Korea vet dies just 3 hours before war medal arrives

From the Hawkeye.com: Korea vet dies just 3 hours before war medal arrives Richard Morrison, 81, of Burlington was only hours away from receiving the Purple Heart medal he had waited so long for when he died at his home Friday night. Morrison was supposed to receive the medal 59 years ago for the injuries he sustained as a prisoner of war in North Korea. He received word of the certification Thursday afternoon with a call from the office of U.S. Sen. Tom Harkin. According to his son, Matt Morrison, and daughter-in-law, Jennifer Morrison, UPS (United Parcel Service) rushed to get the Purple Heart to Richard as soon as possible, since his failing health had put him on his death bed. The medal left Des Moines about 1 p.m. Friday and arrived at Richard's home about 7 p.m., but he had died three hours earlier. Burlington UPS operations manager Mike Smith and his wife, Lisa, delivered the medal personally.

"It was so close," said Richard's oldest daughter, Lucia Moser. "The Prugh's (Funeral Service) van pulled in, and then Mike and Lisa were right behind."

Richard did receive the certificate for the medal the day before he died, however, and his children said he was quite happy about that. Richard also received a Prisoner of War medal, even though he already had one.

Afghanistan war veteran and relative, Cody Brown of Colorado, placed the war medals on Richard's chest after he died. Brown also received the Purple Heart during his service.

"It was great that they (the medals) got here. I would like to thank everybody involved," Jennifer Morrison said.

Richard graduated from Burlington High School in 1948 and served as a corporal in the U.S. Army with the 2nd Engineer Combat Battalion during the Korean War. He was a prisoner of war for two and a half years.

Richard's son, Chuck Morrison, said even though his father was a war hero, he never painted himself that way when telling war stories. Richard was forced to bury his fellow soldiers who didn't survive the North Korean POW camp, but the horrible experience never tarnished his will to succeed and provide a life for his family.

"He did some amazing things," Chuck Morrison said. "He was a blue-collar guy and never tiring. When he got these health issues, it hit us hard. He was Superman. Nothing ever tired him out."

Richard worked as a tool and die maker at Klein Manufacturing for 13 years and then spent 25 years at General Electric, where he retired.

"He was quiet and very analytical," Moser said. "He thought things through before he proceeded. He was very detailed."

Despite his precise eye for details, Moser said her father also was somewhat of a jokester, with a dry sense of humor.

"He was real laid back and quiet," she said.

That's how Matt Morrison remembers him as well.

"He was very humble - very laid back and humble," he said.

A funeral Mass for Richard Oliver Morrison will be at 10 a.m. Wednesday at St. Paul Catholic Church.

Friends may call Tuesday after 8 a.m. at Prugh's Chapel with a Christian wake service at 5 p.m., followed by military rites conducted by the Burlington Area Veterans Honor Guard. The family will receive friends until 8 p.m.

Memorials have been established for Great River Hospice, SS. John & Paul Catholic Church and Des Moines County Historical Society.

N. Korea says it is ready to fight a war with S. Korea, US

From Yonhapo News: N. Korea says it is ready to fight a war with S. Korea, US
SEOUL, Feb. 27 (Yonhap) -- North Korea stepped up its rhetoric Monday as South Korea and the United States kicked off joint military drills that Pyongyang claims are rehearsals for a northward invasion.

"The war drills are an unpardonable infringement upon the sovereignty and dignity of the DPRK as they evidently target the DPRK which is in the mourning period," the North's official Korean Central News Agency said in an English-language dispatch, referring to the North by the initials of its official name.

The North has been observing a period of mourning after the Dec. 17 death of its longtime leader Kim Jong-il.

The latest warning came as South Korea and the U.S. staged the Key Resolve exercise that will last through March 9, with about 200,000 South Korean and 2,100 U.S. troops participating.

Separately, the two allies plan to hold the Foal Eagle joint military exercise from March 1 to April 30.

South Korea and the U.S. regularly hold military exercises to bolster their readiness against a possible North Korean invasion.

The North, which has a track record of military provocations against South Korea, routinely condemns the military drills in the South as precursors for an invasion.

"The army and people of the DPRK are fully ready to fight a war with them," the dispatch said. "The warmongers will meet destruction in the fire kindled by them if they go reckless misjudging the strong will of the Koreans to defend peace."

Seoul and Washington say the exercises are defensive in nature.

Kim's youngest son and new leader, Kim Jong-un, has instructed the military to "make a powerful retaliatory strike" at South Korea, if Seoul intrudes even slightly into the North's waters.

Kim made the comment during his recent trip to front-line military units responsible for the deadly shelling of a South Korean island in 2010, according to the KCNA.

On Saturday, Pyongyang vowed to launch a "sacred war" against the South and the U.S.

About 28,500 U.S. troops are stationed in South Korea, a legacy of the 1950-53 Korean War that ended in an armistice, rather than a peace treaty.

Australia: Wagga unveils Korean War Memorial

From The Daily Advertiser: Wagga unveils Korean War Memorial A NEW memorial unveiled yesterday in Wagga will ensure the supreme sacrifice of those who served in the Korean War is never forgotten.

About 200 people from across Australia and the world attended the Korean Memorial Dedication Ceremony at Victory Memorial Gardens to remember those who fought in what has often been referred to as the “Forgotten War”.

Wagga’s surviving Korean War veterans – Harry Edmonds, Alan Evans and Catherine Thompson – were present at the ceremony and each said it meant more than words could describe.

“It means everything, it’s been so long,” said Mr Edmonds who had campaigned for years to have the memorial established.

“We’ve got somewhere to go and remember now.”

The feeling was shared by Alan Evans who said it was a historic day.

The boys that are missing have now got a home,” he said with a tear in his eye.

Minister and deputy head of mission embassy of the republic of Korea Wahn-Seong Jeong spoke of how he hoped all the Australian soldiers who lost their lives were looking down from heaven at the amazing change they had caused in Korea.

“Korea is humbled to think of the sacrifice,” he said.

Major General George Ball (retired) provided the keynote address at the ceremony and took the audience back to the war, recounting the tragic and brave history of Australian involvement. The prayer of remembrance was said by chaplain David Harding. “Grant them rest,” he said.

“And grant us who remain the spirit of service which may make us worthy of their sacrifice.”

Korean War veteran in Raynham to receive Bronze Star for his service

From Wicked Local-East Bridgewater: Korean War veteran in Raynham to receive Bronze Star for his service
Raynham — A couple living in Raynham — both of them Korean War veterans — are being honored for their military service.

Robert and Cesina Mayers are each being recognized for their efforts during the Korean War. Robert Mayers earned a Bronze Star, but wasn’t aware of it until recently applying for medical benefits.

“I am kind of shocked really,” said Robert Mayers, formerly of Attleboro. “It’s a big surprise. I’m happy with it. And now that I will receive it, it’s quite a thing. It’s quite an honor to receive it.”

Separately, Cesina Mayers, who also served during the Korean War, has been invited to a March 9 event at Arlington Cemetery to recognize women’s leadership in the military, she said.

The couple’s family held a celebration to honor Robert Mayers in late November at the American Legion in Seekonk, attended by State Rep. Steven Howitt. The family organized the party after applying for medical benefits during the summer and discovering that Mayers’ military discharge form noted that he received a Bronze Star.

Howitt, a Republican from Seekonk, passed on the news about how the family discovered that Mayers earned a Bronze Star but never received the medal, said the couple’s daughter Tina Pothier. Now, she said, the Army’s Col. David Clark plans to pin the award on the Korean War vet during a State House ceremony.

“When (Howitt) passed it along, and I guess it really enticed the colonel — the story of how he never actually got it,” Pothier said.

Pothier said Clark called her, and she told him that the family bought a replica of the Bronze Star to give to her father. But she said Clark told her that wasn’t good enough, and gave her instructions on getting an official medal.

“Col. Clark is going to come down personally and pin it on my dad at the State House, sometime this spring,” Pothier said. “We are waiting to find out when.”

Pothier said Attleboro Mayor Kevin Dumas also attended the celebration at the American Legion, and presented Mayers a commemorative Attleboro coin. She said Dumas also read a proclamation in honor of Mayers issued by Bristol County Sheriff Thomas Hodgson, and added that State Sen. James Timilty, D-Walpole, also attended.

Cesina Mayers said it was a pleasant surprise to find out that her husband received the Bronze Star, although adding they are not certain what specific actions he received it for. His daughter said the family believes it was likely for one incident in Korea when Robert Mayers pulled one of his buddies underneath a truck out of the line of fire. “No one ever told him about it,” Cesina Mayers said. “But it was entirely our fault. We never looked at the DD-214.”

While her husband is being honored for his service, so is Cesina. Speaking of the event at Arlington National Cemetery to commemorate women who served, she said she plans on going.

“But I’m worried,” she said. “The only thing I’ve got to remind me of being in the veterans is an old moth-eaten hat that I have. I got a uniform, but it wouldn’t fit on my right leg. But it should be a good trip.”

Man finds deceased Korean War vet's Purple Heart

From 7 News: Man finds deceased Korean War vet's Purple Heart
LEXINGTON, Mass. (WHDH) -- A lost Purple Heart medal belonging to a Lexington woman’s deceased brother has been found.

“It’s a miracle it really is,” said Connie Bachman.

Connie Bachman's brother, Lt. Thomas E. Hadley, was 22 when he died flying in a combat mission in Korea. The medal for his heroic actions that day, was lost. “60 years it had been lost,” Bachman said.

But a man states away, helped get it back into the right hands. In Pennsylvania where the family once lived, Larry Moore’s grandfather had found the treasure in the trash at a sanitation center he ran.

It was passed down to his son who passed it on to Moore.

“I know my father had tried before in the ‘60’s and ‘70’s without the internet. I was here one night, a week or so before Christmas I was by myself, grabbed the laptop, grabbed the Purple Heart and started Googling. This time somehow I came up with the military order of the Purple Heart,” Moore said.

“And then down the ranks they found me,” Bachman said.

At first the Bachmans thought it was a scam, but when they called back, they verified it really was the military order of the Purple Heart.

The organization presented the Bachmans with a medal case, and their local U.S. representatives gave them a flag flown over the Capitol; forever memorializing Thomas Hadley’s sacrifice in 1951.

“There were six or eight fighter planes that were attacking a train in North Korea that was filled with ammunition. And one of the planes had been hit by fire and was slowly going down and that was his best friend.

“So, he dove down with his machine guns firing at the gun base to draw their attention so others could escape,” said Charlie Bachman.

North Korea warns of 'total war' over South's military drills

From MSNB: North Korea warns of 'total war' over South's military drills What I don't understand is - why is South Korea giving North Korea food aid (which they are) if North Korea is ruled by such loons. North Korea has no electricity, the civilians are starving...why not airdrop a bunch of weapons into them and take over the country, as happened with the Arab Spring?

North Korea warns of 'total war' over South's military drills
EOUL, South Korea — South Korea on Monday conducted live-fire military drills from five islands near its disputed sea boundary with North Korea, despite Pyongyang's threat to attack.

South Korea reported no immediate action by North Korea following the drills, which ended after about two hours. The drills took place in an area of the Yellow Sea that was the target of a North Korean artillery attack in 2010 that killed four South Koreans and raised fears of a wider conflict. The heightened tension comes two months after the death of North Korean leader Kim Jong Il. His young son Kim Jong Un has taken the helm of the nation of 24 million.

Underground shelters South Korean military officials said they were ready to repel any attack. Residents on the front-line islands were asked to go to underground shelters before the drills started, according to South Korea's Defense Ministry and Joint Chiefs of Staff.

North Korea's military maintained increased vigilance during the South Korean drills, though it hasn't done anything suspicious, a South Korean Joint Chiefs of Staff officer said on condition of anonymity, citing department rules. He refused to provide further details because he said they involve confidential military intelligence on North Korea.

Before the drills began, North Korea said it would launch a "thousands-fold more severe" punishment than the 2010 shelling if South Korea conducted the drills.

'Total war'
North Korea is fully prepared for a "total war," and the drills will lead to a "complete collapse" of ties between the Koreas, the North's Committee for the Peaceful Reunification of Korea said in a statement carried Monday by the official Korean Central News Agency (KCNA).

Seoul is closely monitoring North Korea's reaction. The Korean peninsula has been technically at war for about 60 years.

Officials from North Korea and the United States are to meet this week in Beijing for talks on the country's nuclear weapons program. The discussions will be the first such bilateral contact since Kim Jong Il's Dec. 17 death.

Ties between the Koreas plummeted following the 2010 shelling of front-line Yeonpyeong Island and a deadly warship sinking blamed on Pyongyang. North Korea has flatly denied its involvement in the sinking, which killed 46 South Korean sailors.

US to hold nuke talks with N. Korea
South Korean troops on the five islands fired artillery into waters southward, away from nearby North Korea, a Defense Ministry official said on condition of anonymity, citing department rules.

Residents on the islands, many of them elderly, filed into underground bomb shelters and huddled around portable heaters during the drills.

More than 1,000 people evacuated to shelters, but few came to the mainland, despite the North Korean threat, according to Onjin County, which governs the islands. Ferry services linking the islands and Incheon port on the mainland operated normally, county officials said. Officials say requests to evacuate are made each time South Korea conducts drills.

Soon after Seoul told Pyongyang of its live-fire training plans Sunday, North Korea's military called the drills a "premeditated military provocation" and warned it would retaliate for an attack on its territory.

A North Korean officer warned in an interview Sunday with The Associated Press in Pyongyang that North Koreans were always ready to "dedicate their blood to defend their inviolable territory."

No peace treaty The maritime line separating the countries was drawn by the U.S.-led U.N. Command without Pyongyang's consent at the close of the 1950-53 Korean War, which ended with a truce, not a peace treaty. North Korea routinely argues that the line should run farther south.

On Yeonpyeong Island, which is just seven miles from North Korean shores, about 490 people evacuated to shelters, while the rest of the 600 to 700 residents stayed at home or went to work as usual, an island official said in a phone interview, speaking on condition of anonymity because he wasn't authorized to talk to reporters.

South Korea also plans joint anti-submarine drills with the United States this week, but the training site is farther south from the disputed sea boundary, South Korean military officials said. About 28,500 U.S. troops are stationed in South Korea as what U.S. and South Korean officials call deterrence against North Korean aggression.

North Korea says joint U.S.-South Korea drills are a rehearsal for a northward invasion.

Meanwhile, North Korea's state media said Monday its ruling Workers' Party will hold a key conference in April, the first since 2010, in which it is likely to make official the succession of power to its third generation of leadership.

The conference, to be held in mid-April, will come around the time of the centenary of the state founder Kim II Sung's birth, which the North has planned to mark the launch of a new era as a "strong and prosperous nation."

"The Political Bureau of the WPK Central Committee decides to convene the WPK Conference in mid-April Juche 101 (2012) to glorify the sacred revolutionary life and feats of Kim Jong Il for all ages and accomplish the Juche cause, the Songun revolutionary cause, rallied close around Kim Jong Un," KCNA reported.

Juche is the North's homegrown state ideology mixing Marxism and extreme nationalism, preached by the state founder Kim Il Sung. Songun is his son's own ruling doctrine that translates to "military first."

Korean War POW's remains return home to Scott County, Va.

From TriCity.com: Korean War POW's remains return home to Scott County, Va. SCOTT COUNTY, Va. -- The remains of a Korean War POW returned to the Tri-Cities region Thursday night.

William Ray Sluss was just 17-years-old when he left Scott County, Va. to enlist in the army. He was captured by enemy troops during the Korean War, and died in a POW camp in April of 1951 from starvation at the age of just 21.

In 2007 recovery crews found Sluss' body, and his identity was confirmed through extensive testing with help from his family.

The Fort Lee Honor Guard, Rolling Thunder, and police escorted Sluss's remains home Thursday, so he can receive a proper military burial this weekend.

Wis. couple grew 55-year marriage from war tragedy

From the Appleton Post Crescent: Wis. couple grew 55-year marriage from war tragedy NEENAH, Wis. (WTW) — Korean war veteran Dick Nooe's memory can be hazy, but the moment he met his wife, Sara, while recovering from injuries that left him blind remains as clear as day.

It was February, 58 years ago, and the Marine was recovering at the Hines Veterans Affairs Hospital in Chicago. His world had turned black — with the exception of a few shadows — a few weeks earlier when his unit was overrun by Chinese soldiers. In the desperate fight near the 38th Parallel, a concussion grenade exploded in his face and enemy fighters beat him with rifle butts.

"I was a mess. There were serious fractures in my head and face," Dick said. "In those hospitals I thought my love life was over."

Sara, a 26-year-old "Gray Lady," took on the task of socializing with the troops maimed in combat.

"I remember her introducing herself in a deep voice, and I had this picture of her as an old 'gray lady,' not knowing what the program was," Dick Nooe, 80, said Tuesday — Valentine's Day — at their tidy Neenah home. "I had been with umpteen women but that Thursday night when we danced, I knew she had the finest figure around."

Sara, 85, remembers Dick as "a little better looking than most," but is careful not to give the father of their two children too much credit.

Dick moved to Oregon to pursue studies after his recovery while Sara stayed behind in Chicago. The two exchanged letters and Dictaphone recordings before committing to moving in together and marrying. Eventually, the couple settled in Neenah.

Sara remembers an uncle warning her that the marriage would be fraught with hardship, caring for a blind man. She didn't see it that way.

Fifty-five years later, Sara says "it's just love, that's all," that has held the couple together.

Dick says their relationship is successful because they rely on each other on a daily basis.

"Each morning I get a cup of coffee for each of us and we take time to talk," Dick said. "There are no secrets held from each other."

The pair also isn't shy about their intimacy. With a fair amount of giggling and teasing, they say their passion still burns.

As he keeps a keen eye on contemporary relationships, Dick called modern-day marriages troublesome, especially when children are caught in the crossfire.

"Couples truly need to talk things out and not suppress stuff," said Dick, a therapist by trade who still practices.

Sara said a marriage is toughest in the early years.

"It's always hard adjusting to each other," she said.

Dick said relying on strong family bonds during rough patches is crucial.

Flowers don't hurt either. Dick had a small Valentine's bouquet delivered to Sara earlier in the day, as he does on occasion.

Although he can't see Sara, Dick said his memory provides flickers of the days when he could still make out shadows.

"I have these beautiful memories of her that I always picture," Dick said. "One is of walking down a sidewalk in Chicago and the sunlight hit her hair just right."

Each year, Dick shows his thankfulness for the Gray Lady program that brought the pair together by donating to the Red Cross.

Although the Gray Ladies went away in the late 1960s, remnants of the volunteer program remain, said Barbara Behling, spokeswoman for the Red Cross in northeastern Wisconsin.

"We still have a number of programs supporting the military around the globe," Behling said. "It's one of our congressional mandates."

At the Wisconsin Veterans Home at King, Behling said the Red Cross still provides volunteers who sponsor activity nights reminiscent of the ones the Gray Ladies sponsored after World War II.

"It's certainly evolved since those days, but we're still doing tremendous work for our military members," Behling said.

To this day, Dick's Marine friends tell him he scooped up the "cream of the crop" with Sara 58 years ago.

"I'm thankful the staff at the VA told me about the Gray Ladies that night," Dick said. "It led to a wonderful marriage, and we both can say we're truly content."

Virginia: You're Invited to a Hero's Welcome

From Tri-Cities.com : You're Invited to a Hero's Welcome
GATE CITY, Va. — Scott County residents are readying a hero's welcome for a Korean War veteran and prisoner-of-war whose remains are coming home to Virginia after being gone for more than 60 years.

The body of Cpl. William Ray Sluss is slated to arrive by hearse in Gate City, Va., during the afternoon of Feb. 16, at about 5 p.m., said Diane Ison, the office manager at the Scott County Funeral Home.

“We just want people lined up with their flags and basically just a big welcome home,” Ison said.

Born in Scott County, Va., to Otis and Zola Sluss on Aug. 2, 1929, Sluss enlisted in the U.S. Army at age 17 and served in the Korean War. He was taken prisoner on Nov. 30, 1950 and died on April 30, 1951 in a POW camp in North Korea. His family was notified of his death in 1954.

Recovery missions recovered Sluss in 2007, but the recovery process conducted by the Joint POW/MIA Accounting Command involves several phases and can take many years, Ison said.

Well-wishers are invited for the arrival on Feb. 16, Ison said, when they can sign Sluss’ register book.

Sluss' survivors include a sister, Buena Jester, of Indianapolis, Ind., and a brother, Lincoln Powers, of Nickelsville, Va.

The family is receiving friends on Feb. 18, 11 a.m. to noon, at Gate City Funeral Home.

The public is also invited to the memorial services on Saturday, Feb. 18, noon, at Gate City Funeral Home's Gene Falin Memorial Chapel, where Sluss is slated to receive full military honors.

Music is being provided by Jamie Broadwater, Crawford Crossing and Trey Hensley.

Military Graveside Services are being conducted immediately after the service at Holston View Cemetery in Weber City, Va., with the Military Funeral Honors Team of Ft. Lee and American Legion Hammond Post No. 3 of Kingsport, Tenn., as well as Post No. 265 of Gate City.

Flag Line is being provided by the Patriot Guard Riders.

"We’re going to have a lot of the local veterans groups here," Ison said.

An online guest registry is available for the Sluss family at www.gatecityfunerals.com. Call (276) 386-7033 or (877) 469-7513.

Bakersfield, CA: Local U.S. Army Veteran Honored

From KERO 23 (Bakersfield) : Local U.S. Army Veteran Honored
Veteran has finally received recognition for his years of military service. The Army veteran was denied medals because his records were lost.

Bruce Murray was denied service medals because there was no record of his service because of a fire at the National Personal Record Center.

U.S. Rep. Jim Costa has been appealing the case and Friday Murray was officially honored. Murray was surprised as he entered the Veterans Hall because he was unaware that the ceremony was for him.

"Then you see all these people and you know all these people and you think what are they doing here and then it hit me,” said Bruce Murray, a U.S Army veteran.

Costa presented Murray with medals honoring his service during the Korean War.

"Well it's an exciting day for me I think all of us in Kern County, who know and love Bruce Murray. He reflects what is the best and brightest of American men and women who've served our nation" said Rep. Jim Costa, D-Fresno.

Murray was surrounded by friends and family who all said it was a recognition long overdue.

"There isn’t anybody in the world that is more deserving than my daddy for these awards," said Beverly Camp, daughter.

For more than a year, Costa has been appealing this case to the Department of the Army to guarantee Murray receives the honors he earned for his service. The fight to get the medals was filled with many roadblocks.

"We were determined through every bit of evidence we could bring together. Testimony to ensure to the Department of Defense and the Veterans Administration that Bruce Murray had earned these metals," said Costa.

It was a victorious day for Costa, a day of recognition for Murray and a proud moment for his family.

"We are so excited, on behalf of my whole family, we are so terribly excited. It's been two years in the making to get these medals for him and this is one of the happiest days of my life," said Camp.

Murray served from 1952 to 1955 in the U.S. Army. Upon returning home he continued to serve his community, including being an official at the Veterans of Foreign Wars.

War medals arrive

From the South Bend Tribune: War medals arrive NILES -- If only everyone could have their vision improve the way Ken "Whitey" Voss' did.

The 80-year-old Niles resident recalled Thursday how he and a couple of buddies attempted some 60 years ago to enlist in the military during the Korean War. A native of South Bend, Voss didn't make the cut.

"I flunked. I had a bad left eye," he said. "I went back a few months later but it was the same thing."

But it wasn't long after his second rejection that he received a draft notice in the mail. Induction quickly followed.

"All of a sudden, I had 20/20 vision," he said, smiling at the memory.

Shipped to Japan and, eventually, the 38th Parallel south of Pyonggang, Korea, the 20-year-old member of the 424th Field Artillery Battalion spent much of his time loading shells into howitzers. Two such weapons were situated at the rear of the unit and another two at the front, he said.

"When we were in the forward position, we were always getting shelled. ... I came within inches of being wounded. Someone right next to me got it," he said, adding the injured soldier survived but never returned to the unit.

Voss did spend some time in a hospital, however, after developing a 105-degree fever. With temperatures ranging from in excess of 100 degrees to 30 degrees below zero, heatstroke and pneumonia were hazards faced not only by U. S. forces and their allies but their North Korean and Chinese adversaries.

After 17 months, Voss returned stateside but it wasn't until recently that his medals joined him. His offspring -- Scott Nikodem and Darryl Voss -- and daughter-in-law Renee Voss, Darryl's wife, initiated the process by contacting the office of U. S. Rep. Joe Donnelly, D-Granger.

"I never gave it a thought. I just said, 'I don't care if you try to get 'em," Ken Voss recalled telling his family.

A week ago, Voss stood front and center at American Legion Post 51 in Buchanan and was formally awarded a National Defense Medal, United Nations Service Medal and a Korean War Medal with bronze stars. Voss said the recognition "felt good" and was worth the surprise when he realized what was in store.

As for a return trip to Korea, he said that's not in his plans.

"I didn't leave anything over there," he said.

Saskatchewan: Cenotaph needs repair

From the Shaunovon Standard, Saskatchewan: Cenotaph Needs Repair At the centre of Shaunavon’s Remembrance Day celebrations has always stood the cenotaph in Memorial Park.

The cenotaph, erected in 1925/26 and unveiled in November of 1926, was a memorial to all those who gave their lives during World War I. At that time, a scroll, with the names of the 600 men who enlisted from the town and area, was placed in a cavity inside the war memorial. The cenotaph now commemorates the contributions of our war veterans from World War I, II and the Korean War.

However, in recent years, the 85-year-old war monument has suffered crumbling and weather damage that has left it in a state of disrepair.

Cracking mortar and deteriorating tyndall stone, an expensive material to replace, are the structure’s main concerns.

The town, along with the Shaunavon Royal Canadian Legion, has been putting forth efforts to get the funds needed to restore the structure.

Longtime Shaunavon resident Barb Wright and her husband Ron are both members of the Legion and are among those dedicated to getting the money to keep the cenotaph standing, and preserve the memories of those soldiers.

“We have a personal tie to it,” explained Wright.

“My father-in-law fought in the war so it’s very important to us to keep paying respect to him and all of the other men that sacrificed their lives,” she added.

The Legion’s efforts have raised several thousand dollars. In fact, about $10,500 has already been put in a special Town reserve for the project, which includes money from the both the Legion and the community.

Town officials have also applied for grants from several government agencies.

The town has already been approved for $10,000.00 in funding from Saskatchewan Heritage for phase 1 work to the cenotaph and Veterans Affairs were meeting last month to decide on another grant application.

Still, even with the grants, the project will need a significant contribution from local fundraising.

The most recent estimates put the cost of repairs at about $72,840.

“We still have to raise a lot of money,” said Legion member Brenda Waldron.

Monday’s concert is just one of several fundraising activities spearheaded for the project. Along with raising some money through ticket sales, organizers also want to use the concert to create a little added awareness for the project.

Volunteers are hoping that community members who feel strongly about the importance of the Cenotaph will come forward with additional donations for the project.

Any business that is interested in more details concerning in-kind donations or corporate donations, can contact town administrator Charmaine Bernath (297-2605) at the Town or Brenda Waldron (297-2003).

Personal donations can be made to the Legion by contacting Waldron or mailing them to RCL #40, Box 1355 Shaunavon and earmarked Cenotaph Restoration Fund. The Town will issue income tax deductible receipts for donations of $25 or more

How to screw up your PoW situation

From Foreign Policy Magazine: How to screw up your PoW situation

I've long known that the U.S. military had a tough time with North Korean and Chinese prisoners during the Korean War, including an American general being taken hostage. But I hadn't really known why things went so badly in this war, aside from the fact that in World War II the U.S. Army in the Pacific had little experience with prisoners of war. Then I read this quotation in Gideon Rose's How Wars End: "Anybody who couldn't make it on the line was sent down to do duty on Koje-do [where the big camps were]. We ended up with the scum of the Army -- the drunks, the drug addicts, the nutters, the deadbeats."

Quincy, IL: Korean War veterans being sought for honor flights to Washington

From Quincy Herald Whig: Korean War veterans being sought for honor flights to Washington Great River Honor Flight is gearing up to continue taking World War II veterans to Washington, D.C., to visit the World War II Memorial, but it's also looking for Korean War veterans. Since October 2009, more than 300 World War II veterans have been flown to Washington to visit the memorial and other sites. Carlos Fernandez, chairman of Great River Honor Flight, said 40 Korean War veterans have already submitted applications. "There's been so much community support in honoring our veterans, and it just happened to be that we focused on World War II simply because of the age and the time situation," Fernandez said. "But when you think about, the Korean War was only five years later, and so there isn't that much of a different in ages. This just sees like a perfect next step to go along what has been a very successful program." Fernandez said the two trips scheduled for April 24 and May 22 will include World War II veterans, but he anticipates trips later in the year will include Korean War veterans. The organization is likely to have separate trips for World War II and Korean War veterans. "When they are all from the same war, I think it is a much more conducive to conversation and people that can relate to one another," Fernandez said. "It may happen, but right now it is not planned." Each flight consists of up to 35 veterans and 20 guardians assigned to assist the needs of each veteran and ensure them a memorable and enjoyable experience. Besides the World War II Memorial, the trip includes visits to the Korean War Veterans Memorial, the Vietnam Veterans Memorial, the Lincoln Monument and the Marine Corps War Memorial. Veterans on the trip also witness the changing of the guard ceremony at the Tomb of the Unknowns at Arlington National Cemetery. Costs of the one-day excursions vary from $350 to $500 per veteran depending on the cost of airfare. While veterans pay nothing, all guardians are expected to help cover their personal cost for the trip. For more information, including how to make a contribution or find an application, go to www.wgem.com/honorflight.

Chinese travelers are seeing the USA in record numbers

Shared just because we fought the Chinese during the Korean War. The accompanying photo to this article showed a tour group of Chinese walking by the Korean War monument in Washington DC. From USAToday: Chinese travelers are seeing the USA in record numbers The Chinese are coming. And the U.S. travel industry couldn't be happier Eager to spend their growing disposable income, travelers from mainland China's wealthy and rising middle classes are traversing the globe in search of iconic destinations they can cross off their bucket lists. That wanderlust has increasingly brought them to a dream destination, the USA, in recent years as travel restrictions on them eased. Despite occasional economic and political dust-ups between the two nations' governments, a record number of Chinese visitors came to the U.S. in 2011. Steps announced last month by President Obama to speed up visas for them should result in even more Chinese arrivals, further unlocking a huge source of income that the U.S. travel industry and retail business sector have long coveted. So huge is the Chinese travel market potential that major U.S. travel suppliers — including hotels and airlines, as well as major cities and even shopping malls — are sending sales representatives to China. They're educating tour operators in Chinese cities that few Americans have heard of. And hotels in this country are now serving rice porridge for breakfast and seeking Mandarin Chinese speakers to handle the phones and check-in desks. "It's astonishing," says Fred Dixon, NYC & Company's senior vice president of tourism & convention development. "It's one of the powerhouse markets." Indicative of the growth and potential: In the first 10 months of 2011, visits from mainland Chinese rose 36% year-over-year to 940,000, according to the International Trade Administration of the U.S. Department of Commerce. Chinese visitors' spending in the U.S. shot up 39% in 2010 to $5 billion, a growth rate that outpaced visitors from all other countries who have been traditionally high spenders here. That spending put the Chinese in seventh place among foreign visitors, overtaking France. "U.S. travel and tourism exports to China have increased by at least 30% in six of the last seven years," the trade administration's 2010 report says. "U.S. travel and tourism exports account for 24% of all U.S. services exports to China." But the current visitation figures matter less in the eyes of travel marketers than the sheer potential the Chinese market promises. About 70 million Chinese crossed their border in 2011, spending $69 billion, according to China Outbound Tourism Research Institute, a Germany-based research firm. And they've just begun. Budget-minded tour groups Chinese travelers, mostly wealthy individuals or business travelers, have been coming to the U.S. in dribs and drabs for years. The floodgate didn't open until 2007, when China gave the U.S. its "approved destination" status, a change that allows the U.S. to market in the country. It also fueled a boom in Chinese group tour agencies that corral price-sensitive travelers leaving the country for the first time. Their travel dynamic hasn't changed much, says David Huang of China Host, a travel agency. He estimates about 90% of Chinese visitors still travel in large groups, moving quickly from destination to destination while staying at budget hotels. But with the duration of their stays longer than those of Europeans and their penchant for shopping, the power of their wallets has surprised many in the industry. In New York, Chinese spent on average $3,197 per person in 2010, the highest among foreign travel groups. "They're sort of the new Japanese," Dixon says. Qiang Wang, a Chinese traveler recently strolling the massive grounds of an outlet mall in Leesburg, Va., near Washington, D.C., says the Chinese love good bargains, and shopping excursions are frequent in group tours. Wang, an economist from Hefei, a city in Anhui Province in eastern China, laughs at the irony of Chinese travelers rushing to buy goods in the USA that were likely shipped from their country. "Brand (goods) are a lot cheaper here," he says, holding up bags from Coach, Jos. A. Bank and Easy Spirit. Getting a visa can be a problem Despite the growing numbers, the U.S. tourism industry isn't taking the Chinese for granted. While the U.S. remains, for many Chinese, a mythic destination glimpsed only in Hollywood movies, they're also increasingly proving to be discriminating customers who want to spend money where they're welcome. Because of its reputation as a difficult country to obtain a visa to, the U.S. is starting to lose some of its luster, particularly among the young, adventurous and upscale segment of Chinese travelers. Based on a series of surveys he conducted in Shanghai in 2010- 2011, Robert Li, a tourism professor at the University of South Carolina, says Shanghai travelers selected France as the most desired destination. The U.S. came in second. European countries had been granted the "approved destination" status earlier, and have marketed in China sooner than the U.S. did. "The U.S. has lost the first-mover advantage," he says. Now free to move about the world, the Chinese elite, in particular, are selecting destinations not on preconceived notions of the past, but purely based on cost, accessibility and product. "The Chinese still would like to go to the U.S., but it's no longer the only option that comes to their minds," Wang, the traveler, says. "Back when they couldn't travel, the U.S. may have had more allure." The travel industry received much-sought help from the government when President Obama ordered the State and Homeland Security departments to boost the capacity for issuing visas in China 40% this year. He said he wanted to ensure that 80% of non-immigrant visa applicants from foreign countries are interviewed within three weeks by U.S. consular staffs. Delays in getting visas have been a frequent complaint among Chinese travelers and travel executives. Chinese are still required to have a face-to-face interview with an embassy official. And with only five consular offices in China, applicants in secondary and tertiary cities — an increasingly important group — must travel overnight for an interview. "They're social elites, and they have to change their busy schedules," Li says. "And they do interviews, not knowing whether they get the visa. That's a deterrent." At a recent technology conference, Ted Zhang, CEO of Derbysoft, a China-based software firm, bemoaned the slow U.S. visa processing in China. Several employees couldn't come to the conference, he said, because they weren't approved or couldn't apply in time. Zhang, a U.S. passport holder, says he wishes he could delegate more trips to his employees. But an appointment with a U.S. embassy official can take up to a month. It's often easier for him to travel even for meetings that could be handled by an engineer. "I don't have to take one-third of the trips that I now take," he says. "But compared to a year ago, it's gotten a lot better." Hotels add noodles, tea kettles The hospitality industry, particularly large hotels, has responded aggressively. Marriott has 20 sales reps deployed throughout China, says Mike Stengel, market vice president for New York City Marriott Hotels. After opening its international sales office in China in 2005, Hilton San Francisco Union Square has its U.S. reps visit China twice a year to meet with corporate travel planners, says Michael Dunne, the hotel's general manager. New York City was one of the first cities to open a regional tourism office in Shanghai in 2007. The investment "had a payoff in a big way," Dixon says. The number of visitors to the city grew 44% in 2010 to 229,000. They're staying longer, too, with the average duration rising to 11.3 nights vs. 7.4 in 2009. Hotels look for any edge to gain more of their business. Starwood, which owns the Sheraton, Westin and W brands, began offering some Chinese amenities and services — in-room tea kettles, slippers, translated restaurant menus and welcome brochures, on-site translation services and comfort food such as congee (rice porridge) and noodles — at some its hotels in gateway cities such as New York and Hawaii. Starwood plans to introduce the services at all its properties by the end of this year. Hilton started a Chinese-guest program last year with 30 hotels in major cities worldwide, and has expanded it to 63 hotels. Its services include Chinese meals, hiring Chinese speakers and displaying oranges and tangerines in lobbies, symbols of wealth and good luck. Stengel of the Marriott Marquis says employees are being reminded of the Asian way of presenting business cards and are taught to say "Hello, thank you" in Mandarin. Marriott Marquis eliminated the room numbers of the suites on the 44th floor, giving them names, instead. Four is considered a bad luck number in Asian cultures. Room 4444 is called Imperial Suite. Marquis employees are also quick to point out to Chinese guests that its lobby is on the eighth floor, considered a lucky number. "We want as many eights as possible in the hotel," Stengel says. "We teach our people that this is not funny." The retail sector has been working with tour operators, too, to make shops a must-see destination. High-end retailers such as Tiffany are now looking to hire more Mandarin speakers at many key stores. Tourneau, a high-end watch retailer, went along with New York City tourism officials last year on marketing trips. While there's no shortage of shopping centers in China, large outlet malls in the U.S., with their lower prices, have become popular destinations, travel executives says. "Most luxury brand stores in China are more expensive than the U.S.," says Danny Lin, owner, Amerilink International, a travel agency and hotel supplier. "You're talking double the price. They think they can cover their trip with one luxury good. If you purchase a couple of big items, you may cover the trip." The Premium Outlets, which operates 70 malls, says it courted the Chinese early, sending reps annually to China to update tour operators on store changes, says Michele Rothstein, Premium's senior vice president of marketing. Some stores at the malls with high number of Chinese visitors, such as in New York and Los Angeles, continue to hire Chinese speakers and keep charts in Chinese sizes. And buses keep coming to its malls. At its mall in Leesburg, Va., the number of bus tour visits has more than doubled in 2011. In New York, San Francisco and Los Angeles, tour group visits rose more than 50%.