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

>> Hello, everybody, from Paramaribo, I am extremely excited to be here again at the Korean War Memorial dedicated to the 102 Surinamese young men who went to Korea and fought for me, and there are only three remaining Surinamese Korean War veterans, and I got to meet two, so I am happy like a girl. So these are my two grandpas, Surinamese grandpas. In fact, Suriname is the only Caribbean country that fought in the Korean War, and he, despite how he looks, is 93 years young. Right?

>> Yeah, yeah, yeah.

>> Grandpa, what is your full name and so everybody knows.

>> I’m named Edward Derdrick.

>> And when did you fight in Korea?

>> That’s … When was that?

>> 1955, no?

>> ’40?

>> ’52 or ’53.

>> ’52, ’53 and …

>> No, ’52, ’53.

[ Chatter ]

>> Until the last day of the cease-fire.

>> Oh, until July 27th.

>> Yeah.

>> Okay, yes.

>> Yes, July 27th.

>> Yes, and, Grandpa, what is your full name? Tell them.

>> Wilfred Herman von Hom.

>> Von Hom, and he is 87 years young, so he, compared to him, is a young chicken, right? Well, guess what?

>> I was one of the youngest that left Suriname when I volunteered to fight in Korea.

>> Why did you volunteer?

>> Yeah.

>> Why did volunteer?

>> Because when I hear of the problems in Korea, and my father was a German, during the war, because we are Netherlanders here and Dutches, we got problems. We got problems, and with all the problems, when I hear about the problem in Korea, I go fight.

>> Oh.

>> Very good, tenacious.

>> Wow.

>> Yeah.

>> Oh, I, of course, showed them and expressed my love and gratitude [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] which is, I think, a thank-you in, muah, their local English, thanks to Diego right there.

>> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE]

>> You have to show the patch.

>> This one?

>> Yes, so, everybody, you know how I go crazy about the Indianheads, the 2nd Infantry Division? Yes, so …

>> 2nd Division, oh, we’re the 8th Division of the eighth army in Korea.

>> Yes, so, they fought alongside the American 2nd ID. They’re called the Indianheads.

>> Yeah.

>> And this is their patch, their symbol, and so when I went to Netherlands, I saw that as well.

>> Who is that? That’s on the video.

>> See, this is his wife, and she’s wearing Surinamese colors. Surinamese colors are red, green, yellow and white, and red stands for love.

>> Yes, yes, yes.

>> So I wore red specifically for them. Grandpas, come with me to the memorial, and, Tanya, say hello. My local friend, say hello.

>> Hello, everybody, this is Tanya.

>> And, Raphael, come on. Don’t go away. Say hello. Raphael, say hello.

>> Hello, everyone.

>> Hello. I met Raphael and Georgiano yesterday through Chuuri, and I’m going to pull him over, but because he, we found out yesterday, is the grandson of a veteran. He didn’t know his father’s name was on the panel, so we’re going to show them the panel, okay? Georgiano, do you want to join us for a sec?

>> Grandson, granddaughter …

>> Yes.

>> Can you tell us about, anything about your grandfather’s service?

>> Okay. Then I have to begin at the beginning. My grandfather, he also fought in the Second World War.

>> Oh, Russia.

>> And I think because he was still in the army, the officer sent him to the Korean War out of Japan. What can I tell about my grandfather?

>> Did he say anything about the Korean War, tell any stories?

>> No, I was too young.

>> Okay.

>> But don’t keep telling me that then because I have a book, and it’s actually a funny story because the war, in 1954, they have … They published a book with all the fun stories about the veterans, and it’s a book by him.

>> Okay.

[ Chatter ]

>> There is a book with some of the veteran’s stories. I forgot to bring it in today.

>> It’s okay. I’m going to ask you for a favor, and that is to ask your father about any stories that he might have heard from your grandfather, pictures, and send it to me on PDF for me, okay?

>> Okay, I will do that.

>> Okay, I need to tell you something awesome about Georgiano. Georgiano is what we would look like if we all … He has white blood, yellow blood, brown blood and black blood, right?

>> Yes.

>> It’s amazing, right? What is it, Chinese?

>> Chinese, Javanese, Indonesian.

>> Javanese.

>> I have African.

>> African.

>> And I have Dutch.

>> And Dutch. Isn’t that wonderful? So he represents unity of all races, so I will now take you to the Korean War Veteran Memorial with Grandpa here. Grandpa Hom, so this memorial was built in 2008, right, that memorial?

>> Yeah.

>> Were you here for the ceremony?

>> Yes.

>> Yes, okay, let’s go, and I think I saw a picture of you in Korea?

>> Yeah.

>> You visited Korea?

>> After the war, I visit Korea two times.

>> Oh, you visited two times.

>> Yeah, visited two times.

>> You went in 2000, huh, 2010, 2010?

>> 2010, I was in Korea and before, in ’82.

>> Mm, what did you think when you went to Korea?

>> When I went in …

>> Over there. What did you think?

>> About Korea?

>> Yes.

>> Oh, it’s a nation that built its country. The time that I … The first time that I visit Korea, I … Yes, the Yellow River was only one bridge.

>> Oh.

>> In ’82, there was 60 bridge across the Yellow River to Seoul, from [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] …

>> Yes.

>> … to Seoul.

>> Wow.

>> Sixty bridge and a double bridge, there was one of a double bridge to get across, that go this way. They pass under, under the second stair, and otherwise, that go this way, they pass on the upstairs.

>> Everybody, all the veterans, are so amazed that Korea was able to become such a international giant and make progress. So that was thanks to your sacrifice and the sacrifice of your brothers in arm, so I will finally show you.

>> Here?

>> The names of all the veterans, and you’re … Where’s your name?

>> My name is there, or …

>> Right here.

>> Let me see. I will have … They have one …

>> Right here, so this is Grandpa … How do you pronounce your … Gohm?

>> It’s von Hom.

>> Von Hom.

>> Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, von Hom.

>> Von Hom, thank you so much, everybody. I am going to interview them at length, and we’re going to go for lunch, so I have been happy and excited like a girl, and that’s what they make me feel like. The Grandpas make me feel like a little girl because the last time I saw my own grandfather was when I was 6 years old, and so I miss him every day, and so when I see you, I think of my grandfather. I become 6, and that’s what makes me so happy, and so, everybody, I shall see you guys tomorrow, bye.

>> My name is Nora Drumstedt, and I had liked to go to Korea and help all the soldiers, 1952. I fly by ... [FOREIGN LANGUAGE]? It's a small airplane. It took 2 days to go over from Stockholm to Korea, a long, long time, so we was very tired when we come to Korea, but the Swedish people was there. They took care of us, so we'd have some rest. And after a couple of days, some [INAUDIBLE] work in Korea, but it was very interesting. We had soldiers from all type of military people, and we had a very big hospital. I can't remember how many people was there, but we couldn't stay for a long time. But I stay for 1 year because I feel okay, but just under no time, I was simply, and after that I got ward. That'd be good, and I had so many soldiers to give injections, so I was sick in my eyes of the ... [FOREIGN LANGUAGE]? >> Smell? The smell. >> Smell, yeah. [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] Smells and aroma. Aroma? [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> Mm-hmm? The fumes? >> So I had to change and go back, and after that, I had taken rest, and I got a paper on my doctor, once I had come home, something happened with my eyes, but it was real messy job. Ah, [FOREIGN LANGUAGE]. I had so many doctors from [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] had taken my exam, and he was doctor for a bunch and special. Many of the Swedish doctors were special, [FOREIGN LANGUAGE]. I remember their first night when I come over to Korea. They took me in a big ward for medicine, patients. It was many, many in that ward, but after a couple of days, I got smaller ward. But very, very ... They were very bad, but I was very interested in patients also, very, very nice to me, very nice, and when they can leave better, I took them out. And we went out and through the promenade, [FOREIGN LANGUAGE]? >> Get exercise. >> Exercise. How you say, exercise. [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] I haven't got the memory. >> What kind of patients were they, Korean patients, American patients? >> I can't hear. >> What kind of patients were they, American patients, Korean patients? >> Oh, they are from France, all of them, every of them. >> All [INAUDIBLE]. >> Every of them, yes. >> Do you have somebody that you remember? You remember somebody? Do you remember an interesting patient? >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> Oh, oh, yeah. One patient I had, he was had many [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] on his body, and when he was better, he one day was sitting with Korean boy, and they play ... [FOREIGN LANGUAGE]? >> Cards. >> Oh, card, yeah. And then [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] and he won the boy's watch. >> Watch? >> Watch, [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> Mm-hmm? >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] watch? Watch, yeah. >> Mm-hmm. >> And I told him he cannot do that. I told him, "You have to bring it back to the boy because he has to see how he can come and work with you tomorrow. He has to have a bus to go with, so he has to have time, right time." And he put back the watch, so the boy got the watch back. And after that, the boy wrote to me when he left, and when I come to America, I met his mother and wrote to me and liked me to come over to New York, to the family. >> Wow. >> Oh, a nice family. Husband has been a doctor, but he was die, and all the boys, he would get married. And after that, I don't know what has happened. I have left. Maybe he was married, and he was in, has been in a fruit tree and fall down, and I don't know if he died, so I can't find him. I have asked. >> Hmm. >> Because Nora used to live in the United States. You worked in the United States for some time. Did you ... >> Yes. I have worked in the ... After I was in Johns Hopkins hospital. >> Mm, Baltimore. >> Yes, 1 year, in medicine, and I like it very much. But it wasn't terrible because I got home outside of hospital, and you see, I didn't like ... If I go home about 11:00 o'clock in the evening, it's dark outside, and so I had to leave it because I was scared. >> Mm. Baltimore was a little dangerous at the time. It was dangerous. Johns Hopkins, that area, was dangerous. >> Yeah, yeah. Yes, yes. This was not good. >> Mm-hmm. >> So I was so scared. >> Mm, even now, even now. >> But ... >> In this book, there are many colleagues. >> Yeah. >> Sweden colleagues and American colleagues. What do you remember about them, your colleagues? Do you have any stories with colleagues? >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE]. >> Oh. >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] Mina. She was 10 years younger than me. She was a lieutenant, and I was a captain. >> Oh. >> And after that, she left. When she left Korea, she come to United States in Detroit and was married with an engineer in Ford. And they get children, and Kathrine was their child, and we were [FOREIGN LANGUAGE]. >> You were very close. >> Mm. >> Very close. And when I left America, I could come back when I got married when I come home, and they lived in Los Angeles though, Maryann working in Los Angeles hospital. >> She was American, or she was Swedish? >> In America, yeah. She was living in America. >> But she was Swedish? >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> Oh, yes. >> And you both served in Korea? >> Yeah. >> She was in Korea? >> Yeah. We ... Same flight we had when we were together, every day. >> Mm. Mm. >> And the daughter came to your 100th birthday party. >> Yes, yes, yes. >> Oh! >> Yes, yes. >> Wow! That must have been very special. >> I am so sorry. I have forgotten my English and everything. >> No. You're good. You're good. >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> Very good, very good. >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> What do you remember when you first went to Korea? Korea, did you go back to Korea? >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> No? >> No. >> Mm. >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] The first you remember from Korea. [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> Oh, [FOREIGN LANGUAGE]. I come in my work, take care of the patients. >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] Because I have been in the north in Sweden since I have taken exam in Uppsala and I come up to [FOREIGN LANGUAGE]. >> She was used to the war situation because she served in a military hospital in the north, and this was after the war in Finland, and a lot of children came to Sweden. >> So I was working in [FOREIGN LANGUAGE]. >> Mm. >> Mm-hmm. >> What do you know about Korea now? Because, you know, a long time ago, Korea was very poor, very, very poor after the war. Now ... >> No, they are ... have very good. >> Yeah: Samsung, LG, Kia, Hyundai, big companies, right? >> Yes, yes. >> Yes. >> Samsung. >> Mm. >> Samsung. >> Oh, yeah. >> They got this in my birthday. >> Oh, a Samsung TV. >> On my [FOREIGN LANGUAGE]. >> Oh, from whom? From whom, your children? >> This was from the family. >> Family, my brother's children. >> Oh, wow. >> Because all my brothers is dead. >> Mm. Did you ever want to go back to Korea? >> Yes, but no. I have not go to there again. I cannot. >> Well, I call all the veterans of Korea War my grandpa and grandma. >> Ah. [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> Because I say I would not be here if you were not there, right? >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> Yeah, yeah. >> And Koreans all over the world, like South Korea, we enjoy freedom. >> Ah. >> We enjoy freedom. >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> Oh. >> In America, I was able to have American dream. >> My twin brother has a son. >> Brother? >> And he has been in Korea last year. He was in Seoul. I like him to see how Seoul's Swedish hospitals, but now I think they have taken not Sweden ... [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> Scandinavian. >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> You would apply to work in the Scandinavian hospital after the war, when she came home, but it ... >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> I took a lot of initiatives. >> Yeah. You seem very adventurous, adventurous. >> Yeah, I am. >> Independent, very independent. >> I think you can tell Hannah about the nice gift, how appreciated you were among the patients. [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] When I left my patients and go home, they give me, they had written a paper, all the patients on my ward, and gave me a pearl [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] and earrings, so I had this paper, and I had put it in that bag there. >> Do you still have the ... >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> You do? >> Yeah. >> The necklace and the earring? >> I cry. [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> Mm. >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> They came from all over the world. >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> Beautiful. Wow, wow! From ... >> That's a gift from my patients. >> From 1953. >> Mm-hmm. >> Right, 1953? >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE]? Two months before the ... >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> May, May, May 1953. >> Yeah, 2 months before the armistice. >> Beautiful. Is that your picture? >> Yeah. >> That's you, picture? >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> That's you. You, right? You, right? >> Yes. >> What do you think? You know, Korean War never ended, like you said. Korean War never ended. >> No. >> It didn't end. Even right now, there's Swedish United Nations peace commission. They are still at Panmunjom. >> Panmunjom? >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> What do you think about Korea? Do you think the war could end? >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] I cannot understand how they can work. >> How they can put up with still being in war. >> No. >> Do you think reunification is possible? >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> It's really too bad. >> I don't think so. >> Mm. I hope so because North Koreans don't have freedom like South Koreans. >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> No, they are not, definitely not free. It's terrible. >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> This is ... >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> He's a grandchild of Nora's twin brother, and he's traveling the world. And he went back. He went to Korea, and she's very happy that he has seen the new Korea. >> Oh, ah. >> Mm. >> And he keeps sending post cards from his different places he goes to. >> Wow! >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] Yes. This is a desert in Namibia. >> Wow! How does he send post cards with ... >> The Victoria Falls, and this is also Africa. >> Wow! >> Can you explain to me about this? >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> Ambassador, Ambassador for Peace medal. Explain to me: What is that? >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> "My eyesight is not very good," she says. >> But what is it? Tell me. >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> Can't see. >> But what is it? >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> And your medal, Nora, your medal: Who gave it to you, medal? >> Ambassador for Peace [FOREIGN LANGUAGE]. I got [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] diplom for my work in Korea. I got 23rd of September 1917, or was it December? >> September 2016? >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> 2016. >> Twenty. >> Last year. >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> Twenty-third. >> Twenty-third September, [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> What's the meaning? >> Very important. >> Nora, what is the significance of September 23rd? >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> Is it a special days for Swedens? Can you ask her? Nora, is September 23rd special? >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> I don't think Nora was aware of why we celebrate the 23rd of September. >> Mm. Tell her. >> Yeah. [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] to the Swedish hospital in Korea [INAUDIBLE] September came more Swedish person for to help Korea in the midst of the war. >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> 1950. >> 1960. >> Fifty, 1950. [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] 1950. >> 1950? [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> Ah. >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> Mm. >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] The first Swedes arrived, 23rd of September, 1950. [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> I can ... >> The first Swedes arrived 1950. >> The first? >> The first Swedes arrived 23rd September. >> The first of September? >> The first group of Swedes. [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> The first group of Swedes. >> The first? Oh, huh. The first group of Swedes came to Korea the 23rd of September, two thousand ... >> 1950. >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> 1950. >> 1950, [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> Mm. >> 1950. >> Long time ago. >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> What do you think ... Give me this. It's distracting her. >> Yeah. >> What do you think is the significance of Sweden in ... No, no, no. That's okay. I'll speak loud. What is the significance of Sweden's contribution in the Korean War? >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> Ah. [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] For to help. >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] You can say is that we were all volunteers. >> Uh-huh. We were working in the hospital where [FOREIGN LANGUAGE]. >> Volunteers. >> Volunteer, [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] Volunteer. >> And you saved many lives? >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> You saved lives? >> We saved lives, yeah. Yes, we did. >> How many? Hundreds and thousands of lives? >> And we took also care of the children, Korean children. They're my good friend working. [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> Children? Korean children? >> We had ... Sometimes, we had worked in a special island for the [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> We did. >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] Lepra colony. >> Mm. >> Leper? >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] Lepra colony. >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> Leprosy? >> Yeah. >> So when we were free, we did like that. >> There was leprosy in Korea? >> There was a leprosy colony. My father talked about that as well. >> Mm-hmm. >> The staff from the Swedish hospital went to help the people that suffered from lepra. >> And we took care of the children and just ... >> They had leprosy in Korea? >> Yes. >> Lepers? Leprosy? >> Yes, leprosy. >> Tell me more about that. I never, ever heard about it. >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> On their spare time, they went to the leper colonies with medicine. >> And we had taken care of the children also, especially [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] So we took care about them if we had time. >> They also treated a lot of civilians, including a lot of children, in the hospital. They had a special area tent specially for receiving children. >> We tried. >> All volunteer? >> Mm-hmm. >> For leprosy? I mean, it was their spare time. Did they volunteer to do that? >> Yes. >> Can you tell her so that she can respond? >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] spare time. "We helped the people with lepra in our free time." Can you say [FOREIGN LANGUAGE]? >> Well, ask her why would she want to do that? Isn't ... Why would she want to do that? >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> You wanted to do as much as you could. Why? >> I was not there. This was special people and doctor. >> So they went [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> Okay. Nora wasn't there personally, but the staff in the hospital did this in their spare time. >> Mm-hmm, mm-hmm, mm-hmm. >> The Swedes? >> The Swedes. >> Mm. >> We did what we could do. [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] Go to the beach. >> Mm. So that was near the beach? >> Yes. >> Yes. >> Which is like Stockholm. >> Yes. >> Mm. >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> Mm. And it was warmer? Because it was very cold, but Busan was warmer? Korea was very cold, right? >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> It was very cold during winter, right? >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> The rooms just had a bed and a small table. >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] That we had. >> Did your ... >> I ... It's so long time since that happened with me, so it's very difficult to explain everything. >> Yeah, but you're doing very well, and you're telling history. You're preserving history. >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> Because not a lot of people know. >> It's too late. >> No, no, never too late, never too late. >> There is lots I cannot speak. >> Tell her not a lot of people in the world know about Swedish, especially nurses. >> It's very difficult. >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> The Korean War is called the Forgotten War. >> Korea [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> And that is why I want to ... >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> "I'm surprised." >> That is why I want to make it known to more people. >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> And that's why your story is very, very, very important and precious. >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> Especially when people think war, they only think soldiers, but they don't think about the doctors and the nurses. >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> She agrees. It was an important mission they had. >> You saved many lives, so thank you. >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> All the stitches she has removed and all the burns she has treated. >> Did you see anybody die? >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> Not in her ward. >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> That's good. >> I've heard other veterans tell that the Swedish hospital was very well-respected among the soldiers. >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> Very good doctors. >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> So the Swedish hospital had very, very qualified doctors, and another veteran told me that she even saw in the soldier's helmet that they had put little notices, a little piece of paper saying, "If I'm injured and cannot speak, take me to the Swedish hospital." >> Ah. >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> She hasn't heard that, but I've heard it from other ... >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> That's good. Well, I hope you have great pride in what you did. >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> Danish and Norwegian people also. >> Mm. But to you personally, [FOREIGN LANGUAGE]. >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> Thank you. >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] You should come earlier.
>> My name is Katarina Ericsson, and I'm at present the President of the Korean War Veterans Association, which is actually part of the Korean Association here in Sweden since a few years back. My father was in Korea, so I'm a child to a Swedish Korean War veteran. When my father, who was very active in the association, when he passed away 2012, unfortunately the association then had no capacity to continue, and that's when I stepped in, and we joined the Swedish Korean Association. So my father was there. He was young when he was there. He was 22 years old. He came to Korea in July 1953 just before the armistice and was there for 6 months, so I grew up with all these stories about Korea, about Asia and stories from the war, which at that time was more like fairy tales but very thrilling stories about transporting things close to the front line of the war and hiding and hearing gunfire and operating wounded soldiers, and then of course my father loved to see "M*A*S*H" and told us that this is exactly what it looked like, and so I grew up with all of this, and I ended up in Asia myself for some years. I was working in Beijing, and just before my father passed away, he joined one of the revisit programs to Korea, and I had the possibility to accompany him and learned a lot more about the Korean veterans from all over the world, about how Korea still so many years after the world still appreciates and still thanks the veterans, and I realized the importance of keeping this group together to ... that there has to be a contact point in each country that still has veterans and also to bring together all the networks of children and grandchildren of the veterans, so this is why I'm engaged in this because I think it's really important to keep the memory alive and to take this on to new generations, and again, Korea still so many years later still invites veterans, those who are ... who still manage to travel and their children and grandchildren to come to Korea. But we also have ways of acknowledging the Swedish contribution here in Sweden. We have started since a few years back to celebrate the 23rd of September, which is the day when the first group of Swedes arrived in Pusan and started to work, so 23rd of September, 1950, which was very early. Sweden reacted very early to decision to support Korea with a field hospital. In the end, it became a stationary hospital in Puson, and again, this is where my father worked and the Swedish veterans worked. When I took over this responsibility of representing this group, we had a list, which was not that long, and I wanted to see if there were other veterans or families of veterans in the country that were still interested. So I managed to ... I wrote a little article and managed to get it published on the 27th of July, which is the armistice day, and as a response to that article actually, we got to know many more veterans that were interested and also family members, so our list became a little bit longer, and we do what we can to keep this group together to try to meet once a year on the 23rd, but also, we organize other events for the veterans, and the Korean embassy here is very generous and in helping us to organize these events and also to help us to fund these events, so the 23rd of September is very much appreciated. We've ... The last 2 years, we've been invited to the [INAUDIBLE] castle for a very, very nice dinner but also organized some presentations and seminar part where we listen to either one of the veterans telling their story, or, like, last year, we had a researcher who is now doing some research about Swedish medical assistants in wars, not only the Korean War. He came to talk about his research. We've also, of course, had presentations about the documentary project now ongoing. There's a short promo film that we have shown, and we hope that maybe this year or if not this year maybe next year to be able to show the whole documentary when it's finished in one of these meetings because of course the idea of a documentary is to spread knowledge about the war, but I think it's also fantastic for the veterans themselves to see it, and I can tell you, not one eye was dry. It was many tears when ... And just thinking about that little promo, I almost cry because it's very emotional to see the veterans talk about this and to think about what they did, the fact that they were all volunteers and went there just because they wanted to help. They wanted to use their medical skills to help a country in war. And I've been to Korea a couple of times, also business trips, and when you tell people that you're from Sweden, they ... and that you have a parent who's a Korean veteran, people are very, very ... I mean, it's to the point you almost feel embarrassed that they think me. I wasn't there. But they very much appreciate the Swedish veterans. We weren't many there, maybe just over 1,000 people, 1,100. No Swedes died in the war, but they were all volunteers, and I think that matters a lot.
>> My father was a doctor, and he served in Korea in Busan from autumn '53 until spring '54, half-year. And he was a pediatrician, and here is a picture of him with a malnourished child. And my memory from this: I was born the year the war started, 1950, so I was only 3 years old when he went away to Korea. And I had three sisters, one younger and two older, so we were four young children at home with our mum, mother. My strongest memory from this is the pictures. He took a lot of pictures, and he showed them for us and for friends. And he had a long story to tell about all the pictures, and then nearly 2 years ago, I saw a little notice in the newspaper. They were looking for pictures from the Korean War, especially about the hospital in Busan, and I contacted them. And I wanted to use our pictures, and then it's for making a documentary for Swedish television. And by this, I also got to know about the Korean Society at several meetings with them and the Korean Embassy here in Stockholm, and they have been very interested in our story and the story of other veterans and relatives to veterans. When I heard about this reunion ... It's for veterans and relatives, so I said I was interested. And so was Paul, and we went together there in November 2016, and it was a fantastic trip to see the country where my father had served. It was quite a different view. As Paul said, I could recognize the landscape, the water, the mountains, but nothing else. It was a modern society, a modern country. When my father was there in the 1950s, it was one of the poorest countries of the world, and now it's one of the richest. And it's only a little bit more than 60 years, and so it's a fantastic story, and it was very interesting to meet the Koreans and their hospitality. They were very kind and thankful to us, and they showed us a lot of places of interest. So it was a fantastic trip, and when I came back to Sweden, I showed my pictures from our trip and compared them to my father's pictures, and I showed them to friends and relatives and colleagues and so on. >> What do you remember, maybe something vivid about your father's experience maybe that he might have told you about? >> Yes, it was ... What he told me about the country and especially when he showed the pictures, it was like being in a movie. Though it was pictures, it was like a movie for us, and I've seen them many times, but I remember the story behind the pictures. >> Mm-hmm? Such as what? Like, something maybe you remember? >> Yes, he gave a hopeful picture of the country, though it was very poor, that you can help people in many ways. And the Swedes did healthcare aid, other countries did other countries for the Koreans. >> But does he have a story, like, about a boy, about a patient, about ... >> No, not as I can remember. He died when I was a teenaged, so I ... >> Oh, okay. >> And he hasn't written anything about it, so I don't have a written story or ... only the telling about around the pictures. >> So do you have some pictures maybe you can show? >> Yes, I have. I have. >> You can lift it up. >> Yes, I will. I'll just choose some of them. People lived, some of them lived in very simple houses, almost shanty town, and he told ... And you see also these simple buildings, and there was a great fire when they were there. And here people are in the ruins after the fire, and he told me that no people died in the fire because the houses were so low. So they just walked out, and it was a big fire. Here was the cemetery, war cemetery in Busan with the flags of the nations that participated. Here's a funny picture: children playing. They are jumping on a board over a crest. They could jump very high, and I think this is a national sport in Korea, and I like the pictures. Though the pictures are old, the colors are very clear still. It's funny to see these simple buildings, but they're very fine clothes on the children. Here's a funny picture. These are boys looking for garbage, and they are pickpocketers. And they put the things in the boxes here, and they could steal a watch with this little stick. >> There were a lot of poor and orphans. There were a lot of orphans. >> Yes, yes. There were. >> They had to find a way to live. >> I think I have a picture. Here is also the gate of the hospital. It was ... See the flag from the United Nations, Sweden: a red cross. >> Mm. >> I think I have a picture of the orphans too. >> It must have been very emotional for you to visit Korea to see because you say your father passed away when you were young. And for you to go to a place where he was, you know, around your age, of course a lot younger, but that must have been very emotional for you. >> It was really, and it gives ... >> And you must have been very proud. >> I'm very proud, yes. >> Because he volunteered. He wasn't ... >> Yes. >> He wasn't forced to do it, you know? >> No, no, no. >> He volunteered. I think that's remarkable. >> And he ... I ... >> You know, can you explain that? Because I heard about it from Nora yesterday, and I was ... I never knew about leprosy. Oh, my god. >> Leprosy. This man has leprosy. It's a very old disease, which has been in several societies. It's an infectious disease which is very little contagious, you know? But people are afraid of it because you get wounds all over the body. You lose your senses in the skin, and therefore you get wounds which will not heal. So the faces will be malformed, and they live in separate villages because people are afraid of them. >> But it's not contagious? >> It's contagious, but very little. >> Right, but the ... >> You have to have very near contact. >> But the Swedish ... Nora said that they volunteered in their spare time to go to the village and treat lepers. >> Maybe, yes. I don't know if my father did, but he had these pictures, and nowadays you can treat this disease with antibiotics. I have more pictures in the other place, in these cases. >> I would guess that he went because he took pictures. >> Yes. He was, but I don't know if he was working as a doctor with these patients, but he took pictures. Yes. >> Remarkable. War is horrific. >> Mm-hmm. >> Which, like I told Grandpa Paul, thank you ... >> Thank you. >> ... for your father's service, and I hope that the war will end soon so that Swedes won't have to be there protecting the border and there's lasting peace. I truly hope that, and I ... Honestly, I didn't ... I knew about Swedish contribution in providing medical support, but many people, when they learn about the Korean War, they talk about the 16 nations. You know, that front, and then they say, "Well, plus five," and they don't know about individual contributions from the medical supporting countries. But already it's only my second day interviewing veterans and learning about it, and I'm just overwhelmed by how much, how significant that contribution is. People don't think about the doctors and the nurses because where the death toll could be twice as much without the doctors and the nurses, and for ... Because I don't know about Denmark and Norway but for Swedes who, I'm sure as doctors and nurses, didn't need the money. >> No. >> They didn't do it for the money. >> No. >> You were already well taken care of here and respected, but to volunteer to go to a foreign country during your youth. Whew. I'm like, "Wow." That's ... Thank you. Thank you. >> I heard a number that I think about more than 1,000 Swedish personnel worked in these hospitals during the years. Could that be true? >> Yes. >> Yeah, during the war? >> And after the war. >> During the war, around 1,000. >> Yes? >> And after the war it was another 1,000 ... >> Okay. So ... >> ... Swedes. >> ... two thousand. >> Two thousand. >> Is that the war started in June 1950, and the hospital in Busan was in place 3 months later. >> I know. September 23rd, 1950. >> Yes, yes. That's very impressive. >> I think today it would be possible to have that kind of decision process. >> Yes, yes. >> Mm. >> That would take half a year. >> Mm. >> Yes. >> I think. >> Yes. >> But during these 3 months, they made a decision. They organized it. They made all the ... >> And they recruited. >> And they recruited. >> Yes. >> And they did all the negotiation with the FN and with the U.S. >> Mm-hmm. >> Amazing. >> So ... >> Mm-hmm.
>> This reunification between families is, at least to person outside the Korean nations, I think it's a little bit peculiar. This is not really a reunification. They meet for 2 days, and then they split again, so it's ... But anyhow, I think it must be very important to both the Korean nations, the people of the two because it's really heartbreaking to know that families were split because of the Korean War. And so I think this of course is very, very important to a lot of people both in South and in North Korea, so I hope it will continue. Definitely I hope so, but as you know, it's very much a result of the political game between the two governments, I think. I think that perhaps today there is hardly any need of a Swedish-Korean friendship association because there are some very good relation between our two nations. I think Korea is quite well known in Sweden today and especially to the younger generation with an interest in Korean popular culture. Korean films are quite popular in Sweden, Korean music. And this is the purpose of my association, is to spread information about Korea and to promote exchange, and this is what we do, of course. We have a magazine, and we have also a scholarship that we annually give to a young Swedish student that wants to study in Korea, and there are a lot of Swedes, young Swedes going to Korea to study today, and we have ... Every year we have something like 30, 40 applicants for this very small scholarship, and we know that there are many more going there, so there is a very good relation and quite well-spread knowledge about Korea today in Sweden. It's quite rewarding also in Sweden to do this, and still there are many connection. Many Swede in Korea, like in Korea, Sweden, we have something like 70 or 80 companies established in Korea with offices, representatives, so there are many Swedish companies on the Korean Peninsula, but Sweden, I can find perhaps six or seven Korean companies, although they are very big, Samsung, LG, Hyundai, Kia. I think they are the four. Hankook Tires, so that's the five. I don't know any more. I think there is more need of spreading the word about Sweden in Korea than the opposite way, I think, but anyhow, when you go to Korea and you say, "I'm from Sweden," many people are more than friendly. They are very enthusiastic, and they think very highly of Sweden. Sometimes I may get a little bit embarrassed about that, and I think that many Koreans think that Sweden is the perfect country, but of course it's not, but anyhow. There are still ... There are many, many connections with Korea and Sweden. We have quite a few adoptees. Almost 9,000 Korean children was adopted to Sweden, 3 years, of course. It started after the Korean War but still today, it happens. More rare, but it happens that Swedes adopt Korean children, and yeah, so still we send some military personnel there every year. Five persons goes to Panmunjom. >> Well, I'm sure as Koreans tell you when you're there and the veterans when they're there, we are very grateful. >> Yeah, definitely. >> Because we learned, especially Koreans learned medical, a lot of medical ... >> Yeah, yeah, I think so. >> ... techniques from the Swedes, got that from the hospitals, so thank you, and thank you for your service. >> Okay. It was ... That's a perfect assignment for a military man as long as nothing happens. >> Well, knock on wood that can continue. >> Definitely. >> Thank you. Thank you. >> Thank you.
>> My name is Paul Olson. I'll tell about how it was when I went to Korea in 1953, I think, in February, something like that. I went there together with my wife Astrid, and she was a nurse. I was intern medicine, but later on there, I was head of the X-ray department. Can I show you ... >> Sure. >> ... what meant to show for you or ... This is entrance of the hospital. It's called Swedish Red Cross Hospital. Actually, it was Swedish Red Cross organizing this, and I'll show you. Right around there is some of the buildings. This is [INAUDIBLE] building, and we have another building there [INAUDIBLE] building. They are both royal persons, the [INAUDIBLE]. They were both children, the names, because they were the heads in the Swedish Red Cross Hospital. >> How Department of Defense you learn about the Korean War? You volunteered, right? >> Yeah, well, actually, I knew very little about there. I didn't know anything about the Korea before the war I started, and I read in the paper and so on. I think in our Swedish paper it was asking people to help, and I don't know exactly why I thought this may be something for us for my wife and me, but I had been working before right after the war in Belgium [INAUDIBLE]. I've been working in Germany, helping in their X-ray department. I've been working in Finland, the Second War in Finland, so I had some interest in going out and seeing the world on work. >> And your wife? >> Yeah. >> She said yes too? >> Well, she hadn't ever been abroad nearly, and when we went there, we took farewell from relatives and so on. That was the very first time she entered an airplane, and at that time, we went strolling down Europe and stayed for quite a long time in Cairo, and that's the very first time that we [INAUDIBLE] far east. It was something very, very new. >> What did you both think about Korea when you first landed, you and your wife both? >> We knew very little about Korea. >> Hmm. >> We knew there had been hard war, the front line going forth and back, but very little we knew. When we came first to Japan, I remember, oh, this is a poor country, and later on, coming to Korea, still more poor, so we thought, how harsh it should be to live here, but we were very well taken care of there at the hospital. >> What do you remember from the hospital? Do you remember ... >> The first day, I remember we were invited for dinner the first day we came there, and the head of the hospital, he said, "Now we are waiting for the hostile soldiers and airplane trying to make something." There was talk about getting peace negotiations because everybody wants the best position for that. For the first time, I think nearly in our lives, we were given somehow a drink so forgot dinner, so we were a little up and down right after a long trip too, so we were a little ... I don't know. But we were very well taken care of. >> At the hospital, did you meet a lot of soldiers from different countries? >> Yeah. They came from very many countries, and the kind of patients that came to this hospital should be those who could go back to the front line within a few weeks or those who should stay for days, a few weeks, before going to Japan where they made your long-term care. >> What kind of hospital MASH units were in Japan? Americans? >> In ... >> Japan, uh-huh. >> ... Japan, well, sure that was American hospital. The other Nordic countries, they had more like MASH Norwegian MASH-like hospitals in tents. I was actually there for a few days visiting them, and Denmark, they had a hospital ... >> Jutlandia. >> Yeah, Jutlandia, and they would always take patients direct from the front on the plane and could land right on the ship, so they were very effective, and I think they become specialized in head injuries needing rapid care. >> Urgent care, wow, so Swedish treated kind of minor injuries, not critical, deadly, fatal injuries, no operation. >> In ... >> Swedish hospital. >> ... Swedish hospital, oh, sure, they had lots of operations but no very big operation, but I never served in the surgical department. I know my wife was for part of the time worker there, and she told me they had patients coming from very many countries, and they had sometimes [INAUDIBLE] nighttime and telling terrible histories about how they were injured and how Chinese people coming in hundreds during the night and so on. >> What do you remember about Koreans? Did you see Koreans there? >> About the Korean ... >> Mm-hmm, Korean children, Korean people, did you see ... >> Well, we were there before the armistice, and then there were a strong many injured before, but after the armistice, July 27, '53, we taken more and more Korean patients, civilian Koreans, and I know I was working the X-ray department. I saw many places with terrible [INAUDIBLE] in the lungs with the holes in the lungs, and we were just discussing, how should we [INAUDIBLE]. Few drugs possible. Sometimes they got the treatment, but if they were to be out, well, we send them further on. We couldn't treat them there, and lots of civil Koreans, they were coming there to the hospital, lying in the street. See? >> Can you ... Mm-hmm. >> Lots of people waiting to come inside the gate, and here they are giving them DDT spray. >> A lot of children. >> Yeah. >> Well, did you ever go back to Korea? >> Yes, I've been back there twice. >> Wow, twice. >> Yes, one time I was invited to Korea together with a few other friends there privately, and we stayed only in Seoul, but that's 15 years ago [INAUDIBLE]. Now a few months in November, we were invited by the Veteran Administration in Korea to visit there for 1 week, and we were very well taken care of. We were many people coming from many countries. We were three bus loaded with people, and one thing I think was a little curious that we always had an ambulance following us and several nurses to ... Well, of course, many of us were very old, so it was maybe necessary. I don't know if anybody had to use the ambulance, but it was always a few meters there from where we were. >> That must have been very interesting for you because you're the ones that treated Koreans during the war and after, and now they're looking after you. >> Now ... >> They were looking after you. >> Yes, that's the riddle. >> Yeah, yes, that must have been very emotional, yes, and were you surprised to see Korea, the modern Korea? >> Yes. Of course, I was surprised. It was quite new, Korea. As I understand, Seoul was twice the size, maybe more, than when we were there before, and it was most modern city we think about, and maybe the change was still more in Pusan. That was a small city when we went. Now there were most modern, lots of sky buildings. I couldn't remember. It was nothing what I saw there before. It was quite new, but the mountains, I could see far away. I'm happy to say they were the same. >> Yes. Korea has many mountains. I heard that during the Korean War, it was very cold. Everybody talks about how cold it was during the Korean War. >> Mostly, we were there springtime, summer and autumn, so we had very good weather when we were there. >> You were very unfortunate. >> In our free time, we were longing for the Korean [INAUDIBLE] where you could taking baths and swim and so on, very nice places. >> So looking back, what do you think about the Swedish contribution in the war? So you have your personal, you and your wife's personal experience in Korea, but in a larger context, what do you think about the Swedish contribution? >> I think it has been a very good importance for the long time, I mean, because it was important that we could help them with taking care of the patients. We had about 150, 200 beds in each two buildings, so I don't know. Maybe several thousands of patients had been taken care of, but I think it's more important what has happened in the long run, that the context with South Korea and Sweden been very good importance for the development of Korea and development here in Sweden. You helped us, as I understand, with the context for Korea and maybe also for Japan. >> I saw where the Swedish hospital was turned into a national hospital for Korea. Have you visited there? >> No, I haven't visited that, but I know about that. >> And there's a monument for Swedish, huh? >> Yes, yes, I didn't see it, but I heard about it, but the Sweden, Norway and Denmark, they decided that they wanted to start a university hospital in Seoul, and the latter time in the Swedish hospital there in Pusan, they worked, I think, for a short time together with the Dens and Norwegian. One of my best friends worked in that hospital that moved then to Seoul, but my friend was ... We know talking about together [INAUDIBLE]. >> Oh, yes. >> Yeah. >> Yes. >> Yeah. >> He worked there several years. >> Your best friend from the Korean War >> My friend from medical studies, he was working several years in ... >> Korea. >> ... this hospital in Seoul. >> To help build it. >> Yes. >> To help train. >> Train. >> Mm-hmm, to train. I saw in the documentary that the nurses and even after the war, they were trained by the Swedish doctors and nurses. >> Yeah, yeah. >> Yeah. That's remarkable. >> I think that was important for the future education of nurses and doctors there in Seoul. >> So one thing that breaks my heart a little bit is that the Korean War never ended. >> Yeah. >> As you know, Swedish still are at the [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] the DMZ along the border to protect the border. >> Yeah. I was up there. >> Oh, you were? >> Yeah, and I was visiting the Norwegian hospital NORMASH up near the front, and there was like MASH. All the hospitals were just in tents. >> Did you watch the American TV show "M*A*S*H"? >> Yes, sure, sure. >> Oh, you did? >> Yeah, and this Norwegian hospital was quite like "M*A*S*H." >> Really? >> Yeah. >> Really? Oh, okay, so it was ... >> Well, seeing it, all the tents and what happened there, but I think have more fun in the American version in the movies. >> Well, I think the greatest honor for the veterans is when the war ends and there is peace. You know? Then I truly hope that in your lifetime, you will see a unified Korea because in this picture here, we have a very malnourished baby, and I look at a toddler, and I look at him, and he reminds me of babies or toddlers in North Korea, but as you know, South Koreans are now prosperous, and we are very grateful to the sacrifices of you and your comrades and the veterans all over the world whom I call my grandpas and grandmas. So I hope that, number one, we will never forget but two that there's really peace so that you know that you not only defended freedom for South Korea but all of the Korean peninsula. >> I will really hope. >> Right, to see that, and maybe next time, you could even go to North Korea, right? >> Maybe. >> Yeah. I hope there is peace. Well, thank you so much.
>> My name is Cigor Piettri, and I'm nearly 95 years old. I worked in the Swedish Red Cross Hospital in Korea from November 1952 to April 1953 as a chaplain, so ... >> What are some things you remember? >> Yes, I remember I was there. No, it was very interesting period because you had to participate in the war and see it from the inside. I remember when I came to Tokyo. At that time, it took 5 days to go by air from Sweden to Tokyo. I was in the plane all the time, day and night, and when we then should leave in Tokyo, we met a person from the Swedish hospital that should leave from an American airbase. We were in fact a part of the Eighth Army, the hospital, and I remember I sat on the plane, and we should start, and nearby was an American bomb plane. I saw them put in the bombs, and I said, "No." If somebody had told you 10 years ago there's a city and an American airbase and go to country in a war in the service, it just would make me mad, but anyhoo, we came over in some hours, and were transported to the hospital, and there, we were received, and it was a special Sunday. It was a first Sunday in that Lent, and they received me, and I should have the solace in the right. They had me in a special barrack that was used as a Church, this one, and a very beautiful interior, especially the old one. Where is the improvement? This is the altar in Easter, Easter solace, and I came to be received by the offices there. It was 1952 in November, 8th November. >> Did you volunteer? Did you volunteer? Volunteer. >> Yes, yes. I was quite volunteer. >> Why did you volunteer? Why? >> I was asked to do so. I had a friend who was a chaplain before me, and I had another friend who should be after me, but between that was a gap. Usually, you should stay at least 6 months, but they had a gap for 5 months or something, nearly 5 months there, and they asked me if I could go there, and in fact, it was not at all good for me because I had began a new training for to be a librarian, but I felt I had a task because otherwise, I couldn't get anybody, and I was naturally rather curious about how it should be there. The last year before I had spent in Israel in Jerusalem, and then I got the taste how it is to be in a foreign country and to live in the country and to see what is going on and in the world. Israel's founding was naturally a world problem, not so much a problem at that time but to be, and I had the chance to go into it during that time, and I thought I must see what's going on in Korea, so I said, "Okay. I will take it, be there for 5 months." >> You must have seen a lot of injured soldiers, wounded soldiers. >> Yeah. >> Wounded soldiers. >> What? >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> Yes. The Swedish hospital in Korea was a base hospital, not at the front, yeah? So the patients came there from the special front hospitals. For example, [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] Norwegian Hospital, and when the Norwegian minister died, it change sometimes between, so I was up at the front too for some days, and when I came to the hospital, he happened to be there for some days, so we had not the directly wounded soldiers. They were wounded which had been in field hospitals and so needed further treatment but not too bad. Those who were hopelessly wounded, they just passed us, but then they went on to America or Japan or something, but the church had a service. The UN chaplain, he had to have services in the war church, and he had, in fact, to be the one who should care for the wounded people. I shouldn't, but anyhow, they didn't much to it, so I had to go. It was nearly every day in the hospital to speak with people, especially I think the not American one because there were a lot of other people from Belgium and Holland and France and Turk and Ethiopian, Colombian, and they had nobody to speak with in the hospital. It's very important that people who are alone, wounded in the hospital have somebody to speak with, so I more used to go to them than to the Americans because they should have their service, and they had any of fellows who could understand them and speak with. >> Wow. >> So but then, we had all of the permittance. When it was very calm in the war, we get very few wounded from the fronts, so we had the permission to take civilia, civil Koreans and help them in our hospital, and then I had to care for more and especially the children. You see, Busan was a city for about 300,000 people, but when I came there, there were nearly 1 1/2 million, and they were all refugees living in the slums. All of it was slum, and the children in the slum, you can understand. They had sometimes no father, beggars everywhere. You had to pick them up. They came to the hospital, naturally wanted to come in, but we couldn't take in anybody, but sometimes we have to take one or little one. I remember some of them were fantastic children. A boy, 11 years, and they told me one evening at night, "Okay, we have a boy for you," and then he was taken out. He had only a little short. It was cold out. His feet were frozen, and he came in and gave him a bath and gave him food and everything, and then the cold on me, he sat in a staircase in a too-big military costume, and that boy just looked at me and said, "Thank you, sir." He thought it was I who had ... And we'd keep them for some days. We had a very good children doctor. He went around to the hospitals and to the orphanages around and get through the shield and then picked those who were ill, and they could get carried to the hospital. Then it was my way to bring them back again. That was in the Busan Catholic mission, Maryknoll Sisters which I admire more than most people. They lived in ... had a wonderful place in the middle of a slum, and there could be ... You'll see if I find it. Oh, there it is, I think. No, that is the boy I spoke about when he had been brought to an orphanage. He was especially fond of me, and it was not always so very good. I remember the Rusk commission, you know Dean Rusk foreign ministry had a special commission in Korea to find out the political circumstances that we had at inner for at the hospital, and it was very wounded, very fine people, and I got it in the bottom there somewhere and made the little thing ... This boy came and hopped up in my knee. >> Oh, no! >> And then it was not so [INAUDIBLE] so strong. >> Do you remember his name? Name? Name, his name. >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> Nay. >> Nay. >> No. I have no idea his name. There was no time to find out who he was. That is the orphanage. The Maryknoll Sisters were very ... Swedish [INAUDIBLE] they were very interested of the Koreans and supported them very much, so we had, for example, once a week, we'd have the bingo evening, but it was a custom in the last weeks I was there that the one who won, he gave it to the children, so I had to be down with a gift for about $100 to Maryknoll Sisters to send it for the two. That's fantastic. >> You said that was a Christmas card. Can you show us the Christmas card? >> This card. >> Ooh. >> Oh, it's my ... You see I'm not used to it because I didn't come serve in the military ... come serve in Sweden, but when I got out into the hospital, I was an officer, so I had to say I say to everybody ... I got my own servant, and, boy, he came in every morning, made it clean for me, and so I am missing him. He was a student, I think, and his name was Andon Ackwy Gordon Anton. He gave Swedish names, and this is a Christmas card from him. >> Can you show it inside? Inside. >> Yes, yes. >> Inside. >> Yeah. >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> There. >> He drew it. >> I don't know. >> He drew it. >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> He said it's painted. >> [INAUDIBLE] >> Well, you talked a little bit about your personal experience, but tell us ... >> Well, my special task was for Swedish person. I had to care for their spiritual care and in firsthand service and so on and to be there for people who wanted to speak to me. I had maybe little too great expectations that all going out there were idealists to work for a big case, but in fact, there were a lot of people who tried to flee their problems at home, as if it should be easier solved there, so it was rather much of that up to. Then I had to be to the entertainment detail, so I had to make evenings for the personnel where we were speaking, and so I had ... I don't know if I have some of the programs since we have it in ... We have it every week, every week newspaper for the personnel where everybody could write, and we had the program for every week. >> Wow. Every week? Every week? >> Yes. >> Wow. >> Nearly every week. It was sometimes ... And it was, you see, we were not more than 140 people there, 50 people maybe, and they like to see what it is ... >> What is inside? Tell me. What's inside? >> Yes. Today ... Come on here. Serious articles, and there was ... >> Poem? Poems? >> This is everything which ... >> Poem. >> ... about what is happening in the hospital. For example, we had two American social workers there, and they got medals from the chief, and we wrote a little here. He had the medals in his pocket, and we wrote here something about that we have seen give medals to them, and we are glad he didn't get more after his pocket, and then it ... [INAUDIBLE]. It's funny how people can hand you things, and we had made big songs for the evenings we had, which I have one of them there which everybody would sing it at the evenings, and it as always full. Somebody told about something they had done. I spoke, for example, about Israel. >> Do you remember the song? Do you know how to sing it? >> What? >> Can you sing the song? >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> No. From Sweden to Korea, we [FOREIGN LANGUAGE]. Or it was the military chief. We met in Tokyo, and then it's a refrain. Oh, little one, excuse me we're in the same shape, and nothing will be better if you are angry about it. That was the song. It was just [INAUDIBLE] ... I don't know. >> Wow. How do you remember? >> We have no flag. Yeah, so there's no flag, but it's not our fault because somebody took it and run a feast. >> Are you proud of Sweden for fighting in the war? >> If you want to see [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] ... >> Christmas tree. Christmas tree. >> Yeah. If you want to see a tree, such one you have for Christmas, so look at your second lieutenant is rather ugly. >> Second lieutenant. >> Are you proud of Swedish contributions in the war? >> What? >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> Yes, I am. It's only little port. It's like my port. It's a very little in those, but when I see the first photos I had here about Korea, how it looked ... Hold on. [INAUDIBLE] ... how it looked when I came and see the pictures from Busan today. It's rather fantastic. >> Have you been to Korea? >> What? >> Have you been to Korea? >> No, I'm sorry. I haven't. I've been rather much around the world, most places, Paris, but I haven't come back to Korea. Nearest I have been is in China, and that's a big difference. >> If you would go back, you would be shocked, shocked. >> Yes, would like to go, but it's too late now. I can't go to even to my mail. >> That's why I'm here. I came to say thank you. >> Thank you very much! >> Yes! >> It's very nice. >> Because I am a product ... >> I'm sorry it's so ... But I'm not quite ... >> No, no, no. >> ... prepared for it. >> No, no. Last ... >> I'm a little tired of [INAUDIBLE] >> I know. Last question. The war never ended. The Korean War never ended, right? >> No. >> Just armistice. >> No. I hope it will be an end but what end? >> Yes, and I hope that it would end and ... >> Same people, completely different. They don't understand each other at all. >> Yes, but still brothers and sisters, right? >> What? >> But still brothers and sisters, one people. >> Yes. >> So I hope that it will end, and the country and unify. >> Yes. It could be that. Can see it in Vietnam. It has been ... >> And Germany. >> ... and rather much better than most socialistic country, yeah. >> Okay. I know you're tired, so thank you so much. That's good.
>> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> He is very lost. You went to Korea in 1950. >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> [INAUDIBLE] >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> He went there by ship. >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> Around 15 days, travel by ship ... >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> ... and arrive at Pusan ... >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> ... on November [INAUDIBLE] 1950. >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> I traveled by train. >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> Went to a city, [INAUDIBLE] ... >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> ... to train [INAUDIBLE]. >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> After train for 7 days ... >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> I received an order to go to [INAUDIBLE]. >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> To protect [INAUDIBLE] and preserve peace for [INAUDIBLE] few days. >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> And after that I got an order to move backward, and then pass the [INAUDIBLE] 38th parallel. >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> He came to [INAUDIBLE] city [INAUDIBLE]. >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> [INAUDIBLE] has fighting on the opposite side. >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> He try to prevent those opposite site to cross over the 38th parallel. >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> And during the time I joined this fight, I was so honored and very proud to be able to help Korean people, and also even share food to those [INAUDIBLE]. >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> All Thai armies practiced the same thing. We shared food to Korean people who we can [INAUDIBLE]. >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> I practice my duty in Korea around 1 year ... >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> ... and then came back to Thailand. >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> What I am most proud ... was that I was one of Army. Soldier. >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> I found that I am Thai person who have a heart to help our neighbor country, our good friend country when they invaded by the [INAUDIBLE]. >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> In Asia, we call Korea as our, what you call, like a good friend country. >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> And also Korean people have a very similar connector with Thai people. >> Have you visited Korea after the war? >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> I went there only twice since after the war. >> What did you think about it? >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> My last visit and when I compare with the time I went there during the war, so totally changed. >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> I was so much [INAUDIBLE] ... >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> ... economy and also socially and also transportation, everything so well developed. >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> I was so proud that I am part of the one who helped the country and they can see this country rise up and developed and [INAUDIBLE]. >> I hope that you're proud because Koreans all over the world are also very grateful. >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> You were in Korea for 1 year. Did you see Korean civilians? >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> When he went for the fight, he spent time around 15 days and then after that he came back to the place he live, around 7 day or something, and then he could be able to [INAUDIBLE] the civilian. >> When they were not fighting what did they do? >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> No worry, they did not do anything. They just stayed at home because of just try to escape ... >> No, what did they, he do. He, not the civilians, not the Koreans. >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> The army. >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> They have an activities to do with the people, and also when they have food they share with the people. >> Did they see other veterans from other countries? >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> They stay in different area so we not see other nations. >> Not even Americans? >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> Yes, some [INAUDIBLE]. >> When he went to Korea, he met other veterans. >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> You mean when he went back to visit? >> Yeah, revisit, revisit. >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> No, I don't see anyone. >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> He said that he went there because different nations or so were invited to Korea. >> That's why. Yeah, that's why I was saying. It must have been very emotional. >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> Yeah, they have a conversation asking like, "When you went there and when you go back?" >> Can you tell us, last comment, anything you want about, to the world, okay, to history, what you think Thailand's contribution in the Korean War? What's important to know about Thailand's contribution to the Korean War? >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> Number one in terms of heart, we really pour our heart to Korea. Second, we really want to help Korea to overcome the war. >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> And we want to end this war as soon as possible. >> I hope that the war, because it still didn't end, will end in your lifetime ... >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> ... and that there will be peace, and one Korea. >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE]
>> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE]. >> [INAUDIBLE]. >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE]. >> I went to Korea 1972. >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE]. >> Already kind of homeless. I didn't [INAUDIBLE]. >> Shh. >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE]. >> The fight only ended. >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE]. >> [INAUDIBLE]. >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE]. >> However, soldiers still remained in Korea. >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE]. >> I didn't have much chance to meet with Korean people ... >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE]. >> ... because I was in Air Force. >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE]. >> My job was a pilot. >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE]. >> So my base in Japan. >> Yeah. >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE]. >> We sent necessary things to Korea every day. >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE]. >> Sometimes I would stay at the Osan airport. >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE]. >> I'd fly to different provinces in Korea to ... >> Weapons. >> Logistic, [FOREIGN LANGUAGE]. >> The airport that we normally went to is in Gwangju. >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE]. [ Chatter ] >> Jeju. >> Oh, Jeju Island. >> Busan. >> Busan, yes. >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE]. >> Our work received support from the other missions. >> When you were there, I know there were some conflicts between North and South Korea after the war. >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE]. >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE]. >> [INAUDIBLE] during my time there was a fight in between security armed. >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE]. >> [INAUDIBLE]. >> How many people like him went to Korea after the war? >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE]. >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE]. >> He brought, because they brought [INAUDIBLE], the students went to Korea to receive. >> How many people served? >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE]. >> One year we sent about 20 Air Force personnel, [FOREIGN LANGUAGE]. >> For how many years? >> Twenty, more than 20. About 20 years, 20. >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE]. >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE]. >> More than 20 years. >> So after 1953 ... >> Yeah. >> ... every year, about 20 Air Force until about 1973? >> Yeah. Yes, yes. 1974, about that. >> 1974. >> Mm-hmm. >> Nobody knows this. >> No. >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE]. >> No. >> I'm very happy that I'm learning this. >> Mm-hmm. [FOREIGN LANGUAGE]. >> You were there for 1 year? >> One year. >> Wow, wow. Everyone was a volunteer? >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE]. >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE]. >> Yes. >> But you were parted of the armed military? >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE]. >> Air Force. >> Air Force, but you volunteered to go to Korea? >> Right. >> Okay. >> Thank you very much. >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE].
>> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE]. >> I went to Korean War [INAUDIBLE] 1972. >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE]. >> [INAUDIBLE]. Only 157 people. >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE]. >> We stayed there for 14 months. >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE]. >> The reason we still continue to send our soldiers even just the war already ended. >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE]. >> We are still ... >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE]. >> ... Because in the current time still ... >> Command. >> Command. [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] command. >> ... They call United Nations command is to stay in Korea. >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE]. >> And still in [INAUDIBLE] city. >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE]. >> On this ... what to call ... >> United Nation command. >> This United Nation command still remained there because there was policy from the very beginning that they have this kind of policy to stay there this year. That's why they're still over there. >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE]. >> I think about 8 years, eight countries. >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE]. >> Eight countries there at that time. >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE]. >> [INAUDIBLE]. >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE]. >> Korea. >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE]. >> England. >> Switzerland. >> Switzerland. >> Australia. >> Australia. >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE]. >> [INAUDIBLE]. >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] United Nation. >> Even nowadays, still, we have a soldier stay in Korea in this United Nation command [INAUDIBLE]. >> Even now? >> Yes. >> Oh. >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE]. >> We need to stay every year like a rotation sending, getting there. >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE]. >> Because it's so that we can, what do you call that, complete the kind of policy. You have to send in accordance with the policy of the United Nations. >> Wow, even now. >> Now. >> Yes, even until now. >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE]. >> Now is no longer as a volunteers, but you select and send. >> Wow. >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE]. >> No more volunteers because we need only 15, but sometimes they want to apply for 200. It's going to be a problem. >> So when you went to Korea, what did they do during the rotation? >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE]. >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE]. >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE]. >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE]. >> They just need to spend time for training. >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE]. >> They need to [INAUDIBLE] even though there is no war but like a soldier, you still need to practice training and discipline. >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE]. >> And also civic action. >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE]. >> A civil action is like helping the civilian ... >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE]. >> ... especially in the area nearby the base, the [INAUDIBLE]. >> Where is the Thai army base located in Korea? >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE]. >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE]. >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE]. >> But during my time, I came to [INAUDIBLE]. >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE]. >> Seven kilometers north from Seoul, 7 kilometers north. >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE]. >> When we don't have war, we will practice to see action. >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE]. >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE]. >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE]. >> Yeah, like doing service projects, serving the people. >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE]. >> During my time, I'm taking care of the orphan. >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE]. >> Also [INAUDIBLE]. >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE]. >> We do arrange the doctor, medical director, to take care of their health. >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE]. >> And share food to the elderly women and also orphan house, orphanage house. >> So how many in total from 1950 to 1953 during the war, how many time went and how many died? >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE]. >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE]. >> Do you remember? You asked me. >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE]. >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE]. >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE]. >> During his time. [FOREIGN LANGUAGE]. During this time, around 6,000. [ Chatter ] He said in total, 13,000. >> Thirteen thousand? >> Yeah, 13,000. >> During the war, 1950 to 1953. >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE]. >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE]. >> He said during the 23 years, around 13,000. >> Oh, 23 years all together. >> Yes, 23 years. >> All together. >> How many died? >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE]. >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE]. >> Three hundred eighty. >> Three hundred eighty died? >> Yes. >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE]. >> Because at the end of the war, because of the, what do you call that ... >> Ceasefire. >> They no more fight this time. >> But 380 is a big number. >> No, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, it's not, 136. >> Oh, died. [ Chatter ] One hundred and thirty-six, that's still a big number. >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE]. >> Because they are babies, 18, 20. >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE]. >> Babies. >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE]. >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE]. >> He said a soldier died, not so many because really good in fighting. >> Yes. Wow. Okay. Now association, let's talk about association. You're the president of the association, right? >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE]. >> How many members are in the association? How many like him and how many like him? >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE]. >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE]. >> First of all, in charge as leader of his association. All of them came from the veterans. >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE]. >> Not only [INAUDIBLE] Air Force. We have also Navy. >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE]. >> Because in the very beginning, we sailed a ship [INAUDIBLE] to join this war [INAUDIBLE]. >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE]. >> Also a battleship royal to the navy [INAUDIBLE] ships. >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE]. >> Almost at the end of the war we already brought it back ... >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE]. >> ... just when the Air Force [INAUDIBLE]. >> Air Force. >> In the association, how many veterans are remaining right now? >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE]. >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE]. >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE]. >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE]. [ Chatter ] >> Most are still alive. They are members of the association. [ Chatter ] >> Around 3,000. >> Three thousand. >> Members. >> Oh. >> But does that include combat veterans? >> Combat veterans? >> Combat is during the war. >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE]. [ Chatter ] >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE]. >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE]. >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE]. [ Chatter ] >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE]. >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE]. >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE]. >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE]. >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE]. >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE]. >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE]. [ Chatter ] >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE]. >> Royal Army. >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE]. >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE]. >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE]. [ Chatter ] >> What kind of activities does the association do? For example, meet significant dates like October 22nd, for the descendants scholarship? >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE]. >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE]. >> This association open every day except holiday and ... >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE]. >> ... we still remain [INAUDIBLE] of the veterans every day ... >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE]. >> ... because they have so many different things [INAUDIBLE] something because of the difficulties. >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE]. >> They want their children to receive scholarship. >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE]. >> We help with these kind of things. Every day, people come. >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE]. >> The money that we can give scholarship to the children of the veterans, we can fund anyways. >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE]. >> We got them from the veterans associations and also from Ministry of Defense. >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE]. >> Also some companies from [INAUDIBLE]. >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE]. >> When they organize for charity events, they donate it to us. >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE]. >> And also we try to fund [INAUDIBLE] so that we can also give scholarship from our ... We can [INAUDIBLE] from, what do you call, lotteries, also. >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE]. >> Actually not my own [INAUDIBLE]. >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE]. >> Thank you very much for the important work that you do. >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE]. >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE]. >> There are four goals that we have. >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE]. >> They all can accomplish as soon as possible. >> Yes. This is my fourth one, so I think it is ... >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE]. >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE]. >> I'm so glad. We want to hear your success. We wait for that.
>> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> We have those Korean Veterans. >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> Ah. >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> Mm-hmm. >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> Mm. >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> Mm. >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> Mm. Mm-mm. >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> Mm. >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> Mm. >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> Mm. >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> Mm. >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> Mm. >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> Mm. Mm. >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> Mm. >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> Mm. >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> Mm-hmm. >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> Mm. >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> Mm. >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> Mm. >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> Mm. >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> Mm. >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> Mm. >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> Mm. >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> Mm. >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> Mm. >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> We are ... >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> You asked him one question and forgot to answer one. >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> What kind of commemoration date or ... >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> The 22nd of October ... >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> ... the commemoration day of the Korean War veterans ... >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> ... we will have a ceremony ... >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] ceremony. >> ... ceremony. >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] the 21st Regiment Queen [FOREIGN LANGUAGE]. >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> And 87 ... >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] king ... >> The king who you all ... >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] king ... >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] the king, you said, the personal chief and [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] the ceremony. >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> Ask him [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] I know the answer you told me, but I want him to say it. What is the significance of 10, 22nd? >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> Mm. >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> It was the very first day Thailand sent army to the ship and into Korea. >> Mm. Mm. >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] Busan. >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> Mm. >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> Mm. >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] Busan. Busan [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> Mm. >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> Mm. >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> Mm. Mm. Mm. >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE]
[FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> My name is Zeche Coral. >> My name is Zeche Coral. >> I am [INAUDIBLE] official of the Korean War. When I heard Korean War break out or broke out, I want to go to Korea War with my own wish. I applied to my commander, company commander, but unfortunately, he didn't accept my application. When he went to leave, I applied again to another secondary commander, and fortunately, my secondary commander accepted by application. Then I went to Korea. [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> Why did he volunteer? [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> Korea was in a difficult situation and for their freedom, for the freedom of world, I wanted to fight in Korea to protect it. I was alone. I was not married, so I wanted to fight for the freedom of Korea and ... [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> It was ... My company was heavy weapons. I couldn't remember name of weapon to use against planes. [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> There was a [INAUDIBLE] hill over there. I use my weapon against the planes, airplanes I mean, and we fought throughout night, until the morning. [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> This ... [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> This was very strategically very important hill. That's why opposing forces tried to seize this hill, and we tried to seize this hill. It was very important hill. [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> Because of the ... This hill can have about 5 meters down under the bullets. [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> Opposing forces couldn't come to seize this hill, and also we couldn't [INAUDIBLE] to seize the hill. [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> Namuch Arguch was the commander of the unit, Turkish battalion. [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> He was the commander [INAUDIBLE], and unfortunately, one of the [INAUDIBLE] was murdered during this battle or during this conflict. His culture is in southern part of Turkey nowadays, and there is a park of this day. [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> He was murdered over there. [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> It was out on the front line. He was murdered, or he was lost his life during this conflict. [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> He was over there too [INAUDIBLE]. [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> We were stuck in our cable telephone system during that time. Unfortunately, we didn't have the communication [INAUDIBLE]. [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> [INAUDIBLE] we established our cables, and we provide communication. [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> Then we put up breaks, our communication, and our communication soldiers came and manned the system. We had these kind of difficulties for communication. [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> Unfortunately, during that time, it was very crucial time, and other people running away ... [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> It was very bad time. I like Korea very much. [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> When I went second time in the frame of a return program, it was really different, and Korea during war very bad, and I couldn't recognize. >> Recognize? >> Sorry? Recognize, or I couldn't believe this. [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> In the frame of return program, I visit Korea second time. During that time, they hosted us at a five-star hotel, and they showed us all of Korea. I am really thankful. I was really pleased. [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> During return program, there were different people in different countries like Greek, US or other people. [INAUDIBLE] Korean people, especially other people, so the Turkish black on our clothes, so they came and kissed us. [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> There were Americans, American people and Belgium, but I am really thankful they came to us and hugged us and kissed us. [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> I don't forget. I do not forget their interest to us. [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> But I am really happy I served Korean War. >> Me too. I'm very happy too. [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> And I am very thankful. Thank you. [FOREIGN LANGUAGE]
>> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> My name is Yusef Gonidan. I am a retired sergeant major, and I work at the Turkish War Veteran's Association as the deputy president, and I went to Korean War voluntarily. >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> I was ... >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> When I went to Korean War, I was at the age of 19 years old, and when I went to Korea, cease-fire decision was taken, and ... >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> We changed to the US division, 25th division of the US, 25th division of the ... >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> We take their place. >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> I stayed at the front line for 6 months. >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> As I did a sergeant major reconnaissance, I served at the reconnaissance unit. >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> Six months later, US division took our place, and we withdrew. >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> Fourteen months later, we returned to Turkey. >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> I know that Turkish troops fought during the Korean War, as if they fought in their country, as if they are defensing their country. >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> In the beginning, I said that I went to Korean War voluntarily. If you ask me why I went voluntarily, freedom of a country was taken his hand ... Or one country was losing his freedom, so I wanted to protect the freedom of the one independence country, independent country. >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> Twenty-one thousand ... >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> Twenty-one thousand Turkish soldiers participate in Korean War. >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> Six more Turkish military served in Korea after the cease-fire. >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> Korean government wanted to keep the US, British and Turkish troops in their country after the cease-fire. >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> Even though 21,000 Turkish soldiers served or fought in Korean War, later, we continued to send in our troops to Korea. Altogether, 57,000 Turkish soldiers served in Korean War. >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> I visited Korea number three times after the war. >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> I like the Korean people very much. >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> They like us too. >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> Whenever they see us, they show their respect. >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> Whenever I see these [FOREIGN LANGUAGE], I was on the edge of crying. >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> I feel that Korea is my second country. >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> It's why I named ... My son's name means war. [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] means war. >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> Thank you very much for listening. >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> Thank you. >> Thank you. >> Thank you very much. >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE]
>> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> My name is Usman Yashan Akem. I am a retired Sergeant Major. I was born in 1930. >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> I was graduated from my school in 1951. One year later in June 1952, I went to Korea. I participated in the Korean War. >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> My brigade was the Turk Brigade going to Korean War. I participated in the real conflicts, or conflict, I would say, conflicts. >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> I participated in the conflicts called Nevada Complex. It was really, really hard conflicts. It was the front lines of the Turkish Brigade. >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> During these conflicts, that night, we lost 140 ... >> Seven. >> ... 147, [FOREIGN LANGUAGE], Turkish soldiers lost their lives. >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> That was the truce from Communist Chinese troops fighting with us. >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> During those conflicts, almost 3,500 Chinese soldiers lost their lives between 24 to 26 hours. >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> This battle is called one of the biggest battles. >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> If we fought this area for 26 hours, maybe Chinese forces become the [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] and maybe it will make enough yield, loss of the war. >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> Chinese forces wanted to occupy most of the Korean territory and wanted to sit at the peace table, the powerful. >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> After this war, after this battle, the first version of the UN forces push the Chinese forces to sit at the peace table. Others, I think they wouldn't sit at the peace table. >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> After the Korean War, I continued my job in the Turkish army, and 8 years ago, I retired from the Turkish army. It was 8 years ago. >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> I have been serving ... >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> I have been serving at the Turkish War Veteran's Association here as the Chief of Social Affairs with my president together. >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> During the Korean War, I observed. I saw the situation of Korea. It was really brilliant. >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> When I visited Korea later, I saw they have evolved. During the Korean War, there was another job we have to do to protect the children. >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> I visited Korea after the war a few times. >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> I attended some activities over there. >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> After a visit, I saw that Korea do a lot and every other year. >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> We have peace at the 741 Turkish soldiers lost their lives. After we saw that, observed that Korea do a lot, so we didn't fought for nothing. We have to deal with North Korea now. >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> Our main wish and hope to Korea be united and will be one country. >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> I wish happiness for the Korean people. Thank you. >> Thank you. I have one question. >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> Everyone says he's a hero, right? So maybe he cannot say, but I want to know about his heroism. >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> He says army soldiers, that's his job. He did his job and served during the Korean War, so maybe other people will consider his service as heroism, but he says he cannot say. >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> There are those who died but never forgotten. >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> They're real in his memories. >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> I will show you my pictures and what I did. I will show my pictures, so it would be better if you side my service, my heroism. >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> When I went to Korea, my picture ... [ Chatter ] >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> My picture ... >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] [ Chatter ] >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> I was 22 years old when I ... >> Handsome! >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] [ Chatter ] >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> Maybe you can tell me in English about his heroism. >> He prefer to show his pictures. >> Oh, that wasn't the picture? >> Oh, no. Oh, no. >> Oh, got it. Okay. We'll do it after. Okay. >> So after you you see his pictures ... >> Yes. >> ... he wants you to decide about his heroism. >> Okay, okay. >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE]
>> Jay Detsuda. >> My name is Jay Detsuda. >> My name is Jay Detsuda [FOREIGN LANGUAGE]. >> I went to Korea in 1950. >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE]. >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE]. >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE]. >> I departed from İskenderun, one of the Turkish cities, departed from İskenderun and arrived in Korea within 23 days by ship. We traveled by ship. >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE]. >> I was a signal serviceman during the Korean War. >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE]. >> I took training about communication at the signal school in Ankara, and I was selected for the Turkish Brigade as a signal serviceman. >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE]. >> Thanks to my military service, I attained an occupation thanks to my training as a signal serviceman. I worked as a radio communication man up on the ships and the airports. >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE]. >> When arrived in Korea, we stayed over a few days. Then we started to fight during the war. >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE]. >> Since we could look successful doing our work, then they sent us in the district area, the fort, and since they could look successful, they were sent to Manchuria. >> Manchuria. >> Manchuria area. >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE]. >> We arrived at the border, front line. We saw the real face of the war. >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE]. >> At the front, we stayed between the two mountains or hills, and cannons [INAUDIBLE] were dropping around us, and we didn't fight face-to-face but inside of the war or the individual of the war. >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE]. >> I was a signal serviceman. >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE]. >> There were the two steps. >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE]. >> We provided communications for the brigade. There were the two steps [INAUDIBLE] some of the information, first step. They submit the information. Second step. >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE]. >> It was very hard. >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE]. >> We put our jacket or military uniform. >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE]. >> Without uniform to fight is not suitable, but since it was very hot, we had to take off our uniforms. >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE]. >> We needed water ... >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE]. >> ... at the headquarters. >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE]. >> While I was able to ... >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE]. >> There was a streak while I was going to water. I saw a streak. >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE]. >> I informed my commander and said that there was mines, bombs in the area. >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE]. >> We had the connection with the commanders of headquarters because I was the signal serviceman. >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE]. >> Unfortunately, I am having a problem to remember. I have to remember. >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE]. >> We received a message. >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE]. >> [INAUDIBLE]. >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE]. >> For communication, there should be two people. One person should use the generator. Another person should use the radio. >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE]. >> I was ... >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE]. >> ... one ... >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE]. >> I used the generator with my one hand, and I provide communication with my second hand. >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE]. >> It was a very urgent message, so I passed this message to my commander. They needed weapons or support for the units or companies on the front line. >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE]. >> We stayed at table for a short time. >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE]. >> The princeps of the war, taught us on the ship and on the ground whenever we arrived to Korea territory. >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE]. >> I also participated in the Cyprus peace operation too in 1974. >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE]. >> Thank you so much. >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE]. >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE]. >> Thank you. >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE]. >>
>> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> My name is Vila Acasoi. >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE]. >> I was born in Kırıkkale in 1929. >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE]. >> I started my service in 1949, and I went to Korea in 1950. >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE]. >> I was [INAUDIBLE] while I was serving in the Turkish Army, I heard that there was a war broke out in Korea, and to tell the truth, I didn't know the real place of Korea during that time. >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE]. >> It took us 35 days to arrive in Korea. >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE]. >> We stayed 1 week at one place. >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE]. >> We ... They took us by train to a military base [INAUDIBLE] Korea. We stayed there at least 1 month at this base, a Korean base. >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE]. >> While we were in this Korean base, American warplanes were flying [INAUDIBLE] peace were flying over us. >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE]. >> After the Korean military base, military vehicles drove us to the Korean and the northern side of Korea. >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE]. >> We didn't think ... We didn't go the last step. We stayed in different places 1 week or 10 days. After our trip, we arrived to [INAUDIBLE] area. >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE]. >> And we participate in the Korean War. I'm sorry, the [INAUDIBLE] War. >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE]. >> Through the war, I served as a medical personnel. Unfortunately, there were a lot of wounded people, were driven by the [INAUDIBLE] GMS in cars, trucks. And we Turkey [INAUDIBLE] wounded people were carried by the trucks. And the Turkish people were wounded, sort of wounded over there, and they were carried by the trucks backwards, and since he was the unit medical serviceman, he tended [INAUDIBLE]. >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE]. >> Chinese powers were [INAUDIBLE], were crowded. They surrounded units and wanted to destroy all of us completely, but it [INAUDIBLE] that report against them and pushed them back. >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE]. >> One of the sergeant of company left him in a ... left him back, and their company forward to another place. He stayed at [INAUDIBLE]. >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE]. >> [INAUDIBLE] they took the wounded soldiers in the truck, and they get on the [INAUDIBLE] trucks and started to drive in a northern side of Korea, and they didn't know where they go, those companies, and chaos ... and they ride the US base for a few days, the units. They gave the United ... some food to them and blanket for the night. >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE]. >> They stayed a few days over there, and then the Chinese forced attacked to the US units, and they went, let's say, left-hand side. They went right-hand side, Turkish troops or the trucks. They went through the base to a direction they don't know, they didn't know. >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE]. >> During this chaos, chaotic situation, Americans tried to [INAUDIBLE], and they tried to go somewhere in other side, and unfortunately, at that time the Chinese forces try to destroy those soldiers at the line, [INAUDIBLE] line. >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE]. >> [INAUDIBLE] forwards, or they could be thrown [INAUDIBLE] going back, [INAUDIBLE]. >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE]. >> China's troops ... >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE]. >> Wounded by Chinese forces were very crowded and attacked to the US forces. >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE]. >> I took one of the unit of the Army from the US people and give to the Turkish soldier and asked them to protect them so that they can go escape from that area, and ... >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE]. >> [INAUDIBLE] there were 100 US soldiers were over there, and we entered to the groups, and we started to go somewhere we didn't know, didn't know the area or direction we started to walk. >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE]. >> We walked now around for hours or 5 hours in the forest, but we didn't know the direction where it is. >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE]. >> They saw the [INAUDIBLE] footprint of the people and the footprint of the cars, so decided US troops went that direction, and we follow those prints. >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE]. >> And they were in the ... unfortunately, the Chinese forces around in this area in the forest, too. >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE]. >> In the morning ... >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE]. >> We went a group of the people into [INAUDIBLE] march. Unfortunately, we met a group. We didn't know who they were. They started to fire on us. >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE]. >> I was wounded in my ankle. >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE]. >> There was a ... >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE]. >> There was a hit on my [INAUDIBLE]. >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE]. >> I tried to walk another direction to protect myself from the conflict, and I [INAUDIBLE] I didn't know where I went. >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE]. >> [INAUDIBLE] morning ... >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE]. >> ... unfortunately, I met with the Chinese forces again. >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE]. >> They captured me. They captured me [INAUDIBLE]. >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE]. >> Fired at me, and I laid down. I pretend as if I died. >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE]. >> They come toward me. They check me, if I am live or dead. They said, "He is live." >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE]. >> They took ... >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE]. >> They took me somewhere, I think at least [INAUDIBLE]. I told myself that they would kill me, when I was expecting to kill me. >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE]. >> [INAUDIBLE] I stayed at this place for 9 days. >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE]. >> [INAUDIBLE] 9 days later they took us to another place. >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE]. >> We didn't have food. We didn't have clothes. It was really cold. >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE]. >> And they looked us as if we were dog or an animal. They didn't give food or clothes. We didn't have clothes to protect myself, ourselves. >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE]. >> They were were shanty houses over there. >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE]. >> The South Korean people stayed close at those shanty houses, I think. >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE]. >> But it was very dirty places. >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE]. >> They put us in those shanty houses. >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE]. >> And we take off our clothes and put on [INAUDIBLE]. >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE]. >> They were ... I don't remember the English word. There were the insects, what you call [INAUDIBLE]. >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE]. >> We stayed ... [FOREIGN LANGUAGE]? >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE]. >> We stayed at those houses I think 1 months or 2 months. >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE]. >> Says they were over there in the New Year time now. >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE]. >> [INAUDIBLE]. >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE]. >> They took us another prisoner camp. It was very cold. I do not remember the North Korean name. >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE]. >> We were very hungry, [INAUDIBLE] hungry. >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE]. >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE]? >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE]. >> We went to the [INAUDIBLE] city, city called [INAUDIBLE]. >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE]. >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE]. >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE]. >> He said that you have nations by nations. They sent us to another section, and the US prisoners were taken to another section. >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE]. >> Some of the prisoners got sick, and since he's a medical serviceman, he treated them. >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE]. >> It is very long story. >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE]. >> I treated Turkish soldiers and US soldiers, too. >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE]. >> They obeyed my advice. >> [INAUDIBLE] what you call the team took the ... boiled the clothes and washed them. >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE]. >> So since they boiled the ... what you call it ... the clothes, I think, and they protected themselves from the ... [INAUDIBLE] I don't remember this ... >> Maggots. >> ... this insect. >> Maggot. >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE]. >> We could see the ground and the sky. It is difficult to tell the ... Unless you see the life or you live, you cannot understand it. It is difficult to tell. We just saw the ground, soil and sky. >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE]. >> Due to my prisoner time, they punished me. They put to prison. They take the prison, but they took the ... [INAUDIBLE] and others prison to punish him because he treated them.
>> Okay. My name is Ali Jengis Tuko. I was born in 1927, and I was, in other words, 90 years old. I didn't know anything about Korea. Almost everybody didn't know anything because of the China occupy the Korea. Of course, we didn't know anything. After the wars, after the Korean battle, government asked volunteers to be sent to Korea. I was one of those volunteers. At that time, I was 26 years and first lieutenant. I was a young [INAUDIBLE]. Let me tell you something. When I went to Korea, I thought that everything is very bad, destroyed country. It was very bad ourselves. We wanted to help all the time. Because of that [INAUDIBLE] I went there myself twice. Everybody talk about our battles. As you know, the Turkish Army fought 14 battles, and especially three of them were very important. Kunuri then ... >> Vegas. >> Vegas later though. >> Kumyangjang. >> Kumyangjang, a battle very close to February. It was really very good victory. As you know, after the battles, more than 1,000 Chinese were killed, 1,734, if I am not mistaken. So we tried to do our best, but I am going to say now. It's very important. Nowadays, especially Americans, say it's a forgotten war for Korea. I say that never forget Korean War, so we will try to do our best not to be forgotten. Maybe you're going to help too. Forces, when we came together, in 2013, when we went to Korea to attend a meeting for the federation with my president together, so everybody is discussing, "What are we going to do?" As you know, the number of the Korean disappearing. Some associations calculated. They said, "We don't have enough numbers." Then we put it into words, what's going to do. Only president of the England's, British, said, "No, I will not come again here," and 21, they said, "yes." Then next year, that was, let me think, 2014. I went again with my friends. We were together. So we discussed it. Everybody said different alternatives of what should be done. Some said it should be delivered to our descendants. Some others said, "You must join another association." As you know, Turkey, I think, at the beginning did very best, so we didn't want only Korean War Veterans Association. We called it only Veterans Association, so we are very comfortable. Now especially some Korean people also wanted to join a veteran's association in that city. [INAUDIBLE]. >> Spacious. >> An old man, you see, Korean was giving a job to discuss this. He said, "We must join another associations." [INAUDIBLE]. The job was given to two veterans from New Zealand. They prepared a drop and sent it, dropped it here, but until now, nobody called us to do anything, but we don't know what we are going to do. We are waiting news from Korea. We expect that we go there and continue with the same associations, but we don't know it yet. >> Let's go back to your experience in the war. >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE]. >> Okay. Let me tell you something. It was terrible. I don't want to talk about it because everybody talk about it. It was not easy. >> But what did you ... >> Let me tell you something. Turkey tried to do its best. We did everything, everything. Also, we had the Koreans as well, you see, a shared effort with the Koreans. We shared. We took care of the orphans. We tried our best. One more thing, after coming back from Korea, I felt sympathy and all the Korean people when I was 26, but when they had passed, some are getting old, I always felt affection and sympathy for Korean. To me, all the Korean children are my grandchildren. You are my granddaughters [INAUDIBLE]. I love Korea. I love Korean people. Whatever they are, it's not important. I love all of them. That's why, you see, I wanted to talk about better things, but I will that we love Korea. Another thing, you see, of course, when I went to Korea, I was surprised. It was not Korea. It was something different. It was born from its ashes, like a phoenix, as you know. Some people say she lived 500 years. Some people say she lived 1,000 years, but after he died he born from her ashes again. So Korea did the same thing. I love Korea. What could I say? I love all of you. >> And we love Turkey too. Koreans love Turkey. >> That's why, you see, I didn't say bad things, but all the Turkish soldiers were heroes, many heroes around. >> Everyone, my American friends, every country, every soldier says Turkish soldiers were ... >> Everybody says so. Not only Turkish people do, everybody. >> ... very brave. Thank you so much, my captain.
>> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE]. >> My name is [INAUDIBLE]. I am the president of Turkish War Veterans Association, and I am a retired [INAUDIBLE]. >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE]. >> Thank you very much for your interview with our Korean War veterans. >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE]. >> They went to Korea and fought for the freedom of your country. >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE]. >> Twenty-one thousand two hundred and thiry-one Turkish soldiers participated in the Korean War in 1950. >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE]. >> We sent or Turkey sent 5,520 soldier to Korea to serve after the ceasefire. >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE]. >> Turkish soldiers stayed in Korea 21 years. >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE]. >> Eight hundred and ninety-two Turkish soldiers died during the Korean War. >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE]. >> Nowadays, 2,500 Korean War veterans are alive. They are living. >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE]. >> They are proud and pleased to fight for your country. >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE]. >> Some of the Korean war veterans, Turkish Korean War veterans, took the word Korea as a last name, like [INAUDIBLE] or [INAUDIBLE] son of Korea. They took as a last name. >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE]. >> One of the Korean War veteran's daughter's name is [INAUDIBLE]. >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE]. >> Some of the Korean War veterans' business office name is [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] means from Korea or Korea. >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE]. >> Our soldiers fought in Korea as a hero. >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE]. >> During the fight, changed the fate of Korean War. >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE]. >> Heroism means to die whenever it is required. >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE]. >> We fought against the Chinese forces in Korea. >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE]. >> Two hundred and thirty-four Turkish soldiers were prisoner. >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE]. >> Almost all of them, 234 Turkish soldiers, returned to their country [INAUDIBLE]. >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE]. >> During the Korean War, Korea was in poverty, very poor. >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE]. >> Turkish soldiers shared their food with the Korean people during the Korean War. >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE]. >> They opened the [INAUDIBLE] for the orphans for the children that lost their father and mothers. >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE]. >> Turkish people learned Korean after the Korean War. >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE]. >> Turkish people like Korean people very much. >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE]. >> Nowadays, today Korea is a real rich country. >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE]. >> Since Korea is a rich country, Korean War veterans are very happy to see it's a rich country. >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE]. >> Korean government respect shows what we're feeling towards our Korean veterans. >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE]. >> We like Korea, and we continue to like Korea. >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE]. >> We know that North Korea is a real threat for the world peace for the region, and we wish and hope that North and South Korea will be united, will be one country. >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE]. >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE].
>> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE]. >> And this association is also a museum for the people. >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE]. >> And this establishment was sponsored by a Korean firm called N11. >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE]. >> And this N11 company, the Korean company, helped us a lot. >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE]. >> Me and all the Korean veterans are really happy with all the Koreans who have supported us. >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE]. >> And their constant attention and help towards us always makes up happy. >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE]. >> And today, allowing us to interview with us and allowing us to tell our story also makes us really happy. >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE]. >> And as the president of this association, I'm really glad and happy that you guys are showing this kind of attention towards us. >> Thank you. >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE].
>> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE]. >> My name is Asam Kanat, and I was born in [INAUDIBLE]. >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE]. >> Our unit went to Korea in 1952, and we stayed there over 13 months, and I was part of the medical team. >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE]. >> And we had a hospital at the war zone, and we would treat injured soldiers, and if it was a really serious injury, we would take them back to the city. >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE]. >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE]. >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE]. >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE]. >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE]. >> We were mostly in the hospital, but we would see Korean people once in a while, and we would talk to them a little bit. [FOREIGN LANGUAGE]. >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE]. >> I went to Seoul and Pusan, but most of my time was taking injured soldiers to hospitals or moving them to the required place. [FOREIGN LANGUAGE]. >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE]. >> Has he ever been to Korea? >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE]. >> Afterwards? >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE]. >> It's been 64 years since I was in Korea, so I don't remember much. [FOREIGN LANGUAGE]. >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE]. >> His friend was able to. It was for veterans [INAUDIBLE]. >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE]. >> But I was sick, and I could not go to Korea again. >> Okay.
[FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> My name is Mehmed Aziz Achman [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> My first time was 1950. I went to Korea for the first time. [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> I participated both of those wars. [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> We were [INAUDIBLE]. [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> We had a furious war in that area. [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> We lost 600 people trying to get out of that crossfire. [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> [INAUDIBLE] Korean War, we entered the second war [INAUDIBLE] I think. [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> And in the first war, the Chinese soldiers who ambushed them, we fought them and won them in the second war. [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> And I'm going to talk about how I saw Korea when I went there. [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> Majority of the towns or cities, it has the population at the front naming this is the city's name, but it was all dirt and nothing else. [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> My first time when I saw the Korea was demolished, and everything was in ruins, but when I went back to Korea in 2012, I saw a whole new Korea that was really well and strong in every way. [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> And the last time that I went ... The last interview talked about the medallions the Korean War veterans received. [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> And I'd like to talk about that as well. [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> In Second World War ... [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> The 25th unit in the Second World War, the American unit, received this medallion. [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> And this medal for the first time was given to Turkish soldiers as well ... [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> ... as a high achievement as a soldier for the Turkish soldiers. [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> When I went to Korea for the first time, they told us the Korean alphabet has 480 letters, and the Korean alphabet was made of vines basically, but when I was Korea, everyone knew how to write and read, and that surprised me. [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> And the Korean climate is similar to Turkish climate, and I really do enjoy my stay in Korea. [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> After the Korean War, the Korean citizens also withdrew with us. Thousands of people went back with us. [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> He's talking about about Korean War when all the citizens have to withdraw backwards, and he remembers women trying to carry some rice balls on their head and some kids on their bags, and he also remembers kids that were lost trying to find their parents or the old people who could not go back stranded on the ground dying basically. No one could help them because everyone was in chaos, and he remembers all these. [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> And these people were trying to get away from the Chinese soldiers, and they had nothing to carry, so they basically tied two huge sticks in order to carry their few belongings and run away from that area. [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> And he's talking about how little kids, even in the winter, they only had a T-shirt on them, and they would talk to us, saying hello and chap chap, which means they wanted to food, and he remembers all these, and he remembers all the poverty and the destruction. [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> And every time I remember this, it's hard ... It's getting hard to talk for me. [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> We would give all our food and clothing to kids that were without because we couldn't ... [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> In Suwon, the war was really strong, and we met a family in Suwon. [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> There were three [INAUDIBLE]. [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> They would wash our clothes, and we would give them all the food we have, the canned foods we have. [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> An elder woman and a male. [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> The man who was there, he lost his arm in the war and his wife, and they had three kids as well. [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> And the grandmother, one of her ... The middle finger was really bloated, and it was full of blood, and it was about to explode basically. [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> And she was in great pain. [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> And he gave her his medicine and a bandage for her. [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> And that bandage needed ... The bloating slowed, and it eventually healed slowly. [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> And they became really close with this family, and after that war, the family asked them to take us with you guys, but we were soldiers, and we couldn't take them. [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> And the day we had to leave Korea, the entire family came to us, and they were crying. [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> And I become really old, and every time I tell these stories, my heart breaks, and I feel really soft, and I can't stop myself from crying. [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> And it's been actually 67 years since all these, and I'm losing some of the memories, but still there are so many things that should be told, but it's really hard to even talk about them. [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> And when we reached Busan Port, I counted 36 US military ships. [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> And US ... He's saying US military send all those ships because they didn't believe Korea could win this war, and they were getting ready to ... Evacuation planning was getting ready for the US soldiers. [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> They sent [INAUDIBLE] war, so that they could withdraw their own soldiers and send us to the front line. [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> And after our war in Korean War, our achievement, US soldiers realized that this could be won, and that's how ... That's when they realized that this good war, and they started fighting properly. [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> And I used to write diary every day before I became a soldier, and even though I went there, I kept on writing every day. [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> First, I'd like to talk about the diaries and all the things that we wrote. One of our general's son took all these records and made us writing. They turned into writing, and he also wants to talk about that only three people know, his general and his lieutenant. [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> [INAUDIBLE] different district. [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> Basically, he used to be a messenger in the first war, and his general told him to go to a different district and tell them to join them because they need to get out of the crossfire that they were receiving, and they were planning for the next stage to get out together, but when he went to the other district, the leading commander of that area said, "You didn't see us here." He tried to ignore the order, and he said, "But this was order of the general," but he still ignored the command, and he had to go back to his general to report this, but the next day they had to fight out of that crossfire to get out, but that district didn't help them, and basically they had to get out without the help of the second district, which was really difficult for them. They lost a lot of people and ammo and vehicles as well in that. [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> And when he was talking, the son of the general was writing all this stuff, recording all the diaries and everything that soldiers wrote. He told him to tell him all these stories that were not told before because they were hidden. [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> And my son was with me as well. [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> And that son of the general is going to tell all these stories and record the videos as well, but it was 6 years ago to record. [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> And apparently he remembered his diary and everything that he faced, he wrote every single thing in those diaries. [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> And he turned all those into a book basically. [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> Wow. Wow. >> This is his diary. [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> And he's giving this to you. [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> I talk too much. >> No, thank you.
>> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE]. >> My name is Ibrahim Gulek. >> Ibrahim Gulek [FOREIGN LANGUAGE]. >> I went to South Korea in [INAUDIBLE]. >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE]. >> It took us 23 days to go to Korea with ship. >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE]. >> First when we went, we were the [INAUDIBLE]. >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE]. >> When we first landed in Pusan port, we were exhausted for the long trip, and they let us rest for 2 days. Then we had to go to the war zone right after with a train. >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE]. >> We were going with a train, but the railroads were a little broken, and that caused the ride to be really slow because we couldn't go fast because of the railroads. >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE]. >> And when he first saw the Korean kids, he was surprised because they didn't have any clothes during the winter, and he thought the kids were able to withstand the cold because that was the first time they saw kids wearing basically nothing in this cold weather. >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE]. >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE]. >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE]. >> There was food, Turkish bread and meat in the middle. >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE]. >> He would basically give the food, and they would all try to take the food, basically, and they would take the food from someone else's mouth. That was how the situation was. >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE]. >> And when they saw this, they didn't think about their own deaths at all. >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE]. >> When we first reached the war zone, we had to dig our own cover ourselves. >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE]. >> All our hands were all destroyed and bruised because of digging a lot. >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE]. >> We were walking around underground. >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE]. >> And the gun was 7.5 kilograms that we were carrying everywhere with us. >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE]. >> I could not shoot anywhere. It was a long-range rifle, and I had seven targets that I had to hit. >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE]. >> And his lieutenant told him to shoot a specific target, but he had 200 bullets in his gun, in his rifle, and he would keep shooting at the area, but he could not see anything because of the dark. >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE]. >> And when he shoots a lot of bullets, the rifle gets really hot, and he has to change rifle as well. >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE]. >> And he constantly changed those rifles and put one of them underground in order to cool down. Then every night, he would spend around 1,500 bullets shooting at those targets. >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE]. >> And he went [INAUDIBLE] basically, and he would shoot at those areas, but he told his lieutenant that he could not see anything. >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE]. >> And the lieutenant told him that tomorrow morning, you'll see what you were shooting at. >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE]. >> And it's nighttime, and he went to the lieutenant, and he was sleeping in his bed. >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE]. >> The lieutenant in the night, he went to his lieutenant, and ... >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE]. >> ... he took the binoculars. >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE]. >> He looked through the binoculars to see what he was shooting at. >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE]. >> And when he looked through the binoculars, he saw a huge hill, but when he looked closely, he realized that it was all corpses, actually, human bodies that were put together up there. >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE]. >> Every district or area unit had one phone [INAUDIBLE]. >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE]. >> It was for them shooting the crossfire so that the enemy could not dodge or go towards one area. >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE]. >> And also, they would shoot in a crossfire [INAUDIBLE] bombed area, and he would see the trees that were full of holes, basically. >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE]. >> And the [INAUDIBLE] were actually good in every way. He's seen that. >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE]. >> And in the medallion ceremony where they had their pulling rope game, he was part of that as well against the US military. >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE]. >> Basically, it was 10 US soldiers and 10 Turkish veterans, and there was water in the middle, and they were playing who would pull the other side to the water. >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE]. >> So the Turkish soldiers dug in the ground with ... >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE]. >> So their tactic was, they know that US soldiers were bigger and larger and stronger than them, so they basically at least threw up a little bit, and once they were losing their balance, they would pull in that time, and they won the pulling game with that tactic. >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE]. >> In the war ... >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE]. >> [INAUDIBLE] basically they were English soldiers a lot, but they were hiding in the bushes to try to pull it back, but the Turkish soldiers would just charge in even though they did not fear anything, and he forced himself to go straight in the line and under pushes that that's why the Turkish soldiers won that small battle in the area. >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE]. >> And in the medal ... >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE]. >> ... for every Turkish soldier, a US soldier would accommodate that person and buy food and take him around, and a high-ranking officer was chosen for him. >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE]. >> [INAUDIBLE] after I went back to ... >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE]. >> Back in those days ... >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE]. >> ... they would exchange mail. >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE]. >> Ask him about Korea. >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE]. >> And he's talking about the time when they were in the forest, and there were a lot of Korean citizens as well because they could not live in those houses because of the bombing and attack, and a lot of Turkish soldiers would take their food and everything and give it to the Korean citizens who were living in those forests with them. >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE]. >> But the US soldiers thought that we were selling the food to the Korean citizens ... >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE]. >> ... and asked whether we had money or not from all the food that we gave. >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE]. >> The soldiers thought that the Turkish soldiers were selling because they did not think that they would give their own everything to the Korean citizens, and that's why US citizens were suspicious of Turkish soldiers, but once they realized and asked the Korean citizens that they had no money or anything, they just gave the food for free to the Korean citizens, they thought that the Turkish soldiers were kind of stupid because they were going to be weaker, and they left without finding anything. >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE]. >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE]. >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE]. >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE]. >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE]. >> The Koreans loved us a lot, and it feels like we're blood brothers, basically. >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE]. >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE]. >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE]. >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE]. >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE]. >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE]. >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE]. >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE]. >> They went back to Korea in 1999. >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE]. >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE]. >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE]. >> And when they landed, they were going to go see the places they fought at. >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE]. >> And they turned those houses into museums, and he was going towards those area with other veterans as well. >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE]. >> And the graveyards. >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE]. >> And there were 165 ... >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE]. >> [INAUDIBLE]. >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE]. >> And he's talking about ... >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE]. >> ... when he was in a tank in the war. >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE]. >> He's talking about when he went back to the graveyards of the other people who died. He saw one of his friends who died in a tent when they were together, and there was a bullet shrapnel that fell from the top, and one went towards his friend, so his friend died, and he saw his grave when he went back, and he cried when he saw that. >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE]. >> He was a really good person that passed away, his friend. >> Is he buried in the United Nations Pusan Cemetery? >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE]. >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE]. >> Tell him, "What is his name?" >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE]. >> Sebatin. >> Sebatin. >> Sebatin. His last name? >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE]. >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE]. >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE]. >> Tell him, when I go to the United Nations Pusan Cemetery, I'll visit him too. >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE]. >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE]. >> He is actually not in the [INAUDIBLE]. >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE]. >> He prayed to Allah in that graveyard. >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE]. >> People were wondering why would he do it, but he said, "I don't care. I want to pray." >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE]. >> And he sees himself online where he's praying in the graveyard for the ... >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE]. >> Basically, he's seen on the Internet that he went back after 60 years and saw his friends, and he prayed for God.
>> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE]. >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE]. >> Menetia Urstik. >> My name is Menetia Urstik. >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE]. >> In 1950, I went to Korea. >> On November 29th, I was shipped from Ankara to ... >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE]. >> From İskenderun, we took the [INAUDIBLE] ship and went to Korea. >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE]. >> And from the Black Sea to the Columbia then eventually we landed in Pusan. >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE]. >> And the US soldiers and Korean citizens greeted us in Pusan Port. >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE]. >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE]. >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE]. >> And with the train, we went to take off. >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE]. >> First 15 days of training in [INAUDIBLE] were at the [INAUDIBLE]. >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE]. >> And once they reached the [INAUDIBLE]. >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE]. >> When they reached Manchuria, they got an order saying that ... >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE]. >> They said that [INAUDIBLE] right away because 300,000 Chinese soldiers were coming. >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE]. >> And it was really difficult in the hillside to go with the cars because the roads weren't properly done, and we did our best to reach the Korean hospital. >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE]. >> My commanding officer who passed away in that war told me that everyone should be really careful because all the soldiers. >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE]. >> Around 10:30 that night, the Chinese soldiers started attacking us. >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE]. >> And we lost a lot of people in that, and there was a command that told us to [FOREIGN LANGUAGE]. >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE]. >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE]. >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE]. >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE]. >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE]. >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE]. >> And the command was for all of them to go to a different town as fast as possible. >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE]. >> And even though we saw a lot of our friends die that day, we had the command to shoot our bombs towards them as soon as possible. >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE]. >> And they were shooting their bombs more towards the enemy soldiers, and they were [INAUDIBLE] and then he saw bodies flying around in that time. >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE]. >> And we fought until the morning, and we received a command saying that US soldiers were coming to support us, and we saw the US planes, and we kept on fighting through the entire night and also in the morning. >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE]. >> And the Chinese soldiers were taking the corpses of the Turks and the US soldiers and hanging them where they can see them and burning them and shouting at them. >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE]. >> And we were about to engage because our soldiers were really mad, but then the US soldiers signaled the enemy side [INAUDIBLE] with a little piece of paper, and he was [INAUDIBLE] that area, and the enemy soldiers started [INAUDIBLE] more silent, and they had to cover themselves, and that's when we had to [INAUDIBLE] backwards. >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE]. >> And [INAUDIBLE] backwards, and again, when they came for us, we fought for 24 hours, and we basically protected a specific US unit in that time. >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE]. >> And that was the reason the US Army gave the Turkish unit the Silver Star because they didn't fall back or separate. They stick together in order to protect the 25th Unit of the US Army in that time. >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE]. >> And they found a little kid by himself, and his commander officer leaned in. [FOREIGN LANGUAGE]. >> Ila. >> They named him Ila, and they protected him during that time. >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE]. >> And after a year where we had to leave, another soldier [INAUDIBLE] took care of the little kid in that time. >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE]. >> And when they were treating, and they saw a lot of Korean citizens trying to run away just like the Syrian people trying to get away and find shelter, and they gave, the soldiers gave them, more than they had in order to support them, and they kept receiving thank-yous and Korean [INAUDIBLE] from them. >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE]. >> The biggest losses were [FOREIGN LANGUAGE]. >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE]. >> The biggest losses were ... >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE]. >> One of the battles, most, actually all my unit died, including my commanding officer in that battle, but I was able to get away. I was 100 meters behind one of my friends who was caught in that fight, and he was captured, and after that ambush, the US soldiers attacked the next battle and found out that he was a Turkish soldier, and they sent him to Japan to get treated for 3 months in the hospital. >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE]. >> And from his unit, only him and he survived. He went to find him in Turkey when he went back, but he couldn't find his address, and he couldn't see his friend. >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE]. >> I was born in '29. I'm 88 years old. >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE].