Battle Review of PEFTOK in Korea

Battle Review of Heartbreak Ridge of PEFTOK in Korea
On June 25, 1950, the North Korean troops crossed the 38 th parallel and
invaded the Republic of Korea. The United Nations Command, with the role of
maintaining and promoting military security and stability for the continued stability of
regional and world peace, denounced the aggression and a resolution calling for
assistance from member nations of the United Nations was passed. Almost three
quarters of a million men from the UN Forces, 250,000 from the US, and 400,000 ROK
forces battled against the communist forces1. Major battles occurred between the two
forces in the span of three years.
The Philippines was one of the sixteen United Nations – member countries that
fought on the side of the US backed South Korean government in the Korean Civil
War of 1960-1953. Forty-five days after the outbreak of the war, the first of several
Filipino battalion combat teams sailed for Korea to fight on the side of the South
Korean government against the communist North2. The first batches of Philippine
Expeditionary Forces to Korea (PEFTOK) was composed of 1,468 troops and was the
fifth largest contingent under the United Nations Command. A total of 7,420 Filipino
officers and men served in Korea. They suffered 116 killed in action, 299 wounded
and 57 missing (41 repatriated during POW exchanges). The last of the Philippine
troops left Korea on 13 May 1955.
The Battle of Heartbreak Ridge was a month-long campaign in the Korean War.
From September 13 to October 15, 1951, forces of South Korea, France, Philippines,
Netherlands, and the United States took on the forces of North Korea and China 3 4.
The Battle of Heartbreak Ridge is a multi-agency military engagement between the
Chinese Communist Forces and the United Nations Forces.
The Battle of "Heartbreak Ridge", the next ridge to the north of "Bloody Ridge",
was launched by the 2nd US Infantry Division north of the 38th parallel. After 30 days
of combat, this area is secured by the Americans on 15 October 1951 at a cost of 3745
casualties. Because both sides suffer heavily, it is the last major offensive conducted
by UN forces in the war.
The battle came after the defeat of the Korea People’s Army (KPA) from Bloody
Ridge. The Communist Forces set up new defenses along the slopes of Heartbreak
Ridge. Heartbreak Ridge had three main peaks: Hill 894 at the southern terminus, Hill
931, the highest peak of the ridge, and Hill 851 north of 931, a needlelike projection.
1
(Degville, 1987)
2
(Polo, 1982)
3
(Battle of Heartbreak Ridge, n.d.)
4
The participation of the PEFTOK in the Battle of the Heartbreak Ridge was mainly in support through the
offensive on the nearby hills and ridges to cut off supplies to Heartbreak.
General de Shazo initially underestimated the defense of the Ridge sending only one
regiment rather than two5.
The initial attempts to take on the Heartbreak Ridge was composed of
pummeling of the ridge by tanks and artillery followed by an assault by infantry.
Counterattacks would then come from the opposite side composed of waves of KPAs
determined to capture the lost ground at any cost6.
After realizing that it was impossible for the UN Forces to take the mountain as
long as the North Koreans could continue to reinforce and resupply their garrison, the
UN Forces undertook a full division assault on the valley and hills adjacent to
Heartbreak7.
The battles in the Korean War was a consistent effort of both sides to seize and
hold high ground. The high grounds enabled one side to have a wider field of view,
outflank the enemy, and other tactical advantages8. The Battle of Heartbreak Ridge is
one of the several major engagements in the hills of North Korea a few miles north of
the 38th Parallel9. Weeks progressed in battling along the constricting terrain and the
narrow confines of the objectives.
The Battle of Heartbreak Ridge is a significant turning point in the Korean War
since it established the power of the United Nations and showed the Communists that
they would not win the war through brute force or intimidation. The Heartbreak Ridge
was never again lost to enemy action after this decisive battle.
The Battle of Heartbreak Ridge was a battle of position and supplies. Position
is very important in winning war. With the Heartbreak Ridge a very strategic location
in the middle of North and South Korea, gaining control of this location is a major
decision maker in the direction of the war. Supply lines became the main pivot point
of the Battle of Heartbreak Ridge. With Operations Strangle, the tactics of vertical
envelopment took root in the forbidding terrain while the first large-scale helicopter
supply operation in a combat zone was performed by the Allied Forces 10.
5
(Hermes, 2005)
6
(Battle of Heartbreak Ridge - Korean War, 2017)
7
8
(Villasanta, 2009)
9
10
(Aquilina, 1986 )
References:
Aquilina, R. V. (1986 , Fall). Korean War Chronology: September-December 1951.

Fortitudine Newsletter of the Marine Corps Historical Program, pp. 34-35.
Battle of Heartbreak Ridge. (n.d.). Retrieved August 18, 2019, from Revolvy:
https://www.revolvy.com/page/Battle-of-Heartbreak-Ridge?mt=1
Battle of Heartbreak Ridge. (n.d.). Retrieved from
https://ipfs.io/ipfs/QmXoypizjW3WknFiJnKLwHCnL72vedxjQkDDP1mXWo6uc
o/wiki/Battle_of_Heartbreak_Ridge.html
Battle of Heartbreak Ridge - Korean War. (2017, April 25). Retrieved from World
Atlas: https://www.worldatlas.com/articles/battle-of-heartbreak-ridge-korean-
war.html
Degville, L. I. (1987, July-August). United Nations Forces in Northeast Asia United
Nations Command and United Nations Command (Rear) Their Missions,
Command Structures, and Roles in Regional Security. Defence Force
Journal, 40-48.
Hermes, W. G. (2005). Truce Tent and Fighting Front. University Press of the
Pacific. Retrieved from US Army Center of Military Histroy:
https://history.army.mil/books/korea/truce/ch5.htm
Polo, L. A. (1982). Philippine Involvement in the Korean War: A Footnote to R.P. -
U.S. Relations. Asian Studies.
Villasanta, A. (2009, December 12). The Philippine Expeditionary Forces to Korea
(PEFTOK): 1950-1955. Retrieved from PEFTOK: http://peftok.blogspot.com/

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Battle Review of Heartbreak Ridge of PEFTOK in Korea

Aquilina, R. V. (1986 , Fall). Korean War Chronology: September-December 1951.

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