Oldest war hero dies in Pangasinan

Valentin Untalan, the oldest World War II hero in Pangasinan and arguably one of the oldest Filipinos in the country, died on Thursday at the advanced age of 109. —FILE PHOTO/WILLIE LOMIBAO LINGAYEN, Pangasinan – Valentin Untalan, the oldest World War II hero in Pangasinan and arguably one of the oldest Filipinos in the country, died on Thursday at the advanced age of 109. Details about the death of Untalan, a resident of Barangay Doyong, had not been made public, but he had been wheelchair-bound, and his health had been failing for years. He was able to attend for the very last time the annual Pangasinan Veterans Day celebration on January 9, where he shared stories about his war experiences and urged the young generation to love their country. Article continues after this advertisement READ: Pangasinan war vets urge youth: Be our future defenders Frequently attends Lingayen Gulf memorials Untalan also frequently attended the memorials for the Lingayen Gulf Landing when American General Douglas MacArthur returned to liberate the country from the occupying forces of the Imperial Japanese Army towards the end of the war in the Pacific in 1945. In 2023, Untalan said he retains vivid memories of how he survived in the jungle during the war. Untalan joined the Philippine Scouts and was inducted into the United States Army Forces in the Far East on Feb. 26, 1941, with the rank of private first class. Article continues after this advertisement A videotape interview shown during a veterans event shows him recalling that he was assigned to the “L” Company of the 57th Infantry at the outbreak of World War II in the country, which began when Japanese planes bombarded Camp John Hay in Baguio City on December 8, 1941. His unit cared for the wounded soldiers of the 11th Infantry and nearby Allied units defending the Pangasinan D-2 line. Article continues after this advertisement READ: Fading voices, enduring courage at Lingayen Gulf They also provided medical care to wounded and sick sOldiers during the Battle of Bataan and engaged Japanese forces in the “Battle of the Pockets.” Surviving in the jungle “I searched for guavas and papayas in the jungle. I could not climb the papaya, but I cut it down with my machete, and I ate as many as I could. When the sun was setting, I filled my haversack with papaya, and then I looked for a place to sleep. I saw a foxhole, and I went inside,” Untalan had said in a halting, raspy voice. He also recalled how he was assigned to command a platoon, and became a platoon leader and officer, with the rank of major, during the war. “You know that long bridge in Carmen (Rosales, Pangasinan)? There were guns over there,” he said. “Sometimes, for 24 hours, you stay in the water until you are relieved by someone. Sometimes they have no replacement for you, and you cannot quit without a replacement,” Untalan said. READ: In Pangasinan, war heroes never forgotten Your subscription could not be saved. Please try again. Your subscription has been successful. In a social media post, a family member paid tribute to Untalan: “Though our hearts are filled with sorrow, they are also filled with gratitude—for 109 wonderful years of your life and for every precious moment we shared with you. You may have left this world, but your love will never leave us. Sleep peacefully, our beloved Laki (Grandfather) Valentin Untalan Sr. Until the day we meet again, you will always be our greatest blessing. “/coa