Veterans Day November 11th 2025 - Never Forget
Today, we step backwards a few years, to 2002, to Remember previous notices for Veterans Day.
(November 11, 2002)
This Veterans Day, we wish to re-emphasize a tribute to those who served in Korea. US Forces were stationed in Korea at the end of World War II, remaining there until
1949. Many of those servicemen moved to bases in Japan, Hawaii and Okinawa and were directly involved in the outbreak of war on the Peninsula on June 25th 1950.
Large numbers of men and women who were released from duty after WWII were called up for the new fight in South Korea.
Many more volunteered or were drafted as the war progressed.
Military personnel from 23 countries served, bled and died
helping to stem the tide of Communist aggression in the
South. Those military persons were assisted by Korean
civilians who performed many valuable often dangerous tasks in the war effort.
After the truce on July 27th 1953, a peace-keeping role for the assembled forces became the military task. (We call this the DMZ War.) The role for peace-keeping became the primary responsibility of the ROK and the United States.
Decades have passed and the danger on the Peninsula continues as evidenced by the incidents published on the major news media.
Sadly, the efforts of those who served from 1950-53 and later continue to be forgotten.
Men and women who served in both WWII and Korea, or Korea and Vietnam, or all three, plus their families do not forget. The media and politicians all too often lapse in honoring the dedication of those who answered the call.
Thousands continue to serve in Korea, manning outposts and assisting the ROK to hone military skills to meet the challenge.
Let us all Remember - Freedom is not Free! WE REMEMBER
"Come on soldier, you go first." - Ted Hofsiss, 5th Cavalry Regiment.
Early in 1996, Hal and Ted got a flurry of email from a Granbury, TX, vet, Ted Hofsiss. The email turned into a long series of "Recollections" of his wartime experience.
Ted wrote to combat his chronic pain from his wounds, pain which continues to this day.
Originally featured on the KWP Recollections area as "Diary from the War Zone - King Company", the collection received so much attention on the Internet that Mr. Hofsiss published them as a book.
The book is now called, "Waiting For The Blessed Light of Dawn", a Diary of The Korean War. (The KWP removed the original 19 chapters from the site to ensure that the online version would not compete with the book.)
A particular section that hammers home the impact of a returning vet follows:
Dreams - May 19, 1996 0556
I woke up a few minutes ago, from a dream that will not let me return to a peaceful slumber. Part of it is fact from a
past almost 45 years distant from this warm windy morning, with my loyal and constant wife beside me in my bed and the wind chimes on the porch singing an unsuccessful lullaby. I was at the bus station in San Antonio, just as I had been in mid-July, 1951. I was about to board the bus for Granbury.
Going home!
I stood as tall as I could on my crutches. My khakis were clean and starched. The crease in my trousers, perfect. I wore my overseas cap at the usual jaunty angle. My ribbons and CIB made a splash of color over my left shirt pocket.
I didn't feel very jaunty. I had gained back most of my normal weight, but I was already tired, and my journey back to life had only begun. My leg hurt, even as it hurts now, having wakened me for the fourth time this night. I was an old man then, even as I am old now.
The bus driver stepped down from his seat and prepared to receive tickets from the passengers. They pushed and crowded forward. Each one wanting what they thought would be the best seat. I moved backward along the side of the bus. I was unsure of my balance on my crutches and was wildly afraid of falling.
As the passengers pushed forward, the bus driver looked up. All he could see was my head and the Infantry Blue piping on my cap. He hadn't taken any tickets or allowed anyone to board the bus.He was neither rough nor gentle as he raised his hands to push his way through the crowd to stand in
front of me. I remember him as a big man, but that may be because I needed a big man at that moment.
He barely smiled as he said, "Come on soldier, you go first."
I was embarrassed and relieved. And I was sure I wouldn't fall on the bus steps with the driver behind me. A girl soon came and sat beside me. I don't know her age; nine, maybe
ten. She looked up at me with eyes of pure innocence. "What are those?"
I was embarrassed again, but happy that she had noticed them.
I began a slow whispered litany. "This is the Korean Campaign Ribbon. The stars are for each battle we fought. This one is from the president of South Korea, to thank us for coming to his country to help them fight the war. That's
the ribbon for the Purple Heart. I was wounded and was given a medal for it."
"Is that why you're on crutches?"
"Yes. This is the CIB; The Combat Infantry Badge. This is given only to an infantryman who fights in the war."
My dream ended there, in a hot bus traveling north to the arms of the woman I loved; who suffered as much as I did and suffers with me still.
The bus, the uncaring passengers, and the wonderful man, the bus driver were real. The curious little girl, was my dream.
A dream that probably wouldn't have wakened me this warm, windy morning if our country had said what a bus driver and a little girl in my dream said.
"Come on soldier, you go first." "What are those?"
TED HOFSISS
Hal and Ted address the annual Family Update, DPAA, August 7th, 2025
The Korean War Project received a message from a team member of the DPAA - Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency last July. The call was to invite both of us to Washington, DC to address the annual update for families of Korean War servicemen and women who have not been fully accounted for.
We accepted the invitation to speak virtually using a Zoom meeting.
This was the first time, ever, for us to participate with the Department of Defense staff and the family members. Many of the families have known us for over 30 years now. DPAA staff have known us since 1995.
We had one half-hour to describe our 30 years of work to assist DPAA (previously DPMO) to connect families and veterans with staff in order to garner details about 6000 of our MIA as well as collection of DNA to attempt to identify remains. At the end of our presentation, Director McKeague commented upon our efforts He explained that our volunteer work has helped the agency collect DNA for 95 percent of all the Unaccounted For from the Korean War.
You may see the entire video on our YouTube Channel here:
KWP DPAA Presentation, August 7, 2055 (34 mins)
Photo insert: Director Kelly McKeague speaking, Hal Barker at his console.
Post Truce Korea (DMZ Era)
Well over 60% of our correspondents, on the website, or by email served after July 27, 1953. Everyone is welcome to be part of our extended "family". Ted handles phone calls, email, and letters from these vets, their families, and researchers, each and every day.
There has been a robust discussion of Agent Orange, Asbestos, and, toxic chemical exposure since the area was created.
People can find the bulk of Post Truce website interaction on our BBS area or on our social media sites.
BBS AREA:
Created in 1996 as short-form text entry for those who did not wish to post on our Looking For area. Thousands of entries and titles can be found here. BBS stands for Bulletin Board System.
Link:
DMZ Vets BBS DMZ Veterans Center
This is the main area for posts and interactions:
Link: Messages and Information
Donor / Member Update:
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First Contributors To The Korean War Project
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