We pause to honor the life and service of Colonel Jaap Constandse, whose interment ceremony will soon take place at the United Nations Memorial Cemetery in Korea (UNMCK) in Busan. Following his passing in April 2025, Colonel Constandse requested to be laid to rest alongside his fallen comrades at this hallowed ground.
As a young Lieutenant, Colonel Constandse was a proud member of the Nederlands Detachement Verenigde Naties, widely known as the Dutch Battalion. Arriving in Korea in early 1952, Lt. Constandse’s service saw him fight at the Chungmok-Sil valley and the Battle of T-Bone Ridge, pursue communist guerrillas, and guard prisoners of war at Koje-do.
In conjunction with Colonel Constandse's interment, a commemoration will be held this Friday to honor the heroes of the February 1951 Battle of Hoengsong—a critical and costly fight that tested the resolve of the NDVN.
The Battle of Hoengsong
Following the outbreak of the Korean War on June 25, 1950, the Netherlands swiftly pledged ground and naval support to help repel the invasion. The Dutch Battalion, formed on September 9, 1950, arrived in Busan on November 23. Attached to the U.S. 38th Infantry Regiment, 2nd Infantry Division, the NDVN played a pivotal role in a critical rearguard action during the Battle of Hoengsong in February 1951.
On February 11, 1951, three Chinese divisions pushed south, overwhelming the Republic of Korea 8th Division. As supporting U.S. armored and artillery forces withdrew down a single road through a twisting valley to avoid encirclement, they were outflanked by infiltrating cross-country forces. The Dutch Battalion was strategically positioned to hold the vital road junction at Hoengsong, ensuring withdrawing United Nations Command forces could pass through to establish better defensive lines near Wonju.
Striking the Dutch Battalion on February 12, enemy forces attacked the entire line and pressed hard against the flanks and rear of the withdrawing UNC column. In a chaotic night action at the battalion command post, enemy forces infiltrated the Dutch lines. The Dutch commander, Lt. Col. Marinus Petrus Antonius den Ouden, and his staff were killed in fierce hand-to-hand combat. Despite this devastating leadership loss, the battalion maintained its discipline and held the position. Their courageous stand prevented the total encirclement of the disorganized UNC column, allowing the main body to retreat safely toward Wonju.
Though the Battle of Hoengsong resulted in hundreds of ROK and UNC casualties—marking one of the most lopsided tactical defeats suffered by the UNC during the war—the critical delay provided by the Dutch Battalion allowed the UNC to consolidate a stronger defensive line. This stand eventually halted the enemy's momentum, leading to successful defenses at Chipyong-ni, Feb 13-15, and the Third Battle of Wonju, Feb 13-18.
A Lasting Legacy
Today, the Dutch casualties of the Battle of Hoengsong, including Lt. Col. den Ouden, rest at the United Nations Memorial Cemetery in Korea. For his extraordinary leadership and valor at Hoengsong, Lt. Col. den Ouden was posthumously awarded the Militaire Willems-Orde (Military Order of William), the oldest and highest honor of the Kingdom of the Netherlands.
As we lay Colonel Constandse to rest, we remember his dedication and the enduring legacy of the Dutch Battalion's ultimate sacrifices for freedom.
(Courtesy story prepared by Mr. Benjamin Harris, UNC/CFC/USFK Command Historian)