My Father - A Korean War Veteran

Many thanks to your dad (4.00 / 2)

I served in South Korea after college in the Peace Corps.  I lived in the southwest outside Kunsan in Cholla Province.  Then worked in Seoul and lived just north of the Blue House on the road to the DMZ.  All together, I lived there eleven years and traveled there many times since.  My wife is Korean as well. 

My wife's father, as a South Korean government official who didn't make it out of Seoul before the communists took over, had to hide out in a closet for three months until the Inchon landings and the Americans' recapture of the capital. 

Please thank your dad for all he did.  The war was worth it.  We helped millions of people who opposed communist oppression, and from the very beginning they joined with our troops to fight the North Koreans, the Chinese, and the Russians (who were supplying the North Koreans and who were actually flying MIG's in combat).

It's a very prosperous place now. 

If he'd ever like to talk about his experiences, I'd be happy to listen.

Again, many thanks to your dad.

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by: thomashooker @ Mon Nov 12, 2007 at 01:21:10 AM UTC

the forgotten war (0.00 / 0)

Thanks for your kind words. I can see that this war is personal for you as well because of your wife and her family. I choke up each time I witness in the news or papers, a reunion of family members separated for over fifty years by the DMZ.
Each time my father shares something, you can see a bit of the heavy rock lifing from his shoulders. There is something deep down inside him that has been hell for fifty-five years. I am afraid I know where this might be going. WAR IS HELL

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by: Missy's Brother @ Mon Nov 12, 2007 at 02:28:08 AM UTC

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We need to Investigate the VA Hospitals (4.00 / 1)

On behalf of the veterans we need to find someone who can get inside.

I am hearing stories that they can't get the nurses to stay no matter how much money is offered. When we collected money for phone cards last year there seemed to be some problem getting to the younger vets in West Haven.

Can anyone get inside and check up on the situation?

"I am not a Blogger...But I play one on the internet."

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by: tessa @ Mon Nov 12, 2007 at 01:34:33 AM UTC

my brother in law actually worked in a va hospital (0.00 / 0)

in NYS about 15 years ago, it's where he started as a nurse. He said it was the most stressful job he'd ever had.

He got a job at Sing Sing after about a year, and said it was alot easier emotionally (although the patients left alot to be desired, obviously)

This was BEFORE the whole Afghanistan and Iraq situation.. I can't imagine what its like now.

.Adding Another Dimension of Vituperation Toxicity to Blogging since 1999!.

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by: nolopro @ Mon Nov 12, 2007 at 02:01:52 AM UTC

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about the missing man in Utah (4.00 / 1)

have you tried familysearch?
http://www.familysea...

Okay, I know they're Mormons and blahblahblah.. but a friend of mine asked me to look up some of her relatives when I was in Salt Lake (she's into geneology) and the LDS folk were very helpful.

just thought I'd throw it out there.

hope you find him, it sounds like it's important to your dad.


.Adding Another Dimension of Vituperation Toxicity to Blogging since 1999!.

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by: nolopro @ Mon Nov 12, 2007 at 02:08:38 AM UTC

I do genealogy (0.00 / 0)

and have posted on rootsweb, ancestry, missing people sites and craigslist. For some reason, it has become my father's number one mission to contact this man's family. I believe that my father must have witnessed this man's death and there are things that my father wants to share with them.
Any Mormon Church has to be your first stop for doing genealogy work. They are incredible for having records from all over the world and they open them to everyone.

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by: Missy's Brother @ Mon Nov 12, 2007 at 02:37:31 AM UTC

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There are also a lot of unit sites. (4.00 / 1)

I belong to a Yahoo group that is dedicated and run by veterans of the 8th Infantry Division and a former Lieutenant in my battalion has set up a web beacon that has attracted many members of the now defunct 1/39 Infantry Battalion.  You may want to do a web search using your fathers unit as the search term. 

During my research, I found a lot of postings of people looking for others or just announcing their presence on the web.  You will never guess what will turn up next.  I was searching for a guy I served with for years with no luck until he found me at Classmates.com.  It was great to talk to him after 20+ years, and we are now in regular contact.

Give it a shot, you may be surprised.

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by: snorwich @ Mon Nov 12, 2007 at 03:02:27 AM UTC

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. (4.00 / 1)

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by: tparty @ Mon Nov 12, 2007 at 03:38:51 AM UTC

what about newspapers in the region? (4.00 / 1)

Hey, MB, I wish we could help you find this family.  What about message boards for  newspapers in the town where he lived?  You might be able to find their old friends and neighbors helping you, instead of trying to go direct in one shot.  Do you know what high school he went to?  Maybe a reunion is coming up. Can you find an old newspaper announcement about the funeral with all his family members listed?

I am touched by your dad and your deep love for him.

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by: greenpeas @ Tue Nov 13, 2007 at 23:47:25 PM UTC

Some good ideas (0.00 / 0)

Thanks greenpeas. I have had contact with some people in Utah with the same last name but they are not aware of the man or his family. It's a very unusual surname and I'll keep trying. I hadn't thought about newspapers and you just made me think of historical societies and VFW's too. I am also trying Snorwich's recommendation of their unit website.

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by: Missy's Brother @ Wed Nov 14, 2007 at 02:27:01 AM UTC

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I have a friend... (4.00 / 1)

who is a high priest in the Mormon Church.  I don't know what he could do, but, just musing here, if an appeal on your dad's behalf to have the church help locate that family might be of assistance, please let me know.  Seems like a worthy cause.

Just a thought.

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by: thomashooker @ Wed Nov 14, 2007 at 15:05:35 PM UTC

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