# 10th Battalion Combat Team (Philippines)

10th Battalion Combat Team, is a unit of the Philippine Army in 1950 who fought during Philippine Government Anti-Dissident campaign against Hukbalahap but it gained fame during Korean War when it was sent to Korea as first contingent deployed of Philippine Expeditionary Forces to Korea (PEFTOK) in 1950.

## Organization

The Philippine Army organized in 1946 its combat units into Battalion Combat Team to combat the communist insurgency of Hukbalahap. In 1950 the battalion was considered as the best trained unit of the Philippine Army. The battalion was trained in Camp Marikorea in Marikina before it was sent to Korea.

## Korean War

In 1950,President Elpidio Quirino responded to the call of UN to raised and contributed a combat unit to UN command in Korea. In order to help the beleaguered South Korea who was already cornered in the Pusan Perimeter by North Korean troops. With 1,303 Enlisted men and 64 Officers, comprises HQ & HQ Company, 3 Rifle Companies (Able, Baker, & Charlie) Combat Support Companies (Recon, Tank, Artillery Companies). They left Manila on September 15, 1950 the Battalion and arrived on September 19, 1950 in Pusan port. They were the first Asian combat unit who arrived in Korea. Initially commanded by Colonel Mariano Azurin who is a tank commander as the unit was trained in mechanized warfare and expected to fight as mechanized unit with Major Delfin Argao as Executive Officer. Believing Americans will provide the 28 Light and Medium Tanks as agreed. Only 7 M24 Chaffee Light Tanks was provided and no winter clothing. The Tank Company under Captain Condrado Yap shifted to Heavy Weapons as no tanks arrived.

### Guerilla Warfare

The first mission given to 10th BCT was to secure the Main Supply Route (MSR). After North Koreans retreat back to North they left saboteurs and stragglers to fight as guerillas and distort the supply lines. However, 10th BCT is an experienced unit in anti-guerilla warfare when deployed to fight the huks. They were engaged in fighting the guerillas at Waegwan area covered 800 square miles that harbored 3,000 guerillas, the battalion deployed in anti-guerilla operations during its first six months of its tour in Korea. Private Alipio Secillano of Lisbon, Albay was killed near the Naktong River in one of their anti-guerilla patrols.

### Battle of Miudong

On 31 October, advanced elements of the 10th crossed the 38th Parallel dividing North and South Korea, an event reported to the Filipino public by War Correspondent Johnny Villasanta, who accompanied the advanced unit. Villasanta was the first Filipino war correspondent in Korea.
The next day, the rest of the battalion moved further north to Pyongyang, capital of North Korea, and was given the mission of securing the MSR from Kaesong to Pyongyang and clearing the area of guerillas.
At the outskirts of the town of Miudong, the battalion fought its first pitched battle, this against a North Korean battalion, killing 50 while losing one man. "The Battle of Miudong” was the first battle fought, and won, by the Philippines on foreign soil.
The first engagement the 10th BCT involved was the Battle of Miudong (Syngy), were elements of the Battalion was sent to clear the supply route from Pusan to Seoul of North Koreans. Recon Platoon under then 2Lieutenant Maximo P. Young, a World War II veteran was leading the way with 4 M24 Chaffee Light Tanks supported by Able and Baker Companies.
They were ambushed in Miudong by North Koreans, one of their trucks hit land mine and receiving small arms bullets. Lieutenant Young with his combat experience set in he observed through its tank's periscope the situation. Seeing his comrades was not moving, he went out of the tank and man the mounted machinegun at the top began firing it to the ambushers, killing and wounding the North Koreans. Seeing and inspired by his action, men of Able and Baker companies move out of their positions and began firing and maneuvering, resulting high casualties. This resulted to 40 killed on several wounded and captured on North Koreans but the Recon Platoon lost 1 man and other companies received 2 wounded.
In a bold raid on November 5, a five-man commando team led by Lt. Venancio “Bonny” Serrano captured 77 North Korean soldiers and sympathizers plus arms and ammunition. The "gung ho" Lt. Serrano was to earn a reputation for fearlessness that made him one of the most colorful Filipino soldiers in the Korean War.

### Bitter Winter

The brutal winter of 1950 was the coldest in 200 years with temperatures well below zero. Despite this incredible cold, the 10th was without the heavy winter clothing that would allow its men to survive and fight in this arctic environment. This supply omission strained relations between Col. Azurin and the commanding officer of the American regiment to which the 10th was then attached. Azurin protested forcefully and was relieved of his command.

### Azurin Relieved

Upon arrival the Battalion was immediately taken under the control of Brigadier General Frank S. Bowen Jr., commander of 187th Airborne Regimental Combat Team, which in violation of the military agreements. The control of 4 Companies was transferred to General Bowen leaving Colonel Azurin the battalion commander with the HQ & HQ Company and Medical Detachment. As combat leader Azurin was determined to have his Battalion fight as one unit not being farmed out piecemeal to other commands. Another issue he raised the lack of winter clothing as his troops were went out of action due to pneumonia, frostbite, and trench foot. This pushed to send a front-line report to the Philippines that made President Quirino send Senator Macario Peralta to do on the spot investigation. This complaint reached General Douglas MacArthur's headquarters and 8th US Army Commander Lieutenant General Walton Walker's headquarters. He was summoned to explain his complaints. Colonel Azurin refusal to send his Battalion to combat without proper gear and winter clothing then he was relieved and ordered home. The command of the Battalion was transferred to Lieutenant Colonel Dionisio Ojeda, but Azurin's protestation made way for the battalion to be provided with what they needed.

### Battle of Yultong

Battalion now down to 900 men strength due to casualties which are not combat related in nature. They were under 65th US Infantry Regiment as reserve, which is attached to 3rd US Infantry Division. Arriving at the front on the morning of 22 April, the battalion quickly took over the forward positions of the 1st Battalion, US 65th Infantry Regiment, part of the US 3rd ID. The Filipinos began to improve their positions, digging more foxholes, siting machine guns and stringing more barbed wire. The 10th held a portion of the left shoulder of Line Utah astride Route 33, a major highway connecting Seoul to the city of Chorwon further north. The Puerto Ricans of the US 65th Infantry Regiment, probably the best US infantry unit on the western front, dug in one of their battalion's on the 10th’s left flank. To the Puerto Rican’s left stood the British 29th Independent Infantry Brigade Group consisting of the Belgian battalion, the 1st Battalion Royal Ulster Rifles, the 1st Battalion Northumberland Fusiliers and the 1st Battalion of The Gloucestershire Regiment. These units were within the sector held by the 3rd US ID. Defending the left of the British was the ROK 1st Division, which also held the city of Munsan-ni, the western anchor of the UNC line. A battalion of the Turkish Brigade, part of the US 25th Infantry Division, held the line to the right of the 10th. The battalions of this division were strung out to the right of the Turks as were the battalions of the US 24th Infantry Division. The US 3rd, 25th and 24th Infantry Divisions constituted the US I Corps defending the western sector of the UNC line. The US IX Corps held the right of US I Corps. Opposite the 10th were the CPV 31st, 34th, 35th and 181st Divisions that were part of the CPV 12th Army. This army, which at full strength numbered some 40,000 men, formed part of the CPV III Army Group along with the CPV 15th and 60th Armies. More than 400,000 “volunteers” in 18 armies and 50,000 NKPA regulars were massed for their “Great Spring Offensive.” This formidable horde was supported by the heaviest concentration of Communist artillery yet seen in the war.
The Filipinos set-up an Intelligence Outpost (IOP) some five kilometers forward of their front line to give advance warning of the impending Chinese attack. At about 8:30 pm, the IOP reported large numbers of Chinese leaving their positions and heading towards the battalion. The IOP then withdrew into the safety of the battalion’s positions. The Chinese reported by the IOP belonged to one of the four divisions comprising the CPV 12th Army that would become the battalion’s antagonists at Yuldong.
The Chinese opened their attack with a massive artillery barrage lasting over four hours in some of the three UNC sectors attacked. At 9:30 pm, the battalion’s Tank (Heavy Weapons) Company defending the left flank reported contact with the Chinese. Heavy fighting then broke out on the flank.
At five minutes past midnight on 23 April, Sunday, the entire 10th BCT took the full impact of the Chinese assault. Baker Company defending the right was the first to be hit. After hammering the rest of the battalion’s positions with artillery, mortar and automatic weapons fire the Chinese charged the Filipino line to the noise of bugles, whistles and gongs.
They ran into a wall of fire thrown up by the 10th, hundreds of Chinese falling to the defenders. The battlefield was in chaos. Although heavily outnumbered, the men of Able, Tank, Recon and Baker Companies in the front line resisted furiously backed by their howitzers and mortars. The battalion’s front line remained unbroken.
Steady On!
Disaster, however, struck the UNC battalions on the 10th's flanks. The Chinese quickly overran the Turkish battalion, exposing the 10th's right, and began to encircle Baker Company defending that flank. The Puerto Rican battalion holding the 10th's left flank staggered under the massive assault, and while two companies withdrew fighting, the rest of the Puerto Ricans prevented the Chinese from rupturing their lines.
Amid a rapidly collapsing western front, the Filipinos and the Puerto Ricans held firm, denying the Chinese the quick victory they needed to crush the UNC.
Farther left, the British stood up to the first Chinese assaults. After an initial repulse at the hands of the Gloucestershire battalion on the left of the British position, however, the Chinese forced a crossing of the Imjin River at Korangpo-ri. The Chinese then drove hard inland, surrounding the Gloucestershire battalion at its Solma-ri position and outflanking the other battalions of the brigade, which were forced back to escape encirclement.
Many of the UNC battalions holding the 10th's left and right flanks were in retreat by the morning of 23 April. With its flanks "in the air," the 10th stood alone in a salient almost surrounded by a torrent of assaulting Chinese. The most threatening penetration, however, occurred further east in the vicinity of the city of Hwach'on. The CPV routed the South Korean 6th Division in the US IX Corps area and poured southward threatening to cut off UNC units north of the Imjin River.

### Attempt Rescue of Gloucestershire Battalion

The US 3rd ID ordered the battalion to withdraw, a disengagement the 10th accomplished while under constant attack from the Chinese and without other UNC units to cover its withdrawal.
There was, however, no rest for the exhausted 10th. Barely rested from its terrifying ordeal and with its men dog-tired, the battalion on the 24th was thrown into a tank-led British counterattack to free the trapped Gloucestershire battalion.
The Filipinos attacked with their M24 light tanks, one of which was destroyed by the Chinese. More Filipinos died. The 10th fought to within 1,500 meters of the trapped battalion, the closest approach by any of the UNC units involved in the rescue attempt, but were hamstrung by unfavorable terrain that allowed no room for maneuver.
Standing firm against the British, Filipino, American, Puerto Rican and Belgian attackers, the Chinese eventually destroyed the Gloucestershire (or Gloster) battalion after a fierce four-day struggle. Only 50 of 750 Glosters escaped death or capture. The British fought to the last bullet against three Chinese divisions of the CPV 63rd Army.

### Back Home

10th Battalion Combat Team was replaced by 20th Battalion Combat Team and returned to the Philippines on October 21, 1951 in the frontline. They incurred 266 casualties 63 Killed, 145 wounded, and 58 missing in action, the highest casualty toll among all five PEFTOK BCTs. On May 5, 1952 the battalion's dead returned to the Philippines and buried at the Libingan ng mga Bayani.

## Post Korean War

After reorganization of the Philippine Army in 1960s the BCTs are organized into Division and Brigades. 10th BCT was relegated to infantry Battalion. Today, 10th Infantry Battalion although not a Combat Team retains its motto "Steady On". Based in Misamis Occidental under 102nd Brigade under 1st Infantry (Tabak) Division. Involved in Anti-Rebellion operations with both CPP-NPA and Moro secessionist.