- Me llamo Antonio de Jesús Alba Rojas. Viajé en el Almirante Padilla en 1950, 1 de noviembre, rumbo a Corea, a la península coreana. Como ya usted lo decía, fuimos a defender a Corea del Sur de las garras de, de Norcorea que estaba ayudada por Rusia y por la China. Bueno, y llegamos allí, participamos en, en bombardeos, en desembarcos, custodiamos buques de todas las nacionalidades como, especialmente norteamericanos, porque sabemos que, que Norteamérica participó con el 60 % del material bélico para esa ayuda a la República de Corea del Sur. Duré allí, duramos tres años. Yo, personalmente, duré tres años. Un año en el Almirante Padilla, otro año en el, en la Capitán Tono. Volví en la Capitán Tono y fueron, más o menos, tres años. Nuestra labor fue esa, precisamente, custodiar buques, custodiar buques cisterna, bombardear ciertos sitios de Corea del Norte, que los consideraban peligrosos, donde habían emplazados cañones de alto calibre. Eso es lo que yo recuerdo de, de, en la guerra de Corea, esa participación. Como un acto muy especial, en, en ese trajinar nos dieron orden de, de bombardear una aldea de Corea del Norte, donde se divisaban, cerca de, de la playa, casitas muy pequeñas. Se veía que era una, de un, de una aldea muy pobre. Entonces, dieron orden de, de acabar con esa población, pero nuestro comandante, el comandante del Almirante Padilla, pues, consideró que, que era un, cometer un genocidio matar a tanta gente que no, inofensiva, porque creíamos que era gente inofensiva la que estaba en esta aldea. Entonces, el comandante nuestro dio orden de no disparar. Todos los demás buques dispararon menos, menos el Almirante Padilla, por considerar que no era un acto… que no, no, pues, no estaba en nuestra conciencia destruir a ese, esa aldea. Fue una, una cuestión, pues, que a nosotros nos llenó de satisfacción porque no cometimos ese acto de terrorismo con esos, esos norcoreanos. Esa es la experiencia que tuvimos como combatientes.

>> So I was in Brownville, and I was a lieutenant, first lieutenant, with the Third Battalion Royal Australian Regiment in the Korean War. I had my full 12-back then, and 3 days waiting for an airplane back, 3 days was ... and I served in the Citizen Forces for some years after that. I was a company commander, and what else would you like? >> Some of the duties that you had in Korea. >> Well, they used to say it was a Ten Commandments war. We were out there doing patrols nearly every night and making sure that the opposition didn't get too close to us, and if he did, then he scared and bothered because we sorted him out. And very growing up time because I was only 22, and a lot of my sorties had been in the Second World War, and they were 30 years old, and so it was a swift learning curve for a young lieutenant, to have all those older men with the experience, and I was a reinforcement officer. I went up and replaced an officer who'd been killed, and it was a good place to come back from but a wonderful experience, great experience growing up. >> I know you're very ... You have a photographic memory you said. >> I can't hear you. >> You have a photographic memory, you said. >> Yes. >> And you ... I know you can read beyond just the surface. What do you remember about this war? >> Well, I was very thankful that we had air supremacy. We didn't have to worry about air, but I can very vividly remember night patrols and being in positions where we were heavily mortared and shelled by the enemy. I vividly remember them, as I imagine everybody would remember, but maybe, you know, position of trust and responsibility to our troops was rather humbling actually, so I had a lot of work to do there, quite a lot of work to do. Try and save their lives was maybe ... >> This war never ended, you know, and some of the people from all over the world sacrificed their lives and they died, even on the other side, and there's no peace, and there's no reconciliation. >> Do you know? I have a theory that I've never mentioned. You know, for years, on the continent, the Balkans have always been kept neutral so that other countries could move through there. Now I think that suits the Japan ... or the Chinese and Russians to have top of Korea and the Americans, it suits them to have the bottom because if the Chinese had the lot, then the Russians had us jumping for to go into Japan and America. If America had the lot or was [INAUDIBLE], they could jump onto China and Russia. Well, it's never mentioned, and they say, "Oh, we'll have to unite," and the Korean people would love it. I think it suits both of those people to have them separate. Have you ever heard that. >> No, but I'd listen to ... >> That's by Mark [INAUDIBLE]. >> Are you retired as an Army chaplain, right? >> I never was an Army chaplain. I had retired from the Army at the age of 16, and I was in the civi industry, and I suddenly found and studied theology, so I spent 8 years studying at the theology college part-time because I was in shipping. And during that time, the Victorian Council and the churches put me on the Board of Industrial Mission, and I was so impressed with them, I don't have the words here, that when I graduated, I became one of their chaplains from the understanding that I didn't run a managerial job. I wanted to be out helping people, so I had 28 years of that. Now I'm bordering on [INAUDIBLE]. >> And you've seen many veterans pass away? >> I've buried a lot of them. Yeah. >> I'm so glad to be here, and I'm so glad that you brought up, you know, Moroccan solution and the enemy and just the lives, you know, because I truly believe that every life is precious before God, and, you know, that we don't choose. We really don't choose who to fight, you know? And ... >> It's a very complex world, and the best one can do is ... My father was told, when he was 5, by his mother ... She was a very clever woman. She said ... although she said other children, she said, "When you grow up, men throughout the world will listen to what you say with regard to your profession. Never, even espouse any cause or sign any document that your conscience isn't fully at ease," and that's how I was brought up. >> I believe that. Kind of like earlier I said, "God, I'm only going to do what my heart tells me to do." >> Yes. That's the game. >> I thank you so much for ... >> It helps you to sleep a lot better than ... >> Oh, yes. Absolutely. Yeah. I do feel that, you know, even if I can wake up, even if I could foregone, I could say, "God, I did I my best. I really did." >> Mm-hmm. >> You know? And thank you for the greatest compliment I've ever received in my life. Without a doubt, I will take with me ... >> And coupled with that, after all, is that you're an exceptionally beautiful woman. >> Thank you. >> So it's, very, very great [INAUDIBLE] to find a beautiful combination. >> Thank you. >> I'm really a better man for having met you and your philosophy. >> Thank you. I pray and hope and dedicate my life so that ... >> And what will happen when you get back? How are you going to use this travel? I won't bore you with certain occasions when it's amazing I wasn't killed and various times, and I believe that I was being saved to do the work I'm doing today. >> I believe so too. >> I think so. >> I know so. >> Yeah? >> And because you've had many near-death experiences, you can empathize, and you know and understand things that other people can't, and it's an honor to point where I'm grateful that I also experienced a near-death experience and pain because even though I was very young, I'm able to kind of see the invisible pain that many people are experiencing, whether physical, emotional or psychological, and again, you know, one of my great passions is to visit my grandpas and let them know that ... Because many of them, like I've said, they have nightmares, they said. You know? Remembering the war, and I say, "You know, the war is atrocious, and it's ugly and horrific, but out of that bleakness sometimes you can find roses." And here I am. I can represent some good that came out of the war, so ... >> Indeed. And I just cannot believe, having traveled a lot, how a country which was bereft of trees, the Japanese most of all, which a mud heap, in 63 years ... as I said, the people flying over in time [INAUDIBLE] makes Sydney and Melbourne look like villages ... >> I know. >> And each time ... I've been back six times. Each time there's been so many more improvements, and I remember going around, and they've spent ages, everyone, putting trees around everywhere. And I went to show ... I was sent over to take some students there and then on to Gallipoli, and I was going to show them where the Battle of Kapyong took place. >> Mm. >> And that was not possible because instead of being able to see two miles down the road, I couldn't see more than 20 yards through all the trees they'd put in. >> You know, it's remarkable, and thanks to your contributions. >> From here to the end of the table and that round, when I was at Kapyong in 1995, they'd just trimmed some of the trees. >> Mm. >> And I got the branch off a ginko biloba on the B Company position, the Three Battalion at the Battle of Kapyong, and I have that at home. >> Wow. >> And I'm going to give it to Three Battalion one day. >> Wow. >> Yeah.

>> My name is Nora Drumstedt, and I had liked to go to Korea and help all the soldiers, 1952. I fly by ... [FOREIGN LANGUAGE]? It's a small airplane. It took 2 days to go over from Stockholm to Korea, a long, long time, so we was very tired when we come to Korea, but the Swedish people was there. They took care of us, so we'd have some rest. And after a couple of days, some [INAUDIBLE] work in Korea, but it was very interesting. We had soldiers from all type of military people, and we had a very big hospital. I can't remember how many people was there, but we couldn't stay for a long time. But I stay for 1 year because I feel okay, but just under no time, I was simply, and after that I got ward. That'd be good, and I had so many soldiers to give injections, so I was sick in my eyes of the ... [FOREIGN LANGUAGE]? >> Smell? The smell. >> Smell, yeah. [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] Smells and aroma. Aroma? [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> Mm-hmm? The fumes? >> So I had to change and go back, and after that, I had taken rest, and I got a paper on my doctor, once I had come home, something happened with my eyes, but it was real messy job. Ah, [FOREIGN LANGUAGE]. I had so many doctors from [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] had taken my exam, and he was doctor for a bunch and special. Many of the Swedish doctors were special, [FOREIGN LANGUAGE]. I remember their first night when I come over to Korea. They took me in a big ward for medicine, patients. It was many, many in that ward, but after a couple of days, I got smaller ward. But very, very ... They were very bad, but I was very interested in patients also, very, very nice to me, very nice, and when they can leave better, I took them out. And we went out and through the promenade, [FOREIGN LANGUAGE]? >> Get exercise. >> Exercise. How you say, exercise. [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] I haven't got the memory. >> What kind of patients were they, Korean patients, American patients? >> I can't hear. >> What kind of patients were they, American patients, Korean patients? >> Oh, they are from France, all of them, every of them. >> All [INAUDIBLE]. >> Every of them, yes. >> Do you have somebody that you remember? You remember somebody? Do you remember an interesting patient? >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> Oh, oh, yeah. One patient I had, he was had many [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] on his body, and when he was better, he one day was sitting with Korean boy, and they play ... [FOREIGN LANGUAGE]? >> Cards. >> Oh, card, yeah. And then [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] and he won the boy's watch. >> Watch? >> Watch, [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> Mm-hmm? >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] watch? Watch, yeah. >> Mm-hmm. >> And I told him he cannot do that. I told him, "You have to bring it back to the boy because he has to see how he can come and work with you tomorrow. He has to have a bus to go with, so he has to have time, right time." And he put back the watch, so the boy got the watch back. And after that, the boy wrote to me when he left, and when I come to America, I met his mother and wrote to me and liked me to come over to New York, to the family. >> Wow. >> Oh, a nice family. Husband has been a doctor, but he was die, and all the boys, he would get married. And after that, I don't know what has happened. I have left. Maybe he was married, and he was in, has been in a fruit tree and fall down, and I don't know if he died, so I can't find him. I have asked. >> Hmm. >> Because Nora used to live in the United States. You worked in the United States for some time. Did you ... >> Yes. I have worked in the ... After I was in Johns Hopkins hospital. >> Mm, Baltimore. >> Yes, 1 year, in medicine, and I like it very much. But it wasn't terrible because I got home outside of hospital, and you see, I didn't like ... If I go home about 11:00 o'clock in the evening, it's dark outside, and so I had to leave it because I was scared. >> Mm. Baltimore was a little dangerous at the time. It was dangerous. Johns Hopkins, that area, was dangerous. >> Yeah, yeah. Yes, yes. This was not good. >> Mm-hmm. >> So I was so scared. >> Mm, even now, even now. >> But ... >> In this book, there are many colleagues. >> Yeah. >> Sweden colleagues and American colleagues. What do you remember about them, your colleagues? Do you have any stories with colleagues? >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE]. >> Oh. >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] Mina. She was 10 years younger than me. She was a lieutenant, and I was a captain. >> Oh. >> And after that, she left. When she left Korea, she come to United States in Detroit and was married with an engineer in Ford. And they get children, and Kathrine was their child, and we were [FOREIGN LANGUAGE]. >> You were very close. >> Mm. >> Very close. And when I left America, I could come back when I got married when I come home, and they lived in Los Angeles though, Maryann working in Los Angeles hospital. >> She was American, or she was Swedish? >> In America, yeah. She was living in America. >> But she was Swedish? >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> Oh, yes. >> And you both served in Korea? >> Yeah. >> She was in Korea? >> Yeah. We ... Same flight we had when we were together, every day. >> Mm. Mm. >> And the daughter came to your 100th birthday party. >> Yes, yes, yes. >> Oh! >> Yes, yes. >> Wow! That must have been very special. >> I am so sorry. I have forgotten my English and everything. >> No. You're good. You're good. >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> Very good, very good. >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> What do you remember when you first went to Korea? Korea, did you go back to Korea? >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> No? >> No. >> Mm. >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] The first you remember from Korea. [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> Oh, [FOREIGN LANGUAGE]. I come in my work, take care of the patients. >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] Because I have been in the north in Sweden since I have taken exam in Uppsala and I come up to [FOREIGN LANGUAGE]. >> She was used to the war situation because she served in a military hospital in the north, and this was after the war in Finland, and a lot of children came to Sweden. >> So I was working in [FOREIGN LANGUAGE]. >> Mm. >> Mm-hmm. >> What do you know about Korea now? Because, you know, a long time ago, Korea was very poor, very, very poor after the war. Now ... >> No, they are ... have very good. >> Yeah: Samsung, LG, Kia, Hyundai, big companies, right? >> Yes, yes. >> Yes. >> Samsung. >> Mm. >> Samsung. >> Oh, yeah. >> They got this in my birthday. >> Oh, a Samsung TV. >> On my [FOREIGN LANGUAGE]. >> Oh, from whom? From whom, your children? >> This was from the family. >> Family, my brother's children. >> Oh, wow. >> Because all my brothers is dead. >> Mm. Did you ever want to go back to Korea? >> Yes, but no. I have not go to there again. I cannot. >> Well, I call all the veterans of Korea War my grandpa and grandma. >> Ah. [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> Because I say I would not be here if you were not there, right? >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> Yeah, yeah. >> And Koreans all over the world, like South Korea, we enjoy freedom. >> Ah. >> We enjoy freedom. >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> Oh. >> In America, I was able to have American dream. >> My twin brother has a son. >> Brother? >> And he has been in Korea last year. He was in Seoul. I like him to see how Seoul's Swedish hospitals, but now I think they have taken not Sweden ... [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> Scandinavian. >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> You would apply to work in the Scandinavian hospital after the war, when she came home, but it ... >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> I took a lot of initiatives. >> Yeah. You seem very adventurous, adventurous. >> Yeah, I am. >> Independent, very independent. >> I think you can tell Hannah about the nice gift, how appreciated you were among the patients. [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] When I left my patients and go home, they give me, they had written a paper, all the patients on my ward, and gave me a pearl [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] and earrings, so I had this paper, and I had put it in that bag there. >> Do you still have the ... >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> You do? >> Yeah. >> The necklace and the earring? >> I cry. [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> Mm. >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> They came from all over the world. >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> Beautiful. Wow, wow! From ... >> That's a gift from my patients. >> From 1953. >> Mm-hmm. >> Right, 1953? >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE]? Two months before the ... >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> May, May, May 1953. >> Yeah, 2 months before the armistice. >> Beautiful. Is that your picture? >> Yeah. >> That's you, picture? >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> That's you. You, right? You, right? >> Yes. >> What do you think? You know, Korean War never ended, like you said. Korean War never ended. >> No. >> It didn't end. Even right now, there's Swedish United Nations peace commission. They are still at Panmunjom. >> Panmunjom? >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> What do you think about Korea? Do you think the war could end? >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] I cannot understand how they can work. >> How they can put up with still being in war. >> No. >> Do you think reunification is possible? >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> It's really too bad. >> I don't think so. >> Mm. I hope so because North Koreans don't have freedom like South Koreans. >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> No, they are not, definitely not free. It's terrible. >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> This is ... >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> He's a grandchild of Nora's twin brother, and he's traveling the world. And he went back. He went to Korea, and she's very happy that he has seen the new Korea. >> Oh, ah. >> Mm. >> And he keeps sending post cards from his different places he goes to. >> Wow! >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] Yes. This is a desert in Namibia. >> Wow! How does he send post cards with ... >> The Victoria Falls, and this is also Africa. >> Wow! >> Can you explain to me about this? >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> Ambassador, Ambassador for Peace medal. Explain to me: What is that? >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> "My eyesight is not very good," she says. >> But what is it? Tell me. >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> Can't see. >> But what is it? >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> And your medal, Nora, your medal: Who gave it to you, medal? >> Ambassador for Peace [FOREIGN LANGUAGE]. I got [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] diplom for my work in Korea. I got 23rd of September 1917, or was it December? >> September 2016? >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> 2016. >> Twenty. >> Last year. >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> Twenty-third. >> Twenty-third September, [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> What's the meaning? >> Very important. >> Nora, what is the significance of September 23rd? >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> Is it a special days for Swedens? Can you ask her? Nora, is September 23rd special? >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> I don't think Nora was aware of why we celebrate the 23rd of September. >> Mm. Tell her. >> Yeah. [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] to the Swedish hospital in Korea [INAUDIBLE] September came more Swedish person for to help Korea in the midst of the war. >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> 1950. >> 1960. >> Fifty, 1950. [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] 1950. >> 1950? [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> Ah. >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> Mm. >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] The first Swedes arrived, 23rd of September, 1950. [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> I can ... >> The first Swedes arrived 1950. >> The first? >> The first Swedes arrived 23rd September. >> The first of September? >> The first group of Swedes. [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> The first group of Swedes. >> The first? Oh, huh. The first group of Swedes came to Korea the 23rd of September, two thousand ... >> 1950. >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> 1950. >> 1950, [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> Mm. >> 1950. >> Long time ago. >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> What do you think ... Give me this. It's distracting her. >> Yeah. >> What do you think is the significance of Sweden in ... No, no, no. That's okay. I'll speak loud. What is the significance of Sweden's contribution in the Korean War? >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> Ah. [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] For to help. >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] You can say is that we were all volunteers. >> Uh-huh. We were working in the hospital where [FOREIGN LANGUAGE]. >> Volunteers. >> Volunteer, [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] Volunteer. >> And you saved many lives? >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> You saved lives? >> We saved lives, yeah. Yes, we did. >> How many? Hundreds and thousands of lives? >> And we took also care of the children, Korean children. They're my good friend working. [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> Children? Korean children? >> We had ... Sometimes, we had worked in a special island for the [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> We did. >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] Lepra colony. >> Mm. >> Leper? >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] Lepra colony. >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> Leprosy? >> Yeah. >> So when we were free, we did like that. >> There was leprosy in Korea? >> There was a leprosy colony. My father talked about that as well. >> Mm-hmm. >> The staff from the Swedish hospital went to help the people that suffered from lepra. >> And we took care of the children and just ... >> They had leprosy in Korea? >> Yes. >> Lepers? Leprosy? >> Yes, leprosy. >> Tell me more about that. I never, ever heard about it. >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> On their spare time, they went to the leper colonies with medicine. >> And we had taken care of the children also, especially [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] So we took care about them if we had time. >> They also treated a lot of civilians, including a lot of children, in the hospital. They had a special area tent specially for receiving children. >> We tried. >> All volunteer? >> Mm-hmm. >> For leprosy? I mean, it was their spare time. Did they volunteer to do that? >> Yes. >> Can you tell her so that she can respond? >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] spare time. "We helped the people with lepra in our free time." Can you say [FOREIGN LANGUAGE]? >> Well, ask her why would she want to do that? Isn't ... Why would she want to do that? >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> You wanted to do as much as you could. Why? >> I was not there. This was special people and doctor. >> So they went [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> Okay. Nora wasn't there personally, but the staff in the hospital did this in their spare time. >> Mm-hmm, mm-hmm, mm-hmm. >> The Swedes? >> The Swedes. >> Mm. >> We did what we could do. [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] Go to the beach. >> Mm. So that was near the beach? >> Yes. >> Yes. >> Which is like Stockholm. >> Yes. >> Mm. >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> Mm. And it was warmer? Because it was very cold, but Busan was warmer? Korea was very cold, right? >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> It was very cold during winter, right? >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> The rooms just had a bed and a small table. >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] That we had. >> Did your ... >> I ... It's so long time since that happened with me, so it's very difficult to explain everything. >> Yeah, but you're doing very well, and you're telling history. You're preserving history. >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> Because not a lot of people know. >> It's too late. >> No, no, never too late, never too late. >> There is lots I cannot speak. >> Tell her not a lot of people in the world know about Swedish, especially nurses. >> It's very difficult. >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> The Korean War is called the Forgotten War. >> Korea [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> And that is why I want to ... >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> "I'm surprised." >> That is why I want to make it known to more people. >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> And that's why your story is very, very, very important and precious. >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> Especially when people think war, they only think soldiers, but they don't think about the doctors and the nurses. >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> She agrees. It was an important mission they had. >> You saved many lives, so thank you. >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> All the stitches she has removed and all the burns she has treated. >> Did you see anybody die? >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> Not in her ward. >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> That's good. >> I've heard other veterans tell that the Swedish hospital was very well-respected among the soldiers. >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> Very good doctors. >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> So the Swedish hospital had very, very qualified doctors, and another veteran told me that she even saw in the soldier's helmet that they had put little notices, a little piece of paper saying, "If I'm injured and cannot speak, take me to the Swedish hospital." >> Ah. >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> She hasn't heard that, but I've heard it from other ... >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> That's good. Well, I hope you have great pride in what you did. >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> Danish and Norwegian people also. >> Mm. But to you personally, [FOREIGN LANGUAGE]. >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> Thank you. >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] You should come earlier.

>> Well, my name is Kevin Collin Joseph Berriman, commonly known as Col. I joined the Army on the 25th of October 1951, on my 17th birthday, as the Korea War was waging at that time. However, as I was underaged, at 17, you weren’t allowed to go into active service until you were 19. So therefore, the first 2 years of my Army life was spent waiting to go to Korea, in fact. I finally made it just after the Armistice when I went back for a second tour on the line. When we arrived, we did not have to put up with the shelling and the major fighting patrol activity, however, when I arrived my immediate thought was the sympathy for the people, and most of the populous was in starvation at that time. It was a terrible time for the South Korean people. When we arrived, there was still activity up on the DMZ. We established the demarcation zone, and our main activity at the time was patrolling inside the zone, which was allowed in those days. We patrolled one side, and the Chinese, who were still there, patrolled the other side, and we used to to wave to each other occasionally in the center. There was still activity with North Korea crossing the border on several occasions. Of course, we had to keep the whole area fortified, and I served there for approximately 12 months in that activity. There were several clashes on the border at that time, and I was injured during one of them where we had to chase some suspects. We chased them into a mine field. Well, we didn’t ever find out who they … I’ll have to stop. Anyway, we never got to catch the four that we were chasing. We saw them, nearly caught them, but they went into a mine field, and we stopped the chase, but sadly saw them … Well, we couldn’t interview them because there was nothing left of them to interview after that. During the chase, I sadly fell down a ravine, and I didn’t know it at the time, but I’d fractured my spine, and really I was out of action for some weeks after that. I spent time in hospital, and then came back to Korea for a short time where we engaged in more patrol activities, especially along the DMZ. Then my time was up in Korea, and I was hospitalized again, but over in Japan while I was in hospital, I was approached by the public relations officer. They wanted somebody to look after the office in Japan for a while, and they recruited me as a junior noncommissioned officer in the public relations office, where we were engaged in photography of Operation Glory, which was where the exchange of the dead occurred. We were receiving our dead, which had been buried in North Korean graves before the establishment of the static war lines on the Kansas Line on the 38th parallel. And also, we were working returning North Korea and Chinese dead at that time. I was engaged in the fringes of that, mainly working with a photographer that was taking photos of the Operation Glory activities. Some of them are still in the memorial at the present time, when our dead were coming back, and we were sending dead back over to North Korea. I left Japan in July 1955, so I was over there for almost 2 years, and I came back to Australia. Korea had finished with then. I was just due to go over to the mine action, the emergency which was occurring over there, but was found to be, because of my injuries, no longer suitable for the infantry or active service. I retired from the Army in 1957 under the care of our Department of Veteran’s Affairs, who really have cared for me since I was 22 years old. I was re-educated through our Department of Veteran’s Affairs, became an accountant with a university degree and worked with the public service for a further 25 years until my injuries caught up with me again at the age of 48 when I was retired from public work. Since then, I’ve had another career of volunteer work for the ex-service community, mainly in welfare and bereavements, and that’s it.

>> So can you tell us a little bit about how many veterans in Australia are still remaining?

>> Sadly … Can we stop for a moment? You asked me, Hannah, how many veterans are left in Australia. There were 17,850 served in Korea from 1950 until 1956. Now, as of October last year, there were less then 3,000 of us still alive. To be in fact, there was only 2,700. They’re dying very quickly. At the present time, there would be no more than 2,400 of us left. Now, I can also give you some casualty figures of those that we lost. Those that paid the supreme sacrifice during their service in Korea was a total of 356 who lost their lives, 340 before the cease fire on July 1953, and 18 after the uneasy armistice that occurred on that date. Is there anything else that you would like?

>> POWs, missing in action?

>> Missing in action, we still have 42 that are missing in action, about half from pilots that were lost, mostly in the North. Only one that we haven’t recovered in South Korea. The rest of the missing in action are Army personnel mostly in the DMZ, which nobody can find in any case, even to this day. We suspect that some of those pilots that were lost in the North could have gone back on recoveries that have occurred by the Americans. It’s a possibility that they could have some of them in Hawaii. We’re investigating this matter at the present time by organizing a memorandum of understanding with the American authorities. Those that were recovered, of course, are all in the Hawaii cemetery, the beautiful American cemetery in Hawaii. I think it’s called the Punchbowl. Perhaps they could be, but it’s very doubtful if any of the 22 Army personnel are there. They’re mostly still in the demilitarized zone. There’s thousands of Chinese still there, and Americans, many thousands of them, still missing. That’s about all that we can say about the MIAs. Under the current regime in North Korea, I don’t think we’ll ever recover any more of those. Anyway, it’s so long ago now, what, over 60 years. What’s to recover?

>> How about POWs? Australian POWs?

>> POWs, there are very few of them alive now. I can’t tell you the exact … We had probably over 20, 25. Some of them died in captivity, three of them, to my mind. I don’t know whether we have any still alive at the present time. I think there was about less than 30 we had POWs in Australia. What else?

>> What do you think is significant about Australian contribution in the Korean War?

>> What?

>> Australia’s contribution in the Korean War unlike other countries? For example, on top of my head, I could think of is the Australians contributed all the …

>> Well, for our size, we contributed quite a lot, especially … You’ve heard some stories from two of our pilots, both from the Navy and from our own 77 Squadron, who flew there. Our Army contribution, of course, was three infantry battalions, which for our population at that time, 17,850 of us served, so for our small population of seven million was … Our actions, of course, in the infantry we contributed to several major battles: the taking of Maryang-san, which during the static war was … Although we took it in October 1951, it was lost shortly after, unfortunately, but Maryang-san was the main Chinese outpost on the Jamestown Line. That was a major battle. The Battle of Kapyong, of course. Australians and the Canadians held the line at Kapyong during the big Chinese offensive of 1951, in April 1951. The Australian battalion 3 RAR held the Chinese offensive during that time long enough, for 3 days, for them to establish the defenses around Seoul, which stopped the Northern advance. And then, of course, the static war period happened shortly after that in October 1951, where the war stayed until the armistice just about the 38th parallel. For a small force of 17,000, as I said, we lost almost 400 killed in action. Many of us were wounded and injured, like myself, I suppose. I was one of the injured. Anyway, that’s about all I can say really. It was a long time ago. My main thoughts and feelings during the time that I served was heart rending. I was so sad to see the population starving, especially children, which upset me very much as a young man. All that I can say is my … The sacrifice that the South Korea people paid was enormous, and they must be congratulated for how they’ve lifted themselves up after that disastrous time to such a prosperous country that it is today, and I’m very proud to be concerned with the recovery of Korea. They’ve done a wonderful job. That’s about all. I can’t think of anything else. I get bad thoughts when I think of what the people suffered. It was a terrible, terrible time for them. Terrible thing to see. We helped them as much as we could, of course, but we couldn’t feed the whole population. Anyway, that’s it.

>> Hi, everybody, from Paramaribo, Suriname. This is the Surinamese River, and I am going to take you to the Korean War memorial at this Independence Square. So it's very fitting today. I'm going to have to be careful because I don't want to fall into water, but today is Independence Day in Suriname, and that's why there's a lot of activities going on in the background. Suriname gained independence in 1975 on November 25th, and obviously today is November 25th, and they gained independence from the Netherlands. So the reason why I'm here in Suriname is because they were a former Dutch colony, and during the Korean War in 1950, the Surinamese, 115 of them ... Whoa! >> Watch out. >> Went to Korea, and two were killed. So you'll see over there, there is a memorial with three statues. Again, this is the Independence Square. And I was so happy because it seemed like obviously there's so many people here. It seems like a lot of people knew about this memorial. It was 2008 when the Korean government dedicated, donated money so that they could dedicate this memorial [INAUDIBLE]. This rain has [INAUDIBLE] a couple times throughout the day like a storm, so it's a little bit wet. So a Korean soldier, and this was erected [INAUDIBLE] monument in memory of Surinamese [INAUDIBLE] in 2008, June 25th. As you guys know, June 25th is the day that the Korean War started, 1950. So there's the beautiful Korean soldiers. If you look at them, they look a lot like the American soldier. If I'm correct, and I'll have to find out more, but the Dutch soldiers were attached to the 2nd Infantry of the U.S. Army, the Indianheads. That's probably why they're wearing, like, American uniforms. So I'll show you the [INAUDIBLE]. This side, so it basically says that it was dedicated to 102 Surinamese veterans, and like I said, two passed away. And on the other side ... Look, the [INAUDIBLE]. There are the names of everyone, and I am extremely excited because there are currently ... Among these, there are only three living, and so tomorrow I'll be meeting Mr. Gom and two more others, and we will be here in the morning to lay a wreath, so I am extremely grateful, and thanks to [INAUDIBLE] for filming and taking me around today ... >> You're welcome. >> ... and showing me this ... >> You're welcome. >> ... beautiful, beautiful country. I have learned so much from you, thank you, about the groups here, and I just wanted to quickly point out that the Surinamese are extremely diverse here, and I'll explain why a little later, but the flag has a star in the middle, and that star symbolizes the unity of all ethnic races, so ta-da. I'm wearing yellow to symbolize unity because I, wherever I go, pray for unity among just all of us, but at the same time, I keep praying for unity and peace between North and South Korea so that they become one Korea. So thank you, everybody. I will see you tomorrow. Bye.