>> Well, actually, I really don't know from where to begin. It's all the same. I was a young captain with Second Battalion of the Parachute Regiment when we got orders to move by air to South Korea to supplement the effort of Custodian Force India, which consisted of five regular battalions with the brigade headquarter. Perhaps Custodian Force was part of Neutral Nations Repatriation Commission with its headquarters at Pyongyang, and they [INAUDIBLE] because our job was essentially to repatriate the prisoners of war. No decision had been taken how to dispose of the prisoners of war. So we ... The brigade went there by sea, but having reached there, they realize that the force was not adequate to look after and manage the prisoners-of-war camps, so we, my battalion, which was the parachute battalion, was moved, and the Globemasters were provided by America. I had never seen a Globemaster because the biggest aircraft we had was a Dakota with a capacity of 20 and a Fairchild Packet, which was the World War II vintage aircraft with a capacity of about 15, 30 to 40, and this Globemaster could carry in two tiers about 130 troops fully with their kit, so it was a great experience really. We stopped at Clark Air Base in Philippines early in the morning. Now it was an eye-opener. It was about, I think, 3 or 4 a.m., and the troopers were already lining up to have their breakfast, and we, you see, the Indians had by and large in that period of that stage of our development was hardly 5 feet, 7 inch, 5 foot, 6 inch, and there we saw Afro-Americans lining up, and it was a tremendous experience, and the amount that they could eat for breakfast, it was really ... From there, we were taken to Japan, and I think it was Tachikawa or some airport, and then we were transferred to a battleship, which took us to the Incheon airport. There Mr. Syngman Rhee was the President of South Korea. He thought that Indians were pro-communist. Although India was the chairman of Neutral Nations Repatriation Commission, which consisted of India as chairman, and we had a very famous general officer, General Thimayya, who later on also served in the United Nations. Besides India, there was Poles and Czechoslovakian representing the communists and I think if I recollect Norway or Sweden ... >> Sweden. >> ... [INAUDIBLE] the other part of this force, of this headquarter, and Custodian Force India under the general officer consisting of five battalions I mentioned earlier, so Syngman Rhee refuse to let us go by train from Incheon or go through South Korea to the demilitarized zone where we were destined, our Custodian Force was placed. Again, it was a great experience for me as a young officer. Helicopters were unknown in India in those days, but seeing helicopters from the ship like you see ... It was an experience again. The helicopters were small. Just they could take about four or five along with their complete as we call kit [INAUDIBLE] operational kit. Everybody goes with it. And we were put in the demilitarized zone, and we landed there. I was then [INAUDIBLE] rifle company, which generally consists about 18 men, and it was about 5 in the evening, and it was getting bit dark when I was given orders to relieve another company and take over straightaway the prisoner-of-war camp. There was no head count. I was just told that about 500 prisoners of war were in that camp. There was about five or six camps there. And lo and behold, lo and behold, middle of the night, and it was a subzero kind of temperature. We were not equipped really for the Korean climate. We were not equipped. There was a breakout, and our sentries on the [INAUDIBLE] were firing to stop the exodus. It was a nightmare. We were in our under [INAUDIBLE] sleeping, and suddenly this commotion was taking place, and perhaps they had timed it also. They knew they were very seasoned, those who had fought the war, but some of them were hard-core communists who never wanted anybody to either go to South Korea or to any Western countries, and they were creating terror in the camp, so any way to continue with this breakout, lot of them got through. They were very keen to go to South Korea or to go to south or to [INAUDIBLE] anywhere else, but it was a major setback for me that this happened when I was in command of the camp. That's a different story. I had to face a bit of disciplinary action for that. Then we were taken. You see, I appreciated the amount of hard work put by the generals of the American army to prepare a camp for about 800 soldiers and officers and be centrally heated. That itself was quite an experience that they were able to set up, and it was just [INAUDIBLE] canvas sheets and with some kind of heating arrangement in the center where perhaps diesel was being burned to keep the warm and also the ... You had the wooden floors and things like that and ... But one thing was that our senior commanders never wanted us to take on the United Nations, the American dress. They wanted us to remain ... They permitted the troops to wear clothes to be comfortable, but to officers, whatever we were entitled to, then what we had taken, which was certainly not ... wasn't adequate but to set an example that the leaders themselves were being given Indian rations whereas the troops were allowed to have rations with the other United Nation troops were. Initially we [INAUDIBLE] because we were uncomfortable. >> Mm. >> The clothing wasn't warm enough. Neither was the food. It took us hours by pressure cookers to cook the [INAUDIBLE] and the [INAUDIBLE] and all that whereas the troops were being fed the Californian oranges and the lamb and the ... all that frozen lamb and nice cheese. Anyway, gradually we were able to convince the senior [INAUDIBLE] that it is not [INAUDIBLE]. It's all right to set an example, but an example should also be related to the actualities on the ground and the situation. Now the ... We had also ... A hospital was also there to cater for. Let me concentrate first on the behavior of the core communist leaders. They had created cells in the compound, deep cells, wanted to give you protection against the climate, and second was that they used to torture those perhaps who were very keen to break away ... >> Mm. >> ... and torture them so badly that they will kill you, and in the morning, what you saw was two, three bodies being put on the gate of the ... which was a barbed wire kind of gate. It was a very tough situation, and you could do nothing. We could do nothing against the torture that was going on in the camps. Once we settled down, then I'm relating to what my job was. I was given the job of presenting prisoner of war from my camp to the team of NNRC, Neutral Nations Repatriation Commission, team, and each prisoner of war was exposed to them in a tent or something like that [INAUDIBLE] tent. >> Mm. >> And there each ambassador are part of that team will bring messages and those recorded messages but played requesting these fellows to come back to their own motherland, go back to North Korea, to China, wherever. But there was no force involved in this whole exercise, but as luck would ... bad luck for me. And these prisoners used to restrict so that they carry no weapons or no sharp ... to harm the ... There is a bit of representative of the NNRC. And we used to strip them, and as I said, my bad luck came. One of the prisoner had kept a blade somehow. I don't know where. And he slashed one of the faces of [INAUDIBLE]. There was a commotion. >> Wait. This is very ... >> He had hidden a blade, a shaving blade, somehow, which we didn't know this, and he slashed the faces of one of the members of the Neutral Nation Repatriation Commission's team member. Anyway, he was overpowered, and of course I had to face the music later on through my normal army channels, but the officer who was conducting an inquiry into the whole thing was very considerate that it wasn't something intentional. There was no motivation on my part to relax, and therefore I was honorably ... And it was quite a bit of tension [INAUDIBLE] as a young officer I had then about 6 years service, and I was about 26 years old then. >> Mm. >> These were the ... But the life generally was very made reasonably comfortable. Later on, they permitted us to have the [INAUDIBLE] and all those facilities with the other United Nation troops were having. But what ... As a young officer, it was an eye-opener, and you match yourself professionally and otherwise in smartness, in alertness, in [INAUDIBLE]. We ... I thought, "I am as good or even better in a sense than officers from the other ... some of the other countries," so it built a lot of confidence in me as an individual, and perhaps that's the reason that I rose to be the vice chief of the army later on in life. >> Wow. Vice chief of the army? >> Right. Right. >> Wow. >> So we used to have ... Once I was taken off from that and I was made adjutant of the battalion, that means I was not involved in the looking after the prisoner of war but managing the affairs of the unit. We had a comfortable stay there. Our officers' mess was there. All the facilities were given, even [INAUDIBLE]. >> Mm. >> And we used to naturally sit in a huge transport carrier and which was warm enough to [INAUDIBLE]. I remember seeing a movie of Nat King Cole, the great singer of those days, and the son I remember, "What a Beautiful World," "What a Beautiful World," which was a great song in those days. Then we celebrated our festivals, Diwali and all that, and showed to the rest of the [INAUDIBLE] of the [INAUDIBLE] and the others. Perhaps it must have been explained to you that we were five battalions. That means a brigade nearly would service about 5,000 troops. Indian troops were there, which is quite a contribution. Do not [INAUDIBLE] but later on. >> For how many years? For how many years? How long? >> Oh, yes. It was in 1953, '54. That means we came back about 10 months, 10 months. We were ... >> In 10 months, there were 5,000 of you? >> Mm-hmm. >> There were 5,000 of you? >> Yes. >> Five thousand? >> Yeah. >> For 10 months? >> Ten months. Yes. >> Wow. >> Yes. >> Because before the war, the unit was very small, less than 400. >> [INAUDIBLE] it was [INAUDIBLE] which was part of the ... But this was ... I'll show you the plate I have. >> Mm-hmm. Later. We can ... >> Later. We have a plate for that. Then also we got a chance to visit the NNRC headquarter, which was at Pyongyang, North Korea, and now North Korea, and there was again a world of difference between the attitudes, the reading of the situation. It was entirely [INAUDIBLE] aggressive. You could see there the aggressiveness on the part of ... The Chinese were still there too, but we were dealing with only prisoner of war. >> How long did that take, that process? So the armistice is signed, okay? >> Mm. >> And then so ... Then you start negotiating, right? >> Mm. >> The army, not negotiating. The negotiation was already done. >> Unite ... You see, United Nation was part of the fighting, so this was a ... I think under Geneva Contention or some, a Neutral Nation Repatriation Commission. Repatriation, which is a self-explanatory thing, was to repatriate or give an opportunity to the prisoner of war where they want to go, but again, it may be premature. Unfortunately, we were not able to achieve our task. No final decision was taken, and we had ... We returned the prisoners of war back to the neutral nations, and we came back ... >> So that ... >> ... without achieving the aim. >> And it took 10 months? >> Yeah, less than 10 months. >> Mm. So what happened to the person that slipped or slipped a person, the POW? >> I wouldn't know because that [INAUDIBLE] was taken by the Neutral Nations Repatration Commission. >> Was he Chinese or North Korean? >> Again, I wouldn't know. >> Mm. >> I wouldn't know because there was not written that they are North Korean, or they are Chinese or whatever. >> Because I know POW is still a very ... That's why the war lasted 3 years. >> Yeah. >> I heard ... >> Yeah. >> ... that after 1 year, by 1951, the battle was already kind of decided. It was all within the 30 ... along the 38th parallel. >> Parallel, yes. >> And it was just up and down and up and down, up and down, not different parts, but the reason why it dragged was because of the POW issue. >> Mm, mm. >> And it was hard to come to ... >> You would be surprised that I think [INAUDIBLE] came to India. >> [INAUDIBLE]. >> And ... >> Who did? >> And ... >> POWs? >> Uh-huh, and they were now ... They are part of our association, and they are businessmen there in Delhi. >> Wait. Wait. Wait. Wait. Wait. Wait. Wait. Wait. Wait. Wait. What do you mean? The two are Koreans? North Koreans? >> South Koreans. >> South ... Okay. After the war. >> South ... >> After the war. >> South Korean prisoner, they came to India. >> Oh. >> They opted for India. [INAUDIBLE]. >> They were captured by the enemy. >> Yes. >> And then when they were repatriated, they said they want to go to India. >> Yes. >> Interesting. So they are ... >> Actually, this fellow, the [INAUDIBLE], should be able to tell you exact name of this person. He was a businessman. >> Oh. >> Yes. >> Well, I guess ... >> But I don't think he is ... I don't know, but we keep on meeting him. We have get-togethers, association get-togethers, and he attends that. Whether he has given up his citizenship, that I am not aware whether he is [INAUDIBLE]. >> So the association has members of both the parachute, the ambulance and the ... your unit, right? >> Not mine only. Custodian Force India was the executive branch of the Neutral Nations Repatration Commission. >> And that was 5,000? >> That was 5,000 troops with a [INAUDIBLE] hospital, big hospital, not only an ambulance [INAUDIBLE] ambulance but a big hospital with all facilities. I think they could maintain ... The back strength was about 50 or so, big, big hospital. >> So all together less than 6,000 Indians went to Korea? >> Yes. >> And luckily only one died, luckily. >> Mm. >> How did he die? >> Hmm? >> What kind of accident? How did he die? >> How did he die? >> Mm-hmm. >> I don't know the ... >> The one Indian ... >> ... actual ... But again, while we were there, I mentioned their aggressiveness. They even want the General Thorat. He was a general officer of the Indian army who was the head of the Custodian Force. They were maltreating some prisoners, so he went in to see for himself, and there this aggressive lot, must be North Koreans or Chinese, they made him captive ... >> Hmm. >> ... a general officer, and then a big operation was ... More force was brought, and he himself was a seasoned World War II veteran. >> Hmm. >> So he was able to convince them that they cannot keep holding onto him. He will be free, so it is better that they do it in a peaceful manner rather than bloodshed. >> Hmm. >> And he was able to convince to them because the troops have then ... We were part of that to take action if something goes wrong. >> Hmm. >> So these kind of situations were ... Then we had ... On a Diwali day, I remember I led the ceremonial parade of the normal ... And we put up Malcolm ... I wonder if you ... You may not have heard. Malcolm is a martyr. How long you been in India? >> Two days, 3 days? >> Malcolm is an exercise. It's to strengthen your muscles and things like that. A greasy pole taller than this, about 15 feet, which you climb, a greasy pole, so you climb by maneuvering your body in a manner, and you reach on top, and then in a pyramid sort of fashion, more will join like that, then display ... And it was subzero. I think it about minus 10 or 15, and they are absolutely naked. >> Mm. >> [INAUDIBLE]. So what I mean is that a cultural sort of exchange was also there besides the military parade and things like that [INAUDIBLE]. >> Because there were so many different cultures there. >> Yes. >> So many different cultures. >> Rest of the countries were there. >> Yes. So it was very interesting. >> Have you been back to Korea? >> Yes. I went there in 2002. >> For the first time? >> No, 2002, yes, only once. I went there once. >> That was during World Cup. >> During the [INAUDIBLE] so was absolutely ... There were nothing. There was nothing standing in the capital, and one was really surprised to see in 2002 the development which had taken place. I think its credit goes to the South Korean or Korean as a whole, I would say, that the sense of discipline, the sense of dedication and also perhaps motivation through their education, through their parents, through their teachers, through the general society that they have been able to achieve wonders. >> I think Koreans have a strong sense of duty, and we are very grateful people, and I believe that we recognize that so many foreigners came to Korea to defend our freedom and that we owe it to all those who served to really rise above, rise from the ashes of war to become successful and prosper, and I ... Although I'm Korean American, I'm very proud when I hear that the Korean government really treats the veterans with the utmost respect ... >> Oh, yes. >> ... and gratitude. >> We've been receiving signed by the president of South Korea messages of this gratitude and also this system of ... And it is maintaining the link with the next generation and the next generation. Already the grandchildren are ... They go on this kind of program where they are taught. They mingle with people from all the countries, and also, I think they are even offered now scholarships. >> Yes. >> Yes. Thereby, you can opt to take a job even after to learn Korean language, and, yes, all these facilities are being given. >> Yeah. >> And we are really surprised that while ... Even China, China in 1949, '50, was much behind India in its GDP, and even throughout [INAUDIBLE] reign, it's only [INAUDIBLE] or somebody. When he became president, I think he became president after [INAUDIBLE] that he brought the technical know-how. Firstly, they were so proud that they disconnected. They thought that the Soviets were too overpowering and neutralizing their character, and so they gave that up, and then they had all the technology made up with Americas and see what they have achieved. They have become ... They are a superpower now. >> Mm. >> And so is South Korea. They are known as five tigers of Southeast in development in technology, in all sphere of activity. >> Mm-hmm. >> I wish that we in India could also somehow become a little more disciplined [INAUDIBLE] because, through discipline, we can achieve. It also moderates your character, your integrity, but in spite of our teachings, we are really civilizational, somehow the ... I shall be saying, but somehow the leaders, the political leaders and the bureaucrats have affected the development side. >> Mm. >> But it is improving. >> Yeah. >> It's improving. >> Yeah. >> Yes, and there is a hope. >> Yes, and I have so many Indian-American friends that they're ... The diaspora, they're very, very, very prosperous, and they'll bring back that kind of knowledge and ... because that's what Chinese ... >> Where are you staying in? >> I ... >> Stay USA? >> Washington, D.C. >> Washington, D.C. >> Yes. >> Yes. >> And there's an Indian-American congressman because I worked in Congress for a long time, and, yes, I think all over the world with many of the diaspora bringing back the knowledge and just the sense of, I guess, more discipline, like you said, because when you go abroad and you're not in your home country, you have to work as harder. >> Harder. >> And that's why I feel like I've achieved the American dream because, for my parents who sacrificed their life to come to America for us, we think we got to succeed, right? I think that's the same analogy of the Korean people. The parents all over the world, the veterans, came and sacrificed, so the Korean people think, okay, for them, to honor them, the people and the country, they have to succeed, and so I hope that ... I'm very glad you got to see modern Korea with the tall skyscrapers. >> [INAUDIBLE]. >> Yes. Everybody says there was only one bridge over Han River. Now there's 16 bridges, and I ... There's Samsung. There's Hyundai. There's ... all over the world. And I hope when you see that, that you feel very proud, that you were part of that making. >> Yes. >> Mm. I really hope that, and that's why I wanted to come, and I wanted to just ... I know you know, and you are proud, but it's also nice to hear it again, to say thank you again. >> Tremendous, tremendous. >> Yeah. >> [INAUDIBLE]. >> So I do want to say thank you. >> Yeah. >> Oh, in the Korean custom like in New Year or when you pay respect to the elder, we bow. >> Mm. >> That's the proper way of saying thank you, so I wanted to actually do that because this is ... I tried ... This is not sorry, but I tried to wear something a little bit kind of Indian to pay respect for you, so I'm going to do that because that's what we do, and I will say thank you the proper way that I was taught to do.

-Mi nombre es Epifanio Rodríguez Núñez, estuve en la Guerra de Corea, y en la época que estábamos allá se participó en la Guerra… en la batalla de Unsan, una ciudad que quedó totalmente destruida. Actualmente pertenezco a la Asociación colombiana de veteranos de Corea en Colombia y soy su presidente. ¿Cómo ingresamos al batallón colombia? En esa época estábamos terminando el servicio militar en la escuela de infantería, el capitán Álvaro Valencia, en esa época capitán, después fue general, llegó un día tarde y nos manifestó que… pedía excusas por haber llegado tan tarde, pero que había estado en el Ministerio de guerra, así se llamaba el Ministerio de defensa en esa época, y en la presidencia y que lo habían enviado a Corea, que quién quería ir con él. Inmediatamente todos dimos un paso al frente. Nos dio algunas explicaciones, y cuando ordenó romper filas, todos corrimos enseguida a la biblioteca a buscar un mapa para saber dónde estaba Corea y de qué se trataba lo que habíamos hecho. Cuando salimos de Corea, estaba totalmente destruido, había mucha pobreza, las ciudades estaban destruidas, las madres estaban recostadas sobre las ruinas, amamantando a sus hijos sin tener muchas cosas que comer. Era realmente una situación lamentable, de mucha tristeza. Pasado un tiempo, volvimos a Corea invitados por el gobierno de Corea, y la sorpresa extraordinaria: qué ciudades, qué calles, todo, un modernismo extraordinario. Y aparte de eso, en este momento, Corea es, aproximadamente, la séptima potencia mundial económicamente hablando. Estos nos enorgullece. Y además, todos los que estuvimos en Corea consideramos a la República de Corea del sur como nuestra segunda patria.Y además, todos los que estuvimos en Corea consideramos la República de Corea del sur como nuestra segunda patria.

>> All right. My name is [INAUDIBLE]. This is my sister, Hannah. She’s the youngest of our siblings.

>> The youngest of 11.

>> My niece, Sa, named after my grandmother and my niece, which is her daughter, named Elena. We are from … We are all relatives of our uncle that was killed in the Korean War, and his name is [INAUDIBLE] …

>> [INAUDIBLE].

>> [INAUDIBLE]. He’s from … He has many villages from [INAUDIBLE] and [INAUDIBLE]. Yeah.

>> [INAUDIBLE].

>> So we weren’t there when he was alive because he died in 1950 in the Korean War, and I was born in 1956. My daughter … My sister is 1965.

>> 1965.

>> So we didn’t see him, but we know from our dad’s stories about his brother. My dad is … He’s the one … The uncle, my uncle died in Korea, and he’s older than my dad. My dad is the youngest of the siblings, so based on his story, he joined the military and the armed forces, and then he went off island because of that, and he … When he left, he didn’t marry, but he has a girlfriend that he was suppose to marry before he left, but that didn’t happen, and based on our dad’s story, word arrived from off island that he was killed. He was killed, and they waited for 7 to 9 months, I think 7 months, before his body was found and …

>> [INAUDIBLE].

>> … transferred down here to the islands, so he was brought in with the word that they’re not supposed to open up the coffin, so they haven’t seen if he was really in there, and he was buried in Pago Pago, his mother’s land in Pago Pago, so that’s all we know about him, but when he died late in 1950, my mother gave birth to one of my brothers and because of uncle was passed away, he was named after my uncle. Yeah. That’s how we remember him because we did not see him in-person. He passed away before we were born.

>> Do you know which battle he passed …

>> The Korean War.

>> I know, which battle?

>> During the war, which battle? Like, where did he die?

>> I don’t know.

>> I don’t remember.

>> We don’t remember, and I …

>> What … Do you know what date …

>> Date?

>> … he died, what date?

>> Yes, it’s in the sheet of … and on the tombstone. It’s August 23, 1950.

>> August 23rd, 1950.

>> Yes.

>> Oh, that’s during the beginning of the war. That was the most difficult time of the war.

>> And we were told … My dad told us that he’s … where he was doing on the … Through he war was he the operator of a tank, the machine, and he was killed right there.

>> Oh.

>> He was operating the tank.

>> Oh.

>> The big gun, yeah.

>> How old was he?

>> I think he was … Because he was born in July 12th, 1933.

>> He was baby. He was 18.

>> Yeah.

>> Eighteen.

>> He just turned 18, so he joined the army right when he turned 18?

>> Yeah. Who?

>> Your uncle.

>> I think so.

>> Yeah.

>> Yeah.

>> When did he join the army?

>> I’m not sure.

>> Yeah.

>> We don’t have that.

>> Seventeen, 18.

>> Yes.

>> Yeah. He was a baby, so what does it mean for you to honor him here today?

>> Very much important to us because ever since he passed away in the war doing what … I think it was discussed during my dad’s time, but during our time, we never speak of him because we know very little about him. Yeah. We haven’t seen him. If only we can find a picture of him, but we don’t have it.

>> No picture?

>> No.

>> No picture.

>> I think those times …

>> Not even his baby picture?

>> I think those times, there were no camera on the island.

>> Oh.

>> Yeah, so …

>> But I knew he was planned to get married when he comes back.

>> Yeah, but that didn’t happening.

>> Oh, but no picture, so nobody knows how he looks like.

>> Maybe my dad is the one who only knows how he looks like because …

>> They made a song. They made a song about him.

>> Yeah. There’s a song about him.

>> Really?

>> [INAUDIBLE].

>> It’s on the Internet.

>> Yeah.

>> Do you sing it?

>> I forgot the words to that song.

>> I used to sing it with my grandmother, and that’s long ago.

[Lyrics]

[INAUDIBLE]

>> Come on. Sing it. Sing it. Sing it.

>> I forgot it.

>> Yes. It’s … I forgot because …

>> Sing it. Sing it. Try. Try.

>> … it’s been 40 years.

>> Okay.

[Lyrics]

[INAUDIBLE]

>> It’s going to make me make tears.

>> What does it mean?

>> But that’s how the song goes.

>> What does the song mean?

[Lyrics]

[INAUDIBLE]

>> [INAUDIBLE]. Oh.

>> Oh.

>> Asking about where he is.

>> Oh.

>> It’s …

[Lyrics]

[INAUDIBLE]

>> Who made the song?

[Lyrics]

[INAUDIBLE]

>> That’s the name of the song. That’s how we would remember him.

>> Sorry, very emotional.

>> Well, I’m here to honor him and his memory.

>> I mean, it’s a happy feeling to … for today to remember him again.

>> Yes.

>> But it totally forgot the whole song, the whole lyrics, but that’s how …

>> I used to sing it.

>> But that’s how I could remember.

>> I used to sing the song with my grandma, but it’s 40 years ago now, 40 years.

>> But it’s amazing that you’re … All of you are here to honor him. I mean, I don’t know know him, but I know where he is. He’s with the Lord.

>> Yeah.

>> And he’s watching over all of your family. Yes, and I think …

>> And he’s at peace.

>> … he appreciates it very much that you remember him.

>> Yeah.

>> Thank you. Thank you.

>> Thank you. If only we could see a picture of him, it’s …

>> Maybe [INAUDIBLE] because our dad and his brother [INAUDIBLE]. They only have one sister. Maybe she has some photos, but she pass away too.

>> Oh. I think that’s why it’s so important that we remember and we record the history.

>> I don’t know if she were … Of his record when he join the offices if there’s any picture.

>> There has to be.

>> I know.

>> Oh, I hope we can find it.

>> Let’s try to find it.

>> [INAUDIBLE].

>> Yes, let’s try to find it.

>> Pictures of him, we didn’t even see his face.

>> Okay. Okay. Thank you so much. Okay, everybody say …

>> Thank you so much for your time.

>> … bye.

>> Thank you.

>> My name is Michael Bladen, and I went to Korea with the Royal Canadian Navy. I was there from 1954 until 1955, and basically, our job was to patrol up and down the coast to make sure that nothing was going, nobody was intruding on ROK land or sea area, and one of our major things that we did was to take clothing and provisions to the islands that were isolated by the Korean War. So that was a large part of what we did, and we used to darken ship and patrol every night, and essentially during the day, we were there 2 weeks at a time, and then 2 weeks we would go into rehab in Hong Kong or Japan, any one of those places, and then back in for 2 more weeks, so it was each time. And then that essentially was what our job was.

>> So you’re telling me that you were in Korea after the armistice?

>> After the armistice, that’s correct.

>> Not a lot of …

>> They were still fighting in early part of the ’54 though.

>> Not a lot of people know that.

>> Not a great deal, but it was sort of back-and-forth skirmishes but …

>> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE]. >> And this association is also a museum for the people. >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE]. >> And this establishment was sponsored by a Korean firm called N11. >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE]. >> And this N11 company, the Korean company, helped us a lot. >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE]. >> Me and all the Korean veterans are really happy with all the Koreans who have supported us. >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE]. >> And their constant attention and help towards us always makes up happy. >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE]. >> And today, allowing us to interview with us and allowing us to tell our story also makes us really happy. >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE]. >> And as the president of this association, I'm really glad and happy that you guys are showing this kind of attention towards us. >> Thank you. >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE].

>> Hello. My name is Arthur Campbell. I went to Korea in February 1952. I left for Korea in February. I landed in Korea in March of 1952. It took us a month to get from our camp in Ottawa, Ontario. It took us a month to get over to Korea. They put us on a terrible ship. It must have been made in Japan or China back in the day because it broke down halfway across the ocean.

>> The ship broke down?

>> The ship broke down.

The big propeller stopped propelling, so thank God it had a little propeller on it, which kicked in, but consequently because we used the little propeller, it took us twice as long to get us across the ocean, which was not very nice. It was not very nice, but we made it. We landed in Japan. We stayed at the dry docks in Japan for about 3 days until they finished the ship. Then we went on to Korea. I liked Japan. It was very nice. It was occupied at the time, being so close to the Second World War. They didn’t know it was still occupied, and the occupation troops that were there were Australian, nice guys, big. They were all 6-foot-2, 6-foot-3, but they had the bad habit of thinking that the occupied Japan, that we weren’t allowed to touch anything. Excuse me. I won’t be vulgar, but we were all young guys, and we liked girls. So we would go to the dance hall.

You would buy a ticket, and the ticket would allow you to dance with a girl. We spent a lot of money on tickets. I did. Then, while you’re dancing, a big Australian would come along and say, “I’m cutting in,” and, “No, you’re not.” So we had a lot of arguments with the Australians, but we still had a girl. Then we moved on to Korea, and it was terrible. It was terrible. People were poor. The cities … It was awful. It was the most … I shouldn’t be doing this. I never went back. I had two or three chances to go back, but it just bothered me so much. I’m not over yet. When you were talking when you first come in, you were talking about … because of the troops that were there, United Nations, not just Canadians, United Nations, and because of them, you, your brothers, sisters, aunts, uncles are here now. That’s true. That’s very, very true because the amount of children, fatherless children, wonderful ladies that were just doing anything to keep their kids. It was terrible. So I’m proud. I’m happy about that, but I’m not going to get into anything as far as the terrible things that happened.

I can’t do it, and I won’t.

>> Then how about, so back here in Canada, you’re very active in the Association. What are some of the things that you’ve been doing as part of the Association to ensure that Canadians don’t forget?

>> What I have done, because I am the youngest, and thank God I’m still in fairly good physical condition, and I’m one of the few in the club. Now, Dave and I are both very good. Dave is an organizer. He can get things moving. Excuse me. I, on the other hand, am more of a hands-on type of guy. I can set up meetings. I can set up our picnics. I’m like a babysitter to most of the guys that can’t move, like I’m taking care of Ken. Ken and I are dear, dear friends. I pick him up, take him home. I take care of him. I’m sure you know that he has a little problem with dementia, and so yes.

What I do is humanitarian things, really. I love the guys. They love me. We get along together, and if I say to them, “Hey. We’re going to the Wall of Remembrance in July,” and this is January, “When?”, “19th of July,” “Okay.” They’re ready to go. I’ll make sure there’s transportation for them to and from and things like this. I’m not one to … I’m just one of the guys that can still help.

>> You’re the one behind the scenes that may move things.

>> I guess you could say that.

>> Yes, because there’s an organizer.

There’s a planner, but somebody has to do logistics.

You’re logistics.

>> Yep.

Yep.

>> Well, you said that it’s very painful for you to think about and remember it and even visit Korea because of the horrors that you’ve seen and witnessed in the war, but it is true that Korea still has not achieved peace. What do you think about that? What do you hope, maybe?

>> Well, I’ve heard that it does, so I’m terrified that that freaking idiot that they’ve got running North Korea, the little fat guy. All he talks about is bombs. I don’t like that. I don’t like him. We’re too old, but I’m telling you, if they need an instructor, there’s a lot of guys are capable. I’d go back in a blink of your eye. I would go back.

>> For to fight for Korea’s peace.

>> As an instructor. I couldn’t climb one mountain, not unless you got me a big billy goat that could carry me.

>> So you, as an instructor, you would leave your family even now to go back.

>> Right now, I have 13 grandchildren …

>> Wow.

>> … eight grandchildren, five great-grandchildren. My wife, God bless her, she passed away in 2008. She was a little girl, 4-foot-11, beautiful, beautiful, beautiful, Italian, black, black hair, brown, brown eyes, body … Oh. She was gorgeous, and then she had a stroke through diabetes. God, but thank God, she didn’t suffer. So to answer your question, I’ve got a family. I’ve got my kids, but they’re all grown up. They don’t need me anymore. They don’t need me anymore. They visit. They feed me. They phone, “How are you, Dad? Come on down Sunday,” which I do after church. I always drop in and see. But when the day comes that you’ve got no one that depends on you, really you’re taking up space. After my wife passed away, it was terrible. It was terrible, and yeah. I’d go back. I would go back. I’ve got too much involved in that country, too much of me. There’s too much of me still there. When I come home, yeah, I wasn’t the same Arthur that came home as the Arthur that went. Okay, sweetie?

>> I love you.

>> I love you, too, and you made everything … you and the thousands like you made it worthwhile.

>> Thank you.

>> Okay. Love that.