Medal to honor Korean War vets

The Dallas Morning News ^ | February 10, 2004 | From Staff Reports

[Cincinatus' Wife]

A new medal will honor U.S. military personnel who have served in Korea since the end of the Korean War, officials said Monday.

The Korean Defense Service Medal can be awarded to veterans who were assigned to the Korean peninsula for 30 consecutive or 60 non-consecutive days after July 28, 1954. Those who were involved in combat, suffered injuries or flew missions over Korea also can qualify for the honor.

“We’ve been working on it for about three years now,” said Tom Marrelli, Texas commander of the Korea Defense Veterans of America. The organization has about 400 members in Texas.

Marrelli served two tours of duty in Korea during his 20-year Army career.

U.S. peacekeeping forces have now been stationed in Korea for more than 50 years to secure South Korea’s northern border. The Pentagon estimates that more than 40,000 Americans have been a part of that effort each year since 1953.

As many as 2 million vets could be eligible to receive the new medal.

Distribution of the new medals will be up to each branch of the military.

A separate Korean War Service Medal, issued by the Republic of Korea, was established in 2000 to honor veterans of the 1950-1953 conflict.

Dallas Web Staff writer Walt Zwirko contributed to this report.

[MUSKETCLAY]

I love the picture you sent regarding the memorial honoring the soldiers who served in the Korean War. Eventhough that period was nothing but a war to stop communism, the soldiers, in my opinion, were fighting to defend DEMOCRACY. Those soldiers - who placed their lives on the line for America - showed the world what honor, sacrifice, duty and sometimes death by following their orders.

As why it took so long for these ...HEROES to be awarded a medal honoring their duty during the Korean war is beyond me.

But why is there no National Monument/Medal regarding the American soldiers who served in the Mexican War 1846-1848? By most historians point of view, and I pretty much agree, expresses that the U.S.-Mexican War was nothing but a war to make Mexico accept the annexation of Texas to the United States AND the possession of the Pacific Coast.

I think the Mexican War placed a permanent scar on Mexico that, to this day, has not gone away. On the other hand, by what I've studied on this period, the United States has placed a mark on her forehead that says "SHAME."

It doesn't matter who is to blame regarding "Mr. Polk's War." It happened and it should be honored by ALL Americans.

Any American soldier, regarding ANY war, should be honored by a medal or a monument. The U.S.-Mexican War involved ALL Americans from the 28 United States.

Today it's 2004. The Korean War was over 50 years ago. Why wait so long to award these soldiers, and civilians, who defended DEMOCRACY?

Oh well. At least they finally awarded.

When is the National Government honor the soldiers who served in the Mexican War? Probably never since most Americans haven't the slightest knowledge of this pivitol event that was, unfortunately, overshadowed by the Civil War.

Any replys regarding the Mexican War can e-mail me at aaagclayc@hotmail.com.

[MUSKETCLAY]

Are you a communist? Why are you so offended by a medal honoring American soldiers who served in the Korean War? Are you a Klansman? Are you so full of hate that you have to gripe about a medal regarding a piece of American history?

Oh well. At least our Bill of Rights protect people like you to express your opinion.

So with my Freedom of Expression I think you are a ________.

[Hoplite]

Learn how to read.

[Jammz]

The decoration is to honor those who served in Korea after the Korean war, it is NOT worth promotion points, however it does identify that the member served time in Korea preventing the north from invading and yes, they would have if they were given the opportunity. It's no different than an overseas long tour ribbon or an overseas short tour ribbon. It's an identifier, which tells what a member has done. That's the entire purpose of the "fruit salad". You can tell where a member's been, how long they've been in, some of what they've done and much more, it's not just ribbons for being someplace, it's for something significant.

By the way, the North and South are in fact still at a state of war, unless things have changed since I last did research on this. They are only under an armistace. That is one reason why it is known as "The Forgotten War".

[Hoplite]

If there's a "Blue Angel Club" clasp for it, I'll reconsider - but until then, this is just the Army Service Medal for Korea.

[Jammz]

Blue Angel Club clasp??

Actually this IS just a service medal, nothing more. It's the same thing as a OS short tour, a OS long tour, an expeditionary, a National defense, a southwest asia service, a humanitarian service, etc... all it says is, this guy went to support this mission.

[Polybius]

As why it took so long for these ...HEROES to be awarded a medal honoring their duty during the Korean war is beyond me. ....Today it's 2004. The Korean War was over 50 years ago. Why wait so long to award these soldiers,.......

You have misunderstood the purpose of the new medal.

The new medal is for Korean service after the armistice that ended combat in the Korean War.

Korean War service was recognized by the Korean Service Medal.

Created: 8 November 1950 by Executive Order No. 10179.

Criteria: Participated in combat or served with a combat or service unit in the Korean Theater on permanent assignment or on temporary duty for 30 consecutive or 60 nonconsecutive days anytime between June 27.1950, and July 27, 1954.

Korean Service Medal.

[Hoplite]

Yeah, you know, Blue Angel. One of the on limits one day off limits the next establishments in Sonyu-ri, if memory serves.

So if it's a service medal, how big of a deal is that? It's not, and my whole point is that striking a medal for it is just a waste of time and money. Those of us who went to Korea know we were there, and I for one am not interested in getting yet another ribbon for merely doing my duty, regardless of where that duty was.

[Jammz]

Hmmm never heard that before. I was near Pyong-tec and Songton (or however you spell them).

The service medals are no big deal, it's just eye candy and tells your history. I.E. I've got 15 ribbons and of all of them, only 2 count for anything. The whole purpose behind the rack is to show where a person has been, what kind of missions they've been on and how good a person sucks up, ermmm, performed while someplace. I.E. Just by looking at my ribbons you can tell I've done xx years, I've been overseas a few times, I've deployed, I've done humanitarian missions, I've been in some good units and I don't kiss the boss's backside.

[Jammz]

Hmmm never heard that before. I was near Pyong-tec and Songton (or however you spell them).

The service medals are no big deal, it's just eye candy and tells your history. I.E. I've got 15 ribbons and of all of them, only 2 count for anything. The whole purpose behind the rack is to show where a person has been, what kind of missions they've been on and how good a person sucks up, ermmm, performed while someplace. I.E. Just by looking at my ribbons you can tell I've done xx years, I've been overseas a few times, I've deployed, I've not gotten into trouble, I've done humanitarian missions, I've been in some good units and I don't kiss the boss's backside.

[Hoplite]

That's just it - they're no big deal.

So why bother with another one for Korean service?

I think we see where each other is coming from - I understand your position, I just don't agree with it. = )