OFFICE OF THE SECRETARY

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: August 16, 2001

Mark Pfeifle 202/208-6416

Interior Dept. Honors Its Employees Who Fought in Korean War
- Part of national effort to honor veterans on Korean War's 50^th Anniversary -

WASHINGTON - In observance of the 50^th anniversary of the Korean war, Interior Secretary Gale Norton will lead a November 8, 2001, ceremony at the Korean War Memorial to honor department employees who fought in the Korean war. The event is part of Interior's Veterans Day activities that recognize all U.S. men and women who have served the nation as members of its armed forces.

"The nation and the world owe a debt of gratitude to those who fought bravely in the world's first determined stand against communist aggression," Norton said. "From 1950 to 1953, the battleground on the Korean peninsula tested America's resolve, courage and commitment at the start of the Cold War. Service men and women, such as those we honor, answered the nation's call and triumphed over a formidable adversary in that furious struggle 50 years ago," the Secretary said, noting that more than 33,000 Americans lost their lives in that war.

"The Americans who fought there kept faith with a just cause and with the principles and ideals on which our nation was founded. As part of nationwide activities commemorating the Korean War, we will honor the service men and women who fought in that conflict--and all American veterans--recognizing their courage and commitment."

At the Korean War Memorial ceremony on the National Mall, the Department's veterans of that struggle will receive the Republic of Korea War Service Medal. Other Interior activities that will honor veterans include a special Salute to America Veterans Day music program. The Department's Office of Communications, which annually produces Independence Day and Labor Day Salute to America country music shows, is developing a program that hundreds of radio stations across the nation will broadcast on November 11, 2001, to honor U.S. veterans.

The Interior activities are part of a nationwide effort to honor veterans of the Korean War in collaboration with the Department of Defense's 50th Anniversary of Korean War Commemoration Committee and other federal, state, and local agencies, and private groups. The commemoration period began on June 25, 2000, and continues through Veterans Day 2003. Secretary Norton made Interior a commemorative partner on April 27, 2001.

"The Korean conflict is not a 'forgotten war,'" Norton said. "It is a remembered victory. The liberties defended there are the inheritance of 47 million citizens of a democratic, prosperous, and progressive Republic of Korea. American men and women who served there blessed the Republic of Korea and brought great honor to our nation as a defender of freedom."

In 38 months of intense fighting, 33,665 Americans gave their lives in battle on the Korean peninsula. The Medal of Honor, the nation's highest military honor, was awarded to 131 members of the U.S. Armed Forces who fought in the Korean War, more than 90 of them posthumously. The 1.8 million American men and women who served in the conflict suffered bitter winters that claimed casualties approaching those inflicted by guns, shrapnel, and bayonets.

The purpose of the national Korean War Commemoration is to honor Korean War veterans, their family members, and families who lost loved ones; to recognize the contributions and sacrifices made on the home front; to provide Americans with a clean understanding and appreciation of the lessons and history of the Korean War; and to educate every generation of Americans on the historical impact of the Korean War in saving a nation from enslavement and preserving peace, freedom, and democracy.

A variety of private groups and public agencies are forming partnerships with the Korean War Commemoration Committee to sponsor events to honor those who served the nation in the conflict. The partners include military units, veterans groups, businesses, federal, state, and local government agencies, civic organizations, and schools.

For more information on the Interior effort, contact Col. Tom Lillie, USAF, Military Liaison to DOI, at 202-208-7211 or e-mail him at [email protected]. For information on the DOD's Korean War Commemoration Committee and nationwide events, call Lt. Cmdr. Ed Zeigler at 703-604-0820; e-mail [email protected]. The DOD Korean War Commemoration Committee's website is http://korea50.army.mil.

To be eligible for the Republic of Korea War Service Medal, a veteran must have served between June 25, 1950, and July 27, 1953, in actual combat operations or in support of combat operations in the waters, skies, or territories of Korea.

For information on the medal, contact the Air Force Personnel Center at 800-558-1404 or the Awards and Decoration Section at 210-565-2432, or write to HQ AFPC/DPP-PRA, 550 C Street West, Suite 12, Randolph Air Force Base, TX 78150-4714.

-DOI-