[Congressional Record Volume 162, Number 102 (Friday, June 24, 2016)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E996]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




          COMMEMORATING THE 66TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE KOREAN WAR

                                 ______
                                 

                         HON. CHARLES B. RANGEL

                              of new york

                    in the house of representatives

                         Friday, June 24, 2016

  Mr. RANGEL. Mr. Speaker, I rise to recognize a very significant event 
in our nation's history during which 1.8 million American men and women 
courageously served to defend freedom and liberty. June 25th of this 
year marks the 66th anniversary of the outbreak of the Korean War. As a 
veteran who almost died fighting in Korea, I would like to pay tribute 
to my comrades-in-arms and all those who never made it home.
  I thank Ambassador Ahn Ho-Young of the Republic of Korea and his 
Government for continually expressing gratitude to the Korean War 
veterans. He and his predecessors have annually honored the sacrifices 
through the wreath-laying ceremony at the National Korean War Veterans 
Memorial. Through this commemoration, they have paid respect to our 
service members who went to a country they never knew, for people they 
never met, for the pursuit of democracy on the Korean peninsula and 
around the world. I also applaud over two million Korean Americans who 
are flourishing across the nation and have never ceased to express 
their appreciation to the Korean War veterans community.
  I am proud to have worked with my colleagues Representatives Sam 
Johnson and John Conyers, two other remaining veterans of the Korean 
War in Congress, to champion many bills that will cement the legacy of 
the Korean War veterans. Most recently, we sponsored H.R. 1475, the 
Korean War Veterans Memorial Wall of Remembrance Act of 2015, which 
passed in the House. The Wall pays tribute to those who were killed in 
action, wounded, or listed as missing from the Korean War. The Wall 
serves as a reminder that America will never forget those who serve to 
promote and defend international security, economic prosperity, and 
peace.
  Mr. Speaker, our nation has a responsibility to make sure that we 
honor the members of the United States Armed Forces who served 
alongside the Republic of Korea and twenty other Allied nations. We 
have a responsibility to remember the 36,573 American lives and the 
103,000 wounded to preserve the legacy of our Forgotten Victory. We 
have a responsibility to make sure we do not forget our men and women 
who sacrificed to defend the freedoms we enjoy.
  Since the Korean War, the United States and the Republic of Korea 
have established an enduring friendship with shared interests, such as 
denuclearizing the Korean Peninsula, combatting aggression abroad, and 
strengthening our economies. It is with great pride that I have 
witnessed Korea rise to become an influential, international leader out 
of ashes of war. Its rapid and successful transformation testifies to 
the victorious efforts of our veterans.
  The Korean War must never again be called the Forgotten War and the 
American people must never forget our heroes.

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