Following article is a translated one from Korean into English. While I was surfing internet articles, I was able to find the following lengthy article posted in Korean. As the content of the article was so touched and impressed that I decided to translate. I hope this be widely read by our heroic warriors. Thanks.
Jae-sung Chung
English language webmaster
Title : A Grave Lesson We, Koreans Should not Forget
"The US 24th Infantry Division was in retreat, struggling with the Chinese Army's human wave attacks. My father, LT. Gen. Walton H. Walker, was headed to the division's base to encourage the unit and to award the US Silver Star medal to me for a successful operation we made during that retreat."
However, my father died because his jeep collided with a ROK military truck in the retreat at Uijeongbu, north of Seoul. In the bitter winter conditions in which US forces had to struggle with massive attacks, the general was believed to have been extremely excited by the news that the 24th division had a triumph while retreating and that the recipient of the Silver Star decoration was his son.
It was two days before Christmas, 1951. I knew later that General MacArthur had recommended that my father be promoted to four-star general rank. so, very sadly, the first meeting between my father and I would never occur, on the Korean peninsula where we were both serving our country.
Unlike his father, General Walton H. Walker (who was posthumously promoted to general), a picture of toughness with the nickname "Bulldog", the son, General Sam Walker, was braced at attention 30 years later, at Arlington National Cemetery, and saluted the grave site of his father. the son was being interviewed by TBC-TV of Korea to commemorate the 30th anniversary of the Korean war. While a man of great strength, a strength honed by his lifelong military service, General Sam Walker could not fight back the tears as he saluted his father.
After his father died in Korea, the then-Captain Walker was summoned by General MacArthur, the Commander of the United Nations Supreme Command in Tokyo. The legendary leader told Captain Walker "I express my deepest condolences over your father's death. His death is a great loss to our country."
Gen. McArthur told the young Captain that he had to accompany his father's remains to the United States for burial at Arlington National Cemetery. Surprisingly the young Captain told the General that he had a more important mission in the war that was raging in Korea.
"You Excellency, sir, it is impossible sir, I am now performing my job of an infantry company commander on the front lines," the young officer told General MacArthur.
"What's more, my unit is now in retreat sir. I am sure, Your Excellency knows better than most how hard the retreat operation is. At this very moment, my soldiers are risking their lives in combat while struggling with other unbearable difficulties like the weather.
"Please have this matter handled by the office of protocol," Captain Walker said. "That office is under your control sir. I have to return to the front line sir."
General MacArthur looked over his shoulder as walked towards the door. "This is an order" the General said and left the room. There was no alternative, he had to follow orders and escorted his father's remains to Arlington and placed him to his final resting place.
Later, while assigned to Army headquarters in Washington D.C., the son suddenly realized why General McArthur has issued his order, how the army legend's wisdom was applied. "It was because he didn't want to lose his beloved friend and General Commander, and his son, on the same battlefield.
While he understood the order, had to follow it, General Sam Walker always regretted leaving his combat post, his troops, on the Korean battlefield. He would be further haunted by his being short listed on the promotion list and forcibly retired by the Army. This happened even though he was a young, promising candidate for the Army's upper ranks.
We Koreans are well aware of another slap across the face -- this time Maj. General John K. Singlaub who was forced to retire by President Jimmy Carter. Gen. Singlaub had strongly opposed the reduction plan of US troops stationed in Korea.
There is another chapter to the late General Walton H. Walker's fatal traffic accident in 1951, one the Korean people don't know. General Walker's accident took place not far from where two young female students, Miseon and Hyosoon, died when a US armored vehicle ran them over during a military exercise several years ago.
In the accident in 1951, ROK's first president Seung-man Rhee ordered the two ROK soldiers involved in General Walker's accident be executed. President Rhee was, however, persuaded by the US military advisory officers not to execute the two Korean soldiers, and the two soldiers' punishment was reduced instead of execution.
However, in the contrary to this case, we Koreans need to ask ourselves questions how we Koreans did in turn over the obvious fact that there are quite a lot Koreans who have never tolerated the US armored vehicle operator who just mistakenly ran two middle school girls over while performing military exercise.
But in the case in which two middle school girls were killed by a US armored vehicle several years ago, some people thought there was hypocrisy -- no outcry, no action recommended, for the soldiers responsible for the deaths.
Although the accident was judged to be involuntary manslaughter, many Koreans, with intense hate and anger, held candlelight vigils for months in the heart of Seoul. The demonstrators shouted "Americans, get out of Korea" while some of them broke into a US military camp and tore down the American flag.
Were those same demonstrators aware of, have a memory of, Maj. General William Dean, 24th infantry division commander?
Were they aware of his nearly impossible mission to defend the city of Taejon with the enemy bearing down on his soldier's position?
In that action, General Dean picked up a 3.5" rocket launcher and destroyed an enemy T-34 soviet tank. After that action, General Dean was reported missing. Unknown to the allies, and Gen. Dean was wandering in the mountains for more than a month.
General Dean was spotted by a Korean informer and taken to a POW camp in North Korea. When released, he was recommended for the Medal of Honor but he refused, saying "what I did as a division commander on the Korean battlefield in no way deserves even a wooden medal...destroying an enemy tank could have been done by any NCOs."
As an example of Gen. Dean's sense of honor, he recommended that the Korean government reduce the punishment of the Korean villager who turned him in. The general simply said that the villager, also torn by the war raging around him and his family, was simply trying to make a way to keep his family alive.
Such a giving act probably can't be comprehended by many Koreans -- imagine, one of our division commanders deployed overseas, caught as a POW during combat because a local villager turned him in for his own favor.
Dearest mom,
This letter is sent to the dedicated wife of a soldier. I hope no tears will make this letter wet, mom. I volunteered to get combat flying training and I will soon pilot a B-26 bomber. Because I am the pilot, a bomb dropper sits in front, a navigator sits beside me and a machine-gunner behind us. Father is now fighting on the Korean battlefield to preserve the right by which everyone can live without horror.
At last, a chance that I can give my help to father has reached me. Dear mom, please do not pray for your son, but for my crews who are summoned by Uncle Sam to meet the difficult challenges. Some crews who have lovely wives or girl friends who will cross their fingers for the crew's safe return. I will do my best. This is always my duty.
Goodbye for now.
Your son Jim
The above letter was written by US Air Force 1st lieutenant James A. Van Fleet, Jr., the only son of US General James A. Van Fleet, Commander in Chief of the US 8th Army in Korea. This letter was the last one. On april 2, 1952, lieutenant Van Fleet was performing a night bombing mission over Soonchen near the Yalu river. His bomber disappeared from radar at Kimpo air field at 03:00 hours. A search operation was launched.
On april 4, 1952, Commander Van Fleet was informed that his son, crew and aircraft were missing in action and that a search operation was being conducted. The general listened to this wrenching report in silence, then issued this order:
"Stop all searching operations for 1st LT. James A. Van Fleet Jr. it is extremely imprudent to conduct a search operation in the enemy's area." thus, the father had ordered to stop searching for his only son. This order was verified by the former ROKF-Vietnam Commander, retired LTG. Chae, Myung-shin, who was, at that time, a ROK unit commander in the northern area of Korea.
A few days later, on Easter, the US 8th Army commander sent a letter to the families of those missing in action: "I am sure every parent will share the same feeling with me. Our sons are doing their best by fulfilling their given missions and service to their country. As Christ said, there are no greater men than those who sacrifice themselves for their friends." here, the General called Korea his friend for whom he had to bear pains by sacrificing his only son.
To this man of integrity came a surprising request. in December, 1952 , US President-elect Dwight D. Eisenhower, the architect of allied victory in world war II in Europe, visited Korea to inspect the front and visited the 8th Army headquarters of General Van Fleet. The soon-to-be Commander-in-Chief was briefed on the military situation by US and ROK officers.
After the briefing was concluded, Eisenhower asked a stunning question of Gen. Van Fleet: "General, where is my son, Major john Eisenhower?" the question seemed highly inappropriate to Gen, Van Fleet, who had earlier lost his son in combat. It was a question that heightened tension in the briefing room.
General Van Fleet responded that Maj. Eisenhower was assigned to the 3rd US Infantry Division's G-2 section. To this, the president-elect asked the commander for a private favor, one that further astonished everyone in attendance, which was quoted as saying " General, pull him out from the present position, and reassign to a unit in the rear area."
The "favor" stunned everyone present, especially General Van Fleet. And Eisenhower explained: "if my son is killed in action, I will be very sad of course. but I will regard my son's death as a great honor of the entire Eisenhower family. But, in the worst case, if he is captured as a POW, the enemy will definitely want to bargain with the United States, while holding the president's son as leverage. In no way will I tolerate such a situation.
Eisenhower further explained that the son of a sitting United States President, held in an enemy POW camp would be a strong bargaining chip for the north Koreans and Chinese...that is what he most wanted to avoid. And from an icy stare to a face of understanding, General Van Fleet and the other high-ranking officers immediately understood Eisenhower's logic.
The atmosphere changed in seconds. "I will take action right away sir," General Van Fleet told Eisenhower. That story was confirmed in the book "This Kind of War" written by retired LTC T. R. Fehrenboch, a former tank battalion commander with the US 2nd Infantry Division.
There were other undeniable signs of sacrifice during the Korean War by even the highest ranks. Capt. Clark, son of the last top commander of the United Nations Forces, Gen. Mark W. Clark, was wounded three times while fighting as a company commander at "Sniper's Ridge" at Keumhwa in Korea. He later died from the wounds.
The final tally speaks loudly, clearly. Out of a total of 142 sons of US General officers who served during the Korean War, 35 of them were killed in action. The total number of dead on the Korean battlefield; 54,000; wounded, more than 100,000.
The most admirable country, the United States of America, dedicated its treasure -- the nation's young men and women -- to a cause of freedom when Korea called, in its darkest hour of desperate need. From general to private, sacrifices were not uncommon during the Korean War. This fact stands in conflict with what modern-day Koreans have seen -- high-ranking officials with their riches, corruption, the celebrities, social figures, popular entertainers and sports figures -- all avoiding military service.
We must ask ourselves some questions.
Which country's fathers are more respectful?
Which country's people are more patriotic?
Which country is more honorable?
Which country deserves thanks?
What do benevolence, integrity and patriotism mean?
Are we patriotic now?
Dear countrymen and women, it is time for us, as a united nation, to deeply rethink our positions on these issues. We will soon observe the 60th anniversary of the Korean War. But it is somewhat sad to realize that fewer and fewer can sing the Korean War song.
Can our President himself, or cabinet members, sing that song?
Do our proud troops, while fulfilling their duty to our nation, know that song?
We cannot simply blame the teenagers and kids for not knowing the Korean War song because they have not been taught it, the deep meaning of it, because parents, teachers, soldiers and even the President of Korea have all shoved the song out of their memories.
That is one major reason our younger generations don't recognize even our most contemporary history, the tale of how we bravely, and with the assistance of our friends who sacrificed much, fought back an invasion force and saved the freedom of this beloved land. If the young don't know the history of our time, then how can they distinguish between savior and foe?
Will our past -- with all of the lessons there for us to see -- be erased? Will the slogan -- Korea being the forgotten war -- become reality?
One truth is self evident -- that we as a people have absent-mindedly tossed from our memories what we should have never forgotten, how our enemies wanted to make us -- our country, our culture -- disappear from the earth. We must never dismiss history. We should not warm a snake in our bosom.
