>> 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.

– Yo me llamo Manuel Antonio Gaitán Briceño. Fui cabo segundo en la guerra de Corea. Eh, me llevaron en el año 53 a Corea, estuve en el campo de guerra, de batalla, el cerro… De ahí me sacaron para reserva por lo que yo tocaba acordeón para ir a un concierto en Busan. De ahí regresé otra vez a Corea a prestar el servicio común y corriente en patrullas, patrullajes, en el cual no tuve ningún problema. Eh, el tiempo que duré, pues, me mandaron a una academia de los Estados Unidos a hacer un curso de preparación militar americana y nos mandaron con dos suboficiales más y el único que sacó diploma fui yo, véalo por puntos, los otros no alcanzaron la puntuación. Y me tocó que llegar al batallón Colombia a darle instrucción a mis compañeros de acuerdo a lo que me habían enseñado en la academia de la séptima división de los Estados Unidos. El resto, pues, común y corriente, el tiempo se transcurrió y fue pasando poco a poco hasta que me mandaron al Japón a, eh… eh, recuperación y descanso, un, un descanso que le daban al personal que era aplicado y tenía estudios y todo eso, por 10 días en el Japón, como, como premio, ¿ve? Como premio a lo que se había hecho. Y ahí ya se llegó el momento de venirnos para Colombia otra vez, ¿ve? Que nos tocó siempre un poco, eh, cansón porque traíamos los restos de todos los compañeros que fallecieron y, y armamentos y todo lo que había, lo que teníamos que nos había dado la séptima división de los Estados Unidos al batallón Colombia. Eh, no tengo así más que informarles sobre lo de Corea por parte mía. ¿Ve? Que estuve prestando mi servicio allá y estuve en una academia de los Estados Unidos haciendo un curso para preparación militar americana y ya eso, pues, me vine para Colombia otra vez en, en el General Stewart, un barco de los Estados Unidos, ¿ve? Zarpamos de Corea y llegamos a un puerto en Honolulu, Hawái, y estuvimos ahí dos días y luego seguimos rumbo a Buenaventura, Colombia. Ya aquí, ya aquí seguí en el ejército hasta el año 55 que me retiré porque no, no me gustó mucho el ejército, ¿ve? No, no, no tengo más que informarle porque no fui herido, ¿ve? Estuve en la línea de fuego, pero no fui herido, y la guardia que presté. Y a amenizar y alegrar a mis compañeros con la música que yo tocaba acordeón y formamos un conjunto, y ese conjunto, pues, lo organizamos y tocábamos en los ratos de descanso en reserva y amenizábamos el tiempo para no estar tan tristes, ¿ve? De Corea, pues, en los cuatro tiempos, ¿no? Que se llega, que es el otoño, primavera, invierno y verano, que siempre se le hace extraño a uno porque aquí en Colombia si quiere uno estar en tierra caliente, está, si quiere estar en tierra fría como acá, está uno, pero no hay cambio de, de clima como allá que están los cuatro tiempos. ¿Ve? No, no, no tengo más así que informarle, ¿ven? Porque mi estadía, pues, claro que fue casi un año, pero no, no tuve problemas, ¿ve? Porque siempre que estaba en la línea o algo, me llamaban para ir a tocar a Seúl, a Busan, en Incheon no, no estuvimos en Incheon estuvimos cuando llegamos y no, pues, la pasé más bien, no, no, no la sentí tan fuerte, por decirlo así, la milicia allá. Y el viaje un poco, eh, molesto por la vaina del barco que de, de Panamá hacia, ah, Honolulu son 15 días y uno que no estaba acostumbrado a, a viajar en barco, eso se le, se le llena a uno toda la… Y otros 15 días de ahí a, a… el primer puerto del Japón, de ahí sí en tren a Seúl que eso estaba todo bombardeado, vuelto una nada, estaba pésimo, ¿verdad? En cambio ahoritica en el 2006 que estuve otra vez en Corea invitado por la embajada, eh, está eso excelente, puentes, todo, una cosa muy bonita, ¿ve? Muy maravillosa, en comparación a, a, al 53 que estuve, que eso estaba todo bombardeado, vuelto una nada. Eh, peladitos por ahí pidiendo qué comer, todo eso porque no tenían como alimentarse y había mucha, mucha pobreza, demasiada pobreza. Ahoritica no, ahoritica es un país que está ciento por ciento avanzado en todo, ¿ve? Y esas fábricas de carros, eso de la un, una imagen muy buena a Corea, ¿ve? Y estuvimos también en, a 100 metros de Corea del norte, porque hasta ahí puede uno llegar, pero eso se ve triste, gris, ¿ve? No se le ve ambiente a, a Corea del norte, ¿ve? Pero bueno, estuvimos mirando, ¿no? Estuve en el paralelo 38 en guardia también, pero a Dios gracias no me pasó nada. No tengo más que informarle.
[ACENTO EXTRANJERO]
– ¿Ha visitado a Corea?
– ¿Ah?
– ¿Ha visitado a Corea usted? ¿Visitó a Corea?
– Sí, yo estuve, eh… con mi, eh… Ah, estuve en el Japón también, pero en el Japón en, en… Me perdí en el zoológico de Tokio, esa fue la…
– ¿Recientemente, recientemente?
– ¿Ah?
– ¿Recientemente visitando a Corea? Usted visitando. ¿Visitó a Corea recientemente?
– Ah, sí, en el 2006 estuve visitando a Corea, por eso es que le digo…
– ¿Por qué 2006?
– ¿Ah?
– ¿Por qué? ¿Cómo?
– Me invitó la embajada de Corea.
– Un, guao.
– ¿Ve? Nos invitó a 14 colombianos.
– ¿14?
– Sí, estuvimos en el cementerio.
– ¿Sí?
– Allá en Corea.
– Sí.
– Y esas partes, sus alrededores, y cuando fuimos a, a los 100 metros que le digo de Corea del Norte y hasta ahí podíamos estar, no podíamos pasar más para allá. Eso está lleno de guardias y, ¿ve? Y miramos el, el paralelo 38 casualmente, ¿ve? Hasta 100 metros, ahí de para allá ya no se puede, ¿ve? Y a eso es que le digo que está Corea un ciento por ciento en comparación a cuando la vimos que nos tocó que andar en un tren todo bombardeado, vuelto una nada hasta el campo donde teníamos que hospedarnos, por decirlo así, y de ahí salir a entrenamientos para luego entrar a la línea de fuego, ¿ve?
– Sí.
– Y la pobreza que vimos en ese tiempo era muy, muy cruel. Cuando estábamos en reserva la alimentación que nos mandaba el ejército americano, que era una, una alimentación que la llamaban: Ración C7, lo que nos quedaba se lo dábamos a ellos, ¿ve? Que se hacían, se acercaban por las alambradas, ¿ve? Para pedirnos que le diéramos algo, ¿ve? Porque estaban, pues, muy… sin alimentación, sin nada, muy… Ropa, sin nada, ¿ve? Les dábamos ropa de lo que teníamos por ahí que nos sobraba se la dábamos también. ¿Ve? Entonces a uno le daba, pues, eh, tristeza, ¿sí? Porque aquí en Colombia, pues, obvio, somos pobres, pero procuramos sostenernos de cualquier manera sin, sin tanta… Menos mal que aquí no ha habido guerra, ¿no? Pues, guerras así, pero, guerrillas que llaman, pero era que allá sí estaba eso. Y, y pensar que, que Corea del norte fue la que inició todo, ¿ve? Y se unieron con los, con los, este otro país, se llama… comunista también, con china y otro país no me acuerdo ahoritica el nombre.
[ACENTO EXTRANJERO]
– ¿Rusia?
– ¿Ah?
– ¿Rusia? Ruso.
– Sí, una cosa así. ¿Ve? Se unieron para atacar a Corea del Sur y en ese…
– Ruso… Ruso.
– Rusia.
– Sí.
– Rusia, Rusia. Ellos, se, se unieron todos para atacar a Corea del Sur, ¿ve? Y sin embargo, pues, eh, hay un, eh, un recordaris, por decir así, que el batallón Colombia cuando estuvimos en combate y todo, a raíz de eso se firmó el tratado de paz el 23 de marzo, si no me equivoco, o el 25 de marzo, una cosa así, del año 53, hasta ahí hubo combate, ahí ya se acabó el combate y ya se siguió prestando guardia, pero por prevención, ¿no? Que no volvieran otra vez a molestar.
– Yo quiero que, ah, por su gran honor de sus sacrificio en la guerra de Corea, que, ah, muy pronto, ah, ahí será el tiempo cuando, ah, Coreanos en North Corea, ah, también tienen la paz y… libertad, ¿sí?
– Sí, señora.
– Sí. Y gracias…
– No, señora.
– …abuelo, porque, ah, sin sus contribuciones no… ah, no puedo ser aquí, estar. Gracias.

– We were fighting in Korea. They’re doing a Korean Wonsan. The city’s infantry saved the American regiment. The Marine. For when the… came, they had to from Hungnam to… road. To go to the way because there were too many Chinese. They had to go the other way. They stopped the Chinese… the American gave into the war.
– Who fought in the, uhm, Hungnam evacuation?
– ¿A dónde?
– Fue que en el 50.
– ¿En el 50?
– …tuvo que agarrarle.
– En el 50 estaba allá.
– I went in 1951 until 1953. I went to the Geochang course. I go to different companies. I was the battalion company. Company I, second platoon, second squad. In Korea. Everynight… And I was the Army… with my company. Combat payment. Make the patrool everynight in Korea. Papas… She was my. Too much mine. Explosion.
– ¿Usted fue un policía militar?
– I was infantry over there.
– ¿Qué recuerda?
– ¿Qué recuerdo, qué recuerdo de allá? I was in the attack in… hills. Maybe you don’t remember.
– No.
– In Kelly mountain of Kelly hill. We fight over there in the mountain for three battalions. First battalion, second battalion and third battalion. First battalion about all the… battalion. Not all complete. Too much died. Killed. Too much killed over there in the mountain, and the second battalion, killed too. And the third battalion,… my captain said, “Two more dead, two more injuries.” So, we go to the mountain down.
– ¿Qué es el nombre de la batalla?
– Kelly hill. Three battalion. Right over there. – ¿Dónde?
– ¿Dónde fue esta batalla?
– En Corea.
– Sí, sí, sí, pero ¿el sur o no?
– I don’t remember the… You know. I was a debutant.
– Sí, sí, sí.
– In Kelly hill. The mountain is Kelly hill. The mountain.
– Korea Hills? Kelly?
– Kelly hill.
– Kelly hill. K-E-L-L-Y.
– Kelly hill.
– Kelly?
– K-E-L-L-Y.
– Kelly hills.
– Kelly hills.
– Yo estudiaré. ¿Sí?
– Sí, sí, sí. Y ¿qué, qué piensa usted de regimiento 65? De la legacía del 65.
– 65 pelió mucho allá en Corea y batalló mucho allá, mucho, batalló mucho.
– Muchísimo, ¿no?
– Mucho, muchísimo.
– ¿Por qué?
– I don’t know. The enemy took…
– ¿Cómo se llama? El terreno.
– Sí, sí, sí.
– El terreno. The mountain, the land, everything. The enemy took the…
– ¿Ustedes piensan que el general…?
– El general Cordero.
– ¿Qué?
– General Cordero nos metió allá.
– ¿Cordero?
– Cordero. Sí. General Cordero, eh…
– Three battalions. He make one… meeting in the yard over there. You can take the mountain in… You can take it. The mountain, the… You can take it. …the mountain. What? Okay. We go over there. No good. Too much dead. Too much injured. Too much killed. In the mountain, Kelly was the… Mongolian. Big one. The Mongolian and Chinese and Korean. North Korea stays over there too.
– Pero el regimiento fue segregado, ¿no?
– When we go back from the mountain the other day. We’re going to take the low weapon in the mountain. Too much weapon. And looking at the injured, the dead, too much people. Too much soldiers dead.
– Pero, pero el regimiento 65 solo, solo puertorriqueños, ¿no?
– Puertorriqueños, sí.
– Sí.
– Eh, después más tarde nos…
Attachment American soldiers in different company, Puerto Rico. Over there in Korea. The company… in different company attached the captain, the lieutenant to take out the…
– …eh, esto de, ¿cómo se llama? De que… los que… que venían de allá.
– Officer, American officer, attaching different companies. Attached my company, one American captain, I don’t remember now the name, he not believed me Puerto Rico. The American don’t believe me. The American captain don’t believe I’m Puerto Rico. When he go to the patrol and the scout take… the captain over here, this way. And the captain, I remember, because the captain said, “No, you have it the wrong way!” Company over here, this way. I don’t know. He walked to the patrol to the recognizant patrol, the enemy is approaching towards mine. I’m a soldier… Sergeant Rodríguez from… Puerto Rico. He exploded dead to the mine because the place is too much mine, you know? I remember the… I pictured it in my mind.
– Guao.
– Yeah, every…

>> Hi, everybody. I am here at the Veterans Affairs Department with, ta-da, my American-Samoan and Korean-War grandpas and their families, so I’m going to introduce you to them. So you met yesterday the Veterans VFW state commander, Inafo Maria.

>> Hello.

>> Aloha, right? And then the post commander, Mr. Apu.

>> Hi.

>> Okay. So here is my veteran grandpa. You can come a little closer. Your name is …

>> Suaka Shushba.

>> Yes. Grandpa Sua was in the Air Force, which is very rare, in 1950 …

>> Two.

>> 1952, so he flew to Korea carrying a …

>> Atomic bomb.

>> He carried an atomic bomb, but thank God, yeah, thank God he didn’t have to drop it, right? Yeah. If I remember correctly, General MacArthur kind of wanted to drop it, huh?

>> Wanted to drop it.

>> Yeah, but thank God that didn’t happen because Korea then would not exist today, maybe. Yes, and maybe I wouldn’t exist, so thank you for not dropping it.

>> [INAUDIBLE] protect Korea.

>> Yes. Thank you. Thank you. Look how young he looks. How old are you, Grandpa?

>> I’m 87 years old.

>> Eighty-seven, he’s looking young though.

>> He’s too young.

>> Yes. Now this is my second Korean-War-veteran grandpa with his lovely girlfriend and son, handsome son, right? Grandpa, your full name?

>> [INAUDIBLE].

>> Yes. It’s a little bit long, but for short, I will call you my Grandpa … first name …

>> Beneva.

>> Beneva, Grandpa Beneva. He has an impeccable memory, and he was a combat veteran, right?

>> Yeah.

>> He served in some of the major battles of …

>> Outpost Harry.

>> Outpost Harry with the Greeks.

>> Pork Chop Hill.

>> Pork Chop Hill. Oh, by the way, everybody, do you have the … Well, he doesn’t have it, but he’s part of the Indianhead, the second ID. There’s a lot of Indianhead people watching this. So, “second to none,” right?

>> Second to none.

>> Second to none. Yes, yes. That’s it, so thank you, and what’s your name?

>> Gilbert Fiere.

>> Okay. What does it mean for you to have a father who served in the Korean War?

>> I’m very proud of my dad. He inspired me to join the service as well, and so I’m very proud of him.

>> Where did you serve?

>> First Persian Gulf War.

>> Oh, thank you for your service too. Thank you. Okay. Well, he’s not a Koren War veteran.

>> Nope.

>> As you can see, he’s not that old, but his father …

>> Yes.

>> His father was a Korean War veteran, and your father’s name is …

>> Edwin Robert Hollister.

>> Yes. Mr. Grandpa Edwin, he too also served in Desert Storm, so we have many families. Many of the members of the family served in the military and American Samoa. Per capita, right, number one, per capita, number one, and they have the spirit of serving the country, duty freedom, right, family, protecting family.

>> Yes.

>> And so your father served what year, you said?

>> 1950 …

>> 19 …

>> … until 1953, somewhere that time.

>> Yeah, yes, and he served in the Army.

>> Army, yes.

>> Yes. Do you know what division or what …

>> No. I don’t know.

>> Yes. He doesn’t know, but he did say that his father was very proud, right?

>> Yes.

>> He died 7 years ago?

>> No, back in …

>> Oh, it was ’75, 1975.

>> ’76. He passed away in 1976.

>> Oh, 1976, but he was born in 1925.

>> Yes.

>> Oh, and he was a medic. Now it’s coming back to me.

>> He was a medic, yes.

>> Yes, he was a medic. He was a medic, so we have airmen. We have a combat veteran, and we have a medic in American Samoa in the Korean War. And this is a very special story, so I’m going to save you last.

>> Mm-hmm.

>> Ladies, best for last, but his father …

>> Uncle.

>> Uncle, I’m sorry. His uncle also served in the Korean War, and so did he, right?

>> Yes.

>> And your uncle inspired you to be tough, right? You said so.

>> Yes.

>> Yeah. Everybody was scared of his uncle and his family, he said, right?

>> Yes.

>> And what is your uncle’s name?

>> Name is Titae Fieme.

>> Yes, and we honor him and his memory. Now her uncle and her brave uncle also fought. So they’re all family here. Let’s show … What’s your name? What’s your name? She’s shy, but she’s very cute and pretty. Okay, so your uncle’s name is …

>> Masanisa Soripo Fanlan.

>> Yes, and her uncle, however, passed away, died, was killed in the Korean War.

>> Action.

>> Killed in action in August …

>> August 12th, 1950.

>> Yes, so as you remember, that was less than 2 months after the Korean War broke, and this was before the [INAUDIBLE] of MacArthur, so when your uncle fought was when the North Korean army, after invading the 38th Parallel, kept pushing down and down and down and down. So your uncle was part of the first major casualties that were suffered, and it was so touching because her family still remembers her uncle’s memory, but she never saw his picture. They don’t have a picture of their uncle, so they don’t know how he looks like, so they only remember him through the heart, and so I’m really hoping that I can find them …

>> A picture.

>> Yeah, get a picture so that they can see how handsome their uncle was, and I know your other sister is not here, but there was a song about his uncle. Can you sing that a little bit one more time?

>> I don’t know. I forgot the words.

>> Yes.

>> My sister remembers.

>> Just a little bit.

>> The word of the song, it was done by my grandmother, his mom, and the word of the song goes like this in English: “Masani, where are you? Are you sleeping, or are you awake? Please come home.” That’s it.

>> And his mom was always waiting for him to come.

>> I think because he left when he was a young man, not an old man.

>> I call her my auntie, and I’m so, so honored you’re here, and I’m here to say thank you to your family and that your uncle’s service and sacrifice is not forgotten, okay?

>> Amen.

>> Forever, and there are so many people out there who are grateful to you. I represent them. I’m here to represent everybody who’s grateful, not just by myself, okay?

>> All right. Thank you very much.

>> So thank you, everybody, and I’m just so happy to be here on this beautiful island. We still have [INAUDIBLE] to do and cemeteries to visit. We’re going to go visit her uncle’s grave later. So remember727.org. Thank you. Bye.

>> My name is Brian Morney. I served with the First Battalion of the Royal Sussex Regiment, and I was in Korea for 1 year. I was stationed just south of the Imjin River, not far [INAUDIBLE] and the glorious Gloucester Hill. I was there from 1956 to '57, which was postwar, and we were the last British Regiment to leave South Korea, and we were on active service at that particular time, and during that time, we had 200-man marches through Korea, which 25 miles a day for 4 days, and we did that twice. On one occasion, we had a very, very big parade at our army camp, and that was attend by Syngman Rhee, the president at that time of South Korea, and he arrived at our camp by helicopter, which was quite an occasion for all of us. When I went to Korea, because of the state of South Korea at that particular time and the poverty that I saw, I wasn't really interested in ever coming back to Korea again ... Excuse me ... Because I thought that the people were so poor and hard done by. Sometimes, it made you cry, but I've been on a revisit to South Korea, and now I think it to be one of the nicest countries I've ever been to. The people are so hospitable and really caring, and I can't speak highly enough of what Korea has done in that short space of time, and if I ever have a chance, I'd love to go back to South Korea and to visit all you lovely people once again. Thank you very much.