Cecilio Asuncion
Bio
Cecilio R. Asuncion was born on February 1, 1927, in Mayantoc, Tarlac, in the Philippines. As a student at the Far Eastern University, he studied journalism and was a member of the ROTC program. Because of his involvement in ROTC, he was sent to Korea as a war correspondent for the Philippine News Service and attached to the Philippine Expeditionary Force’s 14th Battalion Combat Team, known as the Avengers. He co-authored a book, This is Your Boys: The Avengers, which shares experiences of the 14th Battalion Combat Team in Korea. He is impressed by the successful use of resources by the Korean Government and the economic prosperity the Korean people have achieved.
Video Clips
We Wanted Them to Grow Up Well
Cecilio Asuncion remembers children begging for food near the front lines and the soldiers giving them their food rations. He emphasizes that they loved the children. He shares how they all just wanted them to grow up and be well.
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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EXlTvlMj4Tw&start=1179&end=1211
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https://koreanwarlegacy.org/interviews/cecilio-asuncion#clip-1
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Panmunjeom Peace Talks
Cecilio Asuncion discusses his belief that the war should not have happened. He highlights the original division of Korea and then the division at the Panmunjeom Peace Talks. While describing the peace talks, he provides an overview of the delegates who were in attendance. Since South Korea did not take part in the peace talks, he clarifies that North and South Korea are still at war.
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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EXlTvlMj4Tw&start=723&end=878
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https://koreanwarlegacy.org/interviews/cecilio-asuncion#clip-2
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Let Me Tell You About the Economy
Cecilio Asuncion elaborates on the drastic difference between the Korean economy during the war and now. He remembers seeing the Korean people water and fertilize their crops with human waste. While comparing the Korea he remembers during the war and Korea today, he explains the rationale for why Korea was able to transform their economy. He admires how the Korean leadership properly used the aid from the United States and became the number one shipbuilders in the world.
Share YouTube:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EXlTvlMj4Tw&start=1004&end=1155
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https://koreanwarlegacy.org/interviews/cecilio-asuncion#clip-3
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