12. Canadian Army (Battle of Kapyong, Korean War, 1951)
During the Korean War’s Battle of Kapyong (April 22-25, 1951), approximately 700 soldiers from the 2nd Battalion, Princess Patricia’s Canadian Light Infantry (2 PPCLI), held strategic positions in the Kapyong Valley against an estimated 5,000 Chinese forces. Despite being heavily outnumbered, the Canadians successfully repelled multiple assaults, inflicting significant casualties on the enemy. This decisive action prevented the Chinese from advancing toward Seoul, marking a pivotal moment in the conflict. The 2 PPCLI’s extraordinary heroism earned them the United States Presidential Unit Citation, a rare honor for a non-American unit (veterans.gc.ca).
