Korea

[Standing Wolf]

My aunt passed away a couple of weeks ago, and while cleaning out her apartment my sister came across my late uncle's shadow box. My Uncle Bob was a Staff Sergeant in the Army, serving mostly in Korea during and after the war there. U.S. military awards used to be a sort of hobby of mine when I was on active duty ('73-'93), so I was surprised at seeing one I couldn't identify and having to look it up. In addition to the usual Good Conduct Medal, National Defense Service Medal, Korean Service Medal and a couple of Korean government awards, he had this one.



It is the Korea Defense Service Medal, awarded for service after the armistice was signed - Uncle Bob was there into 1955 - and the reason I didn't recognize it is because it wasn't created until 2002. I have to wonder how many who served in Korea after the war, between 1954 and 2002, are not even aware that they rate it.

[RMNIXON]

My late father served in Korea.

I don't know about Medals but my mother was very pleased to find out the VA would provide a burial plot for his ashes and a marker at the local cemetery where the family can visit. He would have wanted that.

[Ethereal]

Both my grandfathers served in Korea.

One was an army sergeant who I believe was part of the engineer corps.

And the other was a marine who landed at Inchon and received a purple heart.

Neither of them ever talked about their time in Korea or the military.

[Standing Wolf]

Both my grandfathers served in Korea.

One was an army sergeant who I believe was part of the engineer corps.

And the other was a marine who landed at Inchon and received a purple heart.

Neither of them ever talked about their time in Korea or the military.

My late father-in-law was part of the Second Marine Division in WWII and a veteran of the landings at Tarawa and Saipan. He was very tight-lipped about his experiences, especially when it came to Tarawa. I only know about his landing there from a book that he was interviewed for. He did speak once about how he came to have a Japanese bayonet and scabbard from Tarawa and how he received his Purple Heart on Saipan, but those were rare exceptions.

[Lummy]

Thank you for sharing that, Wolf.

[Peter1469]

I served there twice. 1989-90 and 2000-02. The first tour I spent half the time on the DMZ.

[Standing Wolf]

My Army doctor kid could have been sent to Korea but chose to go to Gitmo for a year on an unaccompanied tour instead. Said the assignment was better for promotion purposes and the snorkeling was a lot better in Cuba.

[Ethereal]

I served there twice. 1989-90 and 2000-02. The first tour I spent half the time on the DMZ.

I went there once in like 2005. We trained with the ROK marines. They had a really cool obstacle course. And one of the best meals I ever had was in Korea. I forget what port we came in through.