Always Remember
As we celebrate our independence, think of those who served in Korea.
By Vice Adm. Norbert R. Ryan Jr., USN-Ret.

By the time you receive this magazine, you probably will be preparing for activities surrounding the Fourth of July, the 227th observance of our country’s independence. Keeping that in mind, I wish you and your family an enjoyable and safe holiday.

But July, especially this July, has a special meaning for many thousands of military men and women and dozens of countries around the world. July 27 marks the 50th anniversary of the armistice ending the Korean War.

Scholars and analysts have long debated this conflict on the Korean peninsula that basically is still going on—albeit in a lesser form—today. No one can go to the demilitarized zone in Korea and doubt the seriousness or resolve of those on both sides who serve there. It’s chilling to realize the challenge to freedom and democracy is merely hundreds of yards away, and the objective of those on the north side is to overcome and end the freedoms of those on the south side.

It’s also chilling that many Americans don’t even recognize what went on in Korea as a war. They called it a police action, and our returning servicemen and -women did not receive proper recognition. Our troops, and those of our allies, endured the worst of conditions, the harshest of winters, the fiercest of battles, and difficult logistical challenges while fighting as a United Nations force in a far-off land.

In Washington, D.C., there will be numerous events to mark the nation’s gratitude for those who served —both those who came home and those who did not. (See page 28 for more on Korean War commemoration events.) The focal point will be an observance at the Korean War Memorial. I plan to attend this armistice celebration and other events to represent many of our members and their families who cannot be here, including those who passed away before they had the opportunity.

I ask you to help honor those who served during the Korean War by ensuring your community and church remember them with a prayer or moment of silence at 11 a.m. Eastern time, Sunday, July 27.

If you have not been to the Korean War Memorial, it is a remarkable experience, day or night. Like most memorials, effective lighting gives it a different cast at night. I cannot forget how moved I was the first time I stood there and looked at the hundreds of faces etched into the dark stone. They appeared ghost-like in their presence and served as a reminder that war is a terrible thing because it robs our nation of some of its finest young people and fills the minds of others with the most horrible of sights and sounds.

So, celebrate July Fourth—but come July 27, don’t forget those who served and sacrificed in the “Forgotten War.” You can be sure all of us at national MOAA headquarters will remember.