Austin_Millbarge
26 July 2003, 14:54
Came across this today. Just wanted to extend my thanks to any of our resident Korea vets. Forgive me for being 50 years late on this one.
Cheers -- AM
http://www.orlandosentinel.com/news/opinion/orl-edpedpkorea072603jul26,0,6197440,print.story?coll= orl-opinion-headlines
Remembering the forgotten war
By William Russell
Special to the Sentinel
July 26, 2003
Recently, I visited a local bookstore of a major chain and, as a military history buff, I always check out that section of the store.
Much to my regret but not to my surprise there wasn't one title on the Korean War.
Remember that war? That was the one fought during the time between World War II and Vietnam, as one "knowledgeable" writer put it once. It was the first "hot" war of the Cold War period and the first victory over communism.
Anyway, I located numerous books about the bloody and costly Civil War, and plenty in the World War II section, and rightfully so in both cases, since these were monumental events in our history.
The Vietnam War was well-documented and rightfully so, also. The images and words depicting that terrible war certainly cannot go unnoticed either, nor the Persian Gulf War of 1991 that was fairly well-represented with several titles. There were even a few books on the current war in Iraq.
I don't deny nor fault these endeavors. But not one book on Korea! Nothing! A war that lasted for over three years with a heavy toll of casualties!
Needless to say, as a Korea veteran, I was angry. Approaching the lady at the information desk, I relayed that fact to her. She responded that she thought there was a book on Korea. However, I assured her to the contrary and told her to tell her manager "to get more books on Korea!" And that's pretty much how it has been since the Korean War ended 50 years ago.
Sunday marks the 50th anniversary of the end of what has often been called "The Forgotten War" when communist and United Nations representatives signed the cease-fire agreement at Panmunjom. The shooting stopped. It took three long years, one month, and two days and two years of on-again, off-again negotiations to reach that point, at a high cost to all involved.
It was called a "police action" at the beginning, then a "conflict" later (don't call it a "conflict" around a Korea veteran) and now has been upscaled to a full-blown war. The Korean War is, hopefully, beginning to be remembered. It has never been truly forgotten, not by those who served or fought there, nor by the loved ones who lost someone in the war. American history books still accord it little space in their texts; some teachers sometimes never reached that point in American history anyway. But progress is being made.
Many veterans, members of local chapters of the Korean War Veterans Association throughout the nation, have made progress in reaching young people. There has been much accomplished in erasing the word "forgotten" from the vocabulary. Three years ago, Congress authorized the Department of Defense to establish a 50th Anniversary Commemoration Period that began on June 25, 2000 (the 50th anniversary of the outbreak of the war) to thank and honor Korean War veterans and their families. It will officially close Nov. 11 (Veterans Day). It has certainly raised the awareness of the war. The theme, "freedom is not free" has been its keystone.
For those of us who served and survived, we shall never forget, certainly not forget the nearly 34,000 fellow Americans killed in combat (555 were from Florida) nor the more than 100,000 who were wounded, many critically, and surely not the more than 8,000 POWs/MIAs, whose families have yet to have closure.
There are more than 300,000 Korean War veterans living in Florida, but, unfortunately, only 1,300 of them are actively engaged in the various chapters throughout the state.
Why isn't there more participation? Have they forgotten about the war?
I talked to one veteran once and he couldn't even remember the unit he was with. So we can't really fault the average person who may not remember or know a great deal about the war.
Forgotten? Perhaps by some, maybe by many still. But, hopefully, the recognition of the 50th anniversary date of July 27 will help toward fostering a more positive recognition of the Korean War and label it more as "The Remembered War." I would hope that those who made the supreme sacrifice will never be forgotten, and thanks in particular to the National Korean War Veterans Memorial in Washington, their deeds will be remembered always.
Gov. Jeb Bush summed it up succinctly in a recent letter to Jake Feaster, commander of the Florida Department of the Korean War Veterans Association, when he wrote: "Despite its indecisive conclusion and the ensuing years of tension, it can now be said the Korean War marked the first battle in a conflict lasting four decades and which ultimately saw the collapse of the Berlin Wall and the demise of communism. The blood shed and lives sacrificed proved to ultimately be the spark that ignited the flame and kept alive the hope for freedom throughout the world."
This, we should never forget.
William Russell is a Korean War veteran who lives in Altamonte Springs and is author of "Face of the Enemy."
Copyright © 2003, Orlando Sentinel
Cheers -- AM
http://www.orlandosentinel.com/news/opinion/orl-edpedpkorea072603jul26,0,6197440,print.story?coll= orl-opinion-headlines
Remembering the forgotten war
By William Russell
Special to the Sentinel
July 26, 2003
Recently, I visited a local bookstore of a major chain and, as a military history buff, I always check out that section of the store.
Much to my regret but not to my surprise there wasn't one title on the Korean War.
Remember that war? That was the one fought during the time between World War II and Vietnam, as one "knowledgeable" writer put it once. It was the first "hot" war of the Cold War period and the first victory over communism.
Anyway, I located numerous books about the bloody and costly Civil War, and plenty in the World War II section, and rightfully so in both cases, since these were monumental events in our history.
The Vietnam War was well-documented and rightfully so, also. The images and words depicting that terrible war certainly cannot go unnoticed either, nor the Persian Gulf War of 1991 that was fairly well-represented with several titles. There were even a few books on the current war in Iraq.
I don't deny nor fault these endeavors. But not one book on Korea! Nothing! A war that lasted for over three years with a heavy toll of casualties!
Needless to say, as a Korea veteran, I was angry. Approaching the lady at the information desk, I relayed that fact to her. She responded that she thought there was a book on Korea. However, I assured her to the contrary and told her to tell her manager "to get more books on Korea!" And that's pretty much how it has been since the Korean War ended 50 years ago.
Sunday marks the 50th anniversary of the end of what has often been called "The Forgotten War" when communist and United Nations representatives signed the cease-fire agreement at Panmunjom. The shooting stopped. It took three long years, one month, and two days and two years of on-again, off-again negotiations to reach that point, at a high cost to all involved.
It was called a "police action" at the beginning, then a "conflict" later (don't call it a "conflict" around a Korea veteran) and now has been upscaled to a full-blown war. The Korean War is, hopefully, beginning to be remembered. It has never been truly forgotten, not by those who served or fought there, nor by the loved ones who lost someone in the war. American history books still accord it little space in their texts; some teachers sometimes never reached that point in American history anyway. But progress is being made.
Many veterans, members of local chapters of the Korean War Veterans Association throughout the nation, have made progress in reaching young people. There has been much accomplished in erasing the word "forgotten" from the vocabulary. Three years ago, Congress authorized the Department of Defense to establish a 50th Anniversary Commemoration Period that began on June 25, 2000 (the 50th anniversary of the outbreak of the war) to thank and honor Korean War veterans and their families. It will officially close Nov. 11 (Veterans Day). It has certainly raised the awareness of the war. The theme, "freedom is not free" has been its keystone.
For those of us who served and survived, we shall never forget, certainly not forget the nearly 34,000 fellow Americans killed in combat (555 were from Florida) nor the more than 100,000 who were wounded, many critically, and surely not the more than 8,000 POWs/MIAs, whose families have yet to have closure.
There are more than 300,000 Korean War veterans living in Florida, but, unfortunately, only 1,300 of them are actively engaged in the various chapters throughout the state.
Why isn't there more participation? Have they forgotten about the war?
I talked to one veteran once and he couldn't even remember the unit he was with. So we can't really fault the average person who may not remember or know a great deal about the war.
Forgotten? Perhaps by some, maybe by many still. But, hopefully, the recognition of the 50th anniversary date of July 27 will help toward fostering a more positive recognition of the Korean War and label it more as "The Remembered War." I would hope that those who made the supreme sacrifice will never be forgotten, and thanks in particular to the National Korean War Veterans Memorial in Washington, their deeds will be remembered always.
Gov. Jeb Bush summed it up succinctly in a recent letter to Jake Feaster, commander of the Florida Department of the Korean War Veterans Association, when he wrote: "Despite its indecisive conclusion and the ensuing years of tension, it can now be said the Korean War marked the first battle in a conflict lasting four decades and which ultimately saw the collapse of the Berlin Wall and the demise of communism. The blood shed and lives sacrificed proved to ultimately be the spark that ignited the flame and kept alive the hope for freedom throughout the world."
This, we should never forget.
William Russell is a Korean War veteran who lives in Altamonte Springs and is author of "Face of the Enemy."
Copyright © 2003, Orlando Sentinel