GAINESVILLE - More than 400 people came to pay their respects to the men from Hall County who gave their lives during the Korean Conflict more than 60 years ago.
The Korean War Veterans of Georgia, Gainesville-Hall County chapter, along with members of the American Korea Good Neighboring Foundation unveiled a monument Saturday inscribed with the names of the 11 war dead.
Heyward Hosch, a member of the Korean War Veterans of Georgia (KWVG), reflected on the severity of the war which took more than 33,000 American lives some 60 years ago.
"Historians have called the battle of North Korea in the winter of 1950 the most savage of modern times," said Hosch.
Sunny K. Park with the American Korea Good Neighboring Foundation spoke to the veterans gathered at the side of the monument and thanked them for their service.
Park, who was a young boy at the time of the war, told the crowd about the kindness of American soldiers who always made sure the Korean children had candy and chewing gum. He also reflected on a more somber memory, watching an American plane go down and weeping at the death of the pilot.
KWVG President Paul Scroggs noted that the construction of the monument would not have been possible without the financial help of Korean-Americans from metro Atlanta. He said they donated more than half of the proceeds needed to build the monument.
The ceremony took place at 11:00 a.m. at Rock Creek Park in Gainesville.
Monday
May 13th, 2024
3:53AM
