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BEGINNING OF THE END LIES IN REMEMBRANCE The First International Tribute To the U.N. Forces in Korea and Dedication Of A Meditation Bench in honor of Americans Who Gave Their Lives during the Korean War 1950-1953 July 27, 1987 Commemorative Program An American infantryman whose buddy has just been killed is comforted by a fellow solider as a medic in the background fills out casualty tags. US. Army Photo For those U5TROOP5 mo m G frmtnewest KOREA 1950-53 No greater love has a man than this, that he lay down his life for his friends. John 15:13 OF THE END LIES IN REMEMBRANCE" H;manwouk The First International Tribute to the U.N. Forces in Korea and Dedication of a Meditation Bench in honor of Americans who gave their lives during the Korean War Monday, July 27, 1987 The 34th Anniversary of the signing of the Armistice 10:30 a.m. Arlington National Cemetery sponsored by No Greater Love and the Korean War Veterans Association HISTORY During a visit to Arlington National Cemetery in the Spring of 1984, Carmella LaSpada, Chairman of the Board of No Greater Love (NGL), asked Ray Costanzo, the cemetery superintendent, about an interesting-looking pine tree located some one-hundred yards from the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. He informed her that it was a Korean White Pine, planted in 1965 by fotmer Korean President Park Chung Hee in honor of the Americans who lost their lives while serving in the Korean Wat. When she asked where the "The cost of freedom is akvays high, memorial to these men was located, the superintendent told her that there but Americans have a/ways paid it.'' was no national rnemofial for those veterans. In disbelief, Ms. LaSpada asked President John F. Kennedy if the pine tree had been the site of any national temembrance ceremonies for Television Address the Americans who died in Korea. The superintendent told her that, as far as October 22, 1962 he was aware, there had been no national ceremonies to temember these men. Ms. LaSpada returned to the No Greater Love office, checked with the Depart- ment of Defense, and learned that the cemetery superintendent was correct: there was no national memorial and had never been a national remembrance ceremony for the Americans who served in the Korean War. No Greater Love then began planning the First International Tribute to these men, including the dedication of a memorial meditation bench in their honor. NGL contacted the Korean War Veterans Association (KWVA), an or- ganization composed of veterans from all branches of the U.S. Armed Services. Since 1985, KWVA members have held a ceremony at Arlington National Cemetery on July 27th in memory of their fallen comrades. KWVA en- thusiastically supported No Greater Love's idea of having an International Tribute on July 27, 1987. Today, No Greater Love is proud to join with the Korean War Veterans Association in dedicating a memorial meditation bench and giving an Interna- tional Tribute to those who lost their lives while serving in the Korean War. MEMORIAL MEDITATION BENCH Beneath the Korean White Pine sits a memorial meditation bench, carved out of a granite block, and inscribed with the following words: ' "The Beginning of The End of War Lies in Remembrance'' —Herman \Vouk In sacred memory of those Americans who gave their lives Korean-American atchitect Ik Pyo during the Korean War, 1950-1953. Hong created the design for the 54,246 Died bench. Ned Thomas of Columbia 8,177 Missing in Action Gardens, Arlington, Virginia, donated 389 Unaccounted for POWs the gtanite block and was responsible for the carving. Dedicated on July 27, 1987 at the First International Tribute given by No Greater Love, Inc. Korean War Veterans Association Korean War Veterans Memorial Recently, legislation authorizing construction of a national memorial to Americans who fought in the Korean War won final approval in Congress. The bill, inrroduced in the U.S. Senate by Senator Bill Armstrong and in the U.S. House of Representatives by Representatives James Florio and Stan Par- ris, establishes a Korean War Memorial Advisory Board, to be composed of Korean War veterans who will recommend the site and design of the memorial. The memorial meditation bench that No Greater Love and the Korean War Veterans Association are dedicating today plants the seed of awareness of the Korean War in the minds and hearts of the American people. A generation of young men answered our country's call to fight in Korea and they should be remembered and honored by all Americans. This International Tribute to Korean War veterans and the presence of a meditation bench here at Ar- lington National Cemetery enhances the efforts currently underway to con- A 22-cent stamp honoring the 5-7 struct the Korean War Veterans Memorial. million Americans who served during the Korean War was issued in Washing- ton, D.C., on July 27, 1985, the 32nd anniversary of the Korean armistice. The stamp depicts one of the most charac- teristic scenes of the war—weary American soldiers trudging through a mountain pass. The design is Robert Anderson's drawing from a photograph by David Douglas Duncan. Nothing stops the Marines as they march south from the Chosin Reservoir, fighting their way through the Chinese Communist hordes in the sub-zero weather of the mountains of North Korea. Despite their ordeal, these men hold their heads high. Official Department of Defense photo Marine Corps Historical Center Korean War: Twelve Dramatic From New York Times Magazine April 5, Why GIs Were Often Short of Hand Grenades Chapter One There was no budget for the war in Communist Blitzkrieg—In the rainy dawn of June 25, 1950, the army of North Korea. The entire war had been fought Korea, a Russian satellite, struck savagely with Soviet T-34 tanks across the 38th with money and armaments intended Parallel into South Korea. The lightly armed, outnumbered South Koreans for other purposes. Each year's military were routed. The world asked: Would the West take action? Or would this be budget since 1950 had assumed that war another Munich? would end before the budget year Chapter Two began. Washington Decision—The answer came quickly. President Harry S Truman flew to Washington from Independence, Missouri, and was met at the airport by Secretary of State Dean Acheson. On June 27, the president ordered American armed forces to go to the aid of South Korea and called for United Nations participation. ' 'Rarely in American history have so few Chapter Three been asked to do so ?nuch with so We Intervene—American air and sea forces were immediately thrown into the little." struggle; ground troops quickly followed. But the blitzkrieg continued; the Marguerite Higgins powerful North Korean Army drove the defenders into a perimeter around A woman combat correspondent Pusan at the southeast corner of the Korean peninsula and the U.N. troops in Korea fought fiercely to hold on. They did. Chapter Four Drive to the Yalu—The Pusan Perimeter was secured as reinforcements arrived from the United States. On September 15, the U.N. Commander, General Douglas MacArthur, executed a brilliant strategic stroke: U.S. Marines made an "They didn't want you to lie down at amphibious landing at Inchon behind the enemy lines. On October 26, U.N. night to sleep, felt you'd freeze to forces had driven to the Manchurian Border. death. If you lay down, someone was sure to come along and kick you until Chapter Five you stood up. My two buddies from Mao Strikes—U.N. hopes for victory and the reunification of Korea were crush- Duluth and I found an ingenious way ed when, on November 1, 1950, troops of the U.S. First Cavalry Division were to get some sleep. Standing up and at a ambushed in the snow of North Korea by bugle-blowing Chinese Communist slight angle we put our heads together forces. Peiping had intervened. Despite the rout and near destruction of the like a tripod and leaned on each other. North Korean Army in the U.N. drive to the Yalu, the Chinese army quickly Wasn't comfortable, but we did get turned the ride. some rest." . .,, , r. O M E Pfc Doug Michaud, USMC AND THE CRUSAD- E OF WORLD A street somewhere in Korea, July 13, 1950. Chapter Six We Fall Back—In the bitter cold of Korea's winter the Chinese jen hai ("human sea") offensives swept the defenders back. U.N. spearheads—the First Marine Division among them—were cut off. There began anothet desperate retreat. On January 4, Seoul again fell to the Communists. Soon Airborne Rangers of the Korean War afterward the U.N. lines were stabilized south of Seoul. were an all-volunteer force. They joined the Army, then volunteered for the Air- Chapter Seven borne, the Rangers and for combat. The We Recover-—After six weeks of hard fighting, the enemy's offensive was Airborne Rangers made the first combat broken with scvete losses. Again the U.N. built up for a counter- jump in history. offensive—"Operation Killer." It began in February with tanks leading the way. The enemy's troops were driven back of the 38th Parallel and the fighting lines were stabilized. Chapter Eight MacArthut Incidenr—On April 11, 1951, General MacArthur, who made pro- clamations conflicting with the Truman Administration policy of trying to limit the war, was dismissed by the President. In the dramatic debate that followed, MacAtthur urged wider action such as bombing Manchurian bases to end the war.

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