Writer : Han, K. D Date : 2011-08-12 Hit : 571
My heart is touched by your Taekwondo story
                    

Your schedule to visit Canada to meet your Taekwondo master who taught you the Korean martial art when you were in Vietnam 40 years ago fighting together as a soldier of the US and ROK to preserve world peace and freedom is something touchable to me.

 

The hugging scenes of the two somewhat old gentlemen Korean and American is touching my heart. How beautiful and wonderful it is. Your kind inputs sharing with the ROK comrades including Mr. Jae-sung Chung have always remind me of our first meeting made back in October, 2002 in Seoul. We visited Panmunjom together and shared Korean food at that time.

 

It is no question that amicable relationship between you two gentlemen has been strongly built since you started receiving first lesson from the Korean master, which, I would like to add, will be maintained as an excellent symbol of a relationship between the two historical allied nations the Republic of Korea and the United States of America.

 

On this exciting reunion, I would like to congratulate you and am looking forward to hearing and seeing many more stories and pictures from Canada!

 

With kind regards,

 

Major General (Ret.)

Seoul, Korea
joe nawrozki  2011/08/23 12:42:54 [Reply] modify delete
Dear Sir,

Thank you so very much for your remarks on the reunion and how taekwondo has enhanced the friendship between Korea and the U.S. After the Vietnam War, many skilled taekwondo instructors traveled to points around the world to teach and I had the honor of training under one of them here in Baltimore, Grandmaster Han Young Kim, who spent three years in Vietnam with the ROK "Blue Dragon" Marine Bde. After some time in the field as a rifleman, he had an important job in Vietnam -- he toured the country there as part of the ROKMC demonstration team. The evolution of the art and sport has been remarkable to watch and be a part of -- from life and death training to a medal sport in the Olympic Games.

I have been very fortunate, Gen. Han, to have had the opportunity to continue my training when I came home. I now hold 5th dan and have been invited next month to skip a grade and be promoted under the rules of Kukkiwon to 7th dan. My taekwondo education continues and now I have the privilege to teach -- my roots firmly entrenched in my Vietnam beginnings. Sir, circles are completed in life and if it weren't for my time in Vietnam I would not have the experience to continue on and have the gift that I possess.

Again, I am most appreciative for your observations and words. During our time together in 2002 -- at the DMZ and at our dinner -- I got the opportunity to meet and have long conversations with you, a true hero who led troopers from the Tiger Div. in the darkest of hours. The NVA were soundly defeated at Duc Co because of the bravery of the ROK soldiers, because of the tireless combat leadership you gave.

I hope that all is well. A hand salute to you sir.
Joe Nawrozki
Han, K D  2012/05/22 14:53:41 [Reply] modify delete
Mr. Nawrozki

I am terribly sorry for being too late in responding to your thoughtful comments. There cannot be any excuses on my side. I just find your answer written long time ago after having posted my new article as shown above. And now I am in a hurry writing this answer to you!

Mr. Nawrozki! It’s amazing you still remember something about Ducco battle. Yes I was there and very lucky on the night of 9 August 1966. But there was a US tank platoon led by Lt. Chuck Markham. If Chuck and his 4 tanks were not there no body knows what had happened to the 9th company. While under the motor preparation fires the most effective weapon is tanks.

But for the US tanks, the 9TH company might have been over run by the NVA battalion. The tank's grazing fires forced the enemy to crawl and creep allowing me to run to the company commander’s bunker and request artillery fire missions on the enemy's firing mortars, machine-guns and those foes still creeping.
I really wish many Koreans know that the 9TH company owes it’s survival to the US platoon of 4 tanks led by Lt. Chuck Markham. He is my life saver and brother under fires. He was retired as LTC and is living now in North Texas.

Best wishes to you and Chuck,
Han Kwang Duk
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