Photo courtesy Dept of Defense: Hundreds of thousands of South Koreans fled south in mid-1950 after the North Korean army invaded. (date of photo uncertain)
Today commemorates the 75th Anniversary of the start of the Korean War.
1.) WE REMEMBER 6-25
Once again we pause to remember the fateful day that turned the world on its' side. Past tributes from us included brief family histories and may be found on our archived newsletters. The entire peninsula had been in a constant state of turmoil after the final surrender of the Japanese in 1945. When the US removed all garrisoned troops in late 1949, the stage was set for strife as the USSR, China, and North Korea fully intended.
The citizens of both North and South were plunged into war early on June 25, 1950. The average citizen suffered horrible depravations, injury or death as the tides of war engulfed them. The United States rushed forces from several locations to attempt to stem the damage from the well-seasoned North Korean forces.
The war became a brutal affair and the changing climate from summer to winter did not play any favorites.
In South Korea, "6-25" is a common shorthand for the Korean War, which began on June 25, 1950. It's a reminder of the conflict that divided the Korean peninsula and the sacrifices made during the war.
A poem:
At My Mother's Side, by David Velasco, Houston, Texas
I was at my mother's side
The day the notice came,
It said your son is missing
We share you grief and pain.
I was at my mother's side
When she cried and carried on,
I really didn't understand,
But I knew that something must be wrong.
I was at my mother's side
As she anxiously did search,
For word that would reveal to her
Where her son could be.
With the passing of my parents,
They may think the matter closed.
Just another M.I.A.
To mark our struggles fought.
An M.I.A. He is not!
He's more than that to me.
For what he meant to her,
He also means to me.
What They never realized is
I was at my mother's side.
The answers that They kept from her,
They now must give to me.
Note: Sgt Frank Ayala Velasco, A Company 32nd Infantry Regiment
went missing on or about December 2nd, 1950, Eastern Shore, Chosin Reservoir.
2.) Douglas A-26C invader
This photo was provided by the Plane of Fame Air Museum.
The museum's aircraft was built in Tulsa, OK and delivered to the USAAF in March 1945 as A-26C/#44- 35323. It was delivered to the ETO (European Theater of Operations) in April 1945, but arrived too late to see any combat service. It returned to the United States in July 1945 and spent the next several years at a number of Air Force installations.
In 1948, it was re-designated as a B-26C and in 1951 it was in Japan where it was converted into a reconnaissance aircraft (RB-26C) by adding a camera in its clear nose as well as other reconnaissance gear in the bomb bay. It also saw a reduction in its defensive armament. It was then sent to Korea and assigned to the 12th Tactical Reconnaissance Squadron (TRS) "Blackbirds." As an RB-26C, it flew a number of recon missions during the Korean War, primarily to identify potential targets or to provide photographic confirmation of damage following bombing missions.
3.) Statement by the President on the Situation in Korea
June 27, 1950
IN KOREA the Government forces, which were armed to prevent border raids and to preserve internal security, were attacked by invading forces from North Korea. The Security Council of the United Nations called upon the invading troops to cease hostilities and to withdraw to the 38th parallel This they have not done, but on the contrary have pressed the attack. The Security Council called upon all members of the United Nations to render every assistance to the United Nations in the execution of this resolution. In these circumstances I have ordered United States air and sea forces to give the Korean Government troops cover and support.
The attack upon Korea makes it plain beyond all doubt that communism has passed beyond the use of subversion to conquer independent nations and will now use armed invasion and war. It has defied the orders of the Security Council of the United Nations issued to preserve international peace and security. In these circumstances the occupation of Formosa by Communist forces would be a direct threat to the security of the Pacific area and to United States forces performing their lawful and necessary functions in that area
Accordingly I have ordered the 7th Fleet to prevent any attack on Formosa. As a corollary of this action I am calling upon the Chinese Government on Formosa to cease all air and sea operations against the mainland. The 7th Fleet will see that this is done. The determination of the future status of Formosa must await the restoration of security in the Pacific, a peace settlement with Japan, or consideration by the United Nations.
I have also directed that United States Forces in the Philippines be strengthened and that military assistance to the Philippine Government be accelerated.
I have similarly directed acceleration in the furnishing of military assistance to the forces of France and the Associated States in Indochina and the dispatch of a military mission to provide close working relations with those forces.
I know that all members of the United Nations will consider carefully the consequences of this latest aggression in Korea in defiance of the Charter of the United Nations. A return to the rule of force in international affairs would have far-reaching effects. The United States will continue to uphold the rule of law.I have instructed Ambassador Austin, as the representative of the United States to the Security Council, to report these steps to the Council.
4.) June 28, 1950: Seoul falls to North Korea
In a desperate attempt to stop North Korean troops from capturing Seoul, the South Korean Army blows up the Hangang Bridge across the Han River It is the only path of escape for thousands of refugees who are fleeing the invading army.
When the bridge is detonated, hundreds of refugees are killed. At the same time, many South Korean military units are trapped north of the capital and are either killed or captured.
Seoul falls to North Korea.
It is the first of four times that the capital will change hands during the Korean War.
5.) Richard Kiper penned this Letter to the Editor for June 25 2020.
Leavenworth Times:
Letter to the Editor
Seventy years ago today, June 25, 1950, thousands of North Korean soldiers crossed the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) between North and South Korea. So began the Korean Police Action, now known as the Korean War. It would end with an armistice signed on July 27, 1953. Lieutenant General William Harrison signed the document for the United States. There has been no treaty to end the war.
I was five years old when the war began. During those three years of the war I stood on the corner of N. 5th Street and Louisville Avenue in Monroe, LA, and watched convoys of soldiers pass before me.
Louisville Avenue was actually U.S. 80 and a main east-west highway which ran from Savannah, GA, to San Diego, CA. At that age I knew only that we were at war in Korea.
In 2005 I went to Korea to research the war. Nine years later I would have a book on the war published. In between, I met and became friends with numerous Korean and U.S. Korean War veterans who had served in the war in the unit I was researching.
While in Korea I was given a tour of the DMZ by a brigadier general.
I had come a long way from standing by the highway less than one block from my house and watching those troops to standing at the DMZ watching North Korean soldiers watching us.
Amazingly, I would serve on active duty with LTG Harrison’s grandson.
I realize this will be published after the anniversary date. Still, please take a minute to thank all of those who served in the war with a prayer or a moment of silence.
Rich Kiper
6.) Hal has been performing backroom programming.
Tools to allow the public to assist us with improving our online KCCF1 Korean War Casualty files by crowd-sourcing the areas that Hal has determined in need of gap-filling.
We want photographs, details about locations to include hometown, unit assignments, awards that we have not found such as Bronze/Sliver Stars.
Remember, the original data that we began with came from punch card data taken from reports and Form 1300 (military death).
7.) Bookstore updates
Note: images and full report may be seen on the website by title
Link:
https://www.koreanwar.org/html/bookstore.html
a. Bringing Davey Home: In the Shadow of War, A Soldier’s Daughter Remembers
By Sherri Steward
Link:
https://bringingdavyhome.com/
b. George: An American Soldier in Korea
Compiled by Leah Vickers
Link:
https://www.amazon.com/George-American-Soldier-Leah-Vickers/dp/B08GLMNKJX
c. The Borinqueneers: A visual history of the 65th Infantry Regiment
By Noemi Figueroa Soulet
EMAIL
contact@borinqueneers.com
d. My Korean War: Reflections of a Foot Soldier
By Robert J. Kwait Deceased
e. Where They Were: Military Service Biographies; 32 Washington County,
Maryland Fallen Heroes of the Korean War (1950-1953)
By Charles L. (Jim) Mobley the book is not for sale. It is, however,
available through Antietam Chapter 312 KWVA for a Twenty Dollar donation per book.
f. The Dawn Patrol Diaries: Fly-Fishing Journeys under the Korean DMZ
by James Card
Link:
https://www.nebraskapress.unl.edu/nebraska/9781496
g. N. KOREA: CAMP 5 1950-1953
By Harold T. Brown
Link:
https://www.amazon.com/N-Korea-Camp-Harold-Brown/dp/1639856013
h. 8138th Army Unit Hospital Trains: Korean War
By KB Taylor
Link:
https://www.kb-taylor.com
i. THREE COLD WARS: A Vermont Citizen-Soldier's Life in the Infantry.
by R.V. Little, Jr. LTC USA (Ret.)
Link:
https://www.amazon.com/THREE-COLD-WARS-CITIZEN-SOLDIERS-INFANTRY/dp/B0DJC9K2X3
j. The Golden Goats of Panama Relay: Hill 801 - Korea. 1952
By Charles E. Toner
Link:
https://www.amazon.com/Golden-Goats-Panama-Relay/dp/B0DC2XWT1S
k. THEY WILL NOT BE FORGOTTEN: One Family's Stories of Military Service From
Independence to Vietnam
By Armond Kinslow
Link:
https://www.KinslowBooks.com
l. We Went as Boys... We Came Back as OLD MEN!
By Dennis Urban, Sergeant
Link:
https://www.amazon.com/Went-Boys-Came-Back-OLD/dp/B0DHJ8P4XR
(Korean DMZ)
m. Wisconsin & Korea's Forgotten Victory 1950-1953 and After
By Gordon Faust via email only:
EMAIL
n. Last Three Soldiers Standing-Defoliation of the Korean DMZ: What the Departments of Defense and Veterans Affairs Don't Want You To Know
By Dave Rogers, Gary McGuire, and James Frugal
Link:
https://www.amazon.com/Last-Three-Soldiers-Standing-Defoliation-Korean/dp/1090775679
8.) Billboard In Balboa thanking Korean War Veterans.
9.) Newsletter archives
We have an
Online Archive of the majority of previously delivered newsletters on the website.
Our previous emailed newsletters had a humble begging in November of 1998. The decision was made to create a mass delivery method as an attempt to deal with the thousands of emails received from visitors. Since there has only been two of us on this end, those newsletters have always been our attempt to address the questions or comments.
Topics included cover a wide array of issues about the war, our work, "how-to requests", book reports as well as "please-help-me" subjects.
If you have any questions about any of our newsletter features, be sure to ask Ted at
tbarker@kwp.org
10.) Korean War Project Data Research Program
Comments by Hal Barker
As many of you know, the Korean War Veterans Memorial Wall of Remembrance on the Washington Mall used an outdated list of names on the engraved Wall. We warned DoD and the Korean War Veterans Memorial of the issues in September 2019 but for reasons I can't get into now, Ted and I were ignored, and the Wall was installed with way over 1500 errors and omissions at a cost of over $20,000,000 provided by the Korean government
It was well-known at the Department of Defense and the Korean War Veterans Memorial Foundation that the name list was grossly in error, but they engraved the Wall anyway.
After a series of news stories exposed the problem, the
Senate Armed Services Committee and other Committees demanded an explanation. However, after the learning of circumstances of how the names were placed in error, the Senate and House investigations were put on hold for some future day. The
full text of the demand in PDF is available.
In October 2022, after the Dedication of the Wall, the Department of Defense contacted me and asked for immediate help correcting the errors. It is no mystery that the Korean War Project has the best Korean War database but DoD only recognized this after it was too late. We provided thousands of pages of data and explanations in a good faith effort. However, problems arose immediately when I asked for a small amount of records that we needed to conduct an analysis of why this happened. I was notified that I would need to file a Freedom of Information Act for those essential records. I filed in November 2022 and we are still waiting for the records after DoD set 7 different dates for producing the small but essential amount of records.
The Department of Defense has formerly suggested I file a lawsuit in federal court if I want the records. So the bottom line is we have no cooperation whatsoever in fixing the Wall of Remembrance and the only solution is federal court and years of legal wrangling. This is not right but it is what it is.
The Data Research Program
All along we have been working daily since 1995 to Honor the Lost. Each day brings new data. We have researchers who have spent many thousands of hours and their own funds to provide updates and additional information. DoD does not have access to dedicated researchers with the skills of our volunteers.
We need additional specialized volunteers to address specific issues and subjects.
Volunteers Needed at Locations for Short Research
- National Archives - College Park, Maryland
- National Aerospace Museum, Washington, D.C.
- Maxwell Air Force Base, Alabama
- Milton E. Long Library, Fort Benning, Georgia
We also need researchers with experience with Air Force records and Navy Records.
- Air Force Reconnaissance Missions operating from Japan.
- Navy Patrol Squadrons, VP units, operating from Japan, Okinawa, and the Philippines.
- Air Force and Navy logistics, especially support outside the "combat zone."
We will be publishing a full listing of 25 subjects we need to investigate in the next month.
If you have experience in historical research please let me know. We have a lot to do.
Hal Barker,
EMAIL
11.) Donor / Member Update
Consider supporting the mission of the Korean War Project by donations in the form of Membership/Sponsorship.
Membership:
Link to Membership | Donor page
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 EIN: 75-2695041 501(c)(3)
Mailing address:
Korean War Project
PO Box 180190
Dallas, TX 75218
PH: 214-320-0342
Contact Hal or Ted
Best regards,
EMAIL Hal Barker, Director - hbarker@kwp.org
214-320-0342
EMAIL Ted Barker, Director - tbarker@kwp.org
214-320-0342
