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August 2000 NewsletterKorean War Project
P.O. Box 180190
Dallas, TX 75218-0190
214-320-0342
https://www.koreanwar.org/html/newsletter_august.html
August 18, 2000
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August 2000 Newsletter (5 pages)
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Table of Contents
1. Special Report On The Project
2. New Korean War Casualty Database
3. New DNA Database
4. Membership Drive
6. Awards - Korean War Service Medal
7. Upcoming Work On The Korean War Project
8. Mail List for Korean War Project
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1. Special Report On The Project
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Greetings from Ted and Hal at the Korean War Project.
Since the last newsletter, we have been working to improve
both the looks of the site and the content of the site.
We were able to replace aging hardware and software and
obtain a new DSL connection in addition to the existing
ISDN communications line we have had for the last three
years.
Much of our work has been behind the scenes During the
time period surrounding the 50th Anniversary of the
beginning of the war, we were contacted by dozens of
media outlets looking for stories and background.
Many of our suggested stories were carried in major
media, including the Los Angeles Times, Dallas Morning
News, the Associated Press, and CNN. The emphasis was
not on the Korean War Project, rather the emphasis was
on individual stories of sacrifice and remembrance.
Ted and I stayed here in Dallas manning the computers and
telephones day and night. It was a great feeling to know
we could help with remembrance.
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2. New Korean War Casualty Database
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We now have placed online the first comprehensive update
of Korean War casualties undertaken since the end of the
Korean War.
The new database is a combination of PMKOR, DIOR, ABMC,
NARA RG407, NARA RG330, and individual casualty databases
obtained from casualty officers of all four military
services. Also included in this database are the over 5000
individual entries of our own Remembrance database.
Tying all these databases together was an enormous task
involving hundreds of hour of work behind the scenes.
We documented over 30,000 ( thirty thousand ) variations
between the government databases. Some of the problems
included misspelled names and the thirty variations of
serial numbers used to identify servicemen. Other variations
included the removal of hyphens from hyphenated Hispanic
names commonly used in Puerto Rico.
The Army, for example, has four unique ways to display
serial numbers. Air Force records also have at least four
variations in serial number display.
We still have a lot of work left on the database,
especially identifying units.
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3. New DNA Database
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A unique aspect of the new casualty database is the
identification of over 6000 servicemen for whom DNA
samples are requested from surviving family members.
For the first time, we now have identified and flagged
all these servicemen.
Data allowing us to identify these casualties was obtained
from the four service casualty offices. We have had
wonderful cooperation and applaud these active duty
personnel.
Up until now, there has not been a combined listing
which would allow family members to readily learn that
a DNA sample is necessary to help in the identification
of MIA remains.
Through the use of technology, the Korean War Project can
now provide instant information to service casualty
branches when a visitor leaves a Remembrance entry relating
to a serviceman lost in Korea.
The key here is information sharing. Without real time
sharing of information, the services have had to rely on
hit or miss communications with family and word of mouth.
The Project provides this service free of charge to the
government. Our Members and Sponsors are directly
responsible for this unique service unavailable anywhere
else.
You can obtain more information of DNA from our own
Jan Curran at:
https://home.earthlink.net/~janc1947
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4. Membership Drive
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We need all the Members we can get. We have not been
able to find commercial sponsors, so the burden of funding
the Korean War Project falls on our Members and Sponsors.
There have been many estimates on how much it would cost
the government to provide just the database we recently
placed online.
Some have estimated as much as $5,000,000 and 10 years of
work. With the support of our 1344 Members and 844 Sponsors,
we have done this work for less than the cost of the yearly
pay of an active duty E-3 in the present day Army.
Without the Internet, this work would have been impossible.
So, when you send in your $15 or renew your Membership, you
are personally responsible for keeping the memory of
Korean War veterans alive in a very personal way.
The Korean War Project is alive only because of you....
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Help keep the Korean War Project alive.
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6. Awards - Korean War Service Medal
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Information on the Korean War Service Medal is now
available at:
https://www.koreanwar.org/html/korean_war_service_medal.html
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7. Upcoming Work On The Korean War Project
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Ted and I consider it a privilege of a lifetime to
do the work we accomplish on the Project.
It is nice to get up every morning and check our Email,
knowing that we can make a difference every hour of
every day.
Our next goal is to draw attention the issues relating
to the collection of DNA samples from families of
casualties. Our online DNA information database is
the first step.
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8. Mail List for Korean War Project
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This Mail List goes out to 13,463 persons who have signed
the Looking For and Guest Book areas as well as the Service
BBS departments. No one has access to this list other than
Hal and Ted Barker.
A person may subscribe or leave the List at this location:
https://www.koeranwar.org
Note: if you received this from us directly, you are already
subscribed. Consdier forwarding the Newsletter to your friends.
Hal and Ted Barker
Korean War Project
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