Foreward: This one, Willwright, is for your wife’s nephew, “a Marine who was wounded and decorated for actions near the Chosin Reservoir in North Korea.”
The Korean War, which began June 25, 1950, with the North Korean army’s invasion of South Korea, officially ended July 27, 1953, a day now recognized as Armistice Day.
The President, in a message said in part:
We remember those brave Americans who gave until they had nothing left to give. No monument will ever be worthy of their service, and no memorial will fully heal the ache of their sacrifice.
One of those the President was certainly referring to is now-retired Army Col. William Webber, 87, who as a young lieutenant lost an arm and leg during that war. You can read his story here.
The signing of the Armistice marked the end of the longest negotiated armistice in history which included 158 meetings spread over two years and 17 days, according to the Department of Defense.
The lead photograph depicts United Nations’ delegates standing by a U.S. Air Force H-5 helicopter with U.S. Army Gen. Matthew B. Ridgway, commander in chief of the United Nations Command, before takeoff for the initial armistice talks meeting, July 10, 1951. Left to right: U.S. Navy Rear Adm. Arleigh A. Burke; U.S. Air Force Maj. Gen. Laurence C. Cragie; South Korean Maj. Gen. Paik Sun Yup; U.S. Navy Vice Adm. C. Turner Joy, chief delegate, Gen. Ridgway, and U.S. Army Maj. Henry I. Hodes. (U.S. Navy photo.)
The first of the next two historical photographs show U.S. Marine Corps Col. James Murray Jr., and Col. Chang Chun San of the North Korean Communist Army initialing maps showing the north and south boundaries of the demarcation zone during the Panmunjom cease fire talks, Oct. 11, 1951. (U.S. Navy photo by F. Kazukaitissmech.)
And, finally, U.S. Army Gen. Mark W. Clark, Far East commander, signing the Korean war armistice agreement July 27, 1953, after two years and 17 days of negotiation. U.S. Navy Museum photo.
The next photograph, 60 years later, shows the Korean Demilitarized Zone and Joint Security Area that were created by the Korean War Armistice. (DOD photo by Staff Sgt. Keith Anderson.)
The following are recent photographs commemorating the 60th anniversary of the end of the Korean War.
Retired Army Sgt. 1st Class Ron Rosser, far left seated, and Cpl. Rodolfo “Rudy” Hernandez, both Korean War Medal of Honor recipients, and Joseph W. Westphal, far right, undersecretary of the U.S. Army, render honors during the playing of the national anthem at a Twilight Tattoo to mark the 60th anniversary of the Korean War and honor the war’s veterans on Joint Base Myer-Henderson Hall, Va., July, 24, 2013. Westphal hosted the event and a reception. DOD photo by U.S. Army Staff Sgt. Sun L. Vega
All photos and captions: DOD
The author is a retired U.S. Air Force officer and a writer.