[Congressional Record Volume 146, Number 82 (Monday, June 26, 2000)]
[Senate]
[Pages S5780-S5781]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




               REMEMBERING THE FORGOTTEN: KOREA 1950-1953

  Mr. ROCKEFELLER. Madam President, yesterday was the 50th anniversary 
of the beginning of the Korean War, an often overlooked, yet very 
important event in history. ``Forgotten'' is a term used too often 
about the Korean War; for veterans and their families, the war is very 
real, and something they can never forget.
  Officially, the war was the first military effort of the United 
Nations, but American involvement was dominant throughout the conflict. 
Thousands of Americans traveled to a distant land to help defend the 
rights of strangers threatened by hostile invasion. Unfortunately, many 
who fought bravely to aid the Koreans lost their lives while waging the 
war.
  Today, I want to pay homage to all who served in this war. The troops 
from the United States and the 20 other United Nations countries who 
provided aid to the South Koreans deserve our great acclaim every day, 
but even more so on this special anniversary. These great countries 
united to preserve the rights of South Korea, a small democracy 
threatened by the overwhelming power of the Communist government. South 
Korea did not have sufficient military resources to protect its 
interests. Fortunately, the United Nations member countries were not 
about to sit back and watch North Korea, with the aid of China and the 
Soviet Union, annihilate the democracy in the south.
  On June 25, 1950, troops from Communist-ruled North Korea invaded 
South Korea, meeting little resistance to their attack. A few days 
later, on the morning of July 5th--still Independence Day in the United 
States--Private Kenny Shadrick of Skin Fork, West Virginia, became the 
war's first American casualty. Kenny was the first, but many more West 
Virginians were destined to die in the conflict--in fact, more West 
Virginians were killed in combat during the three years of the Korean 
War than during the 10 years that we fought in Vietnam. In one of the 
bloodiest wars in history, 36,940 more Americans would lose their lives 
before it was all over. In addition, more than 8,000 Americans are 
still missing in action and unaccounted for.
  Five years ago, we dedicated the Korean War Memorial on the Mall in 
Washington, DC. This stirring tribute to the veterans of this war 
poignantly symbolizes the hardships of the conflict.
  The Memorial depicts, with stainless steel statues, a squad of 19 
soldiers on patrol. The ground on which they advance is reminiscent of 
the rugged Korean terrain that they encountered, and their wind-blown 
ponchos depict the treacherous weather that ensued throughout the war. 
Our soldiers landed in South Korea poorly equipped to face the icy 
temperatures of 30 degrees below zero, their weaponry outdated and 
inadequate. As a result of the extreme cold, many veterans still suffer 
today from cold-related injuries, including frostbite, cold 
sensitization, numbness, tingling and burning, circulatory problems, 
skin cancer, fungal infections, and arthritis. Furthermore, the 
psychological tolls of war have caused great hardship for many 
veterans.

[[Page S5781]]

  As a background to the soldiers' statues at the Memorial, the images 
of 2,400 unnamed men and women stand etched into a granite wall, 
symbolizing the determination of the United States workforce and the 
millions of family members and friends who supported the efforts of 
those at war. Looking at the steadfast, resolute faces of these 
individuals invokes in the viewer a deep admiration and appreciation 
for their importance to the war effort.
  Author James Brady, a veteran of the Korean War, spoke for all those 
who served in the war when he wrote, ``We were all proudly putting our 
lives on the line for our country. But I would later come to realize 
that the Korean War was like the middle child in a family, falling 
between World War II and Vietnam. It became an overlooked war.'' Mr. 
Brady conveys the sentiments of many of the veterans who served in this 
war and underscores our need to give these veterans the recognition 
they are long overdue.
  Today, I salute the courage of those who stood up for democracy while 
fighting for the freedom of strangers. Through their unselfish display 
of determination and valor in the battles they endured, they sent an 
important message to future generations. I thank our Korean War 
veterans; their bravery reminds us of the value we put on freedom, 
while their sacrifices remind us that, as it says at the Korean War 
Memorial, ``Freedom is not free.''

                          ____________________