Today, United States and Korean Veterans joined together at the Korean War Veterans Memorial in Washington, D.C., to commemorate the armistice agreement that brought a cease fire to the conflict. The event included a poetry reading from a Korean War Veteran, the laying of roses to honor each country that lost lives in the war, and the playing of taps as wreaths were presented.

Freedom is not Free

Freedom is not Free

The war began on June 25, 1950, when communist North Korea invaded South Korea. Almost immediately, the United States secured a resolution from the United Nations calling for the military defense of South Korea against the North Korean aggression. The war eventually bogged down to a battle of attrition.

The armistice, signed on July 27, 1953, established a committee of representatives from neutral countries to decide the fate of thousands of prisoners of war on both sides. They eventually gave prisoners agency over their own fate, allowing them to stay where they were or return to their homeland. A new border between the North and South was drawn and the zone between the two nations was demilitarized. Millions of lives were lost in the war, including 37,000 Americans.

An engraving in front of the statues at the memorial in D.C. reads “Our nation honors her sons and daughters who answered the call to defend a country they never knew and a people they never met.”

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3 Comments

  1. JANETTA A LOOMIS July 28, 2017 at 17:40

    my husban carlos d. hopkins was in korea sometime between 1954 he left korea in1957 we were married inmay of 1958 he died in march of 1960 march 21 we had 1 daughter his death was service connected and i have drawn widows benefits ater a divorcee.

  2. Thomas D. LoBianco July 28, 2017 at 14:01

    God Bless your husband and thank him for his service (which doesn’t have the impact of thankfulness by just saying it) Those that hinder the truth will have their day before God almighty for those who are serving in uniform now, those who have served in uniform and those who never made it out of the uniform…

  3. Audrey Lois Youmans July 27, 2017 at 17:30

    My Husband, Gordon D. Youmans was shot down over No. Korea in 1953 while performing an OS.I. Mission, he was captured and brutalized by the enemy. They pulled out his toenails, put him in holes for days and was required to bury dead escapees after they were allowed to leave them deliberately shot for practice. He and others managed to escape, they walked at night and hid in the daytime in some of the many caves in the mountains . After several weeks, only 2 left alive, some Marines found them and got them back to a safe place. My husband had lost about 50+ lbs. He was sent back to his base in Muroc, CA and them to Oxnard and to Santa Rosa Island (Classified). Now the V.A. O.I.G. (COPS) want to tell him,
    “You’ve NEVER been out of the Country!” Even though his 60+ year old DD 214 say’s he was!

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