The Department of Defense 60th Anniversary of the Korean War Commemoration Committee has announced its efforts to reach out to Korean War Veterans and their families across the country and encourage them to join a commemorative program celebrating the 59th anniversary of the signing of the Korean War Armistice.
The program, titled Heroes Remembered, is open to the public and will take place July 27, 2012, at 9 a.m. at the Arlington National Cemetery, Va.
Featuring a wreath laying ceremony at Arlington National Cemetery’s Tomb of the Unknowns, the program includes official remarks in the Arlington National Cemetery’s Amphitheatre with high ranking Defense Department officials and other senior government representatives. The event also includes additional special activities for Korean War veterans and their families.
“Our committee seeks to educate the American people on Korean War veterans’ stories and strives to make their sacrifices known to the next generation of Americans,” said Col. David J. Clark, committee executive director. “Their fight for the freedom and prosperity we enjoy today must be, and will be, remembered forever.”
The Korean War was the first test of the United Nations’ resolve to stand against tyranny. Twenty-one nations banded together with the United States and the Republic of Korea in a remarkable display of solidarity to turn back North Korea’s naked aggression and stem the tide of communism on the Korean Peninsula. The Armistice, signed on July 27, 1953, remains in effect today and highlights the need to remain vigilant against the forces of tyranny and oppression in Korea and around the globe.
Korean War veterans fought to halt the tide of communism that threatened to sweep over the Korean peninsula. Today, the Republic of Korea stands as a modern, prosperous, vibrant democracy because of their courage and selfless sacrifice.
Korean War veterans, family members, and friends interested in attending the event can RSVP online at http://koreanwar.defense.gov/july27rsvp.html.
I did not go to Korea, but I was in the Air Force from Dec. 1947 till Aug. 1971