10th Battalion Combat Team (Philippines)

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10th Battalion Combat Team (Philippines)

The 10th Battalion Combat Team (10th BCT) was a heavy weapons motorized unit of the Philippine Army, active from 1948 to 1955. It was based at Camp Murphy in Quezon City and had about 64 officers and 1,303 enlisted men. Its motto was “Steady On.”

Roles and history
- The battalion was formed to fight the Hukbalahap insurgency in the Philippines after World War II. In 1950, it became famous for serving abroad in the Korean War as the first Philippine Expeditionary Forces to Korea (PEFTOK) contingent.
- It trained as a mechanized unit at Camp Marikorea in Marikina before leaving Manila on September 15, 1950, and arriving in Pusan, Korea, on September 19, 1950.
- Command was initially led by Col Mariano Azurin. After early difficulties with armor and gear, Lt. Col. Dionisio Ojeda took over and the unit fought as a mechanized force with M4 Sherman tanks, M5 Stuart tanks, and 105mm howitzers.
- The 10th BCT’s first major action was the Battle of Miudong, where a reconnaissance platoon spearheaded by 1st Sgt Maximo P. Young held off North Korean troops, enabling the battalion to maneuver despite heavy losses.
- In Korea, the battalion conducted anti-guerrilla operations around the Waegwan area, covering about 800 square miles and clashing with thousands of enemy fighters. Private Alipio Secillano was killed in action during these patrols.
- The unit faced equipment and winter clothing shortages, which led to friction with Philippine leadership. After protests and negotiations, the battalion received the gear it needed. The Tank Company was eventually shifted to heavy weapons as tanks did not arrive in the expected numbers.
- The 10th BCT’s frontline service ended when it was replaced by the 20th BCT, returning to the Philippines on October 21, 1951. During its Korean tour, the battalion suffered 266 casualties: 63 killed, 145 wounded, and 58 missing. The fallen were buried on May 5, 1952, at Libingan ng mga Bayani.
- For its actions, the battalion received the Presidential Unit Citations from both South Korea and the Philippines, along with the X Corps Battle Citation and the U.S. Eighth Army Gallantry Award.

After Korea and reorganization
- In the 1960s, the Philippine Army reorganized its Battle Combat Teams into divisions and brigades. The 10th BCT was reduced to an infantry battalion.
- Today, it exists as the 10th Infantry Battalion, part of the 102nd Brigade, 1st Infantry (Tabak) Division, based in Misamis Occidental. It continues to engage in anti-insurgency operations against CPP-NPA and Moro groups, carrying on the motto “Steady On.”