| ASA KOREA NEWSLETTER THE COMMUNICATOR |
| Brothers retrace steps in Korea By DOROTHY CASCERCERI Bucks County Courier Times Perkasie - Two local Korean War veterans are headed to Seoul, South Korea, today to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Korean War armistice and cease-fire Sunday in Panmunjom. Fred Koehler, 72, of Perkasie, and his brother, Allen, 71, of Lansdale, are returning to the country for the first time since 1951 when Fred served in the U.S. Marine Corps and Allen in the Army. "I imagine it will be a shock to the system," said Fred, who spent 13 months in Korea. "When we were there, they had grass-roof houses, and most places were bombed out." He remembers shooting birds off telephone wires and watching hunger-stricken children catch the fowl to take home for supper. "American servicemen being in Korea did the country a world of good," he said. A schedule of five 13-hour days, which was planned by the Federation of Korean Industries, will keep them busy for most of the trip, but they are spending their first free day retracing their steps. Fred wants to locate his interpreter with the help of a liaison from the federation, and Allen's request to visit two orphanages where he worked in Uijomba and Sujam-Ni is on the itinerary as well. All 238 orphanages that the military opened are still operating, he said. "Maybe some of those people are still there," said Allen, who used to save up candy rations during Lent and give them to the children. About 500 veterans are expected to participate in the five-day celebration, according to Allen, who speculates some old "buddies" will be among those attending. The brothers were stationed in separate villages during the war, but Allen visited Fred for three days in Moonsoni. "He got so mad at me because I went across a barbed wire line and took a picture of a flower," said Allen, who was stationed in Korea for 10 years. "It was the only damn flower in the place." Since they grew up in Lehighton, Carbon County, without plumbing, the two said they learned quickly to adapt to the war environment. Meeting people - Koreans and fellow servicemen - was the best part of Allen's time in Korea. Before the war he planned to study engineering but decided to become a teacher instead to have more involvement with people. Joyce, Fred's wife of 48 years, said he matured during his time in Korea but rarely discusses his experiences there. "It was a personal thing that happened to him so he doesn't want to burden people with what went on," she said. "If his grandkids ask him something about the war for school, he talks about it because he feels like he's teaching them something." A memorial service will be held at the Bucks County Korean War Memorial on Friday at 11 a.m., in front of the courthouse in Doylestown, to honor the 37 men from Bucks County who died during the Korean War. A memorial service will be held at the Bucks County Korean War Memorial at 11 a.m. Friday in front of the courthouse in Doylestown to honor the 37 men from Bucks County who died during the Korean War. July 22, 2003 5:10 AM This report was submitted to us by our Chaplain, Charles Knappenberger in 2003 |
| ASA Korea President, Allen Koehler and his brother visit Korea for Anniversary. |