Forgotten Is A Bad Word

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Forgotten Is A Bad Word
by Carl Ey

Webster's Collegiate Thesaurus suggests words such as "neglect," "discount," "disregard," and "ignore" as possible synonyms for the word forget or forgotten. The word itself seems completely inadequate in describing a war in which 33,686 Americans were killed and another 103,284 were wounded. However, the Korean War has inherited the moniker of "The Forgotten War." "It should not be forgotten," said Gerard Sheehan, a Korean veteran and resident of Conn. "I think it is [forgotten] because it came so quickly on the heels of W.W.II."

Sunday, America took another step toward honoring those that served with the 50th anniversary of the Korean War Commemoration Ceremony on the mall in Washington D.C. The commemoration began June 25, 2000 but will continue through November 11, 2003 because the men and women that served in Korea deserve to have their efforts embraced and honored for the next three years by their nation and the world.

Korean veterans, their families and Americans that wanted to show their respect marched to the ceremony grounds in the shadow of the Korean War memorial. Some of those that served wore their uniforms, others wore hats boasting their respective unit insignia and the remainder came with a newfound pride that the Korean War would no longer be "The Forgotten War."

"We will never forget your bravery," President Clinton said. "Korea was a hard, brutal war, and the men and women who fought in it were heroes." It was a testimony to many great Americans that had it coming for over 50 years. Unfortunately, the war seemed out of place because it came between World War II and Vietnam. Americans had just given their families to the effort in WW II and had hoped that war would never rear its ugly head again. Furthermore, the Korean War was fought in a place that many Americans had little concept of and promoting democracy there was not of great importance to a nation that didn't understand the concept of globalization and had no idea that the Internet would connect all of mankind within 40 years. Nonetheless, Americans went, died and those that returned came home to a nation that respected the effort but didn't get it.

"They didn't want to declare it a war," said Timothy Morris, 67, decked out in his Army Khakis. "It was supposed to be a police action; maybe they didn't want to admit that it was a war."

It was a real war and we completed our mission. In an era when operations other than war and peacekeeping efforts have become the new "buzz" terms in the Armed Forces, it is important that our country never forgets that we did fight a war in Korea. The entire nation of South Korea is indebted to the United States and the 20 other countries that served by our side in preventing North Korea and communist China from encompassing South Korea. South Koreans certainly haven't forgotten.

In the last month, leaders from North and South Korea had a summit to discuss the relations between the two nations. That meeting caused excitement throughout the world that Korea may one day become a united, free peninsula.

The guys and gals that have an average age of 67-80 that served in Korea can be proud. Although it took 50 years, their effort wasn't in vain and certainly not forgotten. Complete freedom on the "peninsula" may not come to fruition in their lifetimes but it is through their blood, sweat and heroism that their children will experience a world that is a better place to live.

How do you describe the war?
Horrific - definitely!
Costly - certainly.
Forgotten - never!