Published: July 27, 2021
On National Korean War Armistice Day we recognize and pay tribute to the Korean War veterans.
The Korean War began June 25, 1950 with the North Korean army's invasion of South Korea. On July 27, 1953, the Korean
Armistice Agreement was signed ending the war, now officially recognized as Armistice Day. At 10 a.m. that day, in
Panmunjom, 18 official copies of the tri-language Korean Armistice Agreement were signed. The signing of the
agreement marked the end of the longest negotiated armistice in history with 158 meetings spread over two years and
17 days.
Source: U.S. Department of Defense
Department of Veterans Affairs America’s Wars Fact Sheet (November 2020)
Korean War
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Total U.S. Servicemembers (Worldwide): 5,720,000
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Total Serving (In Theater): 1,789,000
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Battle Deaths: 33,739
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Other Deaths (In Theater): 2,835
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Other Deaths in Service (Non-Theater): 17,672
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Non-mortal Woundings: 103,284
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Living Veterans: 1,165,000
Source: Department of Veterans Affairs
Related Resources
123 Stat. 3675 - National Korean War Veterans Armistice Day, 2009
123 Stat. 1962 - Korean War Veterans Recognition Act
100 Stat. 3226 - Korean War Memorial Act
1992 Public Papers 934 - Remarks at the Groundbreaking Ceremony for the Korean War Veterans Memorial
1995 Public Papers 1160 - Remarks at the Dedication Ceremony for the Korean War Veterans Memorial
Images
Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: George H.W. Bush (1992, Book I)
Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: William J. Clinton (2000, Book I)
Additional Resources
- National Archives: Korean War Records
- Browse the U.S. Government Publishing Office online bookstore’s collection of Korean War publications.
- Check out the Library of Congress American Folklife Center’s Veterans History Project to view collections of firsthand interviews and narratives of U.S. military veterans from World War I through the present.
- The United States Enters the Korean Conflict – Teaching activities with documents lesson plan (National Archives)
- Plan your trip to the National Park Service's Korean War Veterans Memorial in Washington D.C. The memorial was dedicated in
1995, and its Wall of Remembrance and 19 stainless steel statues commemorate the sacrifices
of the millions of Americans and allied partners who fought during the Korean War.