Korean delegates visit Vets Home
It’s sometimes known as the forgotten war. Last week, Korean delegates made sure that wasn’t the case in Columbia Falls.
Korean Consul General Moon Duk-ho awarded 28 Korean War veterans at the Montana Veterans Home with coined medals and certificates to honor their service.
The Koreans also wowed the crowd with a performance by two Korean opera singers, soprano Dohee Kim and baritone Kwang Suk Ku.
Korea has been sending representatives to veterans hospitals across the U.S. for the past three years to honor American Korean War veterans, Duk-ho said.
“We want to convey our gratitude toward them,” he said. “We don’t care about the numbers (of veterans at a facility). We’re very thankful and proud of our relationship with the U.S. Without Americans’ help, how could South Korea prosper?”
The Korean War started in 1950 and ended in 1953. More than 2 million people were killed, including 33,000 American soldiers.
Duk-ho said the war and its efforts can never be forgotten. North Korea is still a threat, he noted.
“We’re living the Korean War everyday,” he said. “There are no words to adequately show my gratitude.”
Montana Veterans Home administrator Joren Underdahl thanked the visiting delegates.
“Many Korean War veterans residing at the home and resident spouses of those who have since passed are extremely humbled by this kind gesture,” he said.
Veterans recognized at the ceremony included Ronald Anderson, Neal Baker, Halvdan Brosten, Braxton Brown, Russell Bucher, Donald Buffington, Theodore Chaffey, Charles Crawford, Donald Darling, Franklin Flanagan, John Giulio, Benjamin Grimm, Eugene Hamann, Eugene Holder, Archie Johnston, Glenn Koski, Robert Kriesch, Robert Letourneau, Mickey McHugo, Jacob Mitchell, Harry Mular, Donald Osbourne, James Pittman, Stephen Ployhar, Robert Rales, Herbert Rigoni, Clyde Stout and Robert Walton.
Veterans James Elder, Paul Haag, James Luepkes and Roy Quimby, now deceased, were also honored. Accepting medals and certificates on their behalf were surviving spouses Jonelle Elder, Patricia Haag, Gail Luepkes and Joyce Quimby. The spouses all live at veterans home.