AN OCEAN TO OCEAN MEMORIAL TO THE KOREAN WAR VETERANS,
FROM SEA TO SHINING SEA
The ceremony today is to honor men who have fought for this Nation and Freedom, the men from the Korean
War who gave generations since and generations yet to be the great truth, FREEDOM IS NOT FREE!
This is, I believe particularly appropriate since Highway 80 was such a distinctive part of our national
history. Great explorations from the Old World traveled along this trace. In the West Cochise and
Geronimo fought the US Army; Bonnie and Clyde died on it; Yankees trod it in the War between the States;
German and Italian POW were held in camps in various places, either side of the route—and there was none
of the present nonsense about constitutional rights mouthed about or printed in the press. In fact,
there was no liberal pro-enemy press allowed in those days—we knew how to do things right, then. And as
Ms. Edmunds said a few moments ago, men went off to the war in Korea traveling Highway 80—and men came home
along the same route, her daddy being one of those who came home on Highway 80.
Highway 80 was once upon a time called The Dixie Overland Highway. There are many in the audience this
morning from the Dixie (“Double D”) Division representing the man who, so far as I am concerned, is the
father of this mission to see an ocean to ocean highway honoring Korean War Veterans, Bill Clark of Mississippi.
One of the very first persons to contact me after my election over two years ago was Bill Clark; his purpose
was Highway 80. I put him in touch with Jim Myrick here in Louisiana and I know that they worked
hard on this project. Bill is fighting another battle today—perhaps his toughest—in the hospital, a veteran
of the Korea War still doing his best. We salute Bill for his vision and determination.
Unlike many of the other places and battles of America since the Korea ceasefire, what we accomplished
in Korea STILL exists, FREE. I am not only a veteran of the Korea War; I took four tours in
Vietnam in that war. Saigon and a free Vietnam no longer exist. Seoul and a FREE KOREA do exist, a beacon
of Freedom for South Asia and one of the world’s leading economies.
General Bell, the Commander of the UN, US, and Combined US-ROK Forces in Korea (and the first man in
that position to ever become a member of the KWVA) has termed the entire area out there “FREEDOM’S FRONTIER.”
All that one has to do to understand why he chose that name is to look at the map and examine in any direction
North, Northwest, Northeast of FREE KOREA and they encounter darkness!
Veterans who fought in Korea, and who have been serving there continuously, 1950 until today, 2006, can
stand tall and proud: they defined the price of freedom by their service, AND THEY PAID AND ARE PAYING
THE PRICE. America’s first ocean to ocean highway, US Route 80, The Korean War Veterans Memorial
Highway rightly perpetuates and honors the memory of our service. We thank you and salute the memories.
FREEDOM IS NOT FREE!
National President, KWVA/US
Monroe, Louisiana, July 19, 2006
Unveiling
(Click picture for a larger view) |
The Vision of Bill Clark, KWVA, Pearl MS
(Click picture for a larger view) |
Korean War Veterans
from Many States
(Click picture for a larger view) |
Click HERE for more pictures
July 22, 2006
|
Recent Photo of Bill Clark
(Click picture for a larger view) |
With regret I announce the death of William L. "Bill" Clark of Mississippi, the visionary force and director
of the naming of Highway 80, America's First Ocean to Ocean Highway, on Thursday, July 20, one day after
we held the naming ceremony in Monroe, Louisiana. Not knowing that Bill had passed away, I had hoped to
have my President's Message on the website up last night, discussing the Louisiana ceremony renaming the
route as "The Korean War Veterans Memorial Highway", and making it possible for Bill to enjoy the pictures
of what his efforts have accomplished.
God had another schedule. May Bill Clark, 2d Reconnaissance, 2d US Infantry Division, rest in the bivouac
of the honored who have given everything they have for God, Country, Family, and Fellow Soldiers.
Louis T Dechert
National President, KWVA/US
