Countries

>> My name is Joseph Wagner. I was during [INAUDIBLE] tough years in the Luxembourg Army, and one part of this occupation from back in the Korean War. I engaged in 1950, and I was sent to Korea with the Luxembourg detachment. All the people, they were volunteers. They had all volunteered, and we were attached to a Belgian battalion. We couldn’t afford to have a big force, to have all the logistical facilities, unit command, but we were all the time with Belgians attached to a Belgian company. And so we went, before the war, sent to a Belgian training camp. We did all the training which was useful for fight, for a soldier to be engaged in a war, and after that, we were sent to Korea on a Belgian boat. It was called the Kamina. We went on a Belgian boat, the Kamina, which was not very comfortable. We had very hard time during 6 weeks, being from one sea to the other, and we arrived. We started on the 13th of December, and we arrived in Korea on the 31st of January. It was a long way, yeah? So then we were received in a reception center. We went on training again, what we found out by contact foreign units who had already fought in the Korean War because we came in. Then the Chinese were already in the war. They started in November, and we arrived on the 31st January, and what I feel, we never saw a North Korean soldier. We were all the time engaged with Chinese because during the landing in Incheon, all the Korean units, they were cut off from their bases, and they had no contact from their bases anymore. And, well, our first mission was to fight them, and we had our first mission, was to control the communications of South Korea, and we were stationed in week one. Week one, that was our first mission. We were all the time patrolling the region to be sure that those people would not go making trouble in this area. And after that, we joined the third American division, and we were taken in offensive action that was south of Seoul. As I said, we had to … First crossing was the Han River, and then we went up with American units, with the third division, up to the 38th parallel. And from there, we trenched, our attachment. Then we were attached, the Belgian battalion was attached to the 29th British brigade, commanded by General Brodie. General Brodie, he was a jungle fighter, and when they sent him to Korea, there were only mountains and stones, no jungle at all. And, well, we were attached to this unit, to the 29th brigade, and then came the backlogged [INAUDIBLE] on the 23rd of April, and I was sent out on a patrol from the 12th to the 13th of April, and the Chinese, they were nowhere. Nobody knew where they were, because we had so many patrols during the night. Every unit had to send out patrols, and when I was sent out, I had … My mission was to see if a certain position was occupied, and when I came to this position, the position was occupied. We have a firefight with the Chinese occupation, and then we pulled out. We pulled out. We had one wounded, not by a bullet, but he was … He fell down on a certain position where he hit barbed wire or some kind of defense object. So we came back to our base, and I was called to the brigade’s operation officer, to the [INAUDIBLE] of the brigade, and then I told my story, that we were having contact with this position where we were both sent, and, well, that was very valuable information because 10 days after that, the war started. They started. The Luxembourg detachment was … North of the Imjin River was the other unit, the Luxembourg company, the Luxembourg … The Belgian battalion was north of the Imjin River, and all the other units from the brigade, the [INAUDIBLE], the oilers, the rifles, the [INAUDIBLE], they were south of Imjin River. And then when they attack, well, we had to, first of all, to hurt the position, 23 hours before we could move back, and we were already surrounded by the Chinese, and we were liberated, the help by air strike and by tank patrols. They cut the way from the Chinese, and so we had the chance to pull out, and then we went back. We went back, and during our retreat, we had, from time to time, what I call retreating operations. You had to occupy a position. You had to pull out. You had to occupy another position to make the aggressor that came from time to time on the resistance. And then we kind of came back to, well, south of Seoul. I don’t know the town anymore, and then we were on reserve of the brigade because the brigade was not operative anymore because they had already lost so many. They had lost one battalion. They lost the battalion, was wiped out on their position on the Imjin, and so the brigade was what we call in reserve. And after that, we were patrolling, all the time, the Imjin River, and that is where we had two wounded, two wounded on the night patrol, and we … Because the Chinese had all the time infiltrators across the Imjin River, and they were patrolling the whole region every night, every night. So we had two wounded, and they were evacuated to Japan, and when they had been, the treatment was up, they came back to our position. They came back to our position again. And, well, from there, we came also on a very comfortable situation because we were also reserve of the brigade. And from there, we stayed on the position making patrols on the level of the battalion, what they called a sweep, a coup de ballet, a sweep, to find out where the Chinese were because the Chinese, after our offensive action, they had been thrown out. They had been thrown out. And then of the first of July, we had very big operation, the Luxembourgers with Belgian battalion, Belgian company, and that was, we had to occupy the bridge head across the Imjin River. The bridge head, we had to make our position and when we moved up, we crossed by boat. The Imjin River was very swollen. It was very high, and we crossed by boat, and the British engineer troops, they took us along. And when we came on the other side, there were some people left on the village. They said, “Well, they are 800 men who have just left the position we occupied,” where we should occupy our bridge head. And after that, after we were occupied, we were attacked by enemy fire, by Chinese fire. They were occupied about 800 to 1000 meters in front of us, and we were taken in by fire. They attacked us by fire, and, well, as I was on the side, I had all the time, the possibility, the facility to call for artillery fire, and I knew exactly where they were, and I called artillery fire on their positions, but they were very clever soldiers. They were very, very successful and very skillful. And then a Belgian company was moved up to find out where the Chinese were located, and when they came up to the position, they were attacked by the Chinese, and they had to pull out. And we were on the favorable position to have to help them by protective fire, and all our men, all our, well, platoons started to give supporting fire to the Belgian company, and the company commander, he used to say all the time, “If I would not have had Luxembourg platoon on the 1st of July, my company was wiped out,” and that was a very good compliment to me and to my people. So we had to pull out again. We were the last one section after the other, and I was with the last section, and I was in the last boat being taken over in the Imjin River on the other side. And then the whole battalion, and some supporting elements of the brigade, they all were shooting to protect our reply. So when we were on the other side, well, we were safe again. We were safe because the Chinese, they were not … They had no means to follow, they had no means to go further than what they have done already because the Belgians, they had three or four wounded and so many hurt, so many hit and so many wounded. And then we went up to our position again from where we were located, and then on the … When did we came back? On the beginning of September, we were relieved from our position, and because the idea was to take the first battalion, we were sent in Korea, the Belgian battalion, to be sent home again, and we arrived in Rotterdam on the 2nd of October, 1951, and then we were sent back home again. But there was one more very important incident. Before we were liberated from the position, we had to take part in an offensive action that was what we call a diverging, and we were attacking., We were attacking a certain position, on a certain position, the Chinese. But on another sector, in the middle sector of the whole line, there was a very big attack moving on, pushing the Chinese further to the north. And during the night of … I forget. It was in August, the 7th or the 9th August, we were attacked again during the night by the Chinese, and we were … They were so close to our position that I was afraid that we would not have enough ammunition to fight them for a certain time, but that didn’t happen. The Chinese, they moved back again. We drew them back, and then we came back [INAUDIBLE] Imjin River and then we were called to what we call, to a position where we can have a rest, a resting position, and then we moved up. We handed up all our equipment, and then we were taken to Incheon on the boat, the General McRae, and, I guess, that must be in September. Yes, because we were 1 month on the way up to Rotterdam, and that was the end of the first detachment. We were sent back to Luxembourg, and then the people, they were sent on leave, and I went home to my parents, and that was as far as I had done as a Luxembourg commander and as a Luxembourg soldier during this war.

>> So how many Luxembourgers fought in the war?

>> How many Luxembourgers in the Korean war? At the whole, we were the second detachment that was created, and that was … We had 85 people in the Korean War. Eighty-five Luxembourgers were served in the war, and we have two wounded, and about 52 … No, 32 killed, and about 15 to 14 wounded. That was, for me, as a young soldier, a young officer, was a good experience. A good experience not only to fight another aggressor, but it was also very good experience how to handle people, how to handle people in a critical situations because I had to have confidence in my people, and they had to have confidence in me. I was a leader, and we have never had an incident or trouble that somebody was … I was very glad, and very glad. I had confidence in my people, and that was also a very big satisfaction for me when I came back. I had my people. Some had re-engaged. Six people had re-engaged, but where the other people, they went back to Luxembourg with me on the second of October.

>> You came back, and you volunteered. You said the 85 volunteered.

>> Yeah.

>> Including you, why do you think they volunteered?

>> All the other? Well, some people, they didn’t have a job. Other, they had maybe an adventurous spirit in mind because the adventure was all the time in the air, you can say, because people, well, they are excited, but most of those people, I feel they wanted to be soldier, and I don’t know exactly what were their feelings. If they were in to fight an aggressor and to help the Korean nation, I don’t know. My feeling was that I was engaged to help the Korean nation because they were in a very critical situation, and I was just coming back from school, so I said to myself, “Well, this is a very good occasion, first of all, to find out what is going on as a leader in a war.” And my second motivation was to help the Korean people because what we had heard, that the Korean people, the poor farmers, that they had been attacked by a very well-equipped aggressor. Yes, that was … When I started, I was at school. I didn’t know anything about Korea. I didn’t know where this country was, and I didn’t know what was going on, and finally, we found out that there was a separation between South and North which was because the first President, Syngman Rhee, he made elections in ’48, and when the people of the North, they had no rights because they were already under the domination, under the rule of Nam Il-Sung. Nam Il-Sung was the first president.

>> Premier Sung.

>> They did not take part in this elections, and Syngman Rhee had already in mind that he would be the president of the whole Korea. And, well, it came in another way, and, well, they were really surprised, but the American, I mean, information of this at G2, in this area, they should have known that something is coming up because if you start an aggression, you have to assemble so many units and I don’t know. Well, they had no chance. There were not many American units to block them, and so that was the reason why they had a chance to go so far to presume. They … Well, it was not far away that they had thrown the whole United States … not the United States, the United Nation Army in the sea again. And that was … That would have been a very big operation to have ground again in South Korea, and fortunately, in this few place on the Naktong, fortunately they stopped. They blocked the Chinese offensive, Chinese they were, and that was very … the biggest luck which could happen, and then after the Imjin, the Imjin landing, the Imjin landing by MacArthur where he cut out all the bases, all the units who were cut out, and then they broke out. General Walker, he was commander of the 8th Army. He broke out and then to join the forces who had made the landing, the landing that was at the height of Seoul, because from Imjin, they went in direction of Seoul, and Walker, he broke out in the same way because he had not very much resistance because all the North Korea, they were blocked. They were all cut out, cut up. And so they came together, and then from there on, from this part on, it was the United Nation forces. They were, we say, so many nations had engaged themselves, and at the end, we had 21 foreign nations fighting the Chinese in the Korean War, and that was the lucky part, what I have found, and it was very done well. Came the part when MacArthur was relieved from Ridgway …

>> Truman.

>> Huh?

>> President Truman.

>> No. No, MacArthur, he was liberated from his post or sent out or sent back by Truman, and he was replaced by Ridgway, and from there, from that point on, Ridgway was our operative commander, and he was a very good man. He made many punishment operations, what he called, when the Chinese, when we had attacked or found out some posts that they had taken back so many soldiers of the United Nations. Then he made a punitive operation. He said, “Now we will punish them,” and then he attacked on certain points. Well, I could not say much more about …

>> You must be very proud of …

>> I was.

>> … the Luxembourgers’ contributions.

>> Yes, I was. I was really proud, and I was also, not only to myself that I succeeded in my, in the whole field. I was very proud to have done a very human mission, and I was very glad that when the South Korean War was over, and the people could recover, and I was very much surprised what they have done during the last 60 years. I was so much surprised every time when I was in Korea. I was there already eight times, six or eight times, and I was all the time surprised for also about the kindness of your people. They are so kind and so grateful, very. That’s what is also, when I come back, all the time, they say, “Oh, if you would not be our liberators, if you would not come to Korea, what would happen to us?” And so that was what … And in the museums, Luxembourg is very well represented. In the museums in Korea, Luxembourg is very well represented. And then when after that when we followed, when we are back, we followed that very closely, and we were glad to hear that they have had finally come to agreement to cease fire. Not to … at peace because they are still in war. North Korea and South Korea, they are still in war, and I wonder about the motivation of the South Korean units. They are very good soldiers. They are very, very … Oh, I can’t imagine that the North Koreans, they would not come along far if they were there to attack, but there is one thing. I was in one of those tunnels. They had created eight tunnels under the Imjin battle, under the Imjin River. I was in one of those tunnels, and when they would have attacked again, they were not ready, but they could have attacked it with so many divisions across one tunnel. Well, that would be, what we call the most biggest evil which could have happened to the South Koreans because they found only out that there were tunnels. There were tunnels inside. They could not … They found out that the soldier, he was so vigilant, and he said he heard some noise, and went, “What is that?” And then they looked, after that, in making research through the earth, and then they found a [FOREIGN LANGUAGE], we called it. How do you call that?

>> An empty [INAUDIBLE].

>> An empty hole. And they investigated, and they started to look after that, and then they found the tunnels. That was also very lucky. Oh, because that was … No, they had no good things in mind, and luckily, I was very, very happy that Korea had developed in this manner. Good army, very well organized in the industrial field. Oh, I was very lucky to hear that Korea had recovered.

>> Well, like you said, we are all very grateful to you and your fellow Luxembourgers for your service.

>> Thank you.

>> Thank you.

[FOREIGN LANGUAGE]

>> My name is Krylov Ailey.

[FOREIGN LANGUAGE]

>> In Korea, I was called Lee.

[FOREIGN LANGUAGE]

>> So I am born the 23rd of July, 1931, in [FOREIGN LANGUAGE].

[FOREIGN LANGUAGE]

>> So I went into the Army the 8th of June, 1949.

[FOREIGN LANGUAGE]

>> So 1950 was the first call for volunteers to go into Korea.

[FOREIGN LANGUAGE]

>> He only went with the second detachment.

[FOREIGN LANGUAGE]

>> So this was going on through May [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] 1950?

>> Fifty-two.

>> 1952 until June ’52 where you were in Luxembourg and in Belgium.

>> Oui, mm-hmm.

>> Okay.

>> Yeah.

[FOREIGN LANGUAGE]

>> And then they went to Belgium.

[FOREIGN LANGUAGE]

>> So they finished their instructions there.

[FOREIGN LANGUAGE]

>> Meersburg.

>> To Meersburg.

[FOREIGN LANGUAGE]

>> So in March in ’52, they went by airplane from the airport, Meersburg.

>> Meersburg.

>> Meersburg, where?

[FOREIGN LANGUAGE]

>> And then first to the Azoren Islands.

>> And then Newfoundland.

>> Then Newfoundland.

>> Springfield.

>> Springfield, yeah.

>> Oklahoma.

>> Oklahoma.

>> San Francisco.

>> San Francisco.

>> Hawaii.

>> Hawaii.

[FOREIGN LANGUAGE]

>> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] yeah.

>> And then Tokyo.

>> And then Tokyo.

>> And then from Tokyo, I was [FOREIGN LANGUAGE].

[FOREIGN LANGUAGE]

>> Then they went from Tokyo by boat to the south of Japan, Sasebo.

>> Yeah.

[FOREIGN LANGUAGE]

>> Yeah. Okay. Yeah.

[FOREIGN LANGUAGE]

>> Okay.

[FOREIGN LANGUAGE]

>> So they went to Korea, and then for 2 months, they were trained.

>> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE]. Yeah. Yeah.

>> In training, and then … [FOREIGN LANGUAGE].

[FOREIGN LANGUAGE]

>> And then the first time they went to the front.

[FOREIGN LANGUAGE]

>> So then they went …

[FOREIGN LANGUAGE]

>> Then they went second time to the front in September of ’52, 1952.

>> Yeah.

[FOREIGN LANGUAGE]

>> And they went to the first post, not far away, about 1 kilometer away from the Chinese.

[FOREIGN LANGUAGE]

>> And then they had two periods there …

[FOREIGN LANGUAGE]

>> … during the whole period that they were there.

[FOREIGN LANGUAGE]

>> You could not bring your head high because all the time it was shooted.

>> Yeah.

[FOREIGN LANGUAGE]

>> And then they went back, and they went again to the front.

[FOREIGN LANGUAGE]

>> They were the day when there was rain period.

[FOREIGN LANGUAGE]

>> And they were 3 weeks in the front, and they were totally wet from the morning to the evening.

[FOREIGN LANGUAGE]

>> So that’s the period, rain period, for the rice fields.

>> Yeah.

[FOREIGN LANGUAGE]

>> Excuse me, please.

[FOREIGN LANGUAGE]

>> So they went back from the front.

[FOREIGN LANGUAGE]

>> When they went back, the activities was mainly to make patrol, patrol.

[FOREIGN LANGUAGE]

>> And he remembers he was a special rotation.

[FOREIGN LANGUAGE]

>> He received another name. It was [FOREIGN LANGUAGE].

>> Aven, Josh.

>> Josh Aven.

>> Josh Aven. [FOREIGN LANGUAGE].

>> So he … They changed the name because his father was officer in the army of the Czar.

[FOREIGN LANGUAGE]

>> And at this time, they were still persecuted.

>> Yeah. Yeah.

[FOREIGN LANGUAGE]

>> They have a name to protect him, and then he would come into where they would test prisoner. He would have been in danger with his name.

>> Yeah.

[FOREIGN LANGUAGE]

>> He received a citation, may be different from [INAUDIBLE] patrol is what we did, which we did.

[FOREIGN LANGUAGE]

>> So that was, he had the graduation because he was very contentious with a big conscious, and very high … He was very cold-blooded, how you call it. He was very … He not was so emotional. He kept his cold blood.

[FOREIGN LANGUAGE]

>> So he was … He received this, all the contention, because of the patrols, and he says that he was very conscious and did his job very well.

>> I have a question, so I know … I learned that your father … So you’re ethnically Russian?

>> Russian, yeah, yeah, Russian.

>> Ethnically?

[FOREIGN LANGUAGE]

>> So his father was Russian, but his father married here in Luxembourg, during the Luxembourg warfare.

[FOREIGN LANGUAGE]

>> When the revolution finished in Russia, some people freed from Russia.

[FOREIGN LANGUAGE]

>> Then the white Russians, they had no more financial means.

[FOREIGN LANGUAGE]

>> So they start to … They found work in Luxembourg in the north of the country in Wiltz. There were still industry for to make leather at this time.

>> So my question is, because in the Korean War, Russia was on the other side of the war, right?

[FOREIGN LANGUAGE]

>> Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.

[FOREIGN LANGUAGE]

>> North Korea was supported by Russia.

>> How did that feel? How did it affect you if any way?

[FOREIGN LANGUAGE]

>> So this … He says the Navy received protection, but he said he never faced Russians to fight them.

>> True.

[FOREIGN LANGUAGE]

>> So they changed the name.

>> Aven, George. Aven George.

[FOREIGN LANGUAGE]

>> Aven, George.

[FOREIGN LANGUAGE]

>> His real name is Krylov, yes.

>> Yeah.

>> To protect himself, he changed it to protect himself.

>> Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.

[FOREIGN LANGUAGE]

>> So he wants to say something more.

[FOREIGN LANGUAGE]

>> So when he was in enrolled with his army in 8th March, the 8th of March, ’49, the 8th of March, ’49, Tuten Werner was his first chief in this part of army.

[FOREIGN LANGUAGE]

>> And then in the 23rd of January, 1950, they went back to Luxembourg, and then the following stations …

[FOREIGN LANGUAGE]

>> So from Japan.

>> Tokyo, Okinawa, Bangkok, Karachi, Beirut, Nice, Luxembourg.

>> Nice is the south of France and then Luxembourg.

>> Wow.

[FOREIGN LANGUAGE]

>> So they were not … no isolation, so they had a lot of … In the ears, it was very hard, tough.

[FOREIGN LANGUAGE]

>> So he went back to the army to the stay there at his end, and his last grade was …

[FOREIGN LANGUAGE]

>> So since 1986, he’s in pension.

[FOREIGN LANGUAGE]

>> If you want to ask something …

>> You also visited Korea many times, right?

[FOREIGN LANGUAGE]

>> Four times, I visited.

[FOREIGN LANGUAGE]

>> So the firs time he was there …

[FOREIGN LANGUAGE]

>> The first time he was there was 1976, and there he could see still a lot of poverty. He could see what the people suffered.

[FOREIGN LANGUAGE]

>> That’s the second time he was there in 2010, 2013 and then 2016.

[FOREIGN LANGUAGE]

>> So what you could see …

[FOREIGN LANGUAGE]

>> So you could see what they really succeeded to do a lot of very hard work. It’s very hardworking people.

[FOREIGN LANGUAGE]

>> Also too good, also too can confirm this.

[FOREIGN LANGUAGE]

>> I think that’s all.

>> I hope that you’re very proud, also very proud.

[FOREIGN LANGUAGE]

>> Thank you.

[FOREIGN LANGUAGE]

>> I am very proud.

[FOREIGN LANGUAGE]

>> He likes South Korea. He’s very stoked when he goes to Korea. It’s no … How you call this in English. There’s no …

>> Traffic jam.

>> Yes.

>> No, no, no.

[FOREIGN LANGUAGE]

>> It is very clean, and it’s a discipline he can experience there.

[FOREIGN LANGUAGE]

>> So and also he can see in Korea the people know what Luxembourg is, and the children learn in the school to know all the different nations who participated to help liberate Korea.

>> Well, again …

>> Thank you.

>> No, thank you.

>> Thank you. Thank you. That was …

>> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE]

>> My name is Tom Harsalehr.

>> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE]

>> I’m 87 years old.

>> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE]

>> When I was 22, I left, in 1950 … January 1953, and I came back in 1954.

>> But it was great.

>> It was radio work.

>> In Korea, my job was a radio man. [FOREIGN LANGUAGE]

>> I was a radio man, and I was up with the commanders, commanding officers. My children know nothing at all about my past, and I want to keep it that way.

>> Why?

>> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE]

>> Because I lost my two best friends there.

>> Hmm. How?

>> Killed.

>> Killed in action.

>> Killed in action.

>> Hmm, it must have been very painful.

>> Mm-hmm.

>> But you served, and you made a sacrifice, and something great came out of it, and aren’t you proud? Don’t you want to share that with your children?

>> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE]

>> I’ve always found it extremely difficult to talk about this.

>> Even after almost 70 years?

>> I have everything here and here. It’s for me and not for other.

>> Well, how about maybe not your personal, but how about your … Well, how about this? In war …

>> Yes.

>> There’s a lot of pain and suffering, but sometimes, there’s also humanity.

>> Mm-hmm.

>> Like caring for the civilians, kids, I hear a lot about veterans remembering, soldiers remembering orphans. Do you remember anything like a touching story of humanity? You mentioned “M*A*S*H,” something laughing, something funny.

>> I got three friends over there, three dogs.

>> Three dogs?

>> Yes.

>> You had three dogs?

>> Three dogs.

>> Oh.

>> That’s after the war.

>> After the war, when you were a cook?

>> Yes.

>> Yes, do you remember their names?

>> I’ve got everything. No, I don’t know, but I can give to the dogs anything.

>> Yeah, dogs are man’s best friend. Well, so you mentioned that two of your best friends died, and I know 124 Dutch men, servicemen died. What do you think is … What do you think other people should know about the Dutch service?

>> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE]

>> Something different about Dutch service than other …

>> You mean what they do over there in Korea?

>> Whether what you did or what you think is very important, like protecting …

>> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE]

>> … other soldiers, and …

>> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE]

>> I will need … He doesn’t want to to discuss the extraordinary things that were particularly Dutch because …

>> No.

>> … of his friends.

>> No, but … No, I’m not talking about personal story. I’m talking about, well, numbers. You’re part of the Association. What … Why is the Association important? Why do you think Dutch or the rest of the world should remember this war? Because it’s called the Forgotten War.

>> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE]

>> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE]

>> Yeah, I …

>> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE]

>> Yeah, no, that’s my friends [FOREIGN LANGUAGE]

>> I have … These are my comrades here, but we never talk about the things that we have personally experienced in the war.

>> I know, but I’m not talking about personal experience.

>> No.

>> I’m talking about …

>> No? Okay.

>> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE]

>> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE]

>> The important thing about this Association …

>> The Forgotten War.

>> … is that it’s … It remembers the Forgotten War that Dutch history books forgot, literally, and it is hardly taught at school [FOREIGN LANGUAGE]

>> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE]

>> I was introduced to the Korea Association by a Mr. Ralph who came to see me at home and told me about this, and that’s why I became a member.

>> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE]

>> I go to the annual ceremonies.

>> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE]

>> And I accompany all the … all my comrades here to the grave.

>> Explain to me about … You wanted to explain to me about the dog tags.

>> This is for the dog. Listen. In Korea, when you’re on the line, and you have them. This one and when you are dead or killed, then she take this. She take this.

>> Okay, mm-hmm, ah.

>> But the medics, she coming, and she take this one. Then she take this one, and then she know who you are.

>> Identification.

>> So you have the two of them. One is used if you are killed, and then the medics come along to pick you up.

>> Yeah.

>> And they just take the other tag and know who you are?

>> The medics take this one, and you have this one.

>> And because it’s stuck between your teeth, you don’t lose it.

>> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE]

>> Well, I am very, very glad that you have both.

>> Everyone present is glad that you have both.

>> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE]

>> It’s been hanging in my bedroom for 60 years.

>> I’m very grateful. Last question: Your tie, explain to me about your tie. I love …

>> Your [FOREIGN LANGUAGE].

>> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE]

>> My [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] that’s the Korean [FOREIGN LANGUAGE]

>> Association.

>> The Korean Association tie …

>> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE]

>> … with the Indian emblem of the second division.

>> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE]

>> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] forwards and afterwards.

>> Yes, the emblem that was on the sleeves, when they went out there, the Indian was looking forwards, and when they came back to Holland, the Indian was looking backwards to Korea.

>> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE]

>> On the right or …

>> On the right or the left?

>> On the left, it’s looking forward.

>> Oh.

>> Yeah.

>> And that … What’s that looking?

>> That …

>> It’s looking on the …

>> That’s only the [FOREIGN LANGUAGE].

>> It’s just the Association tie.

>> Yeah.

>> Hmm.

>> You like it?

>> I love it.

>> You want it? You want to have it?

>> He’s looking to the right, so he was going out there.

>> You want one?

>> Yeah.

>> Last question, have you visited Korea?

>> Yes, 2 years ago.

>> Tell me about it.

>> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE]

>> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE]

>> November 2015, he was there.

>> All different, very, very different, when we come to Korea, we see only one thing: water, sand and [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] very bad. In Seoul, one bridge, and now … [FOREIGN LANGUAGE]. You’ll … In Seoul, you have only one street [FOREIGN LANGUAGE].

>> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE]

>> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE]

>> There’s only one street which was paved.

>> Only one street, for the pigs, and rest of the land, nothing.

>> Mm-hmm, the rest of the land were just …

>> The houses, very …

>> … no roads.

>> Oh, very bad, very bad [FOREIGN LANGUAGE].

>> That was the first time.

>> And after that, I come back.

>> And the only time [FOREIGN LANGUAGE].

>> When you were a soldier, when you went out, then.

>> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE]

>> And now?

>> And now?

>> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE]

>> Things have improved so much it seems as if we are holding back. We are now primitive. They are very advanced.

>> Yeah [FOREIGN LANGUAGE].

>> They are way ahead.

>> Well, I hope that you saw that, and you were very, very proud.

>> Okay, thank you.

>> Thank you.

>> I am Case Mutzhaven, born January the 5th, 1928. I went to Korea on March 16th, 1951. When the war broke in Korea, I was, at that time, in Boston for 3 months to take over some ships: the USS Rinehart and the USS Burrows. I was still a good face on board. March 16th, I went to Korea, and I came back June 21, '52, and there was a celebration of my daughter. She was 1 year old. I had never seen her before. I was married just before I went to Korea. Yes, it was a very hard time. But I was in the Navy, of course, and at that time, we are serving in the Yellow Sea in Korea to kite the jeep carriers, were in there for planes who bombardments in Korea, and we have ... Also, every 3 weeks, we went back to Japan, Sasebo, to rest and to fulfill our equipment, and then we go back to the Yellow Sea again. Once we are also on the east coat, and we enter the Bay of Busan, and that was the celebration of 175 days of shooting at Busan to the trains who are entering to go from the North to the South for things to bring for the soldiers there. In the bay, there was ... Do you know Busan on the east coast? It is in the north, and there are the three ships, and every 120 degrees, we are shooting in Busan. There was 175 days of shooting, and when you look at the looking glasses, you see that everything is standing alone. Okay. No, and that is ... And what we have done there, it was very difficult things in the Yellow Sea. At night, there were also fisherman's vessels, small vessels, and they had a radio on board, but they don't know the procedures there. So when an American spotted on the PPI and spoke and they asked for the code for friend or foe, when they don't answer within 1 minute, they shoot, and that happens there. So we had several people on board who lost their legs, and it was very bad. So we talked together that we make an opportunity that we can send telegraphs at night to those vessels to protect those vessels, and we did. So I sat there along the board. When I came on board of a vessel, my contact with the captain, and I gave him a hand, and they can go to sleep, and I sit behind the radio, and I know the the procedures of course, and so we protected those vessels. It was a good thing. >> You were the past president of the association. >> Yes. Yes. >> When was the association founded? >> It was founded in 1977. >> Oh, wow! >> And it has been about 40 years this year. Forty years this year, yeah. Forty years. >> So 4,000 members fought from the Netherlands, right? And how many are surviving right now, and how many members are in the association? >> The members of the association, all over there is about ... >> Two hundred and seventy-four. >> No. No. No. There's only the veterans, not the whole. In all, there is about 500? >> Yeah. >> About 500 members. >> Five hundred members. >> And from the 500 members, there are 275 veterans from the 5,000, more than 5,000. The percent is that we have more casualties in the Korean War than the Americans, which is 30. >> Right. You're right. >> Yeah, 124. >> Yes, out of 5,000. >> Out of 5,000. It was a lot. >> That's more than 20 percent. >> Yeah, more than 20 percent. Yeah. >> Because Americans, 1.8 million fought. You're right. Wow. Wow. Well, what do you think ... Again, what do you think is ... What are you so proud of with the Dutch in the war? Let's just say all the presidents of different organizations meet and brag about, "Well, we did this." What would you say about Dutch contributions? >> The contribution was very good, especially in the Army. But in the Navy, we only were on the open sea. I one time was on Incheon, on land, and also in Busan. We also rescued, and we tried to rescue a pilot who was down in the Yellow Sea. We came there with his parachute, and behind his parachute, he was already drowned. So we brought him to Busan for the cemetery there. >> American pilot? >> American pilot, yeah. I was finding that was [FOREIGN LANGUAGE]. >> Do you remember other nations, other people? Americans, obviously, but do you remember others? >> Yes. When we got to the vessels, then we go by helicopter or by slope to go to the vessels. And when I got back to the vessel from the destroyer of Australia, the Warramunga, I slept there. That was a very good membership for the people there. >> Well, explain to me a little bit about your medals. >> My medals? >> Yeah, you have a lot of medals. >> Yeah, I have a lot of medals. This is the Knight of the Order of O'Ryan. This medal is the medal of the 4 days walking in the Netherlands. I did it twice. That is the United Nation medal. You know them, yes. And this is the war medal of Korea, and that's the peace medal. >> Talking about peace, you know that the Korean War never ended? >> Never ended, yeah. No. No. Still an armistice in this moment. Yeah, and I'm convinced that it will be this century that says, "We'll unify the whole peninsula." >> Well, I hope this century! I hope sooner than the century, but yes. >> I said within this century, okay? It can be next year but then also over 50 years. >> Hopefully in many of the veterans' lifetime we will see a unified Korea. >> But you don't know what Trump and the new president of Korea are doing. I don't know what's happened with him. >> And we don't know what's going on with the North Koreans either. >> North Korea, no. >> Well, have you been ... Last question. Have you been back to Korea? >> Yes, several times. >> Several times? >> Yes. Yes, the first time was with the Minister of Defence in 2001, and I was also convinced that the people were very friendly. That is so kind, and then I was also in 2003 there, 2007 with an invitation from Mr. Moon, and I was in his castle. Mr. Moon, you know that? Have you ever been there? No, you've never been there? >> Well, again, thank you so much for your service, and on behalf of the Korean people, I appreciate your sacrifice. Thank you. >> You're welcome.

>> My name is Jolke Rijsdijk. I born in [INAUDIBLE] in 1928 and served in [INAUDIBLE] versus the Korean ... >> Volunteer. >> Volunteer. >> Volunteer >> ... Volunteer in 1950 after 2 years in Indonesia service. I awarded the Medal of Honor from Indonesia and Korea, [INAUDIBLE], the medal of [INAUDIBLE] ... >> United [INAUDIBLE]. >> United Nations. >> [INAUDIBLE] Korean War Medal. >> And I was in Korea in 1950 with about the [INAUDIBLE]. After shooting in the range where there's the American troops, they say to us, "You can come to the front. You are ready for shooting everywhere every day." So we started in 1950 to go to the front line, first to Taegu, afterwards to Suwon and later to [INAUDIBLE]. >> Kusongpo-ri. [FOREIGN LANGUAGE]. >> Above [INAUDIBLE] Hoengsong. >> Hoengsong. >> Hoengsong. >> Hoengsong. >> Hoengsong. >> Hoengsong. >> Hoengsong. >> And [INAUDIBLE] by the Chinese troops. We started to go to help three to five because the Chinese held the North Koreans in force, so on the upper side of the street [INAUDIBLE] died [INAUDIBLE] ... >> Preacher? Preacher? >> [INAUDIBLE]. >> ... priest died, and the paid boss died with 15 other guys, two corporal sergeants and so on. So [INAUDIBLE] little bit. >> What does this mean? Were you an artillerist? Right here. >> Combat rifle. >> Combat rifle. >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> Several days on the front line. >> Yeah. >> Ah, oh. >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> If you are 90 days in the front line, you get from the Americans the Combat Rifle. It's the one. >> [INAUDIBLE]. >> Means that you have 90 days on front ... >> Ninety days on the front line, yeah. >> ... on the front line. >> Yeah, yeah, yeah. >> Straight? Ninety days straight? >> [INAUDIBLE]. >> Straight? Ninety days straight? >> Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. >> Straight on the line. >> Yeah, yeah. >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> Radio man. >> Uh-huh. >> [INAUDIBLE] people I go with in the radio, and afterwards, North Korea, I came back in [INAUDIBLE] 40 years by the [INAUDIBLE] things. >> [INAUDIBLE] things. >> Connections. >> Connections, yeah. Telephone. >> Connections. >> Telephone, ah. >> Radio. >> Wireless operator. >> Oh, wow. >> I was wireless operator ... >> [INAUDIBLE] wired radios. >> ... and made steps in different ranks. >> Wow. In the Armed Forces? >> In the Armed Forces, yeah. >> He stayed there. >> For 40 years? >> Yes. >> For 40 years, yeah. >> Hmm, just like Grandpa [INAUDIBLE]. >> Every 36 years, you get a golden medal. >> Mm. >> Thirty-six years. >> Did he say that he received the Medal of Honor? >> No, that's ... What he's talking about is the medal that you are 36 years in the army. >> Army, 36 years, wow. >> But he stayed longer than that. >> You stayed longer? >> Yeah. >> Wow, so what are you proud about the Dutch in the Korean War? >> Wait a moment. I was in 1998. They came revisit in Korea with my son. >> Mm. >> And he works in Korea with the [INAUDIBLE] ... >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> ... oil platforms, to build oil platforms. >> In Korea? >> In Korea. >> Wow. >> And he brings it to start ... to Africa and all over the world. >> Does he still live in Korea? >> The Koreans platforms. They build in South Korea. >> So he lived in Korea, your son? >> And now he lives here in [INAUDIBLE]. >> Okay. >> But he goes everywhere with the platforms. He brings it back, and then during the start, they test it the [INAUDIBLE]. >> Wow. >> And the platforms bring to the power of the place. >> So you remember serving with many comrades because you were in the army for 40 years, long time. >> Yeah. >> So looking back, Dutch in the Korean War played a very important role, right? >> Yeah, yeah. >> Name couple that you feel are very important for young people to know about Dutch in Korea. >> Oh, yeah. >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] Yeah? [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] Yeah? [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> I don't do that, but there are others today do that. They talk in schools, classes, over Korea. >> Mm. >> And now my four [INAUDIBLE] go in ... >> Grandchildren. >> ... go in May to Korea. >> Mm, good. Peacetime ... >> [INAUDIBLE]. Yeah. >> ... to learn ... >> Four. >> ... to learn about the Korean War. >> Going for a week now, Korea. >> Oh, okay. >> It's nice, isn't it? >> Yes. Do you ... Did you go back to Korea? >> No, I not. >> To 1998 ... >> Maybe I go to [INAUDIBLE]. That's far enough. >> You went to Korea with your son ... >> In '98. >> ... in 1998. How about recently? >> No, there were [INAUDIBLE] British over there now. >> Did you go recently? >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] Yeah. >> And what's the last time? In 1998. >> Yeah, yeah. >> I hope you enjoyed it. >> It was very nice ... >> Very nice. >> ... to be there. >> Well, thank you so much for your service. Thank you. >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> Yeah. >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> Oh.

>> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> Apikleiner, is his name. Born in ... >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> ... 1932 in Heerenveen, which is in the north. You were 22? [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> Twenty-two, yes, 22 years old. Now, I'm 18 years old in military years. >> You went into the ... >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> ... military service when you were 18 years old. >> Yeah, [FOREIGN LANGUAGE], 21. >> I was 21 when I went to Korea. >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> My parents wouldn't allow me to go. >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> His parents were very cross with him, and his oldest brother was 27 years old, and he started crying because his younger brother was leaving. >> Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, and that was in September, the Korea [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> We went to Korea in September, and I was there for 1 year. >> Yeah, 1 years, and [FOREIGN LANGUAGE], yeah, [FOREIGN LANGUAGE]. >> He got homesick. He wanted to go back, but he knew he had to continue. >> Regulation that, it was [INAUDIBLE] before the ceasefire. The ceasefire was [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> They were there ... >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> ... before the ceasefire, and they knew it would be coming soon, and a few days more and a few days more. >> Yeah. >> Fourteen days later, it was announced, ceasefire. >> Ceasefire. >> And they were happy. >> Yeah, it happened on [FOREIGN LANGUAGE], all the fighting, fighting, fighting, [FOREIGN LANGUAGE], and it was a ceasefire, and [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> I was walking the patrols ... >> Yeah. >> ... every day, day-in, day-out, and that was very exhausting, and I do not [FOREIGN LANGUAGE]. >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE]. >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE]. >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE]. >> Last year ... >> Last year. >> ... my friend and I went back in May. >> Yeah, [FOREIGN LANGUAGE]. >> It was hardly recognizable at all in Hongseong. When we were there, it was just the bare mountains, and now it's green and beautiful. >> Yeah, [FOREIGN LANGUAGE]. >> We went to the cemetery where all my friends, my comrades were buried, and that was very emotional. >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE]. >> It was difficult to say, "Good-bye," when we had to fly back. >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE]. >> I would like to go back there for the rest of my life now. It's so beautiful there. >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE]. >> His dream is that it's one Korea. >> Yeah. >> Just one Korea. >> And [FOREIGN LANGUAGE]. >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE]. >> When he was leaving, the local residents there said to him, "What are you going to remember when you go back to Holland?" And he said, "That's also very emotional." >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE]. >> Mm-hmm. >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE]. >> Oh, the parades. >> Yeah. >> Yeah. >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE]. >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE]. >> He was referring to the border with North Korea, that they hold parades and ... >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE]. >> ... shows of spirit ... >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] South Korea is defiant for North Korea, but that isn't true. South Korea is defiant for North Korea. North Korea is defiant for South Korea, [FOREIGN LANGUAGE], and South Korea [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] freedom, freedom, freedom, freedom. >> But I want to mention his business out there. >> Did someone say for Ireland? >> I went to the schools, and I spoke to the schoolchildren about this, and they said, "What did you expect to find when you came back?" and he said, "Exactly this." >> Yeah. >> Maybe it's good to tell that this organization, yeah, the old Korean Warriors have adopted a school in Korea. >> Oh. >> This is what he is talking about. >> Yeah. >> So they went to that school, Alice Goldwinn, Samuel? >> Yeah. >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> Samuel's school ... >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> And then Dutch school, and every year they're giving money to that school for their development. This is what we ... came through from our lost entities. >> Yeah, but you don't need it anymore because Korea is from a poor, poor country, now a rich country. >> Oh. >> Developed country, so we can only now special scholarship to people what had very good conduct. >> Scholarship? >> Yeah. >> Yeah. >> To students that have high achievements? >> Yep. >> Hmm, wow, for how long? Since when? >> Oh, oh, many years. >> Many years. >> Actually in the '70s, yep. >> Oh, my god. >> That school was all ... >> Yeah. >> Oh, my god. >> Yeah. >> ... supported by this association. >> So you have many grandchildren? >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE]. >> He's not talking about that. >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE]. >> This is a [FOREIGN LANGUAGE]. >> Yeah, [FOREIGN LANGUAGE]. >> Blue, blue ... >> Blue eyes. >> Yeah. >> Hey, cut it out. >> Yeah. >> No, no. >> One more thing that I think is important that I'd say, the Dutch, because it is the Forgotten War. >> Yeah, yeah. >> It's called the Forgotten War, and the Dutch see everything upside down. They know very little about it, and they think that the South Koreans are the enemy of the North Koreans instead of the other way around. Many Dutch think that because they were not educated. >>[FOREIGN LANGUAGE]. >> Yes, they've been brainwashed. >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] South Korea is also failed, but that isn't true. >> Brainwashed. >> That isn't true. South Korea [FOREIGN LANGUAGE]. >> Yes, the North Koreans have been brainwashed to believe that the South Koreans are their enemy. >> Yeah, and I hope so maybe next years, back to Korea. >> You want to go back next year? >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE], yeah, yeah, [FOREIGN LANGUAGE]. >> His son will go with him. >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> You're making a mistake. >> Yeah, [FOREIGN LANGUAGE], but this, [FOREIGN LANGUAGE]. >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE]. >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE]. >> Yeah. >> Yeah, I like Korea, yes, oh, yes. >> Well, Korea loves you. >> Yeah, Korea love me? Okay, thank you. >> Thank you. >> Yeah. >> Thank you. >> Okay. >> I'm so grateful. Thank you. Oh.

>> My name is Phil Altemus Ludovic Highmund. I was born in 1931. [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> Born February 18th, 1931. >> Yeah. [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> I joined the Limburg Military. >> I then to the war in Korea, and then it got [FOREIGN LANGUAGE], and I was 6 weeks in Korea until the cease-fire came. >> I was only in Korea for 6 weeks when the cease-fire came. >> I have 1 year in Korea with the patrol [FOREIGN LANGUAGE], Lex. [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] I can't think of the name. I said, "Okay." >> After the cease-fire, I stayed in Korea for 1 year, and I was on patrol. I had a half-Korean boy who was my helper. I forget his name. It was a Korean name. >> I cannot speak a Korean name. I speak to the boy. I say to you, "Lex." >> I called him Lex, and he accepted that name. >> I have 1 year with Lex in Korea, and it was [FOREIGN LANGUAGE]. >> Lex and I spent 1 year together, but when I had to leave, of course, he stayed there. I also had a little girl in Korea called Long-Kyung. >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] no same people can go ... Only the American military, military, military and [FOREIGN LANGUAGE]. [ Chatter ] >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE]. [ Chatter ] >> Lex was my best comrade. I spent a lot of time with just military people, but I really liked the Korean people who lived there, and they were very kind to me. I liked them. They were open and friendly. >> Lex had learned [FOREIGN LANGUAGE]. Lex [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] no people, no people. It was [FOREIGN LANGUAGE]. >> He was at the fort post with Lex, and he said, "I can hear people," and Lex said, "That's not people, that's frogs." >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> I left Korea. I went home, and I forgot to ask Lex for his address. >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> Now, I think of Lex a lot of the time. [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> Next year, I'm going back. >> Maybe you can find him! >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> Yeah, [FOREIGN LANGUAGE]. >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> Oh, I had photos but not of Lex. >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> I gave those photos, and they're now in the museum. >> Well, you were there for 1 year, right? And you were there after the Armistice. [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> Dinner is ready. >> Dinner is announced. [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> You were there after the Armistice, after. >> Yeah. >> So before and after, what were some of the major differences? >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> I had changed. >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> I was very angry. [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] I became very easily angry later. >> At one time, [FOREIGN LANGUAGE]. >> It was difficult to contain it. >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> I would relive my problems at night. >> Well, I hope that when you go visit Korea that you can let it go ... >> Yeah, maybe I go to [FOREIGN LANGUAGE]. >> ... and that you can find peace in your heart. >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE]

>> My English name is Bill Kramer. I'm born in Amsterdam, 19 December 1934. I joined the Navy when I was 16. After 2 years, then I was 18. I joined a ship for Korea. The Dutch Navy had six ships, always 1 year in Korea. We arrived just after peace fire, so I don't experience the shooting, but we did always patrol, checking for [INAUDIBLE] assistant to aircraft carriers and so on. But we had it a lot better than the ships before. We go regular to Japan to refuel food and R&R for the crew, rest and recreation for the crew. We go [Indistinct] and so we had a wonderful time in Japan, and in Korea, I really was only 9 days. Then I was ashore. We were ashore two times in Pusan and one time in Imjin. Imjin is the harbor of Seoul. Pusan was, during that time, nothing, only some American nationhood a couple concrete buildings but were nothing left. I was last May in Pusan, and I saw a wonderful, big city, and I was in 2008 in Korea. I was not to Pusan but before to the 38th border, and we saw just [INAUDIBLE] back in Korea, and we saw a nice train station that is built for connection from Pusan, Seoul to Paris, yeah. North Koreans don't allow to make railway complete, but impression of Korea is very, very high, and the people is so nice and friendly. I have no words for it, so don't ask me. It's too difficult. I was back in Holland in 1954, and I got an accident in 1957 and a medical discharge in 1960, so that's my story. >> Well, first of all, you must have been very proud when you went to Korea because you were part of Korea becoming what it is today. All right. So thank you very much, and not a lot of people know that the Dutch stayed after the war. People think, "Oh, armistice, and everybody go home," but that's not true. >> No, no, after my ship [INAUDIBLE] another ship that arrives in 1954 until 1955. >> Yes, a lot of people don't know that the countries that participated stayed until 1955. >> But from the Navy, only two men are died, one quartermaster. It's in very heavy storm overboard. He went to save one of the lifeboats, and he was not fastened and get overboard. They never find him, and a radioman in Korea was calling ashore, little, little boat to pick up a Korean officer that was wounded to give him medical help, but the engine of the Dutch boat [INAUDIBLE]. It was English, and it makes the same noise as not Korean fishing boats, so it was foggy, and it starts fire, and the boat had a noise, so it was friendly fire, okay? >> Maybe you can tell about what your experience, the revisit from last year with your ... >> Yeah, yeah, I was ... >> ... last experience with Korea. >> ... Back in 928 last year again, and last year, it was very special because the Korean government are allowed that people who died here in Holland that all Korean veterans that are cremated can go back to Korea and go to Pusan International Cemetery. In Pusan, the cemetery is the only in the whole world what is from the United Nations, and so [INAUDIBLE]. >> [INAUDIBLE] >> Next year [INAUDIBLE]. When we arrive on the air field in [INAUDIBLE] and complete guardian watch [INAUDIBLE]. After that visit, we got a DVD that a whole studio and DVD that pictures only about 700. He was there, and he was there and I. >> When? November? >> No, May. >> May. >> May. >> May. >> [INAUDIBLE]. >> Good weather. >> Good weather, yes. Monday, it was raining, raining, raining, and the director of veterans affairs told us, "Don't worry. At 2 o'clock when you arrive at the cemetery, it is dry." We call it [INAUDIBLE]. Rain, rain, rain. We arrive, ding, dong, 2 o'clock. The rain stops. >> Yeah. >> It was beautiful, yeah. >> It must have been very emotional when you went to the cemetery. >> Yes, and what my buddy told about South Korea and North Korea, we were the last soldiers in Seoul, and [INAUDIBLE] people walk around and a big sign, "What do you think about North and South together?" So we signed it and yeah. >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE]. >> Yeah, it was beautiful. >> Yeah. >> I am going to visit Korea, Pusan, the United Nations cemetery last after I go everywhere around the world, and I know that there are many Dutch soldiers. >> One hundred twenty-four. >> Are they all there? No. >> Yes. >> Not all in the cemetery in Pusan. >> No. One is in Singapore because he died on his way back to Holland. >> That's [INAUDIBLE]. >> Two men are missing. >> How many are there in Pusan cemetery? >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE]. >> All of them went back to Holland. Their families took them back to Holland. I don't know exactly how many. >> The Americans are all back. >> Yes. Americans always bring back. >> Yeah, yeah. >> But I learned that recently, some of the Dutch veterans have requested that they be buried at the United Nations cemetery along with their comrades, so I am looking forward to visiting them and paying tribute. I think it will be very emotional for me. >> I think so too. Yes. You speak Korean? >> I do. >> Oh. >> I will be there in May. >> Because in museum where I was this afternoon, I saw Korean boy that works [INAUDIBLE]. He's working by the Dutch police, and he goes back to Korea 2 years ago. He said it was so difficult because I'm a Korean, but he arrives in Netherlands, been there 6 months, so he don't speak one word Korean. >> But he is Korean. >> He is Korean, so it can be happen. [FOREIGN LANGUAGE]. >> My uncle adopted two Korean girls, and they had restaurants [INAUDIBLE] here in Holland, Korean restaurant. >> Really? >> Yeah. Well, they are my nephews. >> Oh. I told you, my uncle. >> I know. >> I told you. >> I know. It's permitted? >> Oh, yes, please. >> Thank you.

>> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> My name is Feri Titolata. >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> I went to Korea in 1953. >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> I was injured there in June '53. >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> I went back to Korea, and what I now think about the situation is ... >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> Feri was amazed at the six-lane traffic, of course the modern version of what he had seen in 1953. >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> There used to be only one bridge. >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> And now there are 29 bridges. >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> The hills were green. >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> It used to be brown and bleak. >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> Feri remembers the nicer thing about his period there. >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> Seventy years of memories, it's hard to recall everything. >> What do you think is important about your comrades, the Dutch? >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> We made a contribution ... >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> ... for the future, for the present-day. They made then the contribution for now. >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> And I hope that everything will continue to go very well for Korea. >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> What did you do in the war? >> Oh, fight! >> As a soldier? >> I was wounded. >> Soldier? >> Yes. >> Soldier. >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> I would prefer not to talk about that period. >> Okay. >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> I came from Indonesia to fulfill my service, and soon after I got here, I was sent to Korea as a volunteer, and this is my uniform. >> How old were you? >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> Twenty-two years. >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> Twenty-one! >> Twenty-one. >> Because his mother must sign. He was not 21. >> Oh, so he was underage, and his mother had to sign to go into service. >> And after the war, and stayed in the Army, and he retired in that uniform. >> Oh, wow! Why did you volunteer? >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> You saw adventure. >> But ... >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> But the adventure became part of your life, your career. >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> Yeah, [FOREIGN LANGUAGE]. >> Yes, stayed in service. >> Well, thank you for your service. >> You're welcome.

>> My name is Dick Hermanns. I'm born March 30, 1927, in Amsterdam. [FOREIGN LANGUAGE]? >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE]? >> I was 23 years old when I go to Korea. I was a volunteer. All the Korean soldiers, Dutch Korean soldiers are volunteers. >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE]? >> I was in [FOREIGN LANGUAGE], how call you that? >> An assistant, general assistant, you worked. >> What did you do there? What did you do there? >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] fighting. We walked patrol, yeah. >> What do you remember? >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE], we go north and almost we have to go back south because the Chinese are coming. Yeah, I don't know more of this. Every day was the same. I don't know more. >> Do you remember seeing civilians? >> Civilians, the civilian people in Korea? >> Mm-hmm, mm-hmm. >> Yes, we walk on the street. [FOREIGN LANGUAGE], she go and shout that I know. All the village are empty, and the winter, the cold, terrible, 25 degrees below 0 on top of the hill. We used [FOREIGN LANGUAGE]. My sleeping bag was from the summer. A winter sleeping bag, I don't have. Cold, no washing, bad food, sheet rashes, you know what it is, sheet rashes? Our teaching was in the south with the Korean soldiers, which it was difficult to talk. She don't speak English. We don't speak the Korean language. We use our hands, and you ask something. What is this in the Korean language? And one Korean soldier told me, my sister, and I had a picture of his sister, and you have to say [FOREIGN LANGUAGE]. That is what I know, remember that. The people, the Korean people, their clothes is terrible. War is terrible. When I go to the army again, I'd think it was the same in the navy. We don't know it was the very cold. We know nothing about Korea, but we know. I know now. We arrive in Pusan. We go by train to Daegu, hours, very cold. We make fire in the train because it was too cold. In Daegu, we get a little training of a few days, and the Dutch officers say, "Your shirt out. You have to walk sporting naked in the morning, about 10 degrees below 0," [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] the Dutch soldiers are very, very good, and after the training, we go to [FOREIGN LANGUAGE]. I go to a school. All the years, we sponsored two students for to learn at the school, yeah, and we go to the front. Yeah, and then [FOREIGN LANGUAGE], yeah, [FOREIGN LANGUAGE], and the Chinese attack, and we attack, and then we go after a few weeks' rest, yeah, yeah. Your memory, what's left of it, yeah. >> You fought in the Indonesian War before this. >> No, this, in Indonesia, was not a war. It was mere guerrilla, not a frontline in Indonesia. [FOREIGN LANGUAGE], we set up an outpost. >> Hmm. >> From the outpost, we walked every day, not the same soldiers but order. Every day, you had an area, and you have to walk through it. You have to see that the people, oh, soldiers, okay. >> And you were there for 4 years, and ... >> Yeah, 3 1/2. >> Three and a half, and you came back in 1949. >> Yeah, at end of November, December '49. >> But why did you volunteer to go to Korea? >> Yeah, why? To help people there. I go to Indonesia to help them. I join the army after the war, after the Second War, still war between the Japanese. Japanese are still in Indonesia, and in Korea, I don't like the communist. Maybe I think that to help. We were a small unit there, one infantry battalion. It was not much, but, yeah, we did our best. Yeah, that is it. Thank you. Yeah, Indonesia was different, total different. In the city, oh, it was okay, out the city. >> And almost 5,000 Dutch served in Korea, and 124 died. >> Yeah, yeah, it's not much. >> But it's a large percentage. >> Yeah, but this ... >> Yeah, more ... >> And Indonesia, had a main battalion in Indonesia. They had about 60 killed in action for over 3 years fighting. >> Mm-hmm. >> We're fighting. We're fighting not every day. It is slow, small fighting. >> What year did you go to Korea? When did you go to Korea? >> I go to Korea in October 1950. >> That was a very difficult time, one of the most difficult times in the beginning. Right? >> Yeah, I know. >> Right after Inchon landing? >> The Inchon landing with the marines? >> Mm-hmm. >> Yeah. >> You were there from October to when? From October to when? >> Yeah. >> How long were you there? How long were you there? >> My time in Korea? Eleven months. >> Wow. >> Yeah. >> Not 6 months? >> No, no. >> You were there ... >> And the order, the [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] there, but our unit, the first unit, had the most casualties for the Dutch. >> Explain to us about the first unit. I don't know much about the first unit. >> That's because most of them are dead. Now here they are too old. From the 640 men, maybe living, 50? What we know maybe, when she a member of the reunion, a member of the association. The number shrunk. A lot of them are not a member of the association. We don't know if he's still alive or dead. >> When did you join the association? >> When [FOREIGN LANGUAGE]? >> When did you join the association? >> What are you thinking about the ... >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE]. >> Oh! >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE]. >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE]. >> When it was first founded. >> When? >> 1970, I don't know sure, about 1975 from the beginning. >> Wow. >> And every year I go to the reunion. >> Mm-hmm. >> This time, it's in Tronchburg. >> Do you think it's important for young people to remember this war? >> I don't know. [FOREIGN LANGUAGE]. >> No, do you think it's important? >> It is important, but if she don't care ... It is now each a little bit better. Many years ago, I walk on the street with this, showing people that I do this for my life, yeah? There's no better. There's no better. You walk over the street, no problems. Yeah, that was how we did it. >> And the Dutch, are you proud of Dutch being in the Korean War? >> Yes, yes, I'm very proud, yeah. >> You fought well. >> Yeah, and my daughter's name is Kim because one of the Korean soldiers killed in action, and his name was Kim. I know Kim is a last night. It's not the first name, and [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] Kim, yeah, yeah. >> Because you remember. >> Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, [FOREIGN LANGUAGE], and I want to go for the second time. I meet my wife and done. I'm studying in the Netherlands. >> Have you been back to Korea? >> Yeah, three times. >> Three times? >> Three times, yeah, and I meet a soldier, a civilian and with men in group, three times. >> When was the first time you went back after the war? >> At 676, it's the first group ... >> First group? >> ... was about 18 men in all. >> What did you think? >> Everything, we're going for 5 days and a few days in Japan. Yeah, that was the first time in Seoul. You go to Pusan and the palace and the East Gate, yeah. I have a friend. Yeah, I don't know if he's still alive, of course. His name is Kim Jin-Mook. He lived in Seoul. Yeah. >> When was the last time? >> The last time, in the '80s. I don't know when. >> No, the recent time, recently. >> I don't know. >> No, when did you go to Korea, 2000? You said you went to Korea three times? >> Three times, yeah. >> When was the most recent? >> What is that word, recent? >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE]. >> Yeah, [FOREIGN LANGUAGE]. >> Oh, [FOREIGN LANGUAGE]. >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE]. >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE]. >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE]. >> What did you think of new Korea, new Korea or Korea now? >> Oh, it's very, very beautiful, big buildings. The roads are very good. In my time, the roads was terrible. Oh, there was nothing left there, but now, yeah, very, and the people are very ... I was there. There was no one who knew Korean and [FOREIGN LANGUAGE]. >> Curfew? >> Curfew was, yeah. At that time, when I go to Korea, curfew, 12 o'clock, you have to go off the street, we also. >> Mm-hmm. >> The '70s, in the '70s. >> Yeah, yeah. >> Now it's ... >> Not anymore, no, no anymore, no. >> ... It's a free world now, free. >> Free, yeah. >> Yes. >> And when go to the [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] village right down the road, yeah, but there are some picture of me and my wife in clothes of the Korean, a man and a woman. >> Hanbok, hanbok. >> Hanbok? >> Yes. >> Hanbok. >> That's that it's called in Korea, hanbok. >> Oh, yeah. >> Yeah >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE]. >> You must be very, very proud. Right? >> Yeah, yeah. >> Mm-hmm. >> I always see my jacket from ... and jacket with the Indian head and the Korean flag. I walk on street. >> Mm-hmm! >> Not on Sunday, Saturday when I use other clothes. In the week, I use military clothes. >> Mm-hmm. >> You see it when you come in? >> Mm-hmm, because you're proud. >> Yeah, yeah. >> Hmm, well, thank you for your service. >> You're welcome. >> Thank you.

>> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> I'm Pete Fond du Lac, born 21st of March, 1927. [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] Which year? >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> Went to Korea in October 1950. [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> It was for that, infantry. >> Infantry soldier? >> Yeah. >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> How long did you [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> You were there for 1 year, came back in November. >> It was a very difficult winter. >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> Yeah, [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> Yes, of course, it was a very difficult time. >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> Cold, very, very cold winters. >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> Yeah. >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> Several of my comrades were killed and my foot froze. [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> No. >> Yeah. >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> Okay. [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> PTSS. >> PTSS. >> Stress Syndrome. >> Stress Syndrome. >> Yeah. >> Hmm. >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> Our commander was killed. >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> When I came back, I was just a civilian. [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> It wasn't difficult. >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> Had you not had [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] from the [FOREIGN LANGUAGE]? >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> We were just the front, so I didn't meet any civilians. >> What do you remember about the 2nd Infantry Division, your comrades? >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> I don't remember much about them. >> Well, show us your ... >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> I don't know the translation. >> No, no, no, not American. I said about the Dutch being part of the 2nd Infantry. >> Yes. >> I want him to show ... >> The ... >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] the 2nd Infantry [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> Yeah, show, show. >> Show, show them. >> And you were put together with them? Were you in barracks together? >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] okay. >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> The Netherlands unit, we were fighting for the same thing, of course, but we fought separately. >> You volunteered? >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> Yeah. >> Why? >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> I was first in service in Indonesia, and then I came back to Holland, and then I wanted to go to Korea in order to stay in service. >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> I had a difficult situation at home in my youth, and when I heard that they were enlisting soldiers for Korea, I thought that would be a good chance ... >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> ... together with Dick Hermanns. >> But it was a brutal war. It was war, and you were young. >> It was [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> Yeah, [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> I was 23, 24. >> Twenty-three years, yeah. [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> I never went back there. >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> No, I didn't. >> Why? >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> Yeah. He said, "I was never shipped back there. The war was nearly finished anyway, and I experienced enough to want to stay away after that." >> But did you go back to Korea Revisit Program? >> No. [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> I didn't want to go. >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> I had the chance to go back a couple of times, but I don't feel the need to go and visit the cemetery, and I don't want to go back. >> But today in Korea, Korea is a very successful country. >> Korea [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] ... >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> ... successful land, and that's seen on the television. >> Yeah. [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> Dick Hermanns told me so because he's been back. >> Mm-hmm. >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> I hope that you are at least proud of your sacrifice. >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> Yeah. [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> Yes, we're very proud. >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> But I don't advertise the fact. Of course, it is [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> Yeah. >> Yeah, it's the forgotten war, and he doesn't talk about it often. >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> He has sort of recurring memories which are too emotional for him. >> Nightmares? >> Nightmares? >> Yeah. >> Even now? It's been such a long time ago. >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> When Dick Hermanns comes to visit, he's a good friend, and he comes regularly, then they talk about old times, and he has a difficult time later. >> Mm, well, I hope that I could bring you some peace because I don't want you to remember the horrors of war, but I am here to show you that thanks to you, I'm here. >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] [ Chatter ] >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> We always get a good reception when we go to the Korean Embassy too, and he understands fully that you are grateful for his services. >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> He goes once a year. >> I come here not as just myself but all my family, my friends in America and Koreans all over the world ... >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> Yeah. [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> ... but not only Koreans but everybody because you defended Korea and the world from the threat of communism. >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> Yeah, I know it. >> So I know maybe it's difficult thinking about it, but I will pray that you find comfort. >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> Okay.

>> My name is Ron McMillan. I was in the Korean War in 1952 to '53. I served in the New Zealand Navy. I was on the frigate HMS Hawea, and we were there for 14 months. We patrolled up the west coast, went up as far as to the Yalu River and down south and yonder. The ship went the first time, went on the other coast, and that was the one that used to be shooting the trains in the tunnel. We stayed on the west coast, and we patrolled up there day and night.. Our base there was an island out from Incheon called [FOREIGN LANGUAGE]. It's now changed. It's got a new name. That was our base, and we anchored there, so we patrolled day and night for 14 months. >> So you served for 14 months? >> Yeah, I put in 14 months. >> Did you volunteer? >> I was in the Navy already. >> You were already in the Navy? >> Yes, yes. I joined the Navy when I was 17 1/2, and I went up there when I was 19. >> Wow. So what do you remember from the war? Do you remember seeing the troops from other nations or maybe civilians? >> Didn't see many civilians, only on the island. We never went on the mainland. Some of the other ships did, but they mainly got shot, so they stopped going on the islands. And we just stayed on the main island, so we saw the locals on the island. We still pay to the children. We send out money every year to the children of Seoul for ... We've done that for years and years. >> Even now? >> Yes. Yes, we go up there. We go for Anzac Day. The Koreans would be up there now. So they hand out bursaries to the schoolboys and girls. We've done it for years. >> Really? That's fascinating. Since the war? >> Yeah. It started some years after the war, and that's it with the bursaries. And we'll go on with so much money to be [INAUDIBLE]. >> Wow! That is ... >> So that's the only Korean people in the Navy we actually met, was the islanders on that island. >> Even now you send them ... > Yes. Yes, every Easter we go to Kapyong. They have that big thing there, and they have all the hanging out at Kapyong. The Aussies do it, and we do it. >> So since you mentioned it, I want to hear it from your side, the Battle of Kapyong and Maryang-san. >> Well, we were in the Navy, so we didn't see that. We got up and went up and looked up on the ... We've got the revisits, but we go to Kapyong. That's where we hand out the bursaries to all the kids up there. >> Wow! Well, you were so young. What kind of impact did it leave on, I guess, your life and the way you look at life, serving in a war? >> We were young, and we were there. It was a bit of an adventure, that's all. >> That is true. I know a lot of the grandpas do mention that they went ... But you come back now. It may have been an adventure that you were seeking, but now you're looking back, and Korea is very prosperous. >> I've been back four visits. I've had four revisits, and every time you go, you just see how it's advancing and advancing all the time. >> And doesn't that make you proud? >> Oh, it does. Yeah. >> Yeah. So the adventure turned out to be something larger than an adventure. >> [INAUDIBLE] my friends there. My lady, she's one of our lady friends. That's right. And we've got Melissa Lee. We were with her granddad and her dad, so you're not by yourself. >> I always ask, but what are some of the things in your free time? >> Free time, well, in the Navy, you didn't have a lot of free time. You had about 4 hours on and 4 hours off, day in and day out. So, you were on watch for 4 hours, and then in your off time, you had to do your home things, washing, cleaning the ship. You had to clean the ship the whole time, and that's it. so you didn't have much free time. >> Really? No rest and recovery in Japan? >> Yes. Oh, yes. We went down to Japan. >> Okay. >> In Kure and Sasebo a bit down there. >> I heard that from the Aussies. >> And Hong Kong. We got into Hong Kong. >> Oh, you did? >> Yes. Yes. >> Okay. >> Every couple months you go down there maybe for a week, replenish the ship, and then away you go back up. And so we did a lot of bombarding and stuff and chasing sandpans at night, who were trying to smuggle stuff through on the boats, but otherwise it was a lot of boredom time, really. A lot of it was just, "Where do you go?" and then you'd have hours and hours of boredom just doing nothing, just cruising. >> Well, it's better than getting bombed, right? Yeah. >> We got shelled a few times, but nothing ... It didn't hit us. I was a little bit lucky. >> By which forces, the Chinese, the North Koreans? >> Well, it was North. It could be the Chinese. I don't know who. >> Did they have a strong Navy? >> No, not on our side. I don't think so. There was nothing down there. In those days, the Chinese hadn't put their Navy in there yet. >> I don't think the Chinese had a Navy. It was just all Army, a volunteer Army. >> Yeah, that's right. >> Yeah. Yeah. >> Hundreds of thousands. >> Hundreds of thousands. I think more veterans recall the Chinese more than Koreans. >> Well, you see a lot of the memorial sites, and it says, "This place was overrun by the Chinese." It doesn't say the North Koreans. That's right, the Chinese. So when they joined up, they don't say that the North Koreans ran it. >> So have you been active in the association? >> I've been an association member, yeah, just a member. >> You have so many medals on you from the war. It's ... Any for valor? >> No. No. No. No. They're all different. That's Korean. That's Korean. That's Korean. That's police. I was a policeman. >> You were a policeman? >> Yeah. When I came back, I was a policeman. >> Oh. So maybe the war did have that impact on you, right? >> Yeah. >> Yeah. >> I've been a member of the Veteran's Affairs for years and years and years, I try to. >> Well, okay. Well, thank you so much again! >> Okay.

>> Okay, and my name is Walter Wideck, see, but they all call me Wally, well, from the time I joined the Army. I joined the New Zealand Kayforce, the 16th Field Regiment, which was a infantry regiment, of course. We went to Korea from 1951 to 1954. I returned home when the regiment returned home. I must say, I have never regretted my time in the Army because I met so many great people, who up until just recently because most of them are now passed away, we always had good friendships, and the same with the Korean people. We didn’t have much to do with the Korean people in the wartime because we were so far away from them. They, of course, were all moved south, as far south as they could go. They were hiding, and one of the Korean consorts that was in Auckland about a few years ago, he took me to lunch one day, and there were some elderly Korean women there, and they had their daughters with them. And one of the daughters said to me, “Wally, when you were in Korea, did you have anything to do with the young Korean girls up there?” And I said, “No, because we never saw them. We saw probably in the whole time I was there, up until the cease-fire, I would have probably seen half a dozen.” But what this mother of one of these girls said, “No,” she said, “They couldn’t see us. We were taken when the North Koreans came down. We were all pushed up into the hills.” And if you know Seoul at all, it’s got a ring of hills almost all around it, and they lived in the caves up there. So they never saw us, and we never saw them. But I made the little piece I added to that, and I said, “Quite honestly,” to the consort general, “if many of our boys had seen the girls that were arriving in New Zealand now, the Korean girls, every one would have married one.” And of course, the mother was in stitches.

>> What do you remember from the war?

>> The war?

>> Mm-hmm.

>> I remember the cold, the intense cold. I remember the heat in the summer, and I remember the noise from, of course, with the artillery. Boom! Boom! Boom! Artillery guns all the time.

>> What year were you? When were you there? From when to when?

>> From ’51 to ’54. It finished in ’53, but we had to … We signed on for a second term.

>> Most people …

>> Normally, New Zealanders were expected to do no more than 18 months. Most of them only did 12 months, but after the cease-fire in ’53, it became very hard to get replacements, so the strength went down, down, down. So they asked a lot of us to sign on for another 12 months, and that’s what we did.

>> Wow! And how old were you?

>> I was almost 22 when I joined up because we weren’t allowed to go overseas until we were 21. That was a restriction with the Army, and I would have been just probably 22 1/2, so, yeah.

>> Wow. Most New Zealanders were older than other soldiers because other soldiers were in their teens.

>> Yeah, there was a lot of teenage units. Well, I was 89 2 days ago.

>> Happy birthday! My birthday is in 2 days. We’re both Taurus!

>> Mine was the 23rd!

>> Mine is the 27th!

>> Well, well, well …

>> So what do you … I know that in total maybe about 5,000 served, Right?

>> The best estimate that is given now because that 5,000 odd could be individual one, but people like myself, and there’s probably at least a couple hundred of them that signed on for the further 12 months. So what they relate to is that basically 6,100 or something served in Korea, but that was because those of us that did two tours, yeah.

>> But luckily, not too many, compared to other forces, died.

>> I think it’s 40 …

>> Forty-three.

>> Forty-three, that’s right. Yes.

>> And wounded. And only one POW.

>> That’s right. Only one, yeah. And he died probably … He probably died 16 or 17 years ago, something like that.

>> And I know you you’ve been very active in the New Zealand Korean War Veteran’s Association.

>> Yeah, well, I don’t know what to call it in Korean language or American language, but I got conned into it.

>> How many are there now?

>> Twenty-nine years ago I got conned into being a treasurer.

>> Oh, wow.

>> I’m still treasurer because I don’t finish for about another 2 months. I’m the last person …

>> Well, what happened to the national? I know the national …

>> That’s a national body, a national association. The Auckland branch is still going.

>> Okay.

>> And I belong to that, yeah.

>> How many are there?

>> It’s probably down to, I would say the best part of 70, 68 or 70. That’s all that’s left.

>> But the national association …

>> And most of those, incidentally, most of those are ex-Navy because Navy boys went … They were allowed to go younger than us, so if they signed on as a seaman boy at 16 of age, which they could, or 17, we’d say, “Good.” And the ship that they’re on went on Korea, then they went with it. But we weren’t allowed to even think about going overseas until we were 21.

>> Because you were part of the Army.

>> Part of the Army, yeah. That’s just the …

>> Part of the Kayforce.

>> Yeah, the Kayforce.

>> And the Kayforce were all volunteers.

>> The 16th Field Regiment.

>> All volunteers.

>> Well, 99 percent volunteers, yeah.

>> Except for the officers.

>> Well, no, it wasn’t the officers. It was one or two specialist people. In other words, a field gun had a specialist called an articipar, and he was responsible for keeping it repaired and because of that, he could … They had to have a limited number of them, one for each battery. So they would have needed at least 12 of them, yeah, six of them.

>> Have you been back to Korea?

>> I’ve been back. I’ve been lucky because I’ve been back four times.

>> The first time was 1984, yeah, and the last time was 3 years ago. And I was supposed to go to two more, but they wouldn’t let me go because the New Zealand government suddenly brought in a restriction that you had to have full medical insurance, and I couldn’t get medical insurance for some reason. I tried 12 different companies, and they all said, “Sorry.”

>> What did you think when you first went to Korea?

>> The first trip I did back was 1984, so I left in ’54, and 30 years later, 1984, we went back. That was the first trip from New Zealand that went back, that returned, and there was 21 of us on the trip. That included a couple of wives, but it wasn’t my wife because she said, “No, it was for veterans, so if I go, one veteran can’t go,” so she stayed home. And it was … Well, I couldn’t believe the changes because when we left … When we got on the train at Kopyang, I think, from memory, and headed down to Pusan, to catch the boat to Pusan. The train was chockablock, and when you looked around, there was nothing. There was two or three small buildings in Seoul. That’s all there was, nothing else. Everything had been wiped, but things like the American PX was doing a good trade in the middle of Seoul. Yeah.

>> But it was so different when you went back.

>> It was so different! The first trip back, and, wow, it had made huge … Pardon me. Huge … My trouble is, I can’t even think properly now. The difference, the changes, were absolutely unbelievable. Yeah.

>> And 30 years since in 2014 …

>> In 2001, I made a trip up, which just included … That was put on by the Metropolitan City of Pusan and the mayor and all his councils, and my wife came on that, the only trip she did that. But she was very regretful when she got home. She said I should have taken those other opportunities earlier, but she didn’t.

>> Well, I’m so glad you got to see the the changes and the contributions that you made.

>> Wow. Look at the Lotte Tower, which is just about to open this month. The last time went up, 3 1/2 years ago, the Lotte Tower was just belowground. They had just finished the base part of it, and I saw it and how it was opening.

>> Again, I hope you’re very proud because that was part of what you fought for.

>> Well, I’ll tell you what, as I said earlier, I never regret 1 minute signing on to go to Korea as a volunteer.

>> Thank you so much. Thank you.

>> I have met so many Korean people in New Zealand, heaps, in fact, the last one …

>> Hi, everybody, from Northern Ireland. I'm in front of the Belfast City Hall to show you and of course for me to kind of pay tribute to the Irish. There were 157 Irishmen who died in the Korean War, and this memorial actually was erected in 1951 originally, and as you can see, it honors those who died in the 1st Battalion of the Royal Ulster Rifles, the 45th Field Regiment and the 170th Mortar Battery, the Royal Artillery, and I'm going to save this for last, and the VIN King's Royal Irish Hussars. Gave their life for the United Nations and Korea especially by this valley. This valley, meaning Happy Valley, was the ... It was a single battle that took lives of more than 157 Irish on January 3rd and 4th in 1951, and I guess I wanted to show you this because it really doesn't do justice if I just showed you a picture. This is so beautiful, this inscription that reads, "The people that walked in darkness have seen a great light." So, yeah, immediately after arriving to Belfast, I wanted to come here because sometimes when I'm with the veterans, I don't get to really show you the memorial itself. Again, it's in front of Belfast City Hall, so I thank the city of Belfast for having this memorial in front to honor those who died for freedom and, of course, Korea on behalf of all the Koreans. So thank you all for following my journey. I will see you soon, and shout-out to my new-friend prince over there. I met a prince in Belfast before taking this video. So thank you. Bye.

>> Wow. >> ... [INAUDIBLE] kind of mold. The actually had the mortar between, and you can see the carriers going back, the centurions going back, they were actually retreating away from the Imjin. >> I've never seen that picture, nor the frame below. That is ... >> That ... Well, the picture's called [INAUDIBLE] at Imjin [INAUDIBLE] with Her Majesty on it. They were all made in Hong Kong. A lot of lads got these made in silk in Hong Kong. The picture to the left of it, that is General Majury. All right. He was a young lieutenant in Korea and was captured and spent a lot of time as a prisoner of war [INAUDIBLE] later on. The other one here, this is Brigadier McCord, who won an MC at Happy Valley as a young lieutenant, and then various pictures of the boys [INAUDIBLE] Belfast and different stories of the forgotten heroes and their stories. This is the [INAUDIBLE]. This was written by an American soldier and Lieutenant Majury. >> Wow. >> The original is in St. Giles' Cathedral. It was written in rice paper, and it's in St. Giles' Cathedral. This is just a copy of it. So each day, they held prayers, and they had different services for Easter, Christmas, all in the prisoner-of-war camp. >> Mmm. >> The original is in St. Giles', just in the cathedral. >> Wow. I couldn't but help notice the ... >> The Korean flag, the North Korean flag. >> Yeah, North Korean. >> That was found in the heist at Seoul when we went back into Seoul, so when we recaptured Seoul again, that was found in the heist. These weapons here: The first weapon is a Russian weapon used by the Chinese, and it had a folding bayonet [INAUDIBLE] that was quite vicious and [INAUDIBLE], and we couldn't heal the wound. Now, the second one is a Chinese copy of a Russian weapon, and you normally see them with the round magazine on them, but the Chinese preferred that type of magazine because it didn't jam. The third weapon is Colonel Charlie's rifle. >> Mmm. >> Now, Colonel Charlie didn't like carrying the big rifle that the militia got, so he swapped it for an American M1 carbine. >> Wow. >> So that belongs to Colonel Charlie, but we don't tell anybody that. >> Okay, don't tell anybody. >> The bottom one is a Mosin-Nagant, which was issued to the Korean ... North Koreans and the Chinese, and it's a Russian rifle, as well. >> So are these artifacts actually donated by the veterans? >> The weapons were brought back by the regiment, and then they were decommissioned. Most of these things were given to ... by people who had actually donated them. >> Wow. >> The little Korean flag [INAUDIBLE] signed by all officers just before ... >> Oh, my God. >> ... the Battle of Happy Valley. And ... >> That is amazing. And one of them must have drawn this, right? >> Yes. Yeah. >> Wow. So this is original, original. >> That's original. That's original signatures of the officers in the battalion just before Happy Valley. >> Wow. >> That's the Ambassador's medal that you seen earlier with a little miniature. The British-Korean [INAUDIBLE] Korean. These are medals issued to Chinese volunteers that fought for the North Koreans. >> That's amazing. >> And this is a book made up by Captain Sully. He found all these propaganda leaflets from the Chinese and ... >> Yeah. >> ... Korean, as well. North Koreans, as well, so it's a booklet of that. That's a little map of the Battle of Imjin. >> Mmm. >> And ... >> Well, Ms. Charlie, I want everybody to introduce Ms. Charlie, who is the daughter of Mr. ... Colonel Charlie, who passed away a month ago. >> Mm-hmm. >> But she told ... He told Ms. Charlie why Happy Valley, which is one of the major battles, is called Happy Valley because I was wondering ... Suffered 157 casualty, and it seemed a little bit ironic to call it Happy Valley. But why was it called Happy Valley? >> Well, it was called Happy Valley because the Regiment had already given the name to the area because they had ... When they arrived in Korea in Busan and Pusan, they had the early November 1951, 1950. Albert was one of those on the troop ship that came in, and they were moved ... It was still ... The war was nearly over, and they were moved up, up, up towards what is now North Korea by train, by truck and things. And they're basically pushing the forces the other ... the opposing forces north. Suddenly, the Chinese Communists, they go up the other river, and so these Chinese Communists ... Troops were involved, and they started moving down. And this was early December, down the Korean Peninsula. And the first time that the battalion was able to stop and have a proper meal and know they weren't going to have to pack up and move on at any minute was in this valley just north of Seoul. And, consequently, I think it was the [INAUDIBLE] Sarge "Shifty" Dawson. I don't know what his real name was, but ... >> Jack Dawson. >> Jack Dawson. He was the one, I think, who gave the name Happy Valley because, at last, he was in charge of the cooking, and, at last, they could do the cooking without being bothered by too much. Another nickname the troops gave it was Compo Canyon. Compo was named for the food ... tins of food they were given. And so Compo Canyon, Happy Valley, has to do with food. That's why that valley was given that name. >> [INAUDIBLE]. >> Mr. Glass, can you tell us ... I know it's almost 200 years of history, but what would you say is one of the major accomplishments of the rifle regiment in Korea? >> In Korea, well, we were the only Irish regiment that were there, and the lads came from the north, the south, and we trickled out of [INAUDIBLE] tricked out of [INAUDIBLE] they were all ours [INAUDIBLE] at that time. We lost so many men. The Battle of Happy Valley [INAUDIBLE]. The real reason we lost so many men [INAUDIBLE] was because when the Chinese had started to come down, the Americans, on one flank, had been ordered to move at 4 o'clock in the afternoon, so they moved. The [INAUDIBLE] on this flank were told to move at 6 o'clock. They moved. The Chinese were watching this, so the Chinese infiltrated both flanks of the rifles. Captain Charlie's platoon was the farthest platoon when he was ordered back. We just got back when everybody ... The ambush happened, and the ambush was virtually 2 kilometers long. That's how many, and they just kept cutting the convoy into pieces. And then the small groups [INAUDIBLE] got surrounded and fought [INAUDIBLE]. >> Well, despite the odds, I know that it was a major battle which was significant in the entire war, this battle, so the contributions are immense. And last but not least, Grandpa Albert, what is the significance, because I know even in the Commonwealth, everybody has different color, but why does the rifles ... Why is this called the rifles green? >> What? >> Why is this color the rifles green? >> Well, it's Irish green [INAUDIBLE]. The green of Ireland, the Emerald Isle. >> Yes, I just wanted you to tell it to the people. >> Well, I think the pattern in the [INAUDIBLE] if you look in this cabinet here, you'll see the British army wore red. >> Mm-hmm. >> [INAUDIBLE]. >> Yes. >> Yes. >> Even in America. >> Yes. >> Whenever [INAUDIBLE] the Rifle Regiments were formed, and the Rifle Regiments took green to move forward and to [INAUDIBLE], so it was actually a bit of [INAUDIBLE]. >> That is very true. >> So when we turned from the 88th [INAUDIBLE] to the Royal Irish Rifles, we become a rifle regiment, so we took on the rifle green ... >> Rifle green. >> Yes. >> ... which we [INAUDIBLE]. So if we even look at the rifles in the British army now called the Rifles [INAUDIBLE], they wear rifle green. >> Yes. >> So that's ... >> Less conspicuous. >> [INAUDIBLE] and they march faster than everybody else because they have [INAUDIBLE]. >> Well, I was ... >> They walked. They marched faster than everybody. >> Well ... >> Oh, yes. [INAUDIBLE] Regiment march. Normally, the Regiment march is 120 paces to a minute ... sorry, 140 to the minute, but the rifles did 120. Now, people [INAUDIBLE] ... >> [INAUDIBLE]. >> ... [INAUDIBLE]. >> [INAUDIBLE]. >> Oh. >> So all Rifle Regiments march faster than normal [INAUDIBLE] regiment. >> Why do you think? What do you think the secret is to the fast walking? >> Get there faster. >> [INAUDIBLE]. >> [INAUDIBLE] walk fast. >> [INAUDIBLE]. The other major battle we had was Imjin, was, again, another part. Everybody talks about the Imjin River and the Glosters. The reason the Glosters were captured was ... and quite, I will say, because of where we were, we were holding blocking positions and ordered forward. The Belgians who were there had fell back, and the Chinese stopped in the Belgians and us and cut us in two, captured half the rifles. The other half just about flocked away, but they completely surrounded the Glosters, who were up in [INAUDIBLE] Imjin River. >> Mmm. >> But this was all [INAUDIBLE] Glosters being [INAUDIBLE] ... >> Mmm. >> ... but don't think we were there, but it's because we were in blocking positions [INAUDIBLE] we were cut in two by the Chinese, as well. But the Glosters were captured virtually intact because of where they were. >> [INAUDIBLE]. >> And what happened to the Glosters was, they [INAUDIBLE] and the next morning [INAUDIBLE] aircraft come in with supplies [INAUDIBLE]. I'll never forget this [INAUDIBLE] and they couldn't [INAUDIBLE] the drop zone to the [INAUDIBLE]. It was just a catastrophe [INAUDIBLE]. >> Well, I do want everybody to note that the Irish contributed all significantly in the Korean War, and the reason why I'm here is to make sure that these unsung heroes are remembered, preferably honored. As you all know, the Korean War is called the Forgotten War, but that doesn't mean we should forget the heroes that fought then, and especially of the Irish and your father for their sacrifices and the 157 men who died. And thank you so much for opening, not only opening the museum for us today but really being the protector of the memories because this is all not only just history but stories that should be passed down, and I just appreciate you so much for being the keeper and the guardian of their sacrifices. >> Yes. No, we will never forget these. >> Yes, thank you. So, everybody, we're going to go to the memorial and pay tribute and lay some flowers. So I'll see you there. Bye! >> [INAUDIBLE].

>> Hello, everybody. I am back at the Belfast City Hall where the Korean War memorial proudly stands. I am here with the last remaining Korean War veteran, Grandpa Albert. Say, "Hello," and Ms. Carol Walker, who's been extremely instrumental in arranging everything today. She will tell you the story behind this memorial, how it got here and that there is another memorial in Korea, in Seoul, that honors the Irish Korean War veterans. So Ms. Walker ... >> Hi. >> Should we do a little ... We're going to loop around and then show you, so I just want to show you ... >> We just stay here. >> ... how it looks like. It honors the Royal Ulster Rifle, and, again, I love this inscription where it says, "The people that walk in darkness have seen the great light," from Isaiah, chapter nine, verse two, and then another ... So there's three sides that honor different ... So we're going to face way because I think this is prettier, so okay. So Ms. Walker, tell us how this memorial got here. >> Well, this memorial used to be in Korea. The soldiers themselves and [INAUDIBLE] Battle of Happy Valley. Actually ... >> Speak up. >> Oh, speak up? At the height of the battle in Happy Valley ... Afterwards, they decided, the commanding officer decided they [INAUDIBLE] something to commemorate the sacrifice of the 157 men that had made this great sacrifice at that particular battle, which as you can see from the memorial, it was on the 3rd and 4th of January 1951, so the padre set out on a task to go and find something, and he managed to come across a Korean stonemason. >> Mm-hmm. >> And they were able to get this beautiful pink Korean granite, polished granite, and create a memorial. It was on the field at the site, the battle site at Happy Valley on the 3rd of July in the 1950s, 1953, and at the service, there was a service that took place, and many of the soldiers themselves attended it, and they had the padre at the time, and he performed the sermoning, and the words that are on the memorial that you said, Isaiah, he actually used them as part of the scripture during the service that day and during the sermon, in the remembrance sermoning. Also they laid wreathes at the time, poppy wreaths like Albert has just laid. >> I do want to show this. >> They laid these wreaths to commemorate the 150 men that had made that sacrifice and that had died at the Battle of Happy Valley in trying to give Seoul the freedom. >> Oh, yeah. >> You can see ... >> Yes. >> ... it tells the story. >> Oh, it tells the story. I didn't realize that before. That's wonderful. >> But unfortunately, then what happened was after the Royal Ulster Rifles left Korea, there was nobody coming back to visit the memorial, and HMS Belfast, which is actually ironic that it was HMS Belfast, happened to be visiting Korea at the time in the '60s, '64, and it was decided then to bring back the memorial back to Northern Ireland so that the soldiers who were still alive from the Ulster Rifles could still have ceremonies and could attend remembrance services ... >> That is awesome. >> ... for their comrades. So it was brought back onboard HMS Belfast. It was brought to the [INAUDIBLE] barracks which was in Ballymena, and it was positioned there. Sadly then, Ballymena actually closed as an army base, and the memorial went into storage for a while, but people like Colonel Charley and Brigadier McCord at the time were instrumental in making sure that the memorial went somewhere important and had the honor that these men had bestowed wasn't forgotten, and the memorial was actually then given this very prominent place here in Belfast, and it has progressed over the years. It's been looked after. As Albert said, you know, there was a new path has been put in. People are able to come here and visit it, and the Ulster Rifles Association will come here and will hold memorial services and still remember the war dead oftentime. >> I guess I just want to show you that they put up that gate especially for this, you know, walkway because technically, this area right now, there's no pathway. That's the City Hall, and it is in a very prominent location. >> And it's so close to the cenotaph which is Belfast Cenotaph that's here to commemorate and honor the war dead of the First World War and the Second World War, and so it's still fitting to have it ... >> Very fitting. >> ... to have it so close to the cenotaph. >> So over there, Ms. Walker, pointing out the cenotaph honoring those who died in World Wars I and II, and it's literally ... You can see it from here, and this memorial is right here, and I just wanted to thank you because the one that's filming right now is the daughter of Colonel Charley, who was not only instrumental in getting this here, but in Korea, they now have a memorial honoring the Irish Korean War veterans. It's in Seoul. >> It's in Seoul at the National Museum, at the museum, because it's a very fitting site. It's where there's also memorials are from the Canadians, and all the other Commonwealth countries have now started as well on the back of what we did and what the Irish did with their memorial, and there's other countries, you know, from the United Nations have placed their memorials that are in a war memorial garden, and it means people can go and commemorate. The good thing is that every year, as well, the Irish, the Irish Embassy, still hold a remembrance service there and for people, so it's not forgotten. [INAUDIBLE] memorial, we spent a lot of time working out [INAUDIBLE], what shape it would look like, how the memorial would come about. It was decided that it wouldn't be a replica that we had here because it needed to reflect as it is today Ireland's [INAUDIBLE]. >> That's true. This was erected in 1951. >> And the Ireland that we are in today and we were in in 2012 when we started with the project was a very different Ireland. It was an Ireland that had started to come through the the peace ... >> Aw. >> ... process. >> Oh! >> [INAUDIBLE] >> Oh! >> I'm cold! >> I don't want him to freeze. This is Grandpa Albert, everyone. He's 91 years young, and his memory is impeccable, right? Oh, before we close, see, I wore this rifle green to match him, but can you sing [INAUDIBLE] for us? [Lyrics] [INAUDIBLE] >> Yay! Ninety-one years young. He's the last remaining Korean War veteran in Northern ... >> Well, one of the ... One of the last. >> One of the last Northern Ireland ... >> The last Irish one. >> Yes. >> He is. >> An Irish one. Many have passed just in the past month ... >> Yeah. >> Yeah. >> That's it. >> ... including Colonel Charley and ... >> Uh-huh. >> And many of the veterans that we were able to take back to Korea in 2013, many of them passed very quickly after their trip back ... >> Yeah. >> ... when you think about it. >> So I want to thank you because actually Ms. Walker is part of a different organization and association that remembers and honors those that died in World War I, right? >> Yes. >> Yes. >> World War I and World War II. >> World War II. >> And the Korean War as well. >> Yes. So thank you for bringing the [INAUDIBLE] as well of their memories, and thank you again to Colonel Charley's daughter, yay, Katherine, who is filming this video. So, everybody, thank you so much for joining me in both Ireland, all of Ireland now ... I will be on my way to Wales, so thank you. Thank you. Bye!

>> I think it was either [INAUDIBLE] and we stayed and ate there. Now when we stopped, during the summer months, these people [INAUDIBLE] and the ground [INAUDIBLE] stacked up during the summer to dry, and then at the end of the summer, they bring it in and stack up, say, the houses. Now these would be cottages [INAUDIBLE] and they stack them up. That's the fuel for the whole winter. Now having said that, the same applies in Korea. You know about the [INAUDIBLE]. You know the [INAUDIBLE]? >> No. >> [INAUDIBLE] famous thing in Korea, two hands to make a forklift, and the person has a stick with a hook, and when he goes out, he pats it on the ground, and he puts a hook on it and sits there, and he goes around, and gets all sort of stuff, jungle grass or twigs. Anyway, at the end of the day, a pail of stuff, and he'd go back to his cottage, and he'd put all that stuff beside the house. Now that was the winter fuel. Now cooking, they just have the one room, and at the back, they have a kitchen, as you would call it. Now the kitchen comprised of a roof and two sides. The rest was open. Now let's just say the house was [INAUDIBLE]. They have their cooking utensils, like two or three pots, and that was permanent there. That's where they cooked. Now all that stuff is there for the fuel to light the fire and do their cooking. Now I observed this before, seeing what they did, and luckily I had matches, and I got some of the fuel and put it on and lit the fire, and what happened was, the Koreans were very well advanced on the floor heating. Well, as soon as we lit that fire, all the heat went underneath, as well as cooking. It went underneath and heated the floor. Now the floor was big clay again and big clay I say. Holes were there for heat for ages afterwards, and what happened was, the smoke that went out through the back of the chimney, whatever it was, and inside about 1/2 an hour, and it was freezing while were in there, 1/2 an hour. We'd take our jackets off [INAUDIBLE]. It was so primitive but so very good, and that just shows you the ingenuity of the Korean peasants. I'll never forget it. You have your cup, which was aluminium, and you also had what they call a Tommy cooker. A Tommy cooker came in a wee square box of cardboard, and we took this wee metal thing. We [INAUDIBLE] could put either your mess tin ... I don't know whether you know what a mess tin. It's what you cook in, individual cooking. There's two parts, and you do your cooking and that sort of thing on the wee stand with something like if you remember fire lighters to light a fire. Well we had wee small tablets, and they didn't create any flame [INAUDIBLE] just a like a glow, and you cooked your food in that, and that's how you have on the field. Everything was there for you. The Americans' rations was far superior to ours, oh, yeah. >> How about the cold? Do you remember the cold? >> Oh, yes, very much so, yeah, mm-hmm, yeah. Not only that, when we went out there, we just had ... It's hard to explain, so you'll need to see pictures. We just had what they call a [INAUDIBLE] a tunic and trousers [INAUDIBLE] sort of thing, and the Americans and all these other things and Canadians, they had their combat suits and their liners inside, if you remember liners. You could zip them out in the summertime and put them back in in the winter. We didn't have that. All we had were ... You'll see a picture of a red coat. We called it a red coat, like a topcoat and your battle dress, and that's all you had, and whenever we got wet, that was just too bad. [INAUDIBLE] in good weather but nothing in the winter. We were ill-equipped, and not only that, but we only had weapons. [INAUDIBLE] was our main weapon, a very good weapon, automatic fire, and then we had a rifle, .303 Lee–Enfield, a very famous weapon, but it was one action. You have quick-fire. You had to keep loading and unloading every time, and you had a magazine of failed rounds on the rifle. No, no, I never had any Korean food. >> Oh, even now? >> Oh, I have tried it on the way out to Korea [INAUDIBLE]. I thought it was [INAUDIBLE] asked me, "Well, do you want English or Korean?" So I tried Korean, but it was a bit too complicated. It's too much little tubes of different things to add, but I got through it. Having said that [INAUDIBLE] on the last day of our last visit in May there, I forget the name of the [INAUDIBLE]. As I recall, it was a woman, and she had a seven course meal for us on the [INAUDIBLE] before departure and through seven courses, and you would hardly see what was on the plate, and it was very good. It was different what I got on the aircraft. >> Korean food at the time, but did you try Korean liquor at the time? >> No, the only thing we got was two battles a day of Asahi, Japanese beer. >> Oh. >> But having said that [INAUDIBLE] as it seems a terrible ship. You had a hole in the wall, just like the hole, square hole, a square in the wall, and you were issued out two bottles of Asahi beer. That's what we got. >> Oh, I would have never guessed that. So no soju, huh, no Korean alcohol? >> No, no, it was all Asahi beer. >> Oh, okay. Do you think you'll see a unified Korea in your lifetime? >> It's hard to see. I would like to see it. I would definitely like to see it because it's a [INAUDIBLE] having the knowledge of what has went on there, the starvation. Even the soldiers not being able to get [INAUDIBLE] and the feeling of the children and all those big pompous parades with their machinery and rockets and what have you. It's a terrible site. >> Well, I'm hoping for peace not only on the Korean peninsula but in all of Ireland as well. >> Uh-huh, thank you very much. Ten o'clock, 22 hundred hours, and what happened was, as we were going out [INAUDIBLE] and we're going across, and I remember going up this hill here, and I went in the dark and the windscreen I could see ... Sorry. It was heavy gunfire, consolidated gunfire, and you see the tracer bullets on the reflection of my windscreen, and I said to the guy who was with me, "This is good." [INAUDIBLE] our tanks, centurion tanks, and I said to the guy with me, "This is good. They're giving us covering fire to get out." What happened was, I found out later that the medical officer and his driver [INAUDIBLE] was quite some distance behind me. Apparently the Chinese had did a horseshoe movement. Instead of coming across, they came that way, a horseshoe movement, and closed it, and the people behind me, that was them trapped and taken prisoner of war. I'll never forget that. I'm surprised you don't know about the [INAUDIBLE] is famous.

>> ... the door who had been captured and could walk over the UN forces with them, but the UN troops, the Astor Rifles and the others who were with them, who had been killed were just left to lie, and they weren't buried by the cruiser, and they went out, and in this hard, harsh ground, they buried the bodies because they felt they needed to give respect to these people from overseas who'd come to fight for them, so it was very poignant, and then we were told how after the ... What we were shown were the ... Albert showed a picture earlier of the bullet holes on the bridge, which another Astor Rifleman ... I think it was a lieutenant then, Merv McCordy, went on to become a brigadier eventually. He got an MC, a Military Cross. Himself and somebody else protected a sort of area and ... two of those who had died in Korea, and they ... I discovered when I was back recently in Korea that near that side of Seoul is where all the monumental memorial makers were, and so that's how they managed to find ... >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> Yeah. The Padre found ... was told to go and get a stone, and he found a stonemason as well. Apparently, they were in the back of an army truck. I assume he was paid, and they drove around with the ... wherever the battalion was going, and he was told to carve on this memorial to remember the Royal Astor Rifles and the others who'd been there and then in Happy Valley and who'd died there and others of the Regiment, who'd died nearby or elsewhere in battles that included Imjin because the Astor Rifles had heavy casualties at Imjin as well, and that was dedicated July 1951. My dad wasn't there because at that stage he was in Japan training people to go to Korea and things, so he wasn't there but some very famous, very poignant pictures of that. That memorial, we will see later. It came back to Northern Ireland in the 1960s, put up in Palace Barracks ... not Palace Barracks, sorry, the barracks by Mina where the Regiment, the Astor Rifles, had their depot, and then that closed in 2010, and it got moved to outside the city fort here in Belfast, and my father, Merv McCordy got the MC in career, and a lot of the others of the Regiment were very instrumental and moving in that getting it placed outside the city hall, and it's been recently refurbished, and we've now got access to it from the Cenotaph area, the city hall, and they're looking after it well. So my dad and I went back to Korea in 2011. Mr. Kim showed us around Happy Valley, and my dad, I think he never totally said this, but I think, to me, but I think he always felt guilty that he'd survived, and so many hadn't, and he really wanted to do something to remember those who'd died in Korea of the Regiment, and initially we were thinking about putting up a wee plaque or something in Happy Valley. We spoke to the British Ambassador when we were there. We spoke to Mr. Parker when we were there. When we came back, we spoke to members of the Regiment because obviously it would have to have regimental approval, and then when we were sort of just ... We were just thinking of doing something quite small, really, maybe in Happy Valley itself, and then I got ... We met Andrew Salmon out there. He'd already met my father. He'd been to Belfast 2 or 3 years before to interview my dad for his book, "To the Last Round." He interviewed quite a lot of the Royal Astor Rifles for that, and he was delighted to see my father in Korea. They got on very, very well. They enjoyed going out and both good storytellers, so they could sit around and drink and tell stories, top teacher, he was, with the stories. But anyway, Andrew Salmon sent me an e-mail and said that the Irish Association of Korea and the Irish Embassy in Korea were thinking of putting up a memorial in Korea to those from Ireland who had died in the Korean War, and because although Ireland wasn't a UN nation, it ... People from Ireland had thought and for the Americans, the Australians, and then many of people from the south of Ireland were part of the Royal Astor Rifles, which was a British Army Regiment, so it was part of the UN. So and they were also wanted to remember some Padre, some missionaries who died in Korea as well, and there's a link there with the Royal Astor Rifles too, which I'll explain in a wee minute. So anyway, we then started liaising with Ambassador McKee, and again, we had to get approval from the Regiment and from the British-Korean Veterans Association, and there were links between Dublin and Belfast and everything else because obviously, we have these politics involved in this country too, and in among that, that's when Mrs. Carol Walker came on board because my mother used to ... my mother? My father used to be ... He was very much behind the setting up the Somme Association, the Somme Museum to remember those of the First World War from the north and south who'd died at the Battle of the Somme in 1916, and he knew that Carol had a lot of experience in memorials. She put up memorials for the First World War in France, in Turkey, in visitors places. I'd asked her initially for advice on that, and then discussion began about taking back veterans from the Royal Astor Rifles and from Ireland. Generally, Carol has had experience of taking back First World War veterans to First World War battlefields, and so that's how she become involved in the ... on the team, basically, and then a representative of the Royal Irish Regiment, the modern regiment for the Royal Astor Rifles, which the Astor Rifles, my dad's regiment in 1968 amalgamated with three other regiments into the Royal Irish Rangers, and then in 1992, that became the Royal Irish Regiment, and they're very supportive of their heritage and interested in their heritage. So lots of discussions about the memorial, lots of liaisons between Korea and Ireland and phone calls at 7 o'clock in the morning and to work with the time difference, and then in 2012, Carol, myself and Trevor Ross, who was representing the Royal Irish Regiment, went out to Korea at the time of the Commonwealth Veterans revisit the following year and met with the British Ambassador, the Irish Ambassador, members of the MPVA in Korea, went to see possible memorial sites, and it was then that it was decided the memorial should ... the key memorial should go up in Seoul because it'd be easier to look after it there by the War Museum and things, and the Irish Embassy said it was look after it and that there would be a panel put up in Happy Valley as well to remember the battle in Happy Valley too. 2013, and you'll hear more about this from Mrs. Carol Walker, the memorial was dedicated in Seoul. My father and I were meant to go to be there for that dedication and for all the other events and be there with the other veterans from the Royal Astor Rifles and from Ireland. Unfortunately, my mother had a very severe stroke just a week or two prior to us going out, and we, anyway, my father and I couldn't go. She died shortly after the veterans returned from Korea, but we were very close in contact with what was going on. My dad was very keen to know. He kept saying, "Have you had a signal from Carol?" because he's not quite into e-mails, but a signal, and so Carol, Trevor and the others sent back information of what was going on, sent photographs of the memorial being dedicated, being put up and everything, but me and my father were ... My father and I were very evolved with Carol and others, and everything had to be approved with the wording on the memorial and everything else. Then with regards to the memorial, my dad ... One of the sides of the memorial, one of the sides is the Royal Astor Rifles and reflects this memorial here in Belfast and the wording on the memorial here in Belfast, and it particularly mentions Happy Valley. Another side mentions those Irish birth and heritage. Another side is ... talks about seven missionaries from Ireland, who died in Korea, and one of those missionaries, my father actually knew. Father ... I think he's known as Father John O'Kane, is it? >> It's O'Kane. >> Yeah. Father John O'Kane, though, my father knew him as Father Jack. Quite often in Ireland, people who are called John are known as Jack, very confusing. Anyway, so my father knew Father Jack. He'd been a Royal Astor Rifles Padre in the Second World War. We think he might have been at D-Day with them, but we definitely know he was with the Royal Astor Rifles in the Second World War. He was older than my father, maybe 10 years older than my father, and then after the war, my dad was in Palestine and Egypt, and he was the Catholic Padre with the Regiment there. The Royal Astor Rifles has a Catholic Padre and a Protestant Padre, and he was Catholic Padre in Egypt, and he remembered him because he was a Padre. He was part of the officers' mess. He had a tent, himself, I think, because he's a Padre ... had his own tent because my father had to share a tent with somebody else, which are all the boys who are over there, had a lot more in the tents, and he remembers them being very good at cards. He remembers them being a lot of fun. He remembers them riding around the camp on a motor bike, and all the guys thought he was wonderful, so my father was very sad when he'd heard that he'd been killed in Korea. He knew he'd gone out to Korea as a missionary, and so that's a link between the Astor Rifles and the others in the memorial as well. Then in 2015, this ... the ...

>> My name is Adrid Fieren. I am a man of 85 years old. I served in the Korean War with NORMASH in '52, '53. NORMASH was Norwegian contribution among the nations that helped South Korea to defeat the North Korean War from North Koreans. NORMASH is a mobile army surgical hospital. The main purpose for NORMASH is to take care of soldiers directly from the front line, wounded which has to be X-rayed and to be operated by surgeons. NORMASH therefore was placed approximately 10, 12 kilometers from the [INAUDIBLE] front line. We were a part of 8th Army and had, as far as I remember, three divisions to serve soldiers from. Soldiers coming into NORMASH was treated there and had to leave before the 3 days. Then the patients had to [INAUDIBLE] other hospitals. NORMASH was served by, I think, approximately 600 people from Norway. Each continent each period of 6 months, and then 106 persons on each period. I was in the guard, controlling all together with then all the Norwegians, and our duty was to guard camp to serve the borders. What do you call it [INAUDIBLE]? >> Barbed wire. >> Hmm? >> Barbed wire. >> Barbed. >> Wire. >> Wire but [INAUDIBLE] to be in the main gate all 24 hours. Together with [INAUDIBLE] Korean soldiers, a soldier from ROK Army. AMASH, the main thing in AMASH is of course the hospital itself, but it has many service functions around [INAUDIBLE] transport service in the camp, guarding and so on, and we had, I think it was approximately 30, 40 ROK Army Koreans [INAUDIBLE] guarding people. I think there were approximately 15, 20 and [INAUDIBLE] to maintain the camp itself. Then the nights especially in the guard, we were two then, one Korean and one Norwegian. We had difficulties, of course, with language, but we tried to communicate a little. But one thing we learned each other, that was a song. The Korean has a folk song called [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] and the Korean colleague on guard, the Korean learned us [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] and we learned him [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] a Norwegian folk song, and the [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] we learned goes like this. [Lyrics] [FOREIGN LANGUAGE]. A little like that, we learned, and perhaps in Korea, an old man of 80, perhaps he's singing [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] maybe. Why did I go to Korea? Well, I was already 20 years old. I had finished first military service in regularly in Norway, and we were all volunteers, and on that time, I nearly didn't know where Korea was, but I had to look up on a map and find the little country called Korea, but it was the adventures, one thing, to travel all around and half around the world. I'd never been in plane before. I'd never slept in a hotel before. It was new adventures waiting, maybe a little to take part in a battle against communism, but I wouldn't say that was the main thing for a young man on that. However, it turned to be a very fine trip. Six months after the War, Korea is one of ... We used to say that no other country in the world is so clever to say, "thank you," [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] as ... You know [FOREIGN LANGUAGE]? Norwegian ... as the Korean. I am so happy that I have been four times back on revisit trips. >> Show us that picture where you went to Korea and that story of the nurse and the patient. >> Yes, that's a good story. You see here we have a book which we, the veterans in Norway, has made possible, and it is also translated to Korean, and here, I can show you one picture. No, it's not here. It's in the magazine from one of the revisit. This was celebrating the 60 years of peace. >> Armistice. >> Huh? >> Armistice. >> Armistice, yes. It's not peace yet. There we had a nurse who served in the very first continent in '51, and she was taking part in that trip and [INAUDIBLE]. You see this? That's a lady. Her name is Gerd Semb. She is now a lady of 95, I think. When we someplace on that trip, I think it was in Uijeongbu, we had a lunch there, and when finished her lunch, going out, there came a man, this man to Gerd and saying, "Ah, I must thank you. I was young man, and I had destroyed my face, and you treated me." After more than 60 years, it seems this happening. That was a very funny and a very good story. >> You're on the cover of the magazine. >> Yeah, this is the magazine for the Norwegian forces. >> With Gerd. >> Yeah [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] is the name of this. >> Who are the other two ... >> Here is also the lady there, yes. >> And who is the other lady? >> And if it is of interest, this is me, and this is the Minister of Defense in Norway at that time. She also followed this trip. >> So what did you think about Korea? >> Now or on that time? At that time, Korea was more or less a ruin. In the place where we were situated, the battles had gone four times through, so it was no houses, no buildings, all destroyed. The people who were there lived in houses built of soil and equipment they held after the battle. Especially fort making ceilings on their houses, they took boxes of beer and open it so it was more like this. If you took the bottom and the top of a box of beer, you will have a flat metal, and many of those was how they built the ceilings, top of the ... >> Roof. >> ... roof, yes. Nowadays, Korea, the first time I visited was in '84, I think. It was a new modern country. It was unbelievable for me to come back and see this wonder, and the Korean people, I love them. I really love them. >> Number one. >> Number one, they are number one. >> That's number one. >> And we have been so happy. We have this veteran association to have a very, very good connection with the Korean ambassador. He is number one. So I think me and all the other Korean veterans also are very fond of the Korean people. >> Well, we thank you. >> Thank you. >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE]. >> Enough.

>> My name is Fillmore Kent, and I am 85 years old, and I served in Korea from November '53 until November '54. That was the last two continents in NORMASH history. I volunteered, as everybody who served in Korea. The reason why the Norwegian, Trygve Lie, was the first general secretary of UN starting in 1946, and it was very much publicity around the Korean War in Norway at that time. So, of course, I wanted to help. Also, it was an exciting because you cannot imagine today how far away Korea and Norway was. The second reason, or the third reason, was that I needed money to start my study in Germany, and the salary was partly paid in Korea and partly in Norway so you can save. We all had 6-month contract. I renewed my contract after 6 months, and that's the reason why I spent 1 year in Korea. The reason why I was picked out was that I had some first aid courses in Red Cross, and I was already a laboratory man, so I first picked out to serve at the hospital laboratory. When I came down, the position was occupied, so they put me as assistant to the operation tent. It was quite a new experience for me, but I learned rather quickly, and you get used to it. It was after the armistice, but we still had very many military patients but gradually fewer army people and more Korean civilians. After the 6 months, we had the opportunity to travel down to the hospital in Busan, the Swedish hospital, permanent hospital, so we get to know very much some Swedes. We had also very good relations with the Koreans in the camp. We were close friends. I have a theory in that aspect, Korea is a rather small country dominated by China and Japan. Norway is also a small country, dominated for centuries by the Danes. Norway was just a farmer's country with no education. If you wanted to have education, you had to go to Copenhagen. Later, we were under the strong influence by the Swedes, so my theory is that Korea and Norway have more or less the same history, even though they are opposites of the world. In April '54, NORMASH also engaged six Korean nurses already educated to help out because of the many Korean civilians, and I got to know one of them, and she came to Norway in '57 for further education and to meet me. We married in '61. We are still married. We have three children and eight grandchildren. So for me, the Korean event influenced my whole life afterwards. My wife is really happy because it's very important for Koreans to have a family and some success, so she's quite satisfied in her life also. >> I would love to see her picture. I would love to see her picture. >> I not here. >> Oh, wow. Fascinating. You went back to Korea, you said, for a visit, right? >> Yes. >> How many times? >> Yes. I think after ... These are the 30 years after the armistice. Koreans started the revisit tours, and I have been in Korea twice, in '83, so after 30 years, and in 2010. It was very surprising to get to come there and see that the fort is still ready to shoot after 30 years of armistice. >> Even now? >> Even now. But I mentioned the Busan hospital Swedes. As I told you, we got along, Swedes, very good, and they were both countries who had commission in Tongduchon to secure the armistice, and they still are there, I suppose, so we could visit them very early in 1954. I'm also a board member of the Korean War Veterans Association in Norway, and we have two events yearly here at the memorial statue. In June, the military attache located in Stockholm comes to pay tribute to our dead, and in the second Friday of November, we have our annual meeting. >> Don't touch that. With your hands, don't ... >> Oh. Oh. Okay. Sorry. >> Okay. Say that again about your Association reunions. >> Huh? >> About your reunions. Say it again. You have two ... >> Yeah. Okay. I'll start from the ... Yeah. Okay. Mm-hmm. >> [INAUDIBLE] >> Now, the Korean Veterans Association have two occasions to remember the dead ones here at Akershus Castle. The first one is in June. The military attache for Sweden and Norway located in Stockholm, he comes to pay tribute. And also the second Friday in November, we have our annual meeting where we also have a ceremony at the statue, and our president [INAUDIBLE], he is a former officer in the king's guard, and he takes care of the ceremony with flags, with armed guards and military band. So it's a rather great experience for us. >> Do a lot of people come? >> Yes, because in our association, we also have members who served at the Scandinavian hospital in Seoul, which was created in '56 or something, so they who served there also are members of our association. >> Do Korean Norwegians come, too? >> Yes, of course, the embassy and the embassy staff and some Koreans, too. >> How about young people? >> Not so many young people, but my experience is that young people in Korea, they know very much about the Korean War. >> More than other countries. >> Yeah. >> Well, what do you think, because the Korean War is called, "The Forgotten War"? The Korean War, they say, is "The Forgotten War." >> Mm-hmm. Not for me. >> Hm. You're right. So I'm hoping to preserve this history for young people, younger generations. I'm very glad that Julie is here because she is young Norwegian, and I want more young Norwegians to be proud of your service. >> I can also mention that from 2010, Korea also invited grandchildren of veterans. So in the first tour, we had 12 participants from Norway [INAUDIBLE] from Norway, and they had 1 week in Seoul and Busan and 1 week marching along the line, so it was a really good experience for them. >> Did your grandchildren go? >> Yes. I had one grandchildren. Actually, I had two grandchildren now, and when I revisited Korea in 2010, I brought also another grandchildren with me, and [INAUDIBLE] grandchildren and also Lucy [INAUDIBLE] on Saturday if she had the grandchildren. >> What did they think? >> They were very happy, and of course, it was a great experience for the grandchildren, too. >> I'm sure they were very proud of you. I think so, right? Because they see Korea now, right? What do you think of Korea now? >> Now, as I already said, the frontline passed four times through Seoul, so it was nothing left when we arrived, so it's amazing how the Koreans can manage. They are very clever and very grateful, work very hard. >> Yeah. We do work hard, and we're very grateful people. >> Yeah. >> We are very, very thankful. >> Yeah. Mm-hmm. >> We don't forget. >> No, and of course, if you look to North Korea, you understand why you are grateful. >> Yes. I say that I am very, very fortunate and blessed that I was not born in North Korea, you know? >> Yeah. >> So I hope that, you know, you went, and you defended South Korea's freedom, right? I hope that the war will end soon and Korea would finally have peace and reunification so that North Koreans can also enjoy freedom. Do you think that's possible? >> Doesn't look that way. And, of course, Germany was divided in the same way, and it ended, but you can still see a difference between West Germany and East Germany, even in Berlin. So it's not easy to combine West Germany and East Germany, still some problems, and I suppose in Korea, it must be even more problems. But of course, I will wish you good luck. >> Yeah. I hope so, too. Anything you would like to say to maybe young people all around the world about war, peace, about your experience in Korea? >> No. I don't think so. >> No? Well, thank you so much for your time. >> Okay. Okay.

>> You have from there, the German, Norwegian soldiers in Germany after war. >> Okay. >> And we have those from Sweden, if you see, to Sweden, the Korean, Norwegian Korean there in the middle. >> Okay. >> [INAUDIBLE]. >> Do you read Korean? >> Yes. >> Yes. >> NORMASH, 1951 to 1954, wow, 623 Norwegian ... More than 90 patients. >> Ninety thousand, 90,000. >> Ninety thousand, I mean, 90,000. Were any Norwegian servicemen or women killed? >> Three of them. >> Not in battle, not in battle. >> Three? >> But not in battle but in service. >> Accidents. >> Accidents? >> Yeah. >> What kind of accidents? >> Driving accidents. >> Driving ... >> In Korea? >> Yeah, yeah, during the service, yeah. >> Oh, no. >> And the third one is a Norwegian sailor. >> Sailor, yes. >> Because when the Korean War started, a lot of Norwegian ships were in the area, so they worked with evacuation of civilians from the war zone and also the transportation of heavy military material from the fan to Korea and back to Japan for repair also. >> So ... >> But it's not so well-known. >> I only thought ... >> We have written about it in our book. >> I only thought doctors and nurses went from Norway. >> Oh, no, personnel too. To run a MASH, you need more than doctors. >> One hundred persons in total. >> One hundred and six. >> Sixty of them working in the hospital. >> Each continent, 106 persons. >> And the very necessary addition ... >> Cooks, cooks, guards. >> Drivers. >> Drivers. >> Technical personnel. >> Technical and camp workers. >> But ... >> And in addition, 60 Korean too. >> Yes. >> Really? So ... >> About 25 Korean guards? >> Yeah, approximately. >> Approximately. >> And four were working in the camp. >> And civilians too. >> So 100 medical personnel? >> Yeah, yeah, and the MASH consists of 100 persons, Norwegian persons. >> And 523 other servicemen from Norway because there were 623 total. >> Yes, in total. >> No. >> All Norwegian were volunteers. >> Each continent ... >> Yeah, continent, yeah. >> ... for 1/2 a year, and we had six continents. >> Seven, seven. >> Seven at all, and they changed every 6 months, and each continent had 106 persons, personnel, and of those, approximately 40 medicals. >> No, 60 medicals. >> So many? >> Yeah [INAUDIBLE]. >> [INAUDIBLE]. >> It doesn't matter, doesn't matter. >> And of course, the medicals, the hospital is the main thing of a MASH, of course. MASH stands for Mobile Army Surgical Hospital, MASH. >> There's a very famous TV series in America. >> We have seen that. >> Comics. >> What do you think of that? >> The scenery is very natural. I don't know where it's taken, but it looks like Korean scenery. >> Yeah. >> And the tents and everything is very, very close to ... >> Real? >> ... real, yeah. >> And you see here, NOR, that stands for Norway, MASH. >> And if you behaved well, you could have a new contract for 6 months. I behaved very well, so I stayed for 1 year. >> One year, but why ... >> He didn't behave so well, and so he stayed for another 6 months. >> You all volunteered. >> Yes, we all were. >> Everybody was volunteer. >> Wasn't it difficult? Why did you want to stay longer? Wasn't it difficult? >> To stay longer? No, no, I had service after the war or armistice. >> Approximately 100 stayed more than ... >> Yeah. >> ... 1 year. >> Yeah. >> Six months, 1 year at all. It was a good pay, you see, after Norwegian conditions, and so it was ... >> To be honest, I had three reasons for going to Korea. First of all, Norwegian Trygve Lie was the first general secretary of United Nations. He was well-known internationally because Norway had a foreign administration in London during the war, and so it was very much first about Korea and the Korean War. Of course, I wanted to help. Secondly, it was very exciting, so exotic. >> Yeah. >> You cannot imagine today how far it was from Norway to Korea and how different the societies were, so it was excitement, and thirdly, I needed money for my study, and we were not so very good paid, but most of the money was in Norway. >> Yeah, yeah, yes. >> And we had a small salary. >> Scrips. >> Yeah, scrips. >> Money valued only during war, Korea. >> Yeah, and the scrips started all in first World War, I read once. >> Yeah, special money. >> Yeah.

>> Well, I am Mr. Maximo Young, 94 years old. Well, my war experience started with ... I was working with a company in the Philippines. That was 1941. Later on, I was sent to States to study agriculture, and then from there, I was one of those chosen to select members of the group that our government committed to be sent to Korea. That was 1950. Now initially, before we were sent to Korea, after selecting different members to compose the 10th Battalion Combat Team, we had some training. Our training ended sometime on September, so on September 15, we made our first trip to Korea aboard [FOREIGN LANGUAGE]. We left the Philippines September 15 and arrive at Korea 19 September. Upon arrival at Korea, we could see the whole area, stationed in Pusan where we landed. There were all of us armed for war. It was this time when the North Koreans invaded South Korea on 15 September the same year. So upon arrival at Pusan, our initial debarkation area, we were sent to [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] for a probation period. From there, we stayed for overnight, and then the following days, we were sent further north to acclimate ourself with the area, including the weather. The weather is very different. It started while in Korea. It was always frigid, very cold. We stayed there for almost 15 days. From there on, we were attached to a US division, the 3rd Army Division of the US. From there, we were assigned an area that is south of Seoul, extending up to about 15 kilometers north of the 38th parallel. We were assigned to patrol an area which is the main line of supply used by the United Nations coming to transport men, soldiers and supplies to the front line. Now it was an incident where our group was designated to secure a certain area not to be a North Korean area. So November 11, we were sent to patrol the area to find out whether there are some North Koreans who are disturbing our supply road. Sometimes they're ambushing friendly troops and sometimes destroying vehicles that are a part of the group that fights the North Koreans. So on November 11, I was in charge of a group to reconnect the area going north. We were the first group to more or less move to reconnect the area. With us were some segments of two companies and some medical units and some support units. Now at 7:30, we left the area from somewhere in south of Korea, going to Yujeong, but our designation was to look for the enemy somewhere at [FOREIGN LANGUAGE]. Along the way, our head group encountered a land mine. The land mine exploded, and all the Jeep which they were riding exploded and flew over, and two of our men were disabled, but we continued moving forward to [FOREIGN LANGUAGE]. Now after completing a bend, going to [FOREIGN LANGUAGE], and an area which is more or less a distance from a hill, a hilly place, we encountered simultaneous burst of enemy fire suspected to be about of 4,000 deployed along that area. We were just little found out that place where we passed after were 45 areas in preparation for any ambush for any enemy that goes north. So since it was surprise attack, all of us would lie down, and then most of our men, cadet or not, because it was a very ideal place for ambush. It was river down the road, and the enemies were all deployed up on top the area. So after several bursts of fires, my men, our men, cannot move, so I was a commander of five towns. I was the fourth town. After a lull, I patrol the periscope. Anytime you have a periscope, you can see the area around you through a telescope without being exposed. I look left and right, and I found out not a single man what belongs to my group. We were about 90 to 100. All of them were flattened to the ground in that group. So as idea forward looking at the enemy, I saw some of them already more or less conferring to each other on the left side and off on the right side. Thinking on my officer [INAUDIBLE], I know they're ready to attack because nobody could fire. So what I did: I opened my tank. A tank, it has a cover. I open the hatch and went out and manned the machine gun with this part of the armament of the tank. What I did is, I cracked the .50-caliber machine gun and started firing from the left. As I continue firing, I saw some of them tumbling down, running, some of them getting out of their trenches. I swing the machine gun from left to right, aiming at those people who already were trying to plan an attack against us. I continue firing. I split about two boxes of ammunition until later on, the support fire coming from behind from our artillery. Now when I started firing, running after this soldiers who were getting out of their trenches from left to right, and after about 15 minutes, there was a support fire from behind. So after about 15 minutes, our soldiers started advancing, returning the fire. Incidentally, after that, we were able to more or less get them to surrender. After a head count, there were about 42 dead and about 201 dead. From there, we straight to [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] to complete our mission. That is the first time that we encountered the North Koreans from the Filipino side is the first time we encountered these North Koreans. Now after the incident, I found out there are foreigners from other countries who also belong to the United Nations command, went down to congratulate me for what I have done because without the fire, I think all of us would have been as good as dead because we can not know. Just imagine an area where all of them, you have the commanding view of the area, and all of us were down there like the pigs that are being shot at. That was the first incident I have encountered. That was the first incident where the Philippine forces encountered the North Koreans, and that was the first victory of the Philippine army. >> What year was that? What month and year was that? >> That was 1950, 1950. >> '50, what month? >> '50. >> What month, month? >> Oh, November. >> That was during the most difficult battles. >> Yeah, that was the most difficult. >> November 1950. >> Then from there, we went north, fought there, and then from there we found out that most of those ... There were 40,000 North Koreans stationed at the area. Now when we went there, all of them dispersed because of our combined attack. Aside from us, there were support units and some planes of the Allied that supported us. >> Well, as Vice President of the Filipinos Korean War Veterans Association, what are some of the activities that you do as an association, and what do you think is important for people to know about Filipinos who fought in the Korean War? >> Well, you're asking me about the different activities we did? >> What's important about Filipinos in the Korean War? What's special about Filipinos? For example, Turkish soldiers, they never left the dead. You know? >> Yeah. >> So every country, there's something special about that country. So what would you say that you want people to know about Filipinos who fought in the Korean War? Like Thai, they were called Little Tiger. Yes. Something about Filipinos? >> Well, the Filipinos, when we arrived at the Korea, we found that most of the civilians that they're fleeing because most of those Koreans, they are uneducated. That's partially the reason why the Japanese, when they occupied Korea, they prohibited Koreans to study, so more or less, never educated them. So during the time, whenever attack, they can not do anything. And what were we observed in Korea were civilians, they don't know where to go. Children, plenty of children, the children were left alone. They were alone. They had nothing, nothing to eat, especially the families. >> So what's special about the Filipinos? >> Well, what's special about the Filipinos? >> Mm-hmm. Yeah. [ Chatter ] >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE]. What was your role? What was your role that made the presence of the Filipino contingent, critical because of the war or important to the war? [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] [ Chatter ] >> A significant contribution. [ Chatter ] >> Well, first, more or less, fighting against the Koreans and then helping the civilians who are in need of food and protection, security. >> I know Filipinos went to Korea even after the armistice, the 5th Battalion, right, went after, and it helped rebuild Korea. >> Yeah. >> Maybe that's a very significant contribution in the war that ... Many other nations, they left, but Filipinos, even after, they sent another battalion to help reconstruct. I think that's very significant. >> Well, the contribution that was assigned to the Philippines after the fight, they were there to, more or less, study the nuclear activities of ... Well, the Americans told them something nuclear, more or less expecting the world will continue, but incidentally, there was an armistice that lured about 1953 where they declared ... They stabilized rations. >> And I know there were 41 POWs, right? >> I have the number. Excuse me. As a result, we have 112 killed in action, 112 killed in action, and then missing in action, we have 229. And then ... wounded in action, I mean. Missing in action is 16, and we have 41 POWs, prisoners of war. Now the 41 prisoners of war, after the war, we tried to verify, follow up, their destinations. Of the 41, we were able to locate, I think, 36, 36, 36, and until now, the remaining numbers are not found. >> Really? Five of them are not found? >> Until now. >> Wow. >> We suspected that they had died, and they were never found. >> Recovered the remains? >> Now, for the POWs, we have 41. I think 6 of them are not also accounted for. The others have gone back to the Philippines. After 3 years there was ... After the armistice, there was an exchange of prisoners, and some of them came back. >> But not all? >> Yeah, yeah, yeah. >> Oh, no. The families of the POWs that never came back, so they're just waiting? >> For your information, the total number of Filipinos that participated in the Korean War was 4,720. >> Four thousand seven hundred twenty? >> Four thousand seven hundred ... >> No, I thought it was 7,200. [ Chatter ] >> I thought it was 7,200. >> Oh, no. I'm sorry. Seven thousand four hundred twenty. >> Yes. Yeah, and now in the association there are about 3,000, right, left in the association? >> No. As of last June, I could account for 1,700. >> Oh, that's it, huh? One thousand seven hundred. >> One thousand seven hundred living. >> Living. >> Living. And the others, out of the 7,420, the others that came back was assigned to different places, and we have no means of contacting them. Now out of that number, as of now, our living veterans, verified living, is about 34 living veterans. >> Thirty-four? >> Yeah, thirty-four. >> Thirty-four? >> Thirty-four, yeah. >> I thought you said 1,000 ... >> That is for the Tampa City, for the Tampa City. [ Chatter ] >> Because there was five visitors when the ... The 10th was about ... >> The 1st battalion that went. >> Yeah, that's right, battalion. >> Yes, yes. >> The 1st battalion ... >> There was only 34. >> Yeah, 34. >> And you're part of the 1st battalion. >> Yeah, the very 1st battalion. >> The 1st battalion are the oldest, right. I heard there's a 101-year-old veteran. One hundred and one, is he the oldest? >> That 100-plus ... Most of the casualties were of the [INAUDIBLE] were because of another battle that was a year long. That year-long battle started way back in April 1952. That was the time the North Koreans tried to post in order to invade the South Korean. >> Wow. One last question, have you been back to Korea? >> Yes, five times. >> Wow. Five times. >> My son, he went there last year when it was awarded the highest spirit medal in South Korea. In fact, I will give you a copy of ... >> A citation. >> ... a letter. I wanted to take the award, for sure. >> What did you think about when you first went to Korea? How did you feel? >> Well, I was single dad during the time, and I was one of the selected because I came from Fort Knox to study the armored veteran. When I went to Korea, I never thought I would be coming back because it was the time when the North Koreans were very forceful in trying to invade South Korea. Now my impression about South Korea when I was there, it was a place where people are very poor. They were very, very poor. You could see them trying to get food from us, and mostly is what I said, most of the people there are uneducated, very poor, and they have no means of life except farming. >> But now ... >> Wow, terrible. The are the best shipbuilders. >> Mm-hmm. >> In fact, they intended to open up four shipyards in the Philippines so that they will continue to build ships because shipments is a problem. You can transport anything. Back then, it was very costly. Unlimited, but shipbuilding, I think that is what the ambassador told us one time when he said, it was 3 years ago, the ambassador of South Korea, we were having a meeting. The intention of South Korea is situate that the Philippines, which is very, very poor now compared to 1950. We were the second best country, but after the World War II, everything was destroyed including our factories, our everything. Now what the ambassador told me before was that the intention of the moment of South Korea was that within 30 years they want the economy of the Philippines to be in power with Korea. In other words, they will support the Philippines' infrastructure, agriculture, everything, so that way, 30 years, that was 2013. He said 30 years, that was the intention of South Korea. Thirty years from that time, they want the economy of the Philippines to be in power with South Korea. >> I know. I visited too many countries, and when I went to the memorial today, I was amazed, and I said it's the best memorial and museum that I've ever seen in any other country. You know? >> Yeah. >> The facility, the Pepco facility? >> Yeah, yeah, yeah. >> It is amazing. >> Very amazing. [ Chatter ] >> I was so impressed. It's maintained beautifully. The museum is very nicely presented and display. The auditorium, the memorial ... >> Yes, yes. Way back 800, I think. >> Just so wonderful, and I'm very proud to know that the Korean government has been able to build that to honor and thank the veterans. So I was very proud to hear that. I hope that you are very proud when you went to Korea recently to see skyscrapers, Hyundai, Samsung, LG. Korea is very prosperous, and Koreans are successful because of your sacrifice. Yeah. >> Well, there is a way they have best fusion because the North Koreans has not gone down to South to destroy. They have a very big space.

>> I am Robert Jupar Domingez. [INAUDIBLE]. I served in military service in 1950 after graduating from the high school. I missed a [INAUDIBLE] in the military service. Then when the war broke out in Korea, it was 1950. I volunteered. [FOREIGN LANGUAGE]. I was not lacking the joy and the intent of a newcomer. And then the next battalion, [INAUDIBLE]. I was not lacking. On the third time when I visited, I was selected, so from there, we were regrouped [INAUDIBLE] volunteer to replace the 20th division. We were regrouped there from all volunteers from the Armed Forces of the people. My rank then was a private first class. I belonged to the artillery, so all volunteers were regrouped at camp all the time. Then when all the volunteers were there in Camp Aldinado, we created us from the branches of service where we belonged. Of course, I belonged to the artillery, so I was with the artillery group. And then parting group, medical group, every group. So we all just were already grouped, and the size of those volunteers, the number of people that we completed, we moved the [INAUDIBLE] at the time, the Port [FOREIGN LANGUAGE]. Then we were regrouped again by branches of service. Of course, I was trained in separate from the field artillery, so I was with the artillery. So when everything was grouped already, artillery, infantry, medical, logistics, and others, then we moved again to Port [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] at the time. So then we started our training. I can't remember the number of months we were trained. So after the training, there was another group. We would group again to North of Korea. I cannot exactly remember the group where I belonged. So then we went to Korea. We take the LST at the time. You know about this LST? Landing ship, tank. The ship of the Korean Army of the Armed Forces [INAUDIBLE]. Landing ship, tank. They called that LST, landing ship, tank. But we were training for Korea. We retrained again. Retrained at that [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] was a mountainous area. That's where we trained. After our training, then we were shipped to Korea. That was ... I cannot remember the date, but the month was July 1950. >> '53. >> Yeah, '53, 1953. So that is it. We sailed to Korea. We rode the Philippine Navy ship, we called that LST. We called that LST. We arrived in Korea July 1950, yeah? 1953. Yeah. [INAUDIBLE]. So that is it. We really [INAUDIBLE]. That was July 1953. Excuse me. >> That was the Armistice. July 7th, 1953 was the Armistice. Do you remember when the war ... They signed the cease-fire. >> Three fire? >> Cease-fire, Armistice. >> Armistice, yeah. That was already ongoing, the Armistice was. >> Do you remember a little bit about why it took a long time for them to do the cease-fire agreement? No? >> I have no idea about that. >> So what did some ... What did you do during when you weren't fighting? >> What did you do? >> When you weren't fighting? >> Fighting? >> Uh-huh. >> Because I belonged to the artillery ... This is the battle pit. This area, we are about 7 to 10 kilometers at the battle pit. It belonged to the artillery canyon. [INAUDIBLE]. So before the infantry people could enter, advance, you had to [INAUDIBLE] with one of our ammunition. So it depends on the front line how the people just kept themselves, the enemy, because there is a radio telecommunication device overhead, and [INAUDIBLE]. So if the enemies have already moved backward, then cease-fire. The firing of the infantry people that ceased already except over here coming from land, but the Chinese communists [INAUDIBLE] come in from the [INAUDIBLE] give you password coming from Manila, [INAUDIBLE] front line somewhere along, well, shall I say ... >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> No, no, no. Somewhere around Yuki. That is the approximate distance from the front line where the enemies and the Chinese are in training [INAUDIBLE] from our troops, the union troops. Yeah. So that is it. That is the system of the fight. Normally, we fight in Korea at the time during the night [INAUDIBLE] during the day. >> Can you look here? Don't look there. Look here and speak a little bit louder. >> All right. >> This the camera. Don't look there. >> The fighting in Korea at the time was mostly during the night. Excuse me. During the day, everything was done with fighting, but we from the rail [INAUDIBLE] canyon, we have to pile in. [INAUDIBLE] with our service. Have seen some movements there, the enemy, and they request from us a pilot and a server from the artillery. [INAUDIBLE]. >> So you fought during the 3rd Battalion that saw a lot of battles, right? Many battles, many combats, fights, yes. >> Engagements? >> Yes, many engagements, right? >> Yes. That's why I said the fighting during that time was mostly during the night because they know [INAUDIBLE]. Many people were from that place, so all them prepared to go fight during the night, while during the day we kept defending also our positions. They were also defending their positions. But when that mess started, it's like fiesta. >> So when do you sleep? >> In our system in the artillery because we have the [INAUDIBLE], we have 10 in a team, we divided that by the infantry. So the first group starts at 6 o'clock, then after 10 o'clock, then after 3 o'clock, then after 5 o'clock. That is the system. >> And you rotate? >> We rotate, yeah. Yeah. We rotated. >> Did any of the ... >> I am referring only to the artillery. I don't know what the infantry ... The infantry people were just walking on the front line. The artillery group, we have big guns, so we have ... >> Super bazooka. Super bazooka. I saw super bazooka. >> Bazooka, for those people in the front line, bazooka. We have that. They have that. But we [INAUDIBLE]. >> What? >> [INAUDIBLE]. >> What is that? >> In our place. >> What is that? >> Cannon. >> Cannon! Cannon, oh. >> Cannon. Cannon, yeah. We had the cannon and myself. That's why sometimes, I can't understand you because during the night, our ears are popped. >> Oh! >> Up to now I can't ... Specifically the right one because I used to fire the cannon, so the blast of the cannon will affect your ears. >> Oh! No earplugs? >> No earplugs. They do not encourage us. The officers at the time were not ... Excuse me. We were not told we need that. So when you hear ... Specifically myself was the one who was pulling the lanyard of the [INAUDIBLE]. No. You cannot hear that good now. You cannot ... Let's say I'm the one firing the hose. If you do not pull that ... I'm the only one pulling it, but there is a command. There is a command on the [INAUDIBLE]. We have the command in the rear, which is [INAUDIBLE] around 50 meters back. That is the one giving the command. When they give the command ... There are six cannons, but they are just for [INAUDIBLE]. So when the six cannons are ready, you report to the one giving the command. Number one, ready to release, not in the line of [INAUDIBLE] but number one is posted as number one. Number six, again, is [INAUDIBLE] because there are six cannons [INAUDIBLE]. When the six cannons are ready, the command post, the personal at command post, "Ready?" because there is the one pulling the line. Bam! And the cannon fires. The system we used. >> What do you think about Filipinos' contributions in the Korean War? >> Filipinos? >> Yes because, if you know, there's 21 nations that fought in the Korean War all over the world, but what's so special about Filipinos? >> I cannot exactly describe it, but I belong to the [INAUDIBLE], as I said, It's about 7 or 8 kilometers away from the front line, from the infantry people, before the infantry people who are engaged in fighting, so I could not pass this. But what we hear from them is the fighting starts because the fighting starts the moment it gets dark. It starts already after the morning when it's already daylight again. That's just how we fight people. >> You're a part of the association, right? You're a member of the association? >> Oh, yeah. I'm a member of the Veteran's Association. >> Yes. Aren't you a proud of the association you're part of, a member? >> Yes. >> Right? So for, let's say, an American or some Koreans, they want to know about Filipinos in the Korean War. What would you say? "Okay, we did this. We were" ... something special about Filipinos. >> No, there's no such thing. We are equal there. Like other ... and like other UN troops of the time, especially the Thailanders, they can't understand English, and some others can't understand English. For the Filipinos, we talk English with the Americans and other UN troops. >> Oh, so it was easy to communicate? >> Right. >> Yes, easy to communicate, which is very important. Communication is very important. >> Yes. Yes. Yes, important. >> So they relied on you for other ... Right, they relied on you? Ethiopians, they couldn't speak English well, right? >> Right. >> Turkish, they couldn't speak English well. >> No. >> Yeah. >> No. No. No. They're like [INAUDIBLE]. The Turkish are there. We can't understand. We can't [INAUDIBLE], not like that. They were ready. >> Do you remember seeing Greeks, other people? Do you remember? >> Other nations, you mean? >> Yes. Yeah. >> Yes. Thailanders. What other nations? >> Greece. >> Plenty of the United Nations. I can't exactly remember. I can only remember the Thailanders, Filipinos ... No, I can't remember. >> Greece! >> And do you remember seeing Koreans? Do you remember seeing Koreans? >> The Koreans, yes. >> Civilians? >> There were troops from Koreans there already, but it's really hard to say something about the Koreans. >> Children? Orphans? >> Yeah, children, orphans, plenty. Tough job when you move them. You go to Seoul. Tough job visually to see the people [INAUDIBLE], and we have [INAUDIBLE]. We are going to come [INAUDIBLE]. >> They were so poor. >> Yes. Yes, so poor. [INAUDIBLE] poor. >> But now ... >> Yeah. >> Right? You've visited Korea. They're big now, right? Big, tall, and ... >> In Manila. In [INAUDIBLE] they can't talk English. >> Yes. >> There were many times when we go to Korea for the revisit program, and [INAUDIBLE]. >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> Yeah, I've been there in Korea. >> It's amazing, right? Yes. Yes. Yes. >> You can see the progress in the restored areas. You can't remember where was the fight, can you? >> I hope you know that ... I hope you're very proud. >> Yes. Of course I am. >> We're very thankful. We're very grateful. We're very grateful. >> Other nations, believe in us, the Filipinos, number one. We can speak English. >> Yes. And you were experienced from World War II? >> No, I did not ... >> No, I know. Not you, but Philippines. Philippines ... >> Yeah, Philippines. >> Philippines fought in World War II, so you had a trained Army. Yes. Yes. Thank you so much for your time and your service very much.

>> Hey, everybody. I am now inside the museum hall of Veterans' Association, and I wanted to share some stories of the veterans in their own words. So with me here today, I have four Korean War veterans. There are only 500 remaining in the entire country. Seventy-five hundred went, but here they are. Now first time before I start. How old do you think my grandpa here, Max, how old do you think he is? Okay? If you guessed 86, not even close. Grandpa, how old are you? How young are you? >> Ninety-six years young. >> Ninety-six years young. I think he's living up to his name because his name is Maximus Young, so we will start with him because he is the youngest. Okay. So I'm going to start here, Grandpa. Do you want to face this way? >> No, it's okay. >> Okay. So please tell us your name, your ... Oh, he also served in World War II, Korea and Vietnam. Yes, but right now, could you show us ... tell some of your experiences in the Korean War? >> The Korean War? >> Yes. >> Well, I'll first explain that we had ... We arrived there, and the first night, we were in a boat of [INAUDIBLE]. Now we were issued sleeping bags. The following morning, it was a surprise. Instead of my soldiers waking up at 5 or 6, at the earliest crack, we were screaming. It was, some of their bunkers ... some of their sleeping bags were with snakes, so we were sleeping in a rice field with a ring of snakes. [INAUDIBLE] and from there on, we walked and started on, and from there, we would stand up [INAUDIBLE] and our supply line, we went by the third army among them. [INAUDIBLE]. My son, Julian Sanchez, not in that unit, and they were disturbing our supply line. Some of our crops were destroyed. Some of our crops were broken outside, so what the country did was for us to [INAUDIBLE], was changing because the place where most of the North Koreans were. It was in November, in mid-November of 1951 in November, [INAUDIBLE]. Now as we were going north, [INAUDIBLE] our craft hit land mine. Land mine more less throw our craft about 5 to 10 meters high and hit some people that were in a car, but they were thrown up. Now that was a signal then that we were [INAUDIBLE] because in military operations, usually [INAUDIBLE] before there is a [INAUDIBLE]. So [INAUDIBLE] that the land mine was an initial warning to the troops that an enemy is coming. As we passed [FOREIGN LANGUAGE], many people went straight, and then in a certain area, it was about 800 yards. We saw later on, [INAUDIBLE] pass the bank, that's where we start finding the guys. It was 10 o'clock in the morning. >> I just want to stop here because isn't his memory impeccable? How do you remember all the details, what time it was? Oh, my goodness. Wow! I barely remember what time it is right now. >> Literally, when you visited me, you were ... >> Aw. >> Aw. [ Chatter ] >> Aw. >> Seeing you bring this feeling back. >> Aw. [ Chatter ] >> And when he was farming last year, I visited him in Manila. He was at the hospital, so I visited him in the hospital wearing a mask. >> Oh, yeah, wearing a mask. [INAUDIBLE] if this is the end, there were about 10 bunks. All of those bunks was [INAUDIBLE] in the area. So [INAUDIBLE]. All of the [INAUDIBLE]. Now our plan [INAUDIBLE] the first job is follow by the soldiers, so on and so forth. [INAUDIBLE]. Now when they find us suddenly, we were all paralyzed. Even the soldiers had to float [INAUDIBLE]. So what I did, what we did was [INAUDIBLE] and found out that the soldiers there were dropping, literally dropping, and certain [INAUDIBLE] certain area. [INAUDIBLE] ready for an attack. So it was terrible. [INAUDIBLE] what I did, I picked it back up and then turn right to the hills, but it so happened that [INAUDIBLE] the right side wasn't prepared, so we wake up with [INAUDIBLE]. So what I did is, I told my brother to lift up, but [INAUDIBLE] and this was hit. So what I did, I opened the compartment [INAUDIBLE]. You can see the whole area [INAUDIBLE], and so the soldiers [INAUDIBLE] in different sections. So I opened my [INAUDIBLE]. There was no protection. I suddenly walked and more or less ducked and found five boxes of [INAUDIBLE] and started firing at the roof where they were assembled. As I started fighting, [INAUDIBLE] all of them jumping. No, no, [INAUDIBLE], for every five bullets, there's one tracer to find out where the direction of your firing. [ Chatter ] >> I could take the firing ... tracer bullets. [INAUDIBLE] a tracer, which will find out where you bullets went through. So I started fighting out on the trenches. I also fought. There were soldiers. There were soldiers. I continued fighting for almost 10 minutes, so when I started fighting, the soldiers sat up and started fighting, and all of a sudden [INAUDIBLE] supported ... >> Yeah. >> ... supported the fighters. >> So we just finished watching this ... >> After 45 minutes ... >> Yes, and he was a hero. >> Wow. >> Well ... >> And he's not saying it. >> That's just ... >> And he's not saying it, but he's a hero. You know what I'm going to do? I'm going to show ... >> Okay. >> Look at him, his medals. Right? And he received recently last, 2 years ago, the Order of Military Merit which is, I think, the highest honor from Korea from the president, so look at the medals. So this was donated to the museum, and now it's displayed here. That is Grandpa Maximus Young, and I know, since I remember from last year, his secret to staying young is, he's active. He plays a lot of badminton, and he's very, very optimistic, and he has a beautiful wife, so that's the secret. Okay? >> And in for mean time, stop calling me Grandpa. I'm just as spirited and handsome as you are. >> Yes. Well, I am also going to ask ... [ Chatter ] >> General. So he retired as a brigadier general, right? >> Yes. I am a retired general. >> Yes. >> And [INAUDIBLE]. >> Yes. >> But I was only second lieutenant at the time I went to Korea in the 2nd Battalion, Number Two, and [INAUDIBLE]. After they said, "Hey, you, check on the city," [INAUDIBLE] there was already a cease-fire, and the United Nations officers were already at the demilitarized zone, but then upon arrival in [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] or that portion of the demilitarized zone where in the United Nations forces were laid out, we were assigned a division reserve of 24th US Division, the 2nd Battalion Combat Team. So actually by the time we got there to Korea, [INAUDIBLE] there was no more fighting, but then there was a cease-fire but no peace, and I [INAUDIBLE] that there were possibility that the Communist Chinese would resume their infiltration through the demilitarized zone. >> You're absolutely right. So even after the cease-fire was signed, there were many skirmishes. >> That's true. >> They were still fighting, and people even died ... >> Yeah. >> ... on both sides. >> In fact, several of my men, about eight men, when we were at patrol, the area in [INAUDIBLE], from the other side blew up the last night, and it holds, what, of eight men, of my men, in 2nd Battalion [INAUDIBLE]. >> And he retired as a brigadier general for how many years? >> I've been a brigadier general since 1970. >> And he's only 86 years old. >> Ninety-two. >> Ooh, just kidding. Ninety-two. Oh, man. I think I need to move to the Philippines because something you're drinking there, you seem very young. Okay. This is now the president of pep talk. Now he's 90, 91 years old. >> Yes, 91 years old. >> Young, yes, what was ... >> I went to Korea. I was 25 years old. >> Yes. >> Second lieutenant, [INAUDIBLE]. Our location deployment was [FOREIGN LANGUAGE], Bali, [INAUDIBLE], so [FOREIGN LANGUAGE], Bali, [INAUDIBLE], a few weeks there, but up there about, I think, 14 months. There was [INAUDIBLE] brigade, [INAUDIBLE]. >> Yeah. >> [INAUDIBLE] more than one company. So we were made to ... >> Replace them. >> ... to replace them and climb up the hill. >> Yes. I saw the movie, in the film. >> Yeah. And as we go up passing by the tree where [INAUDIBLE] this pile-up, [INAUDIBLE] such and such there, dead people, so sometimes, you have to think about it. [ Chatter ] >> The smell of the dead and the injured. I know. You still remember that, huh? >> Oh, yeah. >> Yeah. We get to remember. >> Well, I hope that now you reflected, and it's not traumatic for you anymore. I hope that, okay, that you don't get nightmares. >> Very good. [ Chatter ] >> [INAUDIBLE]. We trained. [ Chatter ] >> Yeah. We trained. [ Chatter ] >> So it [INAUDIBLE], we will never die. >> Well, I hope you will live forever. Okay. Last but not least, the youngest of the bunch. You're the youngest, right? >> Yep. >> Yes? Okay. Now tell us your story. >> Oh, very simple one. You might be interested to know why I went to Korea. >> Okay. I am interested. >> I was 18 years old, newly graduated from high school when someone [INAUDIBLE] ... >> Uh-oh. >> ... and me, and because of my desperation, I thought, I'll voluntary [INAUDIBLE]. >> Oh! >> So what I did was got myself listed as a private in April of 1952, and on March of the following year, I was already going. >> Mm-hmm. >> I was barely 21 when I was in Korea, and how the Koreans do it, [INAUDIBLE] pretty girls, very amusing. >> Amusing? Oh, amusing. >> And actually 3 months after we were to Korean front lines, I enjoyed my first taste of R & R, meaning rest and recuperation where I met beautiful women. I tell you, they were very accommodating. In fact, The second time I met her, after 1 month, she was already my girlfriend. >> Oh! >> So fancy that. >> Yeah, so ... >> No. I feel very lucky in Korea, but I arrived in Korea in March of 1953. I was promoted to [FOREIGN LANGUAGE], one stripe, one round, I get.. After 2 months, corporate. After 5 months, sergeant. >> Wow. >> In a period of 5 months, I got three stripes. >> Wow! >> The third was the target. In September of the same year, in September of 1953, I was sent to Tokyo, Japan, to be the rising sergeant of [INAUDIBLE] to the United Nations Command in [INAUDIBLE]. >> Wow. >> Yeah. That was a bold moment. >> Yeah. >> ... for my country and heroism in action, not in the front lines but in the country because I belonged to the girl concerned with [INAUDIBLE]. I never should have brought that. I was [INAUDIBLE], and so after that, I was still in Japan in the union, the Wartime Division. By the way, I am very proud of the Wartime Division. There is something which holds the Wartime Division distinct from the other divisions. >> Yes. >> We stopped the shooting right in Korea! Did you know that? >> Yes. >> [INAUDIBLE] July 27th, 1953, and the pep-talk union that was in Korea at that time [INAUDIBLE] the importance of [INAUDIBLE] battalion [INAUDIBLE]. >> Wow. >> So that is [INAUDIBLE]. >> Thank you. You know, actually, it's very nice to see that your memory of war is not so dark, but it's actually ... You know, you're ... He's a great storyteller. >> Yeah. >> And he has a very good sense of humor. I love the fact that your recollection is very pleasant. >> Yeah. >> I love that, that you're not holding pain and bitterness. So thank you so much, and you're absolutely correct. I also love the fact that you take so much pride in what you and the 14th Battalion contributed. I think every soldier who went to Korea should be very proud. It doesn't matter, like you said, whether you were in the front lines or the back line or in the office. It takes an entire military ... >> Yeah. >> ... not only one military but of many different United Nations, and then that's how we were able to stop fighting. >> Yeah. >> And, well, technically, the war hasn't ended, but look at me. I was able to, you know, gain freedom thanks to you and to all of you, and so all of them, I gave this heart. >> Yeah. >> Yay. Yay. Do you remember my heart with the flag, the American flag? Well, since they're Filipinos and not American, but I gave them this piece of ... >> Thank you very much. >> ... this piece of my heart. >> Much love, much love. >> Yeah, much love ... >> Much love. >> ... much love that all of you can remember my heart, my love, my gratitude. >> Thank you. Thank you. >> Thank you. Thank you. >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> Oh, yes. [FOREIGN LANGUAGE], and so again, everybody, these are my grandpas, my colloquial grandpas. Yay. [ Chatter ] >> So I'm so grateful that we came to meet you on such short notice, so, everybody, let's say ... What's a good Filipino word to say? >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> Thank you. Bye. >> Okay. Bye. >> [INAUDIBLE]

>> Hi, everybody. This is the last stop, last video in the Philippines, but I want to tell the story of the president during the Korean War. The president sent his only son and ... >> Son-in-law. >> ... his son-in-law to also fight alongside the 7,500 who volunteered to go to Korea. >> Yes. >> Talk about really believing in something. He really believed that it was more the defense, the democracy and freedom that it was worth sending his own son, so I am here at PEFTOK, the Korean War Memorial Hall with the director here, Mark, who is a good friend now. [INAUDIBLE] in touch, but he's going to give us more explanation of this center, so let's go in. >> So before, I explained what is the reason for this wall. So the center was inaugurated, or the museum was inaugurated in March 29, 2012, so it's about 7 years old. >> Wow. >> PEFTOK was established under the administration under secretary Ernesto Pernia, so up to [INAUDIBLE] office. >> Wow. >> Yeah. This was inaugurated by no other than the president then, President Benigno Aquino III and along with the Minister of Patriots and Veterans of Korea, Minister Park Sung-Choon. >> Yeah. You know, again, the Philippines has the best center of Korean War veterans I have seen anywhere in the world. >> Thank you for that. >> Yes, so thank you, and again, of course, this is a most renowned, most well-known saying, that freedom is not free. It is paid for with the blood of fighting men and stained with the tears of loved ones left behind, and ... >> That's also Philippines Expeditionary Force to Korea, 1950 to '55, so for 3 years, we fought the North Koreans. We fought the Chinese. We fought the Russians. For the last 3 years, from '53 to '55, we help rebuild South Korea. >> I know. So we're going to go on the tour through this way. So this is very well-done with a lot of detail, a lot of detail, so ... >> This is the general side tour stating the Korean War history, and this will give you dates, of course. >> Yes. >> A general information about the PEFTOK, so about the fight battalions that we sent during the war, beginning in September 1950. >> So September 15 is when the war started getting very ... I'm seeing a lot of action. >> Yes. >> Remember Inch'on Landing ... >> Inch'on. >> ... took place September 15th, so here, the five battalions are ... >> The tenth, so the tenth battalion combat team, the first Filipino battalion to be sent during the war. >> And they, in the Battle of Yultong, I visited the memorial in Korea honoring Filipinos. >> In Yeoncheon. >> Yup, in Yeoncheon, and there, the Battle of Yultong, the Filipinos were outnumbered, like, 900 to, like, 40,000. >> Forty-thousand. >> Yes. I wasn't making it up, and they stood ground, and that one was a good one for them, right? >> So we lost just 26 soldiers. >> So the second ... >> Battalion, it's the 20th battalion combat team, so ... >> Mm, and [INAUDIBLE]. Okay. I want to point out something here that I have never seen anywhere, okay? I've never seen the entire roster of troops in any country. >> So only us. >> Yes. I've never seen it. We have the names of those who died. >> Okay. >> But we don't have names of those who served. >> Served. >> So all 7,500 are here. >> Are here. >> Oh, my gosh. Yeah, and their number. >> Yes, their serial numbers, their military special here are all included. >> That is so wonderful. I just love that, and so here again ... Oh, I just wanted to show this one because it gives you an idea of the total number of troops. America, 1.8M. Philippines sent almost 7,500, so that was actually ... You're the, maybe, one ... like, the fifth largest? >> Yeah. >> Yeah, right? >> Fifth. >> Yeah, the fifth largest, and 112 did not come back, so ... >> Some of the prisoners of war. >> Oh, okay. How many were there? >> Forty-one were prisoners of war, and we were able to get back in 1953. >> Wow. Okay. So here is, again, the 19 battalion. >> Nineteen. >> They fought in 1952 to '53. >> So this is where president's giving of son belongs. He's with the 19, and his son-in-law as well. >> Yes. The son-in-law, right, or son, they were not in combat, but they were doing signal, and he requested that he see action, right? >> Yes. >> Because he wanted to prove to the president that he would not be spared, but he was also brave enough, but luckily, he made it home alive. >> Yes. >> Oh, another thing, and I immediately sobbed. It made me cry when I [INAUDIBLE]. It was the most poignant movie, but was it the son or the son-in-law where he was diagnosed with cancer? >> The son-in-law. >> Yeah, the son-in-law, and he wanted to go visit the [INAUDIBLE] >> The [INAUDIBLE] >> Yeah. >> That's his last request. >> That was his last request. That really broke my heart. Oh, my god. Oh. >> And his name is First Lieutenant Gonzalez, the air force pilot. >> Oh, wow. And this is president Quirino ... >> Son, son-in-law. >> Son-in-law, yes, and so this was the last remaining battalion, right? >> Yeah, the fourth battalion. >> Oh, fourth battalion, and they stayed until '54. Oh, yeah. And here's the last. >> Yes, so this organized to reveal Korea. >> Yes. >> These are the engineers, the teachers, the nurses, the doctors. >> Yes. Another thing I was touched with in the video was that when everybody left, there was one officer and 14 men that stayed for 3 more months ... >> Yes. >> ... to just help kind of pack things, right? >> Yes, logistics. >> Yes, but when the 15 of them were departing home to come back home to the Philippines, they were given full military honor and send-off, and I remember in the video him saying that was the spirit of the United Nations and democracy. >> Yes. >> Yeah. That was another heartfelt moment for me, so again, major Filipino [INAUDIBLE] victories are. There are five [INAUDIBLE] >> So that's [INAUDIBLE], so that's November 11, 1950. This is where the battle [INAUDIBLE] Young got his gold cross. >> Yes, yes, and then ... >> And then Yultong, of course, which is very proud moment for Philippine military history, and then we have Battles of Hill Eerie so where president Ramos became known. >> Okay. >> Then the next one is ... >> Oh, yeah. What that means is that he was a second lieutenant at the time, but later, becomes the president of the Philippines. Yes. And then ... >> Yeah, Battle for Combat, August number 8. That's a 5-day battle between the Chinese and the Filipino soldiers. >> Okay. And the last one ... >> And the last one is the Christmas Hill Battle, June 15, 1953. >> So these are not the only battles they won. These are the major battles that they won. >> Yes. >> Yes, so the Philippine Air Force and Navy as well as the battalions were also in the Korean War. >> Yes. >> Right. >> The Korean War was the first armed forces of the Philippines joint operation, so each battalion [INAUDIBLE] air force officer [INAUDIBLE]. >> Wow, so that is awesome, everybody! And last but not least, here is their uniform. That does not look warm enough for the cold, okay, because that looks like a raincoat almost, because as you know, the Philippines are islands, and it's hot here, so imagine going to Korea where they've never seen snow probably. >> Yes. Actually, that's the one thing that they encountered that [INAUDIBLE] the snow. >> Yes. Yes. >> They could fought anything, but not against the snow. >> Yes. They said they were also fighting against the cold. Here are their weapons. Again, warm clothes that don't look warm. >> So these two are still alive. Lieutenant Batolas is around 90, and lieutenant Bachele is still 89. >> Wow. I'm telling you there's longevity here. I need to move to the Philippines. And here, I will end by saying thank you, Philippines. The Republic of Korea, of course, came here and always thanks you, but here as a person that is an individual, forget being American. Forget being a Korean American. As a human being, I said it's a love story that the president will say, "I believe in this cause. I'm going to send my only son and my son-in-law to fight for this cause." I think that just really symbolizes love, the greatest love of all that one would risk his life for a friend, and so thank you so much, Mark. >> You're welcome. >> Thank you to the veterans and veterans all over the world. Yeah. It's a reminder. I'm just reminding all of you, okay? Freedom is not free, so thank you again, and remember 7/27. Bye!