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Korea -- 50 years ago this week, May 22-28
by Jim Caldwell

WASHINGTON (Army News Service, May 20, 2003) --


May 25-28 -- Before the truce talks resume at Panmunjom on May 25, Gen. Mark Clark, U.N. supreme commander, and Ambassador Ellis O.
Briggs meet with ROK President Syngman Rhee. They know that he will not be happy with the United States proposal the U.N. team will present to
the communists later in the day. It is said to be the "final" proposal.

The proposals are nearly the same as the Indian plan presented to the U.N. General Assembly. The specific proposal that Rhee questions is the one
that extends the detention of non-communist Korean prisoners held by the U.N. They were to be released when the communist prisoners are
repatriated. He is also opposed to India bringing troops into South Korea.

When truce talks reconvene Lt. Gen. William K. Harrison, chief U.N. negotiator, requests that proceedings be closed. Since the proposals represent
the final concessions the U.N. can make, he doesn't want the communists posturing for reporters who normally observe the meetings. The Reds take a
brief recess and then agree to Harrison's request. Rhee's displeasure is expressed by the absence of Maj. Gen. Choi Duk Shin from the U.N. truce
talks team.

The United Nations agrees to allow the five-member commission that will oversee the prisoners who do not want to be repatriated decide details by a
majority vote rather than forcing a unanimous agreement. When the communists meet to "explain" to prisoners why they should return home, they
cannot use force or threatening language. In fact, U.N. observers must be present at all such meetings. The explaining period is limited to 90 days. The
previous U.N. position was 60 days. The communists wanted four months.

After an additional 30 days, the prisoners who are not convinced by the communists' arguments will be released. Another choice on this point is to
turn their fate over to the U.N. General Assembly rather than the five countries on the commission. But they should be released no later than 120 days
from the day that the commission takes over their care. Harrison explains that the United Nations will not compromise on its insistence that prisoners
will not be forced to return to North Korea or China if they don't want to.

North Korean Lt. Gen. Nam Il, senior communist delegate, after quibbling over some of the points, requests a recess until May 29 to consider the
proposals, but Harrison insists they take till June 1 because of the gravity connected to this offer. The Joint Chiefs of Staff have told Clark that if the
communists turn down the package, the talks will be canceled and Panmunjom will lose its neutrality. However, political leaders would make that
decision, they say.

May 27 -- About 15 MiGs evade allied air cover and head south to Seoul where they bomb an airport. The allies give no damage reports.

A Fifth Air Force spokesman announces that American F-86 pilots have shot down 51 MiGs since May 1. One Sabrejet was shot down in dogfights.

A Defense Department spokesman says that American casualties in Korea totaled 135,221 as of May 22. The figure includes 24,119
dead.


(Editor's note: Jim Caldwell writes for the TRADOC News Service.)
More Thoughts from our Chaplain and Members - click here
REMEMBRANCE!!  REMEMBRANCE!!

JUNE 25, 1950 - JUNE 25, 2009.......59 LONG YEARS AGO THE KOREAN WAR BEGAN; AND IT COST THE UNITED STATES OF
AMERICA ARMED FORCES OVER 54,000 DEATHS AROUND THE WORLD (MORE THAN 36,000 KIA) DURING THE 37 MONTH
DURATION OF THAT VICIOUS WAR; AND LEFT MORE THAN 103,000 VETERANS SUFFERING FROM WOUNDS OF THE BODY,
SOUL AND MIND, AND ANOTHER 8,100 STILL LISTED AS MIA.
TOMORROW, ON JUNE 25, TAKE A MOMENT TO REMEMBER THOSE TERRIBLE DAYS IN KOREA. MANY OF US ASA KOREA MEN
SPENT SOME TIME THERE DURING THE WAR AND WE HAVE OUR OWN MEMORIES TO SHARE. WE WERE SOME OF THE
'LUCKY' ONES WHO CAME HOME UNSCATHED; AND WE DID THE JOB WE WERE ASSIGNED WITH DIGNITY AND HONOR, AND
IN MANY WAYS PROTECTED AND SAVED COUNTLESS COMRADES-IN-ARMS.
MOST OF THE MOST-RECENT MEMBERS OF ASA KOREA SERVED IN THE ROK SINCE THE CEASE FIRE WAS SIGNED IN JULY,
1953. THEY, TOO, HAVE DONE AN HONORABLE SERVICE IN PROTECTING AMERICAN AND ALLY TROOPS IN AN AREA VERY
VOLATILE FOR TERRORISM AND MORE WAR.
"THE UNITED STATES ARMY SECURITY AGENCY", TO QUOTE FROM THE USASA NATIONAL CAPITAL AREA ALUMNI NEWS, "IS
ALIVE, WELL, AND BETTER THAN EVER!!! ASA'ERS ARE THE WORLD'S GREATEST PEOPLE!!!" AND SO ARE THE MEMBERS OF
OUR ASA KOREA. BE PROUD OF OUR HISTORY.

IN THE NEW KING JAMES VERSION OF THE HOLY BIBLE, PSALM 33 IS TITLED, "THE SOVEREIGNTY OF THE LORD IN CREATION
AND HISTORY". IT IS IN THIS PSALM, VERSE 12, WHERE WE FIND THE WORDS, "BLESSED IS THE NATION WHOSE GOD IS THE
LORD; AND THE PEOPLE WHOM HE HAS CHOSEN FOR HIS OWN INHERITANCE".

IT IS THIS 'PREACHER'S' FERVENT PRAYER THAT WE WHO SERVED OUR NATION CAN CONTINUALLY BESEECH ALMIGHTY
GOD FOR HIS MERCY AND CARE, AND THAT OUR AMERICA WILL ALWAYS BE 'ONE NATION UNDER GOD'.  AMEN AND
AMEN!!!
GOD BLESS ALL ASA MEMBERS AND LOVED ONES....THROUGH JESUS THE CHRIST OF GOD.

Pastor Charles "Preacher" Knappenberger, Chaplain, ASA Korea