In God We Trust
Although decades have passed since the active Korean War drew to a close because of a truce, many citizens of South Korea still remember the sacrifices made by America's Korean War veterans. Not only were over 29,500 United States military personnel killed in Korea, but well over 100,000 were wounded and missing as well. The United States spent approximately $391 billion for the war effort, and that much and more has been spent since the "end" of the war to maintain a United States presence in South Korea and help to ensure the freedom of its people.
This page opened on the Korean War Educator during the Thanksgiving 2007 holiday season. The initial entry was made by a doctor at the Uijeongbu St. Mary's Hospital at the Catholic University of Korea. His words are a thank you to our nation's Korean War veterans and their families. Other Koreans are welcome to send a message to the Korean War veterans of the United States (and other participating nations) on this page of the KWE. Send your message to Lynnita.
Please allow me to introduce myself to you. My name is Hiyang and I am from South Korea. It was April 2009. My son was invited to come to Washington D.C. to receive an award. My husband and I were so excited and decided to go to D.C. to see our son and to attend the award ceremony. We had been to D.C. once before. I believe it was about 25 years ago when my son was about five. It was a short visit and we did not see much of the D.C. area at that time.
nation of South Korea of today because of those who came to fight for us during the Korean War. South Korea was able to become a nation of independence because of those who came to help.
I owe you so much for all the freedom I enjoyed. I owe you so much for the freedom of speech that I enjoyed. I owe you so much for the freedom of writing that I enjoyed. I owe you so much for the freedom of faith in Christ that I enjoyed.
If there was no freedom, my mom would have not become a Christian. I would not have become a Christian. My sisters would have not become Christian. My husband would have not become a Christian. All of my family members and some of my relatives would have not become Christians. If all of the troops did not come to fight for us and if we lost in that Korean War, South Korea would have not become a nation of today. We would have been under communism all these years. That would have been horrible for me and for all of the South Koreans! Thank you so very much for coming! Thank you so very much for rescuing our lives! Thank you so very much for sacrificial love you showed to me and to all of us!
I am so sorry for all the family members, children, and relatives of the Korean War Veterans who lost their loved ones! Thank you so very much from the bottom of my heart!!!!!!! I wish I could shake all of your hands and give thanks in person to all of you who came. I wish I could shake all of the family members’ hands that lost their loved ones and give thanks in person.
If I did not have the freedom, I would probably have had no chance to get higher education. My family would have had no freedom to move to USA. My son would have not had any chance to be educated in USA and thus would have not received the very special award he got. All the contributions he would make in the future for the humanity in the field of science would have not been thinkable.
Thank you! Thank you! Thank you! How can I give thanks to you enough for what you have done!!!!!!!
We are praying for all those who came to fight and for all of the family members who lost their loved ones during the Korean War. I pray that God will bless every one of you with His special blessings. And He will give you peace that passes all understanding. And please remember that there are so many of us who are so grateful to you all even though we do not have chance to tell you how much we do appreciate you all!!!!!!!
Sincerely yours, Hiyang
A Korean, American, & Christian
I am a 38-year-old Korean doctor, Kyung-Su Park, MD and working at Uijeongbu St. Mary’s hospital. Uijeongbu is located just north of Seoul, and the headquarter of the 2nd infantry division of US army is stationed at Uijeongbu. With this letter, I’d like to express my great thanks to the Korean war veterans of the U.S., especially those who fought in “the battle of Chosin reservoir” in late November of 1950, 57 years ago.
Actually I had never heard about “the battle of Chosin reservoir” until I read a story about the late general James F Lawrence of US Marines in September, this year. Several Korean newspapers reported an obituary in the Washington Post which notified that general Lawrence passed away and said how he fought in “the battle of Chosin reservoir”. According to the newspapers, “the battle of Chosin reservoir” is one of the two major winter battles in world war history. In that battle, US Marines of the 1st Marine Division and Army fought against Chinese army of ten times as many in number. Many veterans were awarded medals for their valor at the fierce battle and the USS Chosin was named after the battle. Through the report, I knew that there is an organization of veterans who fought in that battle, Chosin Few. As a Korean, what impressed me the most was that the bravery of US soldiers at the battle delayed the advance of Chinese army and made it possible that a number of Korean people evacuated safely from Heungnam, a North Korean harbor, to South Korea. Heungnam evacuation is so famous that several songs about the evacuation are still very popular among Koreans. It has been well-known that many Koreans were able to escape from the communists by virtue of ship “ Victoria,” but it has not that sacrifice of US veterans at Chosin reservoir made Heungnam evacuation possible and saved so many lives of our fathers and mothers. Now that I know what happened in late November, 1950, I’d like to express my sincere gratitude to those veterans who fought at the Chosin reservoir 57 years ago in severe cold of late November for a country they never knew and a people they never met.
Although this is my personal letter, I hope you veterans remember that most Koreans appreciate your service and sacrifice at the Korean war. Without you, we must not have been able to enjoy freedom as we do now. With the late November coming, I think about “the battle of Chosin reservoir” and salute the veterans of Chosin Few who fought in that fierce battle and protected our freedom. Thank you !!!