New York Times June 28th, 1950, US responds to Invasion
The War Begins: June 25th, 1950
Today, we step back a few years to recall how we chose to remember the shocking news of a new war that would shortly involve the United States government and it's fighting forces, once again. This photo of the front page of the New York Times indicates the complexity of this unwelcome situation.
1.) WE REMEMBER
Today marks the commemoration of the beginning of the war in Korea. Our duty is to remember the cost of the war for those who served, bled, or died while prosecuting the defense of the South Korean people.
This tribute includes a special recognition for the families and friends of those men and women who rushed to the aid of South Korea.
Until July 27th 1953, there was a continual flow of men and materiel to support the war effort. The uneasy truce that followed also required a substantial commitment of manpower and equipment.
Medical staff of many nations provided urgent care for the injured. Those facilities reached far and wide across the globe. Many of those injured required medical care for extended periods of time. Even today, thousands of those men and women are still under care of medical providers.
The civilian population was turned upside down with the events of the fighting. The death, suffering, and destruction of lives, homes, and the economy of the region was witnessed by those who served in the war zone.
Many of those men and women stepped forward to render a variety of humanitarian assistance to those in need.
Hal traveled to Korea in 1989 to pay tribute to the men who helped him understand the job our own father performed in Korea as a US Marine helicopter pilot (VMO-6) (HMR-161). Hal returned with 2nd Infantry Division veterans in 1994.
While there, Hals’ camera recorded both urban and rural communities. The vibrancy of the people and their economic rise is evident in those photographs. Hals’ two trips are symbolic of many thousands of pilgrims who have revisited Korea.
Among our visitors are a younger generation who served after the truce. In fact, a large amount of our email correspondence and web visitors are those men and women who served in Korea from 1954 through today.
Thousands of you have received email, letters or calls from students, news reporters, and governmental agencies from your interaction on this website since its inception in February, 1995. We thank all of you who have helped each other.
Never Forget
2.) This sticker was first suggested by Ron Logan in 2000.
Ron hails from San Diego and came up with the idea for shirts, posters, and caps in late 2000. A limited number of posters, caps, and shirts were produced but the sticker resonated with all those who followed us on the internet and by our emailed newsletters.
The stickers created very interesting personal stories when people all across the US would be stopped and asked about the sticker. We have accumulated hundreds of those stories over the years.
It should not come as a surprise that most of the encounters involved US Veterans and Koreans or Korean Americans.
Note: these stickers are no longer available for sale.
3.) Post Truce Korea (DMZ Era)
Major Vandon E. Jenerette, US Army wrote this article in May of 1988
Subject: Korea DMZ Part 1 Military Review Published by US Army Command and General Staff College Volume LXVIII - May 1988 - No 5 pp 32-43
Major Jenerette allowed us to publish his article on the website in 1996. It became the header for our DMZ Veterans Center which quickly became popular.
Well over 60% of our correspondents on the website and by email served after July 27, 1953. Everyone is welcome to be part of our extended "family". We have routinely posted information of value for this grouping since our first newsletters. See this link:
DMZ Veterans Center 1953 to present.
4.) Book Update: Korean War Project Remembrance 1950-1953
We would like to thank everyone who has purchased our self-published book on all US Korean War Deaths. The Memorial Day newsletter notice of the last 40 books resulted in a near sell-out.
Note: there may be 8 books left to order due to uncompleted orders. Inquiries may be directed to Ted Barker by email or phone. See contact information at the very bottom of this page.
Membership:
Membership Information
5.) Donor / Member Update:
Consider supporting the mission of the Korean War Project by donations in the form of Membership/Sponsorship.
Our Pledge Drive is an ongoing process. We are recruiting from those who have not participated, so if you can, jump on in, it will be appreciated.
The site is free for all to use and those who participate help to ensure that we remain online whether the donation is $15.00 membership or more.
For those persons or groups who cannot participate, we certainly understand. Our overall donor base has declined as former donors pass on or are no longer able to assist.
Donations/Memberships are tax deductible if you use long forms for tax deductions. IRS reports. Our EIN: 75-2695041 501(c) (3)
Everyone may still continue to communicate with us by direct email, phone, or letter.
The following link will allow you to see those who became the first financial contributors in 1997-98. Click through to check out the list.
First Contributors To The Korean War Project
Photo courtesy of Jan Curran, daughter of Navy Lt. Charles Garrison, VF-884 Fighter Squadron and his wife, Enid, 1943.
The second contributor was Jan Curran who had first contacted us in 1996 while trying to reach Larry Jolidon who authored "Last Seen Alive" The Search for Missing POWs from the Korean War. Jan's father is still among those missing and not fully accounted for from the war.
6.) POW/MISSING ACCOUNTING:
This week, DPAA through CBS news announced nine US service personnel who have had final identification with pending repatriation to families in the US. The news article also featured nine WWII POW's who were also identified.
Hal posted updates on each of the men on our website and sister Facebook page. This is the first time we have seen such a large number of identifications published, at one time.
Excerpt:
"The nine soldiers who died in the Korean War were killed in battles around the peninsula. Sgt. Clayton M. Pierce, Corporal William Colby, and Sgt. Charles E. Beaty were reported missing in action after their units were attacked by enemy forces near the Chosin Reservoir in North Korea. Pierce and Colby were both in the same regiment."
"Corporal Jesse L. Mitchell and Sgt. John P. Ryhter both went missing when their units engaged in what the DPAA called "intensive combat actions" during the Battle of Ch'ongch'on River in 1950. Mitchell reportedly died while a prisoner of war. Ryhter was not recorded as killed during the battle, but there was also "never any evidence that he was a prisoner of war," the DPAA said. The U.S. Army listed a presumptive finding of his death in 1956, but he was not accounted for until now."
"The circumstances for the deaths of the remaining four soldiers were also unclear. Corporal Edward J. Smith was accounted for after being reported missing in action in August 1950 near Changnyong, South Korea. Sgt. 1st Class Israel Ramos went missing in action near Yongsan, South Korea in August 1950, but the DPAA said his body could not be recovered and his remains were determined to be nonrecoverable in 1956. Pfc. Charles A. Vorel Jr. was reported missing in action in July 1950, near the Kum River in South Korea, and was also declared non-recoverable in 1956. Army Sgt. Kester B. Hardman was reported missing after operations in April 1951.
After the war ended in 1953, North Korean forces said Hardman had died while a captive in a prisoner of war camp, but his remains were not identified during or immediately after the war, the DPAA said."
"The DPAA did not say how the nine men were accounted for or how the remains of the soldiers, some listed as non-recoverable, were studied."
Best regards,
Hal Barker, Director
hbarker@kwp.org
214-320-0342
Ted Barker, Administrator
tbarker@kwp.org
214-320-0342
Korean War Project
PO Box 180190 Dallas
Texas 75218 United States
