2 new plaques installed to commemorate US Korean War veterans

Korean War veterans and military officials pose for a photo during a ceremony at the Korea Military Academy in Nowon-gu, northern Seoul, Thursday. (Korea Military Academy)

Plaques commemorating US Military Academy graduates killed during the 1950-53 Korean War were installed at the Korea Military Academy.

The KMA held a ceremony Thursday to unveil the two new plaques to be installed within its campus that would commemorate the West Point classes of 1945 and 1951 who fought in the Korean War. The plaques were dedicated to the 25 graduates of the West Point Class of 1945 and 11 graduates from the Class of 1951.

The ceremony was attended by dozens of Korean War veterans as well as Korean and US officials, including Korea Defense Veterans Association Chairman Curtis M. Scaparrotti, KDVA Korea Chapter President Choi Byung-Hyuk and KMA Superintendent Kwon Young-ho. KMA’s cadets and other high-ranking US and Korean military officials joined to celebrate the unveiling of the plaques.

The two plaques unveiled during the Thursday event finalizes the KMA’s project of installing plaques for a total of 150 West Point graduates who were killed while fighting in the Korean War. From 1996 to 2022, five plaques were installed to commemorate 114 West Point graduates. The latest addition of two has raised the total count to seven.

“The 36 heroes we commemorate today joined West Point in 1945 and 1951 to later proudly answer the call for arms to defend the country (Korea) and its people they have never heard of in their lives,” Kwon said in an address during the ceremony.

“It was only with these heroes’ sacrifice 70 years ago that democracy, peace and prosperity were made possible on this land, and this alliance by blood enabled us to form a strong joint defense posture.”

The latest plaques were installed with financial support from the KDVA Korea Chapter, which represents 3.5 million US soldiers who have been stationed in Korea as well as Korean service members who have served with them since an armistice was signed to halt the Korean War in 1953.

The KMA signed an agreement with the KDVA in 2019 to cooperate in organizing commemorative activities for Korean and US service members, as well as developing educational programs for KMA cadets for their better understanding of the Korea-US alliance and national security.

By Korea Herald(khnews@heraldcorp.com)