[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 158 (2012), Part 9]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 12551]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




   MOUNT CHOSIN FEW AND THE BATTLE OF CHOSIN RESERVOIR (JANGJIN LAKE)

                                 ______
                                 

                             HON. DON YOUNG

                               of alaska

                    in the house of representatives

                        Thursday, July 26, 2012

  Mr. YOUNG of Alaska. Mr. Speaker, during the Korean War, a war often 
forgotten by U.S. history books, many brave soldiers fought and 
sacrificed their lives in battles waged in brutal fighting conditions. 
In one such battle, American forces were surprised by an overwhelming 
Chinese military force at Jangjin Lake, also known as the Chosin 
Reservoir. From November 27 to December 13, 1950, these courageous 
American soldiers, including the 1st Marine Division, fought bravely to 
free themselves from Chinese encirclement and certain capture or death. 
Following this great battle, seventeen allied soldiers received the 
Congressional Medal of Honor, the highest honor this Nation can bestow 
upon a soldier, and more than seventy soldiers were awarded the Navy 
Cross.
  In honor of these brave soldiers, and at the request of two of my 
constituents, Richard Lilly of Wasilla, Alaska, and John Beasley of 
Palmer, Alaska, I recently introduced a bill to name one of the 
mountains in the Alaska Chugach National Forest after this monumental 
battle. This bill, H.R. 5928, the Mount Chosin Few Act, was intended to 
show support for the naming of this mountain, a mountain which would 
forever commemorate the 3,000 killed and 13,000 wounded American 
service members in the Battle of Chosin Reservoir.
  On June 15, 2012, the Board of Geographic Names (BGN), independent of 
my legislation, acted on an existing request from Mr. Lilly and Mr. 
Beasley, to name Mount Chosin Few. This action was entirely within the 
Board's existing legal authority to address new name proposals. I am 
pleased that the BGN voted unanimously to name this mountain and, in 
doing so, honor those who fought and died, not just in this one battle, 
but during the entire Korean War.
  Recently however, I have learned of some concerns regarding the 
origin of the name, Chosin Reservoir and its American colloquial roots. 
In 1950s, the United Nations provided U.S. soldiers with Japanese maps 
of the Korean Peninsula, as Korean maps were not available. Due to the 
use of Japanese maps, U.S. forces and U.S. news sources used the 
Japanese name ``Chosin,'' instead of the Korean name ``Jangjin,'' to 
describe the body of water around which this great battle was waged. 
Consequently, given the great heroics of this battle and the play on 
words between ``chosen'' and ``Chosin,'' the Battle at Jangjin Lake has 
been known, by most Americans, as the Battle of Chosin Reservoir. 
Additionally, the media-friendly nicknames stemming from this battle, 
such as ``Frozen Chosin'' and ``The Chosin Few,'' have also been 
adopted into American history.
  Please know that I understand and appreciate the concerns of the 
Korean people and government about the difference in the names 
``Jangjin Lake'' and ``Chosin Reservoir.'' Such cultural sensitivities 
are significant and remind us of the amazingly complex differences that 
exist not only within ethnicities and countries, but also within 
individual people as well. In the melting pot of the United States, it 
can be easy to overlook these differences, as cultures blend and become 
more homogenized.
  While cultural sensitivity is important, I also recognize the 
significance that my constituents, and all those who fought in this 
battle, attach to the name ``Chosin.'' This is the name that evokes 
images in their minds of relentless cold and even more relentless 
fighting. I believe their sacrifice has earned them the gratitude of 
both of our nations and the right to name a mountain in Alaska whatever 
name they believe will most appropriately honor their fallen comrades. 
I hope the Korean government, and the people they serve, understand 
that the sacrifices made by those who have fought and died in the name 
of freedom are far more meaningful than the origin of the name of a 
mountain in Alaska.

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