June 18, 2009

I want to remind all of our membership that July 4th, 2009 is coming and many Chapters will be entering into parades to celebrate our freedoms and to remind citizens of the role veterans have played to safeguard those freedoms. I have read many books that tell of the hardships our founding Fathers went through to win our freedom on July 4, 1776 and then throughout history we Americans have had to battle those who wish to subject their wills and beliefs on the world and take away freedom. We have always fought for justice and you and I must continue to remind our citizens that Freedom is not Free.

I see that many of our chapters have been very active in our "Tell America Project" in schools and their communities. Very few American History books, used in the school systems today, mention much about World Wars I & II and have only a short paragraph about the Korean War. In our case I believe that many of us forgot the war and got on with our lives because when we returned home we found that many Americans did not even realize there was a war going on against the spread of communism. Most were tired of listening about war and some problems in a far off place that would never affect their lives. World War II had ended and they were ready for peace. Even as Armed Forces we wondered what we were doing in this far off place shedding blood for a country that for years had been slaves of other nations and was now in a civil war between the North and South that would never affect America. I still remember my first encounter with some of my hometown buddies when I returned home who asked, where have you been? When I said Korea their first question was, how come? When I said I believe I was in a war their statement was we didn't know there was a war. I returned to school, got married, found a job, had kids and got on with my life just as most of you did. I soon realized that no one really cared what I had done in Korea so I never brought it up again.

I began to wonder after 40 years where all those guys I served with were and what had happened to them. I decided to look for them. I found over 165 of them and started to have reunions and ran in to a couple of guys who had joined KWVA in various states and told me they were working to raise funds for a Monument and I ought to join and do something. I joined National and donated funds and then started to read books about the Korean War.

After the Cold War ended and our Korean War Monument was dedicated, we as Korean War Veterans started to become aware that our stopping the advancement of communism into South Korea and on into the Southeast Asian area were instrumental in the start of communism's downfall. So now we can be very proud of our accomplishments. South Korea has prospered with the freedom we fought and won for them. We need to stop using the words "The Forgotten War" and proclaim it as a victorious war during our 60th Commemorative years of 2010 - 2013 to make sure that everyone knows the Korean War was important and that it helped safeguard America against the further spread of communism. A 60th Commemorative Committee is now formed and working to get Congressional funding. You will hear more about this once a funding bill has been submitted. Be prepared to write your congressional representatives to approve funding and then participate in this commemorative period.

The Director's election will be completed by the time you receive this message in The Graybeards, and I "Thank You" for voting. I also send my "Thanks to all Veterans" who participated in Memorial Day activities. We should always remember our fellow veterans who are no longer with us, since we know first hand that their sacrifices were noble.

William F. Mac Swain
National President, KWVA/US