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Chapter IV

The Rebirth of the Army

By the time Bataan and Corregidor had fallen in what would count among the most historic and valiant battles ever fought on Philippine soil, the Filipino troops were war-torn and weary. Yet, freedom remained the burning goal, as troops continued the fight underground, in what was to mark the beginnings of a small but highly effective guerrilla movement. Units isolated from their commands after surrender became the nucleus of rebel units that soon sprouted all over the country. Sporadic action took place in the middle of Japanese-occupied territories, as the guerrillas conducted occasional raids and kept clandestine eyes and ears open for any information that could destabilize the colonizing army. Underground fighters also watched their own backs zealously, securing supplies and critical roads and bridges.

                It was an effort which would prove essential to the campaign for Philippine liberation, one which President Sergio Osmeña would officially acknowledge upon the return of the American forces and the landing in Leyte of General Douglas MacArthur. Throughout the campaign for liberation, guerrilla units were busy taking on the Japanese forces. When the Americans landed, they found the Philippine beaches cleared of Japanese forces by the guerrilla troops; after encounters, the Americans would leave the "mopping up" in the wake of the battle to the guerrillas.

                The guerrillas who participated in the campaign were classified into three different groups. One was composed of Filipino or American soldiers who did not surrender to the Japanese. Another had ordinary residents and citizens rallying behind one individual. The last group counted former members of semi-political pre-war organizations among its ranks.

                On October 20, 1944, Osmeña issued Executive Order Number 21, an edict which recognized guerrilla units as active, functioning and legitimate elements of the Philippine Army. Army headquarters were re-established three days later in Tacloban; the following year, after the liberation of Manila, the headquarters would be relocated in the national capital of Manila on March __ 1945 . This erstwhile scattered branch of the nation's armed forces was then declared part of the United States Armed Forces in the Far East (USAFFE), with Major General Basilio J. Valdes appointed as the Army's new Chief of Staff. The Army was ready to do its job again.

                It was not going to be an easy job, however. Complete autonomy was fervently desired, but not altogether possible in the wake of the ravages of war; the Second World War had left Manila among the most damaged cities in the world, and the populace was just as preoccupied with the concerns of daily survival as it was with the idea of defense against another dreaded invasion. At the inauguration of the Philippine Republic on July 4, 1946 President Manuel Roxas spoke of the urgent need to rebuild and rehabilitate the country's shattered economy, a reality he deemed possible only "in the glistening wake of America".

                Unfortunately, America was not going to be so benevolent. Prior to the Roxas inauguration, US President Harry S. Truman had already officially released the military forces of the Philippines from the service of the Armed Forces of the United States. Though this act, for all appearances, was meant to restore the sovereignty and identity of the Philippine armed forces, the question of financial restoration was more immediately pressing. American economic concessions after the war were glaringly inadequate, and were under threat of being withheld unless the Filipinos yielded to American-imposed conditions. Despite being placed in a degrading spot, there was little recourse for the Filipinos but to effect a compromise of sorts, which involved sacrificing complete autonomy in favor of relative military security.

                This compromise came in the form of the Military Bases Agreement (MBA), forged between the Philippines and the United States on March 14, 1947, "to provide for the maintenance of US military bases in the Philippines to ensure mutual protection for the two countries." As with many military facilities worldwide after the war, the MBA marked the transformation of US military strongholds from colonial power centers into what primarily became overseas facilities, from a symbol of colonial domination to one governed by international bargain transactions. Moreover, in a paper on "US Military Presence in Southeast Asia" published by the Center for International Relations and Strategic Studies, this presence also provided the "Philippines with a security guarantee against possible resurgence of Japanese militarism during that time." Nevertheless, the possibility of Japanese military action was improbable due to the fact that they were under the Americans at that time. In any case, the presence of American military bases in the Philippines was intended to protect American interests and maintain American power in the Pacific.

                A week after the signing of the MBA, the Military Assistance Agreement (MAA) was drawn up primarily to enable the Philippines to develop and strengthen its national military forces. For this purpose, the United States was required to furnish the necessary equipment, material, services as well as the personnel to assist on the use of these equipment. While the original agreement was to be effective for only five years, it was amended on June 26, 1953 to remain in effect indefinitely.

                The Mutual Defense Treaty (MDT) which was signed on August 30, 1951 sealed the Philippine-United States military alliance by binding both parties to "act to meet common dangers in accordance with its constitutional processes." The treaty could therefore be invoked in the event of an armed attack on either party in the Pacific area.

                However, the concept of the aforementioned "mutual protection," specifically in the event of another invasion, remained vague. The Philippine government’s efforts to define such terms resulted in the organization of an institutionalized body, the Philippine-United States Mutual Defense Board on May 15, 1958. This development was seen as a move to implement more effectively the provisions of existing defense agreements to ensure utmost cooperation between the two countries. Accordingly, Proclamation No. 69 was issued declaring Corregidor and its adjacent islands as military reservations and national defense zones. Soon after, Fort William McKinley (now Fort Andres Bonifacio), one of the oldest pre-war US military reservations in the Philippines, was likewise turned over to the Philippine government. A Civilian Emergency Administration and a War Resources Board were also created to take care of the protection and welfare of the civilian populace in the event of war.

                Shortly before the expiration of the MBA, the signatories tried to forge a new agreement to replace it. The agreement would have the form, force and effect of a treaty. It was not, however, ratified by the Philippine Senate as was required by the Constitution. Consequently, the MBA expired on December 31, 1992 without any substitute agreement and the US had to pull out from their Philippine Bases: the Clark Airbase and Subic Naval Base which, since the US departure have been developed into a lucrative commercial and industrial complexes.

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After the transfer of its Headquarters to the capital city of Manila in 1945, the Army was reorganized into an autonomous unit outside the USAFFE. The entity at this time was divided into the Central General Staff, the Special Staff, the Camp Components, Replacement Battalions and other activated units. Among the units reactivated after the war were the Philippine Army Air Corps (PAAC) and the Off-Shore Patrol. The reactivated PAAC, which earned the distinction of being the first unit of the Army to be mustered into the USAFFE by World War II, has two of its units reactivated after the war. The Air Service Group and the 1^st Troop Carrier Squadron which operated in support of Army ground operations. The Army's Off-shore Patrol, on the other hand, was formed primarily for coast guard operations and the enforcement of immigration, anti-smuggling and maritime navigation laws.

In 1948, the Army was again restructured, based on an approved reorganization plan. Based on Executive Order no. 94 issued on October 4, 1947 which revamped the entire structure of the national government, the Philippine Army, among others was redesignated to Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP), with its headquarters becoming known as Headquarters National Defense Forces. The Central General Staff became the National Defense General Staff, while the Special Staff was renamed the National Defense Special Staff.

In the wake of this renewal came the deactivation of the country's ten military districts and their replacement with four Military Areas (MAs). The first military area, or I-MA, had its headquarters in Camp Ord, Tarlac, and covered 12 provinces and two cities in Northern and Central Luzon. The II-MA was based in Canlubang, Laguna, with 18 provinces and seven cities in Southern Luzon in its area of responsibility. Cebu City was the headquarters of the III-MA, which covered ten provinces and four cities in the Visayas. Finally, the IV-MA had its headquarters in Cagayan de Oro, Misamis Oriental, with jurisdiction over ten provinces and two cities in Mindanao.

After the activation of the four Military Areas, Major General Rafael Jalandoni, then Chief of Staff, recommended the creation of combat units designed for the worsening anti-dissident campaigns. In line with this, the first two Battalion Combat Teams (1st and 2nd ) were activated. When the Huk insurgency reached its peak in the late forties, additional BCTs were activated to bear the brunt of the Huk Campaigns.

Each BCT, considered the basic building block of the Philippine Army, had its own Civil Affairs Officer (CAO), who in turn had his own small staff of enlisted men. The CAO, in fact, would be a key figure on every level of command, and would function as a key adviser to the different Army Commanders. In a nutshell, the CAO was responsible for bolstering and maintaining the organization's positive image. Under the Civil Affairs Office, he dealt with special sections dedicated to the printed press, radio and television. It was one of the CAO's main missions to publicize as widely as possible the achievements of the AFP. It was mainly through these individuals that information was disseminated and sympathy won for the fighting boys of the Army.

After a nine-month training course, the first batch of 3,000 trainees for regular and reserve forces graduated in 1949. These idealistic 20-year-olds formed the first post-war batch of trainees incorporated into the Philippine Army's BCTs.

On December 23, 1950, Executive Order No. 389 organized the Armed Forces into four main divisions: the Philippine Army, the Philippine Constabulary, the Philippine Air Force and the Philippine Navy. On January 1, 1951, the mission of the Philippine Army was formally stated thus: 1) To organize, train and equip Army Forces for the conduct of prompt and sustained combat operations on land, specifically to defeat enemy land forces and seize, occupy and defend land areas; 2) to develop, in coordination with the other major services, tactics, techniques and equipment of interest to the Army for field operation; and 3) to train, organize and equip all Army units and to perform such other functions, as the President may so direct.

The designation of the General Headquarters, AFP concurrently as Headquarters Philippine Army was terminated effective July 1, 1957. With the creation of Headquarters Philippine Army as a separate entity, Major General Leoncio Tan became its first Commanding General. As history would show, this reorganization would help eliminate inter-service friction and professional jealousies, and would prove to be a critical step towards the effective handling of the growing national problem of the Hukbalahap campaign.

Through the remainder of the fifties, the Army reorganized its combat ready divisions initially following the Triad concept, known as the Philippine Army Reorganized Infantry Division (PARID). Later, it adapted a new table of organization and equipment in accordance with the Pentomic concept of organization referred to as the Reorganized Combat Infantry Division (ROCID). Primarily, these units were tasked to perform duties in military exercises and undergo constant training. Subsequently, some units of these combat ready divisions were employed to support the PC in its operations against the remaining Huks, while others were employed to support certain non-military government activities.

With the need to rebuild the post war Army’s organization and capabilities, it was also deemed necessary to emphasize on education and training.

On July 1, 1946, Lieutenant Colonel Ramon Enriquez was chosen to head the activation of the Philippine Military Academy (PMA), the main source of regular officers of the Armed Forces and initiated its reorganization from Camp Murphy, to Alabang, Rizal and later at Camp Allen. In 1947, Lieutenant Colonel Tirso V. Fajardo was hand-picked to re-establish and rehabilitate the PMA in Baguio City. Courses of Instruction were revised to conform with the requirements of a well-integrated educational program. For the reserve component courses, the forerunner of today's Training and Doctrine Command (TRADOC) was the Military Training Command (MTC) which composes the service schools, ROTC units and the Reserve Officers Service School. The MTC historically became the first school of the Philippine Army. It was later redesignated as the Philippine Ground Force School (PGFS), and was primarily tasked to train Army officers, small unit leaders and combat units. The PGFS was the forerunner of the Armed Forces of the Philippines Service School (AFPSS). The AFPSS later became the Ground Combat School stationed at Fort McKinley. On August 1, 1951, by virtue of General Orders Nr 4, the Philippine Army School Center (PASC) was activated with three schools under it, namely: the Ground Combat School, the Ordnance School and the Quartermaster School. Four years after, the Ground Combat School was dissolved and gave way to the activation of the Artillery, Armor and Infantry Schools.

With the separation of HPA from GHQ, AFP in 1957 the PASC was transferred from AFPTC to the PA. A year after, it was redesignated to Philippine Army School Command. The changed streamlined and controlled the supervision of training, so that all schools has to be deactivated. Accordingly, PASC was reorganized and composed of the School for Combat Arms (absorbing the Armor, Artillery, Intelligence and Infantry Schools), School for Technical Services (absorbing the Engineer, Ordnance, Signal and Quartermaster Schools) and the School for Administration (absorbing the Adjutant General and Finance Schools).

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The "Hukbo ng Bayan Laban sa Hapon," more popularly known as Hukbalahap, was an underground force with a most misleading moniker. During World War II, thousands of Filipinos joined the movement with little knowledge of the group's covert ideological reason for being. In reality, the Huks were the armed faction of the Partido Komunista ng Pilipinas (PKP), which had been established in the early 30s. From 1935 to 1941, the Party was behind many political and economic activities. With the outbreak of war on December 8, 1941, these various fronts of the Party went underground.

In "The Huk Rebelion: A Case Study on the Social Dynamics of Insurrection," author Richard Leighton states that the war provided the communist- led Huks with the opportunity to move out of the stage of infiltration and maneuvering into a period of direct armed revolution to launched armed attacks on vital Japanese garrisons, shipments and convoys in Central and Southern Luzon. The Huks vowed to continue the fight against the Japanese forces and at the same time, to continue seek agrarian and other economic reforms.

The Huks were among several guerrilla organizations which received arms and equipment furnished by the US during the latter part of the fight for Philippine liberation. The Huks cached most of these weapons, however, in anticipation of a continuing struggle even after the end of the war. Such ploy did not go unchecked, as the Roxas administration declared an all-out campaign against the Hukbalahap insurgents. On March 6, 1948, Roxas declared the Hukbalahaps an "illegal association organized and maintained to commit acts of sedition and other crimes for the purpose of overthrowing our present government under the Constitution." The Huks were further ostracized on other fronts; during the Congressional elections of the same year, Luis Taruc and Jesus Lava, ranking leaders of the movement, were unseated from Congress on the grounds that their election was marred with anomalies and frauds. Vowing retaliation, Taruc rejoined the Huks in the field, and subsequent government overtures for peaceful settlement were disregarded.

Among these overtures was a proclamation made by President Elpidio Quirino after the death of President Roxas, granting amnesty to all leaders and members of the Huks. The amnesty was absolute, and covered crimes of rebellion, sedition, illegal association, assault, and even resistance to and disobedience of authority. A total of 3,820 Huks surrendered at the end of the prescribed 50-day grace period, but most of them were without arms.

A full-scale guerrilla war was taking place when Ramon Magsaysay became Secretary of National Defense in 1950. Magsaysay received the full moral and financial backing of Quirino for fighting as well as rehabilitating the Huks, even as the AFP's Military Intelligence Service (MIS) worked tirelessly to track down the Huk Politburo, the body that implemented the decisions of the Huk Central Committee. On October 18, 1950, twenty two units of the AFP finally captured the brains of the Politburo, including Jose Lava, Federico Bautista, Arturo and Angel Baking, Simeon Rodriguez, Salome Cruz, Ramon Espiritu and others, who were subsequently charged with rebellion, murder and arson. The arrest was considered one of the most significant developments during Magsaysay's term as National Defense Secretary.

In what proved to be another turning point in the campaign against the Huks, Magsaysay launched the famous "left-hand, right-hand" effort, a concurrent salvo of "all-out force" for stubborn dissidents and "all-out friendship" for those returning to the fold. "With my left hand, I am offering to all dissidents the road to peace, happy homes and economic security," Magsaysay announced, "but with my right, I shall crush all those who resist and seek to destroy our democratic government."

Huks who willingly gave up their arms or did so upon capture were quickly rewarded via the Economic Development Corps (EDCOR) of the Armed Forces. This unit provided economic rehabilitation and spiritual rejuvenation, and generally assisted in the Huk's return to normal life. The first EDCOR farm was established in Kapatagan, Lanao. Such attractions of domesticity juxtaposed with the reality of battle fatigue proved irresistible to some 9,458 Huks, who eventually surrendered to the government and resettled in the EDCOR farms.

At the same time, the Philippine Army activated the 1st Airborne Battalion and the 1st Cavalry Squadron to support the military operations against the increasing threat of the Huks influence in the countryside.

A complete and zealous overhaul of the Philippine Army followed. Units that had performed less than satisfactorily in the field were recalled for fresh, strenuous retraining; they were cut down in size and kept fully mobile.

Magsaysay's tactics proved ingenious. The Philippine Army launched what was then referred to as "denial" operations, which literally "denied" the insurgents access to both moral and material sustenance. They were not only unable to make any appeals for public support and sympathy; they were likewise cut off from all sources of basic necessities to ensure speedy demoralization. Such "denial" operations were necessary to preserve or reestablish law and order within certain areas, especially in vulnerable towns and barrios. The cementing of civilian-military relations was also pursued and was essential essential in strengthening government authority in these places, and consequently safeguarding against possible hazardous civilian interference in the conflict.

The Philippine Army also conducted intensive psychological warfare (or psywar) operations to win back the skeptical citizenry, attract rebels back to the fold, and bolster the morale of loyal troops. Activities meant to highlight enjoyment of the "democratic" way of life were introduced in some 1,062 communities. The teams conducted open forums, scheduled movie showings, went on personal house-to-house campaigns and distributed a wealth of information material that subtly undermined the credibility of the enemy.

Adding more ammunition to the government's psy-war arsenal was the creation of a Public Affairs Office (PAO) in the Department of National Defense, headed by then Major Jose D. Crisol. As the agency in direct command of psywar team, the PAO was the brain behind such events as public rallies and audio-visual demonstrations harping on the evils of Communism. Live shows , replete with skits, songs and stories were also big hits among the masses.

To further ensure the success of the Army's combat operations, Magsaysay also adopted a surefire method of quickly weeding out false claims of success. Each Philippine Army unit was equipped with a camera; thus, no soldier or unit could lay claim to promotion or an award on the basis of having killed a Huk, unless there was a photograph of the dead Huk to prove it. Needless to say, the regular publication of photographs of dead rebels was an immense psychological setback to the Huk movement.

During this period, the Huks were functioning in small tactical units called squadrons, each squadron composed of approximately 100 men. The squadron was further subdivided into platoons and squads. Two squadrons comprise a battalion and two battalions, a regiment. On this basis, the outfit was organized much like a regular army.

The first major military operation conducted by the Philippine Army against the Huks was launched in July 1951, and was codenamed "Marblehead." It was spearheaded by the officers and men of the II-MA, and was tasked with destroying the so-called "Stalin University," scattered but highly critical centers of education and indoctrination into the Communist mindset. "Marblehead" resulted in the death of seven Huks and the capture of 18 others.

About a month later, Operation "Omaha" was launched by the same command. This time, the formidable mission was the destruction of the Huk Regional Command Number 2, including its artillery depot, barracks and production bases. A total of 24 Huks were killed and 193 barracks destroyed, including the command's supply depot and 37 production bases.

More victories followed. A probing mission conducted in Longos, Laguna, codenamed Operation "Smile," resulted in 21 Huks killed and three captured. The 2,000 officers and men that made up the strike forces for Operation "Cadena de Amor" killed seven Huks, wounded four and, most dramatically, drove 64 more to surrender.

Led primarily by the Panay Task Force under the command of Colonel Alfredo M. Santos, Operation "Knockout" dealt a surprise attack on Guillermo Capadocia, commander of the Huk Regional Command in the Visayas, erstwhile Secretary General and one of the founders of the CPP. Santos's masterstroke was the enlistment of Pedro Valentin, a local mountain leader who knew the people and the terrain like the back of his hand. Capadocia died of battle wounds on September 20, 1952.

The first and most massive salvo for 1952 was conducted by the elements of I-MA and codenamed Operation "Four Roses." The mission: to kill or capture the top four leaders of the Huk movement, namely: Luis Taruc, Jesus Lava, Alfredo Saulo and Jose de Leon alias Dimasalang. When the operation ended after a month, 17 Huks had been killed and nine captured, but none of the four main targets had been accounted for. The troops bagged an equally significant alternative "prize," however, in the persons of William Pomeroy and his wife, Celia Mariano, both ranking members of the CPP's National Education Department. Ten firearms and 83 rounds of ammunitions were also confiscated. The Army lost five men.

Operation "Roll Up," spearheaded by II-MA, was launched primarily to capture dead or alive a top Communist leader of the Bicol Region, Mariano Balgos. Intelligence reports have already revealed that Balgos, a Huk Regional Commander, had established his headquarters in the vicinity of Mt. Labo, in Camarines Norte. A breakthrough took place when Commander Rading, Balgos's chief security officer, surrendered to Colonel Aristeo Ferraren, Commander of the 24th BCT. With the Scout Rangers they promptly headed for Albay. Finally, on November 19, 1954, the Army troopers overtook Balgos and killed him while he resisted arrest, a death that was a paralyzing blow to the Huk movement in Bicol.

By far the largest and most complex operation ever conducted by the Army against the Huks, however, was the milestone Operation "Milagrosa," which involved elements of the I-MA under the command of Col. Manuel Cabal. No less than 4,500 soldiers were reinforced by crack squads of the Philippine Air Force to capture dead or alive the Huk Supremo himself, Luis Taruc. After almost a month of tirelessly securing the Pampanga-Zambales border, Army intelligence reports revealed that Taruc had slipped into the area near Mt. Arayat. A leading Huk commander, Filemon Cayanan, was captured, and he provided even more vital information on the movements of the elusive Taruc. In May 1954, two of Taruc's most trusted men were captured in a raid.

Psywar campaigns proceeded at a feverish pace to undermine the reputation of a man who was most obviously well-respected and most influential within his own organization. The flames rose continuously from effigies of Taruc that were burned during public rallies. When the "Milagrosa" command was certain that Taruc was surrounded and had no recourse left but to give up, a newspaperman named Benigno Aquino was dispatched to negotiate the surrender.

In the aftermath of "Milagrosa," 562 huts and 64 Huk production centers had been destroyed, 99 rounds of ammunition confiscated. A total of 163 officers and soldiers were decorated in what was considered the move that decisively broke the backbone of the Huk movement. The Army had lost six of its men.

A total of 25 BCTs were organized during the height of the dissident campaign against the HUKS. The BCTs were group into sectors dictated by the operational needs of the Army. I-MA has the ALUMPINIS (Abra-La Union-Mountain Province-Ilocos Norte and Ilocos Sur), NETAR (Nueva Ecija and Tarlac) and PAMBUL (Pampanga and Bulacan). While the II-MA sectors were known as CASCADE, LIGHTNING and THUNDER. There was no exact numbers of BCTs in every sector as their disposition depended on operational and geographical requirements.

Although the Huks provided the biggest obstacle to peace and order in the country, other insurgents made their own isolated efforts at agitation. In Sulu, Hadji Kamlon led a band of Muslim outlaws and kept Army units on their toes in the Philippine South. Alongside troops from the Navy and Air Force, the Army launched Operation "Durian" to apprehend Kamlon dead or alive. He was caught on January 15, 1953, in an encounter that left 125 Muslim rebels dead, and which forced the surrender of 114 others. Some 180 firearms were confiscated, while another 1,299 were surrendered, as well. The Army lost 18 men; 51 were wounded, three more unaccounted for.

The success of the campaign against the Huks has been credited to four factors. First was the strong and insightful leadership of Ramon Magsaysay, a seasoned and hands-on government official who applied the ideal mix of firmness and compassion to the Huk crisis. Second, was the improvement of intelligence, collection as a result of better relations with the people. Third, was the effective and constant combat patrol actions of government troops, which kept the pressure on the Huks. Finally, there was the optimum use of psychological warfare to counter the communist propaganda.

In later years, the Philippine Army would lend its force to campaigns in the name of peace and against aggression even outside of its native soil. On June 25, 1950, nations watched in alarm as North Korean troops crossed the 38th Parallel, the artificial boundary between South and North Korea, with the clear aim of hostile domination. In response to the undisguised threat to world peace, the United Nations (UN) Security Council called for the immediate cessation of hostilities and the withdrawal of all forces back to their original positions at the 38th Parallel.

All member countries of the UN were exhorted to participate in the free world's defense of the Republic of Korea. Sixteen nations, including the Philippines, supported the UN Resolution and pledged to send assistance. In July 1950, the Philippine government sent some Sherman tanks and one destroyer to the South Korean front. The following month, an armed contingent of Filipino soldiers was on its way.

The troops were dispatched in accordance with Republic Act 573, the "Philippine Military Aid to the UN Act," approved by the Philippine Congress on September 7, 1950. The act provided for the creation and maintenance of the Philippine Expeditionary Forces to Korea (PEFTOK). For this very first such contingent, the Philippine government appropriated the total amount of P17,955,400. It is interesting to note that the Philippine government had earlier proposed that the Filipino troops serve under the American flag while at the Korean front, a move which the American government viewed with appreciation as a gesture of deference and trust.

The Korean Expedition marked a historic moment in the history of the Philippine Armed Forces, as an opportunity for the troops to fight not only for the ideals of the motherland, but for the fundamental universal objective of world peace. President Elpidio Quirino's send-off address to the 10th BCT (Motorized) under Colonel Mariano Azurin, then the only trained armored unit of the AFP and the first contingent of the PEFTOK, delivered at the Rizal Memorial Stadium on September 7, 1950, was met with great enthusiasm. "Many of you have fought on our soil to secure our freedom," Quirino declared. "Now, you go forth to a foreign land to fight for the preservation of that freedom. Poor as we are, this country is making a great sacrifice, but every peso invested in you is a sound investment for the perpetuation of our liberty and freedom. It is not for us who will stay behind to urge you to be valorous, to be chivalrous, to be strong. It is rather for you to show us how to follow you in the valor, the chivalry, the strength with which you go forth ..."

One of the Philippine forces' brightest moments in the Korean War took place at the Battle of Yultong. The unit made a supreme effort to counter the enemy's attempt to break through the UN defense line. Even the unit's cooks, drivers and messengers joined the fight, which counted incredible odds of 17 enemy soldiers to each fighting Filipino. The Filipinos held on until they were finally ordered to disengage. The Tank Company, led by a determined Captain Conrado Yap, returned for a counter-attack to recover the bodies of his platoon leader, Lieutenant Jose Artiaga Jr and his men who fell defending a strategic hill. However. Yap succeeded in recovering some of the dead bodies of his men, but was mortally wounded by a burst of enemy gunfire, ranking him among the first heroes of the Korean War.

Yultong was not the only display of heroism manifested by the Fighting Tenth, as the 10th BCT came to be known. In the vicinity of Chunghwa, the troops took on two well-entrenched North Korean battalions and stood guard over a highly dangerous 200-square mile area.

It was a great irony that, despite the war raging in South Korea, many of the Filipino soldiers would come to remember the villages of Mujong, Naktaedong and Sang-goni for their idyllic beauty. Between encounters, Filipino soldiers would even take time to gather chestnuts and apples from the same fields on which they would someday fall. Years later, members of the UN Command in the Korean War who had personally observed Filipino soldiers in action expressed the deepest admiration and respect for their valor as well as their indefatigable nature. General Frank Milburn, an American general, spoke profusely of the Filipinos' daring and aggressive spirit. "The Filipinos would not have other units, not even the artillery, do their fighting for them," he observed. "Many foreign armies have proven their worth in Korea," added General James Van Fleet, "and the Filipinos are among the bravest. I feel proud to be associated with real foxhole soldiers."

By the time they returned home in the middle of 1952, the Fighting Tenth had lost so many men, 43 of whom were killed in action. Peace keeping came at a high price. The battalion also reaped the glory of a truly outstanding combat performance: the Medal of Valor, six Distinguished Conduct Stars, one Distinguish Service Star, 11 Gold Cross Medals, and 50 Military Merit Medals.

The homecoming team was next relieved on the Korean front by the 20th BCT, which faced its own battles along the 38th Parallel north and northeast of Chorwon, the area referred to as the "Iron Triangle" of the Western Front. In the famous "Battle of the Alligator Jaw," the Filipino unit joined American troops in repelling the communists and forcing them to respect the demarcation line.

On May 21, 1952, a young Filipino officer, 2LT Fidel V. Ramos, led an attack on Hill Eerie with the objective of capturing or destroying whatever the platoon found at its destination; personnel, artillery or supplies. Organized into four teams, composed of a sniper team, a scout team, a rifle team and a forward observer team, and dodging flying hand grenades, the unit doggedly demolished the enemy stronghold. Most commendably, the platoon did not suffer a single casualty, as the three officers and 41 enlisted men all lived through the memorable mission.

The 20th BCT also conducted a probing mission at the ruins of Welcong-ni Castle, and was the only unit which managed to move farthest north towards Pyongyang. Not long after, the troops distinguished themselves in the historic fight for the Bloody Triangle, another key vicinity near the 38th Parallel. Establishing a reputation as one of the most daring among the UN forces, the 20th BCT was consistently sent on tough missions, including securing high-risk villages and areas such as Oijong, the T-bone Hills, Agok, Arrow and White Mountain. The biting cold of the Korean winter notwithstanding, the battalion continued to raid enemy camps as far as Old Baldy, Hoesanong-dong, Hill 168 and Hill 135. In Karhwagol, West of Chorwon, the 20th BCT ran into Chinese Communists in nine separate encounters; six of these skirmishes involved rigorous hand-to-hand combat.

After 350 days in the frontlines, the 20th BCT counted 13 men killed in action, 100 wounded and one missing. Its Field Artillery unit was awarded the Philippine Distinguished Citation Badge.

In January of 1952, the 19th BCT, officially known as the "Bloodhound" Battalion and initially attached to the US Army's 45th Infantry Division, replaced the 20th BCT after the latter's tour of duty. Site of the unit's heroic exploits were the hills of Chorwon-Sibio-ni, one of the most vulnerable portions of the battle area, where they pre-empted a massive attack against the UN lines. Surviving an intense barrage at Hill 191, the Bloodhounds counted eight deaths and 16 wounded, as compared to the enemy's loss of 300 lives. The Bloodhounds received the Korean Presidential Unit Citation for this most outstanding defense before returning home on April 3, 1953.

The sector of responsibility of the succeeding 14th BCT stretched for about one mile through the battle-torn Satae-ri Valley, which the unit was ordered to protect. This was accomplished, surprisingly, by sending combat patrols deep into enemy territory.

The Avengers, as the 14th BCT came to be known, gained fame for feats of sheer heroism in the field. Once designated as a counter attacking force to relieve a beleaguered Korean unit, the Avengers lost two of their young officers. They put up a good fight defending the renowned "Christmas Hill," killing 200 enemy soldiers and wounding 350 more. Desperate, the enemy troops even tried their hand at psychological warfare on the Satae-ri front; the Chinese set up loudspeakers that continually blared out, "Go home! We are not your enemies!" Fortunately, the Filipino soldiers knew better.

Despite the news of a truce in the making at Panmunjon and a long-awaited end in sight for the Korean War, the Filipinos recaptured yet another hill. On July 28, 1953, the battalion dismantled its fortifications and detonated its mines; it was time to join other friendly troops in the reconstruction of ravaged villages before heading for home. The Avengers were awarded the Korean Presidential Unit Citation before they left the battlefront. Waiting for them at home was the Philippine Presidential Unit Citation.

The 2nd Battalion Combat Team was the last PEFTOK contingent to be sent to South Korea. Known as the "Black Lions," this unit had the unenviable task of landing behind enemy lines to conduct quick raids and destroy bridges and ammunition depots before making a quick getaway and before the enemy had time to recover from the surprise attacks! The 2nd BCT was unique, in that it was the first Filipino unit to experience this type of post-conflict exercise. It returned home in the wake of the cessation of hostilities in Korea, in 1955.

By the 70s, the Philippine Army's legendary Battalion Combat Teams would cease to exist. In their place were organized the infantry battalions. With the establishment of Home Defense Centers all over the Philippines, the Army would also take on a greater role in nation-building and security during peacetime.

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From the late forties to the seventies, as recorded, the Philippines along with other countries of the Free World was confronted with the communist menace. More than any other time, it was during this period that Southeast Asia became the testing ground for the Free World’s determination to withstand communism. This was a problem that was not entirely of a military nature and character. It was one which also encompassed political, economic and social courses of action.

During these years, the modernization program of the Armed Forces was being realized gradually with the assistance of the United States under bilateral and multilateral agreements. Moreover, a Citizen Army, the backbone of the country’s defense was being developed to its full potential. The yearly output of trainees, trained reservists, under the Annual Active Duty Training Program and ROTC graduates, although limited by the small appropriations were intensified. Training of selected individuals locally and abroad on specialties vital to Army functions has been a continuing program during these years.

On the more global scale, the US and the Philippines were also involved in the establishment of the Southeast Asia Treaty Organization (SEATO). Based on the Southeast Asia Collective Defense Treaty or the "Manila Pact" signed on September 8, 1954, the treaty conditions condemned any aggression by means of armed attack in the treaty area "against any of the signatories with constitutional processes." Aside from the US and the Philippines, these signatories included Australia, France, New Zealand, Pakistan, Thailand and the United Kingdom. The SEATO's main objective was to counter the Communist threat in east Asia following the successful takeover of China by Mao Tse Tung’s forces in 1949. It also facilitated direct American involvement in the French debacle of 1954, when the Viet Cong Forces under Ho Chi Minh defeated the French Forces in Indo-China. This paved the way for the existence of the Democratic Republic of Vietnam and the Republic of Vietnam.

In line with the country's SEATO membership and to upgrade combat effectiveness, Philippine Army units actively participated in various SEATO and RP-US sponsored exercises conducted in eastern Luzon and the Republic of Thailand in the 50s and 60s. These military exercises such as "Handa," "Strongback ," "Phil-blink," "Sea Lion," "Sea Demon," and "Halang Dagat," among others demonstrated coordinated maneuvers intended to bring about standardization of equipment, precision and unity of purpose.

Modernization of the Army remained limited, however, as American resources and technology provided through the MDT proved ultimately insufficient.

General Manuel T Yan, Chief of Staff of the AFP noted that during this period characterized by pressures of unsettling times, the functions of the military extends far beyond the battlefields to a total commitment to the national goal of achieving social, political and economic stability. Accordingly, the Philippine Army actively embarked on the government’s Socio-Economic Program which was primarily designed to make use of the soldiers’ knowledge and skills to help cultivate undeveloped lands and rendered them productive. Likewise, Army Home Defense Units (HDUs) were established throughout the country based on the AFP Home Defense Program encompassing a massive scheme of activities to include infrastructure development, civic action, civil assistance projects and community relations activities.

On the other hand, the Women’s Auxiliary Training Corps (WATC) program also made significant progress since it was formally launched in 1963 to prepare young women for military service. In the late sixties, at the University of the Philippines, women were not limited to the WAC training alone as they also underwent voluntary training as Rangerettes, adept in a variety of skills such as judo. It was also during this period that the PMT program underwent a thorough review with the aim of introducing improvements therein, like the incorporation of character education.

Jose Crisol, the Undersecretary of the National Defense highlighted the role of the Army soldier this period. "He can shoulder not only a gun, but also the spade, if need be, to help people in an area restored to peace". To erect a model rehabilitation project, two thousand soldiers marched to the hostile area, each with a shovel on his shoulder. In no time, the Army for peace cleared for planting a 3,500-hectare area of ancient "talahib". Later, they also helped in the plowing of farms and in cooperation with other agencies constructed roads, installed artesian wells and built churches and schools.

After World War II, Vietnam resisted France's attempt to reaffirm its control over the whole of Indochina. The result of this resistance would be a drawn-out, excruciating ten-year war, probably the most brutal and damaging in contemporary world history. Thousands were killed in Vietnam, and the country was plunged into crisis. As France headed for a confrontation with Vietnam in the mid-50s, world powers such as the United States, France, Great Britain and Russia converged in Geneva, Switzerland, to decide on the future of the Vietnam conflict.

The international pact sealed in Geneva mandated that all hostilities in Vietnam had to cease immediately. The country was to be partitioned into two autonomous states, North and South Vietnam, with the demarcation line situated along the 17th parallel. North Vietnam was to be turned over to the communist Vietnamese government, while South Vietnam was to remain under the French-controlled Saigon government. The civilian populations of both states were granted a grace period, during which time they had to choose which country they would call home.

What followed was an expected, lopsided exodus, a large-scale human movement by air and sea. Nearly a million Vietnamese from the North, fearing the specter of

cCommunist rule, were transported to the South, while less than a thousand were transported to the North. South Vietnam soon overflowed with destitute and war-torn people, and the South Viertnamese government cried out to the democratic world for help. "I, in my capacity as President of the Free Government of Vietnam, appeal to the free nations of the world, to come to our assistance in the darkest hour of our nation's history," stated South Vietnamese Premier Ngo Dinh Diem in his first international message. "The people of Vietnam appeal for aid in transportation, housing, feeding and hospitalization of many of these weary and sick refugees who have voluntarily chosen privation and suffering for the sake of freedom."

In the Philippines, the cry was heard by Operation Brotherhood, which jumped to action with the belief that, despite limited national resources, the move "to help a neighbor in need would establish the Philippines as a leader in Asia, and would be in the best interests of the country." This was sponsored by Jaycee International of the Philippines (JCI) which was purely a civilian contingent of doctors, dentist, nurses and others in the medical profession charged with the medical care and attention of the civilian populace in Vietnam, Cambodia and Laos.

After the war, it was US President Dwight Eisenhower's firm belief that the fall of Indochina into Communist hands would threaten the free world. In April of 1954, Eisenhower made his famous prediction that if this perceived cornerstone of the democracy fell, the rest of Southeast Asia would "go over very quickly, like a row of dominoes."

It was a view that was evidently shared by many. In a fateful decision, the US government soon assumed responsibility from France for protecting Vietnam south of the 1954 partition line, thus conditionally pledging to defend Indochina. The country proceeded to appropriate $7 billion in economic and military aid for South Vietnam from 1955 to 1961.

Denying all accusations of having territorial and political ambitions, the US insisted that its primary aim was not the military defeat of the North Vietnamese, but the preservation of the integrity of an "independent, non-Communist South Vietnam." In the early 60s, American goals in Southeast Asia were set forth in President John F. Kennedy's inaugural address: "Let every nation know, whether it wishes us well or ill, that we shall pay any price, bear any burden, meet any hardship, support any friend, oppose any foe, in order to assure the survival and success of liberty." It was a common perception that the loss of South Vietnam to the Communists would be profoundly damaging to the American position in the Far East. In other words, Kennedy made it perfectly clear that America was determined to contain Communism through every means possible. It was a fight for the most fundamental of ideologies.

After Premier Ngo Dinh Diem was assassinated in 1963, the political situation in South Vietnam swiftly deteriorated as control passed through a succession of shaky military regimes. Even as the number of American troops being sent to Vietnam progressively grew, their specific objectives remained simple. In the North, America was to bring the war to the enemy through air and naval power. In the South, the American troops were to seek and destroy Communist forces and everything they had built through ever-expanding military operations. Part of their job, however, was nation-building, or helping South Vietnam rise from the ashes as an independent society. Above and beyond the American show of military might, this was where the Philippine forces came to be of service.

The first batch of the Philippine Contingent to Vietnam (PHILCONV) was sent to South Vietnam on August 16, 1964, and was composed of 28 military personnel and six civilians.Two surgical teams that formed part of the contingent were assigned to the Tay Ninh Provincial Hospital, a key treatment center for war casualties. The teams hit the ground running, immediately treating patients, participating in planning field operations and serving as liaison parties between the Vietnamese military and civilian authorities. The Filipinos also took part in creating resettlement areas, initiating the development of hamlets and villages. Although these programs were primarily meant to upset Vietcong propaganda and "win the hearts and minds" of the masses, there was no doubt that the Filipinos in Vietnam were wholeheartedly dedicated to simply easing the considerable suffering of the Vietnamese people.

Within a span of nine months, the Filipino surgical teams performed 542 major and minor surgical operations. Captain Alberto Soteco was in Vietnam, and he records in his diary vivid impressions of the hope amidst the bloodshed. "For the first time in their lives," Soteco wrote of the Vietnamese people, "doctors and nurses have given them the type of medical care they had always longed for. We could easily detect from their faces, the old and the young alike, the happiness and comfort we brought to them in our short sojourn in the hamlets. These people, still living in Vietcong-controlled areas, had to walk far and brave the intense heat of the sun and traverse rough terrain infested with the Vietcong mines and booby traps, just to be seen and treated by the Philippine medical teams."

As the situation worsened in South Vietnam, a bill was introduced in the Philippine Congress, in answer to a renewed request for assistance from the South Vietnamese government. Although troops had already been dispatched, the bill further proposed to send a 34-man team each year to South Vietnam for the necessary civic action, psy-war advisory roles and medical help. The bill was enacted into law by President Diosdado Macapagal on July 21, 1964. Republic Act 4162 further required the General Headquarters of the AFP to provide the criteria for the selection of prospective members of succeeding Philippine contingents to Vietnam.

With the decision of Congress to increase assistance to Vietnam came the activation of the 1st Philippine Civic Action Group to Vietnam (1PHILCAGV) in 1966, with General Gaudencio Tobias at the helm. The Group's main task was to render civic action to the Republic of Vietnam through the construction, rehabilitation and development of public works, utilities and structures, and by providing technical advice on other socio-economic activities. All these efforts were aimed at improving the living conditions of the Vietnamese people who had fled from Vietcong-held territories.

PHILCAGV arrived in Vietnam with a force of 182 officers and 1,882 enlisted men. The major units of the contingent were a Headquarters and Headquarters Company, an Engineer Construction Battalion, a Station Hospital, a Logistical Support Company, a Field Artillery Battery and a Security Battalion. An Advance Planning Group of 100 officers and men was led by Major Fidel V Ramos, the Group's operation officer. Along with this advance party came three Civic Action Teams which wasted no time in offering medical and dental treatment to the Vietnamese. These teams treated an average of 2,000 patients per week for seven weeks in various hamlets in Tay Ninh, even before the arrival of the main force of the PHILCAGV. A notable accomplishment of the Philippine contingent in the Republic of Vietnam was the construction of the Thanh Diem Resettlement Project which provided housing for the rebel families and displaced persons.

During its tour of duty in South Vietnam, PHILCAGV produced and distributed more than 80,000 leaflets to the Vietnamese, explaining the nature and function of the unit. Primarily on a mission of peace, the Filipino troops painstakingly established contact with the residents of 48 hamlets, while conducting medical and dental clinics and distributing 436 health and maternity kits and what amounted to some 1,310 tons of assorted foodstuff.

Even as the doctors and dentists toiled, the Filipino Army engineers also got to work with the establishment of a base camp. The team constructed 350 protective bunkers and various other defense and administrative installations, including schoolhouses to help contribute to the literacy of the displaced Vietnamese children. The repair and construction project in the Long Hoa area, the most densely populated portion of Tay Ninh, was also undertaken by the engineers.

In the mid-60s, national sentiment regarding the Filipino soldiers' contribution to the rebuilding of Vietnam and the assistance of the Vietnamese people was put into words by President Ferdinand E. Marcos. "We choose to act on the long-held conviction of the Filipino people that the option for liberty and security must be kept for every nation, that our own liberty and security require that democracy be given the chance to develop fully and successfully in our own part of the world."

In anticipation of the relief of the 1st PHILCAGV from Vietnam, operation "Climax" took effect where all final activities were nearing its culmination. Participants were making the last repairs and retouching of projects, preparing their return to the Philippines and plan the smooth and orderly turn-over of equipment and the base camp to the 2nd PHILCAGV.

As early as September 1967, the PHILCAGV replacement Unit (PRU) has been provisionally organized at Fort Magsaysay. It was designed to replace 1st PHILGACV. Due to the planned pull-out of the first legally constituted civic action group, PRU elements were sent to RVN on a one on one basis, until the movement of the whole unit to Vietnam was completed. This unit was deployed middle of 1968 under Brigadier General Ceferino Carreon and eventually recalled on December 1969.

The PRUs, which continued the flow of Filipino goodwill and manpower to Vietnam, remained preoccupied with the implementation of the four-part civic action plan christened "Pag-asa." The Engineer Civic Action Program (ECAP) undertook major construction and rehabilitation of public infrastructure, including roads, buildings, and bridges. Under the Medical and Dental Civic Action Program (MEDCAP) of the South Vietnamese government, members of the PRU's medical and dental teams treated 1,110,356 medical patients, 51,927 surgical patients and 371,788 dental patients, for a whopping total of 1,534,071 patients over a period of 16 months. PRU troops also established demonstration farms planted with Philippine Miracle Rice, cleared forests for the building of communities, and put up experimental piggery and poultry projects. The major effort of this second contingent was the reconstruction and rehabilitation of Highway 13 which provided an all weather road for use of the South Vietnamese and became a major route for the United States and Philippine Forces from Tay Ninh Province to Saigon.

Another civic action effort was the PHILCAGV-to-People Program (PPP), which endeavored to help Vietnamese people in selected villages attain a better way of life. The underlying concept was that of self-help, thus recommending activities that highlighted the benefits of community and personal involvement.

With the return of the PHILCAGV units, they were assigned to Camp Aquino to become the Army Civic Action Force tasked to provide similar missions in our own soil as what they have done in the Republic of Vietnam, which they have performed creditably.

Subsequently another PRU was constituted to be the third contingent for South Vietnam, but public sentiment and the development of the insurgency situation in the Northern part of the Philippine prevented the deployment of this unit.

The Philippine Army after the war was organized to suit the existing situation in the country. The need for a thorough rehabilitation, reconstruction and reorganization of the Army was tasked to professionals who are capable to accept the responsibility in building up an organization amidst the rubbles of the previous war.

Though the vestiges of insurgency has again been threatening the very core of the Filipino society in the advent of the communist successes in China, the Army remains steadfast in its obligation to sustain and break the influence of any foreign intrusion whether it be an ideology or an armed conflict. This then assured the Filipinos the opportunity to aspire for national stability. The changing times necessitated that the Philippine Army maximize its effort for the benefit of the country and its people, an Army whose marks should show a firm foundation for peace and economic well-being.

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Central General Staff, which included the Assistant Chief of Staff G1, the Assistant Chief of Staff G2, the Assistant Chief of Staff G3, and the Assistant Chief of Staff G4; the Special Staff, which was composed of the Adjutant General Service, the Judge Advocate General Service, the Quartermaster Service, the Ordnance Service, the Medical Service, the Signal Corps, the Corps of Engineers, the Finance Service, the Chaplain Service and Special Services; and the Camp Components, Replacement Battalions and other activated units.

*******

Special Forces Regiment (Airborne) SFR(A)

First Scout Rangers Regiment FSRR

Civil Affairs Group CAG

Women Auxilliary Corps WAC

Fort Bonfacio General Hospital FBGH

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Agoncillo, Teodoro A. History of the Filipino People.

Quezon City: R.P. Publishing Company, 1990.

Baclagon, Uldarico S. Philippine Campaigns. (Revised Edition).

Executive Order No. 389, December 28, 1950.

Fact Sheet on Training and Doctrine Command, Philippine Army.

Guzman, Col. Agripino R. "Personal Briefing Notes on the Philippine Contingent to the Republic of Vietnam."

Gleeck, Louis E. The Third Republic. Quezon City: New Day Publishers, 1993.

Histories Branch, OG3, PA. History of the Philippine Army, Vol II (Unpublished manuscript)

Lachica, Eduardo. HUK: Philippine Agrarian Society in Revolt.

Ermita: Solidaridad Publishing House. 1971.

Manawis, Mariano D. The Fighting Tenth. Manila: 1955.

Milan, Col. Primitivo C. and Lt Col Primitivo M. Catalan. Philippine Military Policy and Strategy 1896-1971. Quezon City: Camp General Emilio Aguinaldo, 1972

Quirino, Carlos A. Magsaysay of the Philippines. Manila: Alemar’s Press, 1958.

Presidential Proclamation No. 76, June 25, 1948.

Taruc, Luis. He Who Rides The Tiger. New York: Praeger Press, 1967.

Zaide, Gregorio F. World History. Manila: Modern Book Company, 1965.

ENDNOTES

1

Histories Branch, OG3, PA. History of the Philippine Army, Vol II (Unpublished)

2

Louis E Gleeck. The Third Republic. (Quezon City: New Day Publishers, 1993), p.87.

3

David J. Steinberg. Philippine Collaboration in WW II. (Michigan: University of Michigan Press, 1967), p.143

4

Col. Primitivo C Milan and Lt. Col. Primitivo M. Catalan. Philippine Military Policy and Strategy 1896-1971. (Quezon City: Camp General Emilio Aguinaldo, 1972), p.57.

5

Ibid., p.83

6

Fact Sheet on the Training and Doctrine Command, Philippine Army

7

Carlos Quirino. Magsaysay of the Philippines. (Manila: Alemar Press, 1958), p.67.

8

Ibid., p.93

9

Luis Taruc. He Who Rides The Tiger. (New York: Praeger Press, 1969), p.22.

10

Uldarico S. Baclagon, Philippine Campaigns, (Revised Edition), p.136.

11

Ibid., p.151

12

Mariano D. Manawis, The Fighting Tenth, P.15.

13

Ibid., p.196.

14

Ibid., p.223

15

History of the Philippine Army. Vol II (Unpublished)

16

Milan and Catalan, Philippine Military Policy and Strategy...

Robert S. McNamara. In Retrospect: The Tragedy and Lessons of Vietnam. New York: Vintage Books, 1995, p. 27.

Ibid.

Gabriel Kolko. Anatomy of War. New

Lt. Col. Benjamen R. Vallejo. The Philippine Home Defense Progam: Quest for National Stability. AFP Command and General Staff College, 1972. p. 111-5

Lt. Col. Benjamen R. Vallejo. The Philippine Home Defense Progam: Quest for National Stability. AFP Command and General Staff College, 1972. p. 111-8

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