[Congressional Record Volume 141, Number 128 (Thursday, August 3, 1995)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1621]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]


                  HONORING VETERANS OF THE KOREAN WAR

                                 ______


                        HON. BARBARA B. KENNELLY

                             of connecticut

                    in the house of representatives

                        Thursday, August 3, 1995
  Mrs. KENNELLY. Mr. Speaker, as we remember the 42d anniversary of the 
armistice of the Korean war, and as we dedicate the new Korean War 
Veterans Memorial on the Mall, I want to commemorate the patriotism of 
the 1.5 million Americans who served, the courage of those who were 
wounded or taken prisoner-of-war, and the sacrifice of the more than 
54,000 who did not come home. These soldiers, including many from my 
congressional district and the State of Connecticut, have made an 
indelible contribution to our nation and to our world by exemplifying 
America's uncompromising devotion to freedom.
  The soldiers who fought in Korea were the first American servicemen 
and women to directly contest a Communist army. Their bravery in combat 
against North Korea and China proved that the United States would not 
appease Communist aggression. Their defense of freedom in one corner of 
the world gave hope to millions of people under Communist rule in other 
corners that the democratic nations had not forgotten their plight. 
Korea was the first volley in the battle that was won when the Berlin 
Wall came down and the Soviet Union crumbled.
  Our Korean war soldiers also demonstrated to the world that we were 
ready and willing to help even our smallest and most distant allies 
fend off foreign aggression. While no one questioned America's 
strategic interest in defending Europe during the world wars, our 
commitment to our friends in Asia was not as certain. But in the summer 
of 1950, the United States spoke loud and clear: we would stand up for 
freedom anywhere it was threatened by tyranny. That message still 
resonates today.
  But our soldiers did not merely engage in battle against 
international aggression; it was a contest between democracy and 
totalitarianism. In Korea, our soldiers proved that Americans did not 
just talk about the importance of democracy--they would risk their 
lives for it. The march of American soldiers up the Korean peninsula 
from Pusan to the 38th Parallel was a remarkably brave demonstration of 
our commitment to lead by example. Today, as nations on every continent 
strive towards democracy, they rightfully look to us for moral 
guidance.
  By fighting side-by-side with soldiers from around the world, 
American soldiers also demonstrated that multi-national coalitions can 
bring about peaceful ends. When we contemplate the awesome success of 
Desert Storm 4 years ago, we can look back to Korea as the prototype.
  Through these accomplishments, the soldiers of the Korean war left an 
indelible mark on the modern world. Sadly, Korea is at times called the 
forgotten war. But the freedom and security it brought the world will 
long be remembered.
  Were it not for the courage of our soldiers, South Korea would not be 
a free and prosperous nation, one of our most trusted and valuable 
allies in the Pacific rim.
  And were it not for the fortitude of our neighbors, relatives and 
friends in uniform who joined the battle against North Korea, the fall 
of Communism in Eastern Europe and in Central America would have been 
far less assured.
  Most importantly, were it not for the selflessness of American 
servicemen and women who triumphed over dictatorship in a country many 
had never even heard of, the guiding light of democracy we extend to 
other nations would not be nearly as bright.
  We still live in a dangerous, unpredictable world. But the heroic, 
selfless efforts of Americans in places like Inchon, Chosin, and Pusan 
have ensured that future generations of Americans will live in a world 
where freedom is cherished and tyranny is repelled. For that, we owe 
the veterans of the Korean war our eternal gratitude.
  I commend the Korean war veterans from the First District of 
Connecticut and from around the United States on the occasion of the 
42d anniversary of the end of the Korean war.


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