage and indomitable fighting spirit so imbued his troops with a spirit of irrepressible determination that they held the positions until relief arrived. Department of the Army General Orders No. 28 (March 13, 1952)

• Yap, Conrado D.

Captain, Philippine Army 10th Combat Battalion, Army of the Philippines Date of Action: April 22 & 23, 1951

Citation: The Distinguished Service Cross is awarded to Captain Conrado D. Yap, Army of the Philippines, for extraordinary heroism in action while serving with the Tenth Combat Battalion, Philippine Expeditionary Force to Korea, on April 22 and 23, 1951, at Yuctong, Korea. Shortly before midnight on April 22, 1951, his company, occupying defensive positions, came under a vicious hostile attack which seriously penetrated the perimeter. Exploiting the breach, the enemy launched successive, determined assaults throughout the night. Constantly exposed to machine-gun, mortar, and artillery fire, Captain Yap crawled from foxhole to foxhole, steadying his men and encouraging them to hold firm. Learning that his First Platoon had been overrun, and despite orders from his battalion commander to withdraw his unit, he fearlessly led a daring charge in a determined effort to reach the beleaguered platoon. Overwhelming enemy strength and heavy fire received from flanks and to the front notwithstanding, they relentlessly pressed the assault, regained the hill, evacuated the casualties, and rescued the isolated unit. Observing a stricken soldier on the slope of the hill, Captain Yap immediately started toward the man but was mortally wounded by a burst of enemy fire. Inspired by his heroic conduct, his men continued the fight with such determination and skill that the enemy attack was contained and numerous casualties were inflicted. Department of the Army General Orders No. 107 (December 14, 1951)