Feb 08, 2013 Commander of the Canadian Army, the Ambassador of Korea, Senator Yonah Martin Officiate
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
The Korean War Veteran Internet Journal February 8, 2013 Commander of the Canadian Army, the Ambassador of Korea, Senator Yonah Martin officiate at Ottawa ceremony to dedicate an ice sculpture commemorating Canada’s Korean War Veterans It’s very difficult to show detail of the figures on the ice sculpture without elaborate special lighting, because they are transparent and not tinted. This photo gives an impression of the overall sculpture. Note the Korean War era military insignia for the three branches of service with the senior service, The Royal Canadian Navy at top, the Canadian Army in the middle and the junior service, The Royal Canadian Air Force at bottom. The sculpture is based on the famous memorial statue located on the grounds of the War Memorial of Korea in Seoul. Entitled “Brothers,” it depicts two brothers serving in the armies of both North and South Korea who meet on the battlefield. They stand on a globe that is fractured, designating that Korea is a divided country and the division caused the brothers to be in different uniforms and at war with each other. - Photograph by Kristin Doyle, Special Assistant to Senator Yonah Martin. The statue and memorial called Brothers is famous throughout Korea. Located on the grounds of the War Memorial of Korea it stands 11 metres high and has a room in the dome that can hold many visitors. The little woman in the big boots indeed gets things done! Honourable Senator Yonah Martin greets dignitaries and guests on the occasion of the official lighting ceremony for the Korean War Veterans commemorative ice sculpture that marks 60 years of peace on the Korean peninsula, wrought in part by Canada’s naval, army and air force servicemen who served in Korea during the war and on post armistice service. While she officially represented Canada’s Minister of Veterans Affairs, Steven Blaney, it is well known that she is the initiator of many of the Korean War Veterans commemorative projects in Ottawa and elsewhere, and played a decisive role in the ice sculpture ceremony, coordination of lanterns donated by the Korean City of Jinju, and on Sunday, February 10 the commemorative Imjin Classic hockey game that will be played on the frozen Rideau Canal. The game commemorates those played by fiery Canadian soldiers on the frozen Imjin ice during the second and third winters of the Korean War. (Senator Martin has prohibited the Korean War Veteran publication from mentioning her name as a significant mover in the commemorative events taking place in Ottawa. The editors are hard of hearing. – Photograph kindly supplied by Jiyun Shin, Ottawa Bureau Chief of Korean Newsweek. The presence of this gentleman shows the great honour and esteem he has for Canada’s Korean War Veterans and veterans all over Canada will be moved by his presence at the ice sculpture lighting event on such a frigid night in Ottawa. Lieutenant General Peter J. Devlin is Commander of the Canadian Army. He has served in many key posts, beginning with command at the platoon level. He served with UN peacekeeping tours to Cyprus, two NATO tours of duty in Bosnia, one as Canadian Battle Group Commanding Officer and he was commander of the Kabul Multinational Brigade in Afghanistan. General Devlin has the unique distinction of having served as deputy commending general of the United States III Corps at Fort Hood, and deployed to Iraq with the Corps as deputy commander. He was also deputy commanding general of the Multi-National Force in Iraq. He has been commander of the Canadian Army since 2010. - Photograph kindly supplied by Jiyun Shin, Ottawa Bureau Chief of Korean Newsweek. Gathering of dignitaries. From left Colonel Suwhan Lee, Korean Military Attache; Lieutenant General Peter Devlin, CMM, MSC, CD; Russell Mills, National Capital Commission chairman; Honourable Senator Yonah Martin; His Excellency Cho Hee-yong, the Republic of Korea’s Ambassador to Canada and Jean Francis Trepanier, chief executive officer of the National Capital Commission. Veteran Jean-Paul St. Aubin speaks to the crowd on behalf of Canadian veterans. Jean-Paul is a well known veteran activist and member of the Korea Veterans Association of Canada’s National Capital Unit. To his right, next to the ice soldier is veteran Lloyd Swick. Jean-Paul served in the Royal 22e Regiment in Korea. Lloyd Swick was a company commander with the 1st Battalion, Princess Patricia’s Canadian Light Infantry . A veteran of World War Two as well, he is in his 90’s – yet braved the cold for the cause to commemorate comrade veterans. The KVA Canada National Capital Unit is the partner with the National Capital Commission for the Imjin Classic hockey match that will take place on a rink on the frozen Rideau Canal on Sunday, February 10. Scarlet lights in background are lanterns on the Tunnel of Light that were contributed by the Korean City of Jinju. - Photograph kindly supplied by Jiyun Shin, Ottawa Bureau Chief of Korean Newsweek. His Excellency Ambassador Cho Hee-Yong, the Republic of Korea’s Ambassador to Canada simultaneously places a wreath of remembrance with Honourable Senator Yonah Martin on behalf of the governments and people of their respective countries. Behind can be seen the beautiful lanterns contributed to the festival by the Korean City of Jinju. Note the huge Peace Drum at photo left, as well as the tunnel of light formed from hundreds of smaller lanterns. - Photograph kindly supplied by Jiyun Shin, Ottawa Bureau Chief of Korean Newsweek. Lieutenant General Peter Devlin, Commander of the Canadian Army places a wreath on behalf of the Canadian Army and the Canadian Armed Forces. - Photograph kindly supplied by Jiyun Shin, Ottawa Bureau Chief of Korean Newsweek. Veterans Lloyd Swick and Jean-Paul St. Aubin salute the Canadian Flag during playing of the Last Post, following placement of wreaths to remember those who fell in the Korean War. - Photograph kindly supplied by Jiyun Shin, Ottawa Bureau Chief of Korean Newsweek. The Jinju Lantern Tunnel of Light was provided by the Korean City of Jinju, famous for its lantern festivals. Note the eagle with wings spread in background. That is the top piece of the Aboriginal Veterans Monument, an achievement of Korean War Veteran Claude Petit, who was wounded in action in Korea a few weeks after turning age 16. Claude holds the Order of Canada and the Saskatchewan Order of Merit for his work with Aboriginal youth and the Metis communities. – Photograph by Senator Yonah Martin. Lanterns from the City of Jinju provide a mystic, exotic walkway. Larger lanterns outside also were shipped to Ottawa from Jinju as contributions to the National Capital Commission's Winterlude festival. - Photograph by Senator Yonah Martin. Veteran of the Royal 22e Regiment Claude Charland attended the ceremony unannounced. He later identified himself as one of the original Imjin River hockey players who had done friendly battle on skates on the frozen Imjin during the war in interludes between front line service. Senator Martin at once made him an honoured guest and he will be present and introduced at the Imjin Classic veterans commemorative hockey match on Sunday, February 10. It is not clear whether he will put on the skates and vie with the military team, made up mostly of senior officers from the Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry. The Royal 22e team lost the 25th Canadian Infantry brigade championship tournament to the Princess Patricias in February, 1953. In a demo game in Seoul on Feburary 3 this year, the representative Princess Patricias team played by expat hockey players was soundly trounced by the rival team that was designated the Royal 22e Regiment. Photograph kindly supplied by Jiyun Shin, Ottawa Bureau Chief of Korean Newsweek. Veterans Affairs Canada Logo for 2013 The Year of the Korean War Veteran Logo pour 2013 l'année du combattant coréen 2013 를 위한 로고 한국 전쟁 노병의 년 .