>> When I got to Korea, they left me in Pusan. They sent me to guard company which is east of Pusan, and we were doing guard duties all around the docks, closing depots, ammunition depots, and I stayed there from September right around until February when they sent me back to the Battalion, Royal Fusiliers, First Battalion, the Royal Fusiliers, that was. That's when we stayed until the ceasefire. >> Explain a little about that because, I mean, you didn't expect the ceasefire, but it happened. I mean, like, how did people react? >> Well, we were just happy, I suppose, but we were due to come out then because our stay was only for a year, so we're due to come out anyway, so we came out normally. >> Why were you only scheduled to stay for a year? >> Well, I think everybody got a year minimum probably. >> Well, explain a little about that because I think British were the only ones maybe, not the only ones, but with the National Service. >> Well, I was a regular. I was in for 5 years, so it didn't fly to me, but there was a lot of National Service in there. That's why they encouraged it to 2 years when the war started. >> Have you been back to Korea? >> Yes, 2000. >> Oh, for the 50th anniversary. >> Pardon? >> For the 50th anniversary. >> Yes, that's right. That's correct, 50th anniversary. Now, I want to go this year again if I can with my grandson, and ... >> What did you think when you first arrived? >> Well, it's a big improvement, big improvement. >> Well, I hope so because it was ... >> Nothing. >> ... nothing but rubbles when you left it. >> That's right. It was only two bridges on the river Seoul. Now, there was 27 I think, 30. Big change, big change. >> And do you feel proud? >> I do. I do feel proud, and since 2000, I've carried your national standard very proudly and honored to do so and still carrying it. I'm going to carry on as long as I can. >> Well I know for sure the Korean people and the people everywhere are extremely grateful for your service. >> I'm sure you are. >> Yes. That's why I'm, here. >> Yeah. >> And thank you so much. >> Very proud to see you. >> Thank you so ... >> Thank you for coming. >> Thank you.

>> ... from Dublin, so I am at a church. It's called the St. Mary's, and there is a beautiful cross here, a memorial, that lists the names of those who died in World Wars I and II and Korea, and so we were just gathered here, but I have not just two but four Korean War veterans. God always doubles my prayers, by the way, so thank you, God. So here is Grandpa Walter. Oh, Elizabeth! Please come! Come! >> Oh, no, no, no. Just records. >> Well, Grandpa Walter, when did you fight in Korea? >> I went to Korea in 1952 with the 1st Battalion of the Royal Fusiliers, and I fought in Korea for 1 year from '52 to '53 and until the cease-fire. I was in the front line when the cease-fire was sound, and then we moved off of the position and put wire up around the hill and then moved off, and then we went home. I was wounded there in Korea in the first few weeks. >> You were? is that why you have a Purple Heart? >> Yeah, I have ... >> Oh, okay. >> Can you believe that I did get a Purple Heart given to me when I was ... >> Wow. [ Chatter ] >> Oh, he lost his Purple Heart. >> Grandpa. [ Chatter ] >> Oh, can you say your full name, Grandpa Walter? >> My name is Walter Leslie Cout. >> So you have a long name. >> And, Grandpa, what is your full name? >> James Doyle. >> James Doyle. >> Yep. >> Oh. Everybody, look. I gave him my shamrock pins. Yay! Okay. When did you fight in Korea? >> It was in 1953. >> 1953 towards the end? >> Mm-hmm. >> Yes. >> And I was Royal Engineers. >> Royal ... With the Royal Engineers, yes. Okay, and so you did a lot of work with the equipment. >> Yeah, on the bridges. >> Bridges. >> Clearing minefields. >> Yeah, clearing minefields. >> Yeah. Yeah. >> Very important. Yes, it is. >> A dangerous job, but we go through it. >> I'm so glad you were able to come today. Thank you. Grandpa Ray. Well, I gave him an American heart because he fought in the American Army. >> Yep. >> Yes. When? >> In the 40th Division in Company G of the 224th Infantry. I was stationed in [INAUDIBLE] gateway to Seoul in South Korea. [ Chatter ] >> [INAUDIBLE], and there were a mile and a half on the inside, and we were [INAUDIBLE]. It was that way for, I would say, maybe 4 or 5 months. [ Chatter ] >> [INAUDIBLE] and I thought, "Jeez, get me the hell out of here and see a different sight than this." So I got back [INAUDIBLE]. [ Chatter ] >> Were you born in Dublin, or were you born in America? >> America. >> Where? Which state? >> New Haven, Connecticut. >> New Haven, Connecticut, everybody. I was there in Connecticut in Danbury. And last but now least, Grandpa ... I think he's the oldest grandpa here, right? >> Yes. >> How young are you? >> Ninety-one. >> He's only 91 years young, and he looks great. Where and when did you fight in Korea? >> '50 and '51. >> 1950, 1951. Yes. >> [INAUDIBLE]. >> Wow. Were you born in Ireland? >> Oh, yes. Definitely. >> Where? In Dublin? >> In Dublin. >> Oh, and you left from ... Where did you leave from? >> Belfast. >> Belfast. Okay. Well, I'm going to go to Belfast on Friday. Yes. >> Yes, are you? That'll be fine. >> Yes. Well, like I said, everybody, since I'm going to go to Belfast, I am here in Ireland because I think it's not only important to thank the veterans who fought, the Irish veterans who fought, but I do really want to, as a Korean who knows well about the pain of division and separation, and I just commiserate it with the Irish pain of division and separation as well and praying for peace and unity for all, okay, so that is one thing I do want you to know. I also want to You'll hear and meet a lot about Mr. Michael Schafini, who came and traveled all the way from Mayo, Castlebar, where I'll be tomorrow, so you'll hear a lot about him, but, Elizabeth ... Well, and then before we go to Elizabeth, I have two people from the British Legion to welcome here which was a pleasant surprise and a great honor. >> Oh, our pleasure. >> Yes. Oh, and I want to show you what he gave me because this ... I don't bear ... This, I take it very seriously. He requested that I take this and plant this at the Korean War Memorial in Washington on behalf of the legion which ... [ Chatter ] >> Yes, in Ireland, so that is a huge task, a huge honor, and I am very, very proud to bear the cross. Yes. Thank you. >> Thank you. >> And any words to say about from on the behalf of the British Legion? >> Well, we're very proud of all our veterans. There are so few of them left, and most of them ... Don't forget, every one of them was a volunteer if they left the Republic of Ireland which is something else. They weren't necessarily on scripts. They were volunteers. >> And you? >> I think the ... Korea is called the Forgotten War. I think in this situation, it's not even known about, and that's such a challenge to us as a nation here now to make better known of what these chaps did in the '50s. So ... >> So thank you so much, gentlemen ... >> My pleasure. >> ... for coming here and representing and thanking on behalf of the legion, and last but not least, this is Elizabeth, everybody. >> Oh, goodness. >> Yes. I was so surprised because she said she had actually known about me even before she met me today. >> I did. >> Yes, because we have many, many ... >> Many friends all over the world and in particular in Australia, Ray Rogers, Raymond Rogers. He keeps me in contact with all that Hannah is doing and also Edgar Green who is in London, and we keep contact. >> So I was amazed because she said that she has seen me and received their newsletters and e-mails as I was traveling to South Africa, Canada, London, New Zealand, Australia, so that was very amazing. >> Keep up what you're doing. >> Aw, thank you. Thank you, and last but not least, I want to give a shout-out to Ashley from the Korean Embassy who is here to represent the Korean Embassy as well because as you all know, I am here not as an individual but on behalf of all grateful Koreans. The rector is not here, but I want to give a shout-out to the rector who actually ... This beautiful church, as you can see from the back, is closed today, but he made it an exception to open it for us, so thank you to the fathers of the temple. And last but not least, I want to show you where it says Korea, and we will ... So on the side of the cross, it says, "Korean War," and I guess Mr. John David Foster had passed away, so, everybody, thank you so much for joining me on this journey. This is my official day 1 of my "Remember 727" journey to honor veterans and promote peace, so thank you. Bye.

-Me llamo Hermelindo Unchala Cisneros. Batallé en el Batallón Colombia,cuando viajé a Corea en 1952. Fuimos a relevar a la compañía Cota. Pero como a la compañía Cota la hunden... los desaparecieron, pues. Quedaron nueve soldados nada más de la Cota, compañía Cota. Duré año y medio en Corea. Y nada, no me puedo, no pasó nada. Aquí estoy. - ¿Quieres, esto, explicar...? - Distintivo de, de la paz de Corea. Distintivo la paz de Corea. - Hombre de paz. - Sí, soy hombre de paz. [HABLAN AL TIEMPO] - Hombre de paz. - Corea de paz. - Hombre de paz. - ¿Sí? ¿Por qué? [HABLAN AL TIEMPO] [VOCES INDISTINTAS] ¿Y coreanos dicen "gracias" muchísimo? ¿Sí? - Sí, muy bien. Todos, gracias. - ¿Visita a Corea? - No, no he visitado. - ¿No? ¿Quiero? ¿Quiere? - Sí, claro. - ¿Sí? ¿Cuántos años tiene usted? - No, ya tengo 82, 84. - 84. [MAULLIDO] ¿Y qué se, qué se piensa que...? [MAULLIDO]

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

>> [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]