Of the Princess Patricias' many battle honours, the Battle of Kap'yong represents a Canadian first. Beginning around 10 p.m. on Apr. 24, 1951 and lasting into the early hours of Apr. 25, the Princess Patricias withstand a fierce assault by Chinese and North Korean soldiers on the unit's position atop a hill called 677. Veteran Don Hibbs recalls the heroic stand that made the Princess Patricias the only Canadian battalion in history to win a U.S. Presidential Unit Citation for valour.

The battle for Hill 677 cost the Princess Patricias 10 lives and 23 wounded. For their courage, Pte. Wayne Robert Mitchell received the Distinguished Conduct Medal and Pte. Kenneth Francis Barwise received the Military Medal. Capt. J. G. W. "Wally" Mills earned the Military Cross. Pte. Mitchell was one of eight Canadians to win the Distinguished Conduct Medal in Korea, the award for gallantry second only to the Victoria Cross.

Medium: Television
Program: The National Magazine
Episode: Canada's Forgotten War
Broadcast Date: July 27, 1999
Reporter: Dan Bjarnason
Guest(s): Don Hibbs
Duration: 1:53

Last update: Nov. 19, 2004