Korean War Veteran Internet Journal for the World s Veterans of the Korean War August 1, 2015

Transcription

1 Page 1 of 14 HooJung Jones From: Date: Subject: <Koreavetnews@aol.com> August :21 PM RESEND - KWVA COMMEMORATES 20TH ANNIVERSARY OF KOREAN WAR VETERANS MEMORIAL Korean War Veteran Internet Journal for the World s Veterans of the Korean War August 1, 2015 Korean War Veterans Association marks 20th anniversary of Korean War Veterans Memorial and 62nd anniversary of signing of the Military Armistice Agreement Photograph of famous Korean War Veterans Memorial on the Mall in Washington, DC, was commemorated and Consecrated in July, Photo provided by Col (Ret d) Warren Wiedhahn, national vice president KWVA Commemorating the end of the Korean War a great victory that we all fought for The group of 500 veterans, family members and supporters solemnly convened in Washington, DC, over the period July 22-27, participating in the activities of the national convention of the Korean War Veterans Association. Everyone was blessed by temperatures in the mid-80 s, with a refreshing stiff breeze blowing from the East on every day during the convention. On July 28, however, the

2 Page 2 of 14 air turned typical DC sultry once more, with the thermometer pretty much stuck at 95F and even sometimes climbing higher. Dignitaries present at the official Korean War Veterans Memorial 20th anniversary commemoration service were many, from the United States, the Republic of Korea, Canada and other nations. Dignitaries stand before gathering of approximately 500 veterans, family members and supporters to start the official 20th anniversary ceremony for the Korean War Veterans Memorial. Lady second from left is the highly respected Dr. Lee In ho, the chairperson of Korea s government owned Korea Broadcasting System (KBS), a professor emeritus of Seoul University and formerly South Korea s Ambassador to Finland and Russia. A well known historian, she received her PhD degree from Harvard University. To Dr. Lee s right is Kyung Joo Lee, president of the Korean American Veterans Association. To Dr. Lee s left is Mrs. Karen Cucurullo, acting superintendent of the National Mall, National Parks Service. To her left is Vice Minister Choi Wan Keun of Korea's Ministry of Patriots and Veterans Affairs. To Minister Choi s left is His Excellency Ahn Ho young, the Republic of Korea s Ambassador to the United States. On his left is Honourable Yonah Martin, Deputy Government Leader of the Canadian Senate. To Senator Martin s left is Larry Kinard from Texas, the national chairman of the Korean War Veterans Association. On President Kinard s left is Major General Shin Kyoung Soo, Defence Attache at the Korean Embassy in Washington. Photograph taken and provided by Canadian Veteran Paul Rochon, who was wounded in Korea serving with the Royal 22e Regiment of Canada Music was provided by the U.S. Army Band. Flags of 25 UN-allied nations were carried by the United Nations Honor Guard. Larry Kinard, national president of the Korean War Veterans Association, presented

3 Page 3 of 14 heartfelt remarks, expressing at the conclusion that while it has in recent years been popular to reference the Korean War as the forgotten war, he really disliked that phrase and said that he personally calls it a forgotten victory! Bob Regan, a singer composer from Nashville, sang a song called The Forgotten War that was written written by Nashville country western songwriters after they had interviewed a Korean War Veteran about his experiences and feelings. Mr. Regan was much impressed by President Kinard s comments and later added phrasing at the end of the song to call the war the forgotten victory. Mr. Regan writes songs sung by many of America s most popular country western artists. Canadian Veteran Paul Rochon rings the Spirit of Liberty Bell, following the 20th anniversary ceremonies at the Korean War Veterans Memorial. The bell was located close to the speaker s podium. With him is U.S. Marine Corps Staff Sergeant Caleb Wiley, a twice wounded veteran of service in Iraq, Africa and two tours of duty in Afghanistan. The Liberty Bell travels across America with volunteers from the Spirit of Liberty Foundation, raising funds to provide a plethora of support services for veterans and those who have fallen in service. Staff Sergeant Wiley, volunteering his services, unfortunately has an unhealing leg wound and is scheduled to have the affected leg amputated in October. The Spirit of Liberty Bell contains steel from the World Trade Towers that were so wickedly demolished in the underhanded, infamous attacks on America on 9/11, Photo by Carol Rochon

4 Page 4 of 14 In addition to the Memorial commemoration ceremony, as well as convention business, there was a manifold program for all participants. The KWVA, under management of its executive director, Jim Fisher, arranged excellent visits to many impressive venues: The White House, Washington s Mount Vernon Home, the Botanical Gardens and National Arboretum and Arlington National Cemetery. There was a U.S. Army Twilight Tatoo held at Fort Myer, and a U.S. Marines 8th and I sunset parade at the nearby U.S. Marine Corps garrison. Arriving aboard bus at Arlington National Cemetery is Canadian Korean War Veteran Vince Courtenay and his wife Mak-ye Courtenay. With them is U.S. 8th Army Veteran George S. Covel from Shushan, New York. George is a national director of the MPVA. - Photo by Canadian Veteran Paul Rochon

5 Page 5 of 14 Another Canadian Veteran, Ralph McKay from Spring Hill, Nova Scotia, sits next to American comrade and his daughter on way to Arlington National Cemetery. Ralph served in Korea with The Royal Canadian Regiment and spent more than 30 years in service. During that time he spent two years in Washington as the assistant to the Canadian Defence Attache, Major General Wilson-Smith, a Korean War Veteran who had commanded the 1st Battalion of the Princess Patricia s Canadian Light Infantry. Mr. McKay is Grand Chaplain of the Grand Chapter of the Royal Arch Masons of Nova Scotia. - Photo by Paul Rochon Most Veterans went to Arlington National Cemetery to witness a wreath placement by Korea's Representative Kim Moo-sung, who is chairman of the Saenuri Party, the majority party in the Korean National Assembly. The Arlington honor guard positioned the wreath and made the placement. The Tomb of the Unknown Soldier contains the remains of Unknowns from World War One, World War Two and the Korean War. Each of the Unknowns was awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor, by Act of Congress.

6 Page 6 of 14 Sign points to the venerable Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. Strict silence must be maintained in this area of Arlington National Cemetery. Below, Honor Guard escort carries the wreath of remembrance and honor from Korea s Representative Kim Moo-sung for placement above the tomb - Photos by Paul Rochon.

7 Page 7 of 14 This year, the names of more than 36,500 American servicemen who fell in Korean War Service, including more than 8,000 who are still classified as Missing in Action, were read aloud by veteran volunteers in a vigil that went around the clock. It began on July 25th and ended at noon on July 27th. The reading of the names of the Fallen program was an initiative of retired U.S. Army Colonel William Weber, the chairman of the Korean War Veterans Memorial Foundation. Colonel Weber lost an arm and leg in the Korean War while fighting as a platoon commander. He stayed in service, and went on to serve in Vietnam.

8 Page 8 of 14 View of one area in the expansive, venerable grounds at Arlington National Cemetery. - Photo by Paul Rochon The KWVA strongly supports Colonel Weber s greater initiative to build a Wall of Remembrance at the Korean War Veterans Memorial, naming all of those who fell. The initiative, first broached in Congress several years ago, has received much opposition from various governmental factions concerned with omissions of names, misspelling, etc. Though this noble program has seesawed back and forth in America for several years even though the funds would come from private and not public sources the Government of the Republic of Korea constructed such a wall in the United Nations Memorial Cemetery in Busan in It took only one year to design and construct it. The Wall of Remembrance in the United Nations Memorial Cemetery names 40,896 service personnel, both men and women, from 17 UN allied nations who lost their lives on Korean War Service. Of the Wall's 140 granite commemorative panels, 119 are dedicated to the Korean War Fallen from the United States. Those 119 panels name 36,492 Fallen service personnel from the United States Forces, all arranged state by state and listed alphabetically. The Wall of Remembrance in Busan does not list the names of Republic of Korea soldiers or porters who fell in the Korean War, although 36 Republic of Korea soldiers who were attached as augmentation troops to UN units, are buried in the United Nations Memorial Cemetery. There was not one word of protest or one move to block the project when it was submitted and approved by Korea s National Assembly.

9 Page 9 of 14 Canada s Senator Yonah Martin showed Warren Wiedhahn, national vice president and Washington director of the KWVA a feature of Arlington National Cemetery he had never seen before, or knew existed. She took Warren and KVA National President Larry Kinard (right) to the Canadian Monument honouring U.S. citizens who lost their lives serving in the Canadian armed forces in World War One, World War Two, and the Korean War. After a hectic flight from Vancouver, British Columbia, Senator Martin spent two very busy days in Washington, then left on a 6 a.m. flight to Toronto, where she drove to the Canadian Korean War Veterans Wall of Remembrance in suburban Brampton for Korean War Veterans Armistice Day ceremonies. Senator Martin authored the private bill in the Canadian Senate that resulted in the statute that assigns that designation to July 27 in Canada in perpetuity. She has championed, and still does, a move to observe July 27 as the Korean War Armistice Day on a global basis, by all of the participating UN nations. Canadian monument in Arlington National Cemetery pays tribute to the many American service personnel who served in Canadian Forces during the two World Wars and the Korean War, and fell wearing the Canadian uniform, under the Canadian Flag.

10 Page 10 of 14 Saenuri Party leader Representative Kim Moo-sung and other members of his party serving in Korea's National Assembly bend in traditional Korean high respect stance for all Korean War Veterans buried in Arlington National Cemetery. They placed their wreath at the grave of General Walton Walker, who commanded the besieged U.S. 8th Army when better-armed, armor backed North Korean armies drove his forces down to the Busan Perimeter in the summer of General Walker held command defending the Perimeter while additional U.S. Forces and materiel continued to land at Busan. He then led them in a triumphant push into North Korea, and when the secreted armies of the Chinese People s Volunteers attacked his strung out formations, he commanded the withdrawal of 8th Army back into South Korea, with terribly heavy loss of life. General Walker was killed in a jeep accident on December 23, 1950, while en route to present a citation to the British 27th Brigade for its role in the September breakout offensive from the Busan Perimeter.

11 Page 11 of 14 Canadian Veteran Paul Rochon, who was wounded in Korea serving with the Royal 22e Regiment of Canada and his wife Carol share a moment in their hotel s lobby with a famous veteran of three wars, Peter Rupy Ruplenas, of West Virginia. Peter recently published another book called "Two Cameras, Three Wars." It graphically covers his adventures through three wars: World War Two, the Korean War and the Vietnam War. He served as a combat photographer with the U.S. Army and was involved in many of the famous, historical battles and campaigns. Paul Rochon, following his service in Korea, served with the United Nations for a number of years at its New York City headquarters. He also was assigned to several other countries on United Nations business.

12 Page 12 of 14 Representative Kim Moo-sung (left) and His Excellency Ahn Ho-young, the Republic of Korea's Ambassador to the United States, applaud Korean War Veterans at a banquet sponsored by Korea's Ministry of Patriots and Veterans Affairs. Election polls in Korea currently show that if Kim should decide to run for the Presidential office, he is far ahead of possible contenders in popularity. Lee has told reporters he has made no decision about seeking the office and stresses that he is doing his utmost to support the programs of President Park Geun-hye, whose is in her third year of a five-term in office and under Korean law cannot be reelected for a subsequent term. While in Washington Representative Kim also held meetings with Nancy Pelosi, minority House Speaker in the U.S. House of Representatives and with Senator John McCain, now in his fifth term and Chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee. He also serves on the Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Government Affairs. Kim urged both the Congress and the Senate to press Japan into formally presenting an apology for the abuse of Korean women during World War Two. He also urged the U.S. to move forward with South Korea in a strong bipartisan initiative to curb North Korea s nuclear weapons development program, although he did not provide specific on how the two nations could go about it.

13 Page 13 of 14 Canada s Senator Yonah Martin, deputy government leader of the Canadian Senate (white tunic) and Korean Assemblyman Kim Jung Hoon pose with students who won scholarships provided by a memorial foundation established in the U.S. by Representative Kim. The scholarships, which provide $2,000 in funding, were the first presented under the new program. He and Senator Martin have collaborated in plans to bring a similar scholarship program to Canada. Initially a pilot program is being conducted in the Province of Ontario.

14 Page 14 of 14 A final photo shows two veterans closely linked in spirit. Korean War Veteran Paul Rochon from Canada shares a special moment at the veterans banquet dinner with 96-year old Peter Rupy Ruplenas of West Virginia, a U.S. Army photographer in World War Two, the Korean War and the Vietnam War. The banquet was sponsored by Korea s Ministry of Patriots and Veterans Affairs. Paul said that he was privileged to meet Peter Ruplenas and would always treasure the memory of spending time with him in Washington. Peter is wearing the Ministry of Patriots and Veterans Affairs Peace Ambassador medal. No more needs to be said.