Korean War Veteran Internet Journal for the World s Veterans of the Korean War December 2, 2014

Transcription

1 Korean War Veteran Internet Journal for the World s Veterans of the Korean War December 2, 2014 Article is below this special announcement: Viewing commemorative Imjin Cup Hockey Match on CBC TV Readers wishing to watch a CBC TV report on the commemorative hockey game played between the Princess Patricia s Canadian Light Infantry and the Royal 22e Regiment, in honour of the hundredth anniversary of the 1914 founding of both regiments, and of the hockey games played by Canadian soldiers on the frozen Imjin River during the Korean War, can access the newscast by pasting the below link into their Internet browsers: Those wishing to skip the lengthy news of the day can access the report on the hockey match by going to on the time scale at the bottom of the picture. This information was kindly provided by Mark Bulgutch, the retired senior executive producer of CBC TV, who for many years personally produced coverage of Canada s November 11 Remembrance Day services in Ottawa. Mark also arranged for complete live coverage of the dedication and Consecration of the Monument to Canadian Fallen of the Korean War in October, The two-hour long live program was telecast to every community in Canada. In 2007, Mark also personally supervised a television production of the first November 11 national Turn Toward Busan ceremony that was held in Ottawa. The ceremony became a lengthy part of the November 11 Remembrance Day national telecast.

2 Mark should be presented with the Minister of Veterans Affairs Commendation for his tremendous and unprecedented strong support of Canada s veterans of the Korean War! Who said the Turn Toward Busan ceremonies in Korea weren t a joyous time for veterans? after the solemn services were completed. The sign above the door of the five-star Grand Ambassador Hotel, home to the veterans while they are in Seoul, expressed a theme that comes from the hearts of the Korean People. The hotel staff treated them all like kings and queens. As well as being a solemn, international event that was participated in by more than 100,000 people worldwide, the 2014 International Turn Toward Busan

3 Ceremony of Honour and Tribute to the Korean War Fallen was also a joyous time for the Veterans, once they left the United Nations Memorial Cemetery where comrades from 11 nations are buried and where the United Nations Wall of Remembrance bears the names of more than 40,000 UN Force soldiers who lost their lives during the Korean War. The official estimated tally by Korea s Ministry of Patriots and Veterans Affairs has not been made yet, but in Korea it is without question that more than 1 million citizens participated in the services in one way or another, in addition to those who did so in 22 nations outside of Korea. Television Network KBS broadcast live the entire core ceremony from the United Nations Memorial Cemetery to all parts of Korea and the estimated audience was close to one million. Additionally, the 10 million members of the ROK Korea Veterans Association were asked to participate in a minute of silence at 11 a.m., no matter where they happened to be. Posters, billboards in Seoul and in Busan encouraged citizens to Turn Toward Busan and a comprehensive campaign was launched on social media. Six thousand people, mostly South Koreans, uploaded their photographs on a special Turn Toward Busan Ministry of Patriots and Veterans Affairs website.

4 Minister Park Sung Choon delivers message of remembrance for all of the United Nations Fallen during the international core Turn Toward Busan ceremony at the United Nations Memorial Cemetery in Busan. Large video screen behind him projects video taken from a large boom, which constantly swept the celebrants, as well as the graves sections behind them where the Fallen from 11 nations are buried. At the moment the camera is focused on Senator Yonah Martin from Canada, who is deputy government leader of the Canadian Senate and beside her, Abdetta Dibaba, Ethiopia s ambassador to the Republic of Korea. In Busan on November 11, it was a time of remembrance, and of sorrow, for the veterans from 18 nations outside of Korea who came to participate. All did in their own way, but for there was a basic sameness to their feelings. One cannot visit the United Nations Memorial Cemetery without grieving, without recalling the war, their own youth when they were in uniform, the comrades they lost; the things that got into their minds and their hearts and their souls are still there. But it was a time of joy for them, as well. Korea opened its hearts to them. Seldom, if ever, was there a veterans revisit to Korea that was so perfect in every detail. Probably never before has the program been so well designed and planned out so that there was a good balance of rest and relaxation between the ceremonies, and

5 there was more Korean culture and spirit from present generations injected into the lives of the veterans than ever before. Such a blessing that was, to all! Look at the photos below to see how things went. There was not one word or complaint or protest and no reason for any. To the contrary there was every reason to express thanks and heap praise upon all of the planners and those involved, including the Minister of Patriots and Veterans Affairs, Honourable Park Sung Choon. Also thanked profusely was Yongjin Jeon, director of the MPVA international team and everyone on his staff, including all of the MPVA veteran assistants (handlers), and MPVA student volunteers. Nurses from the MPVA veterans hospital who diligently and lovingly cared for the veterans and their companions received their praise. On their first morning, after a sumptuous breakfast at the King s Table gourmet restaurant in the Grand Ambassador Hotel, the veteran delegation was treated to a (not very intense, but light and easy to digest) presentation on Korean culture, in which Korean foods, traditional dress and some of the family customs were explained. The veterans and their wives or other escorts were invited to try on Korean hanbok clothing, and many did to their delight.

6 Ninety-nine year old Dr. Anders Tang of Sweden was one of the first to don Hanbok. He is seen standing behind his beautiful daughter, Birgitta. while one of the Korean cast members makes sure they re enjoying the moment.

7 Veteran Arthur Lortie from Canada and his daughter, Diane thoroughly enjoyed every moment of their experience in Korea. Arthur, for a prolonged period of several years had been down with many serious cancers. He underwent radical surgeries and chemotherapy and finally the doctors stopped the chemotherapy, saying it would kill him. After that, Arthur said, he felt better than he had for many years. He soon surpassed the life expectancy span of six months that the doctors had given him. He was one of the most active of all of the veterans in the delegation, perhaps the most active.

8 Robert Mortimer needed little persuasion to get his wife, Janice, outfitted in a pretty green hassock. The Mortimers, from Australia, were special guests of the MPVA, in honour of Janice s father, J.RH. Longmore, who was killed in action serving with the Royal Australian Regiment in November, The good soldier, who had gone all through World War Two did the reverse of what many very young soldiers of the day had done; he lied his age downward by a number of years so that he would be eligible to join Australia s Special Force for Korea. He had at home six daughters, of which Janice is the youngest. Her father is now buried in the United Nations Memorial Cemetery.

9 Veteran Vince Courtenay from Canada was delighted to have his wife, Mak-ye with him throughout the program. The beautiful lady has helped him maybe saved him through eight major surgeries during the past 16 years. He initiated the international Turn Toward Busan ceremonies in 1997 and has attended every one of them since 1998, often at his personal expense.

10 Veteran Desmond Vinton, the president of the New Zealand Korean War Veterans Association, ponders remarks made by the emcee during the Korean cultural program at the Grand Ambassador Hotel, or his mind is on matters at home, for Des came to Korea following the passing of his good wife of many years. It should be noted that the last medal he wears is the Korean War Service Medal, issued to all United Nations Force service personnel by Korea s first president, Syngman Rhee. New Zealand accepted the medal from Korea in 2000, and authorized its wear by all of the country s Korean War Veterans. Of the other Commonwealth Nations, the Australian Government tacitly, but not totally officially, authorizes veterans to wear it at their own discretion. The United Kingdom declined the medal during the Korean War. Canada s Chancery of Honours seems to hate the medal and rebuked one of the KVA Canada presidents for his persistence in asking for it to be recognized. The Chancery apparently believes it is a souvenir medal that veterans buy in shops when they visit Korea. Requests to make briefs by various Canadian veterans to explain the medal and its history all have been turned down. Frankly, it is an affront to the Korean Government and the Korean People. Veterans from every other nation in the world, including the United States, wear it proudly, as does Des and all of the veterans in New Zealand with Canada and the United Kingdom being the only exceptions.

11 Veteran Peter Seiersen is the first vice president of KVA Canada. He is shown here enjoying the morning with his daughter, Wendy Walker. Peter represented KVA Canada and in 1997 he attended the first Turn Toward Busan ceremony held in Korea. He also participated on the United Nations Veteran Guard of Honour at the Turn Toward Busan service in Korea in 2008.

12 Veteran Alan Evered and his wife, Nicole were with the Veteran contingent from Australia. While they are both now Australian residents, the Evereds are expats from England. Alan served in Korea with the Essex Regiment. He has served for many years as one of the officers of the Australian Korean War Veterans Association.

13 Louis De Cleen, first vice president of the Korean War Veterans Association of Belgium thoroughly enjoyed the d ay and the week with his wife, Betty.

14 Salvatore Poloni, representing the Italian Association of Veterans of the Korean War, enjoys the introduction to Korea with his wife, Mirella Palazzi. They are descendants of the doctors, nurses and other professionals who served in Korea with the Italian Red Cross Field Hospital 68 (Ospedale da campo CRI n. 68). Obviously, as time goes on, descendants of veterans and associate members of the various veterans associations will more and more take the place of their Korean War Veteran forebears, which is in line with MPVA policy. That policy is to carry on the commemorative activities and never let the history, sacrifice and achievements of those veterans disappear. This also is the stated policy of the Korean War Veterans Association USA, which eschews the notion of last man standing clubs, whereby the association dissolves and disappears when the last veteran is no longer active. The newly formed British Korean War Veterans Association has such a policy written into its charter and actively seeks relatives of veterans, and other patriotic citizens who wish to perpetuate the achievements and history of those who served in Korea.

15 Colonel MelesseTessema Debela from Ethiopia and his son, Endale Meless Tessema, all decked out in Korean hanbok. The colonel is a much decorated veteran of Ethiopia s famed Kagnew Battalion and is president of the Korean War Veterans Association of Ethiopia.

16 Getting a great honour from a Korean family is Pramate Veruttamasane, president of the Thailand Korean War Veterans Association.

17 It looked like Admiral Ian Crawford and his wife, Catherine, had found themselves a new great granddaughter during the Korean cultural presentation. The boy and the girl are from a family that performed a skit of family love and fealty on the stage. Admiral Crawford is the president of the Council of Australian Korean War Veterans Associations and a key figure in development of the Australian War Memorial.

18 Australian Robert Mortimer gives the sweet Korean girl a most respectful kiss, for she captured his and all other hearts of those who saw her.

19 Margaret Evered, wife of Australian Veteran Alan Evered, is fascinated by the young girl and speaks with her after the performance. Margaret and her husband are British expats who immigrated to Australia. Alan served in Korea with Britain s Essex Regiment.

20 Old friends connect again. Although Col. (Ret d) Warren Weidhahn (left) and Vince Courtenay have communicated by for many years, they have not met in person since Warren took a large group of 1st U.S. Marine Corps veterans to Korea and China in 2001 when the Courtenays were resident in Korea. They have worked together on many important projects and currently are focusing on a July, 2015 international service to mark the 20th anniversary of the Korean War Veterans Memorial in Washington, D.C. When it was dedicated and Consecrated in 1995 veterans from all over the world were present, including 100 from Canada who were flown to Washington on a Canadian military transport plane. Officiating at the ceremony was U.S. President Bill Clinton and Republic of Korea President Kim Young Sam. President George H. W. Bush had officiated at the ground breaking three years earlier. In England, a monument for those who served in the Korean War will be dedicated on Wednesday, December 3, on the banks of the Thames adjacent to the Ministry of Defence. Described in news media as Britain s first national Korean War Monument, it was designed and built using 1 million pounds sterling, donated by the Government of Korea through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade, or else it would not be there. Three hundred Korean War Veterans have been invited to the dedication and Consecration.

21 Before the morning was over the emcee introduced Yongjin Jeon, director of the MPVA International Team. He explained that he loved his job, because he truly loves the veterans who sacrificed and saved the Republic of Korea. For that reason, he said, he can rationalize all the long hours and hardships he faces, because his efforts are being done to honour and commemorate them, and make them enjoy their trips back to Korea. He also travels abroad a lot to organize events to honour the veterans in their home countries. He routinely works from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. or later and spends four hours commuting back and forth from Seoul to Sejong City where his team is located. This year he and his team outdid themselves. The program was solemn where it should have been, spectacular in places where it was appropriate, and immensely enjoyable.