June 23, 2013

Korean War Veterans honoured in

ceremonies in Canada’s capital

This weekend Veterans Affairs Canada honoured veterans of the Korean War in

Canada’s capital of Ottawa, combining special activities with the regular Korea

Day ceremony and celebration held by the Embassy of the Republic of Korea.

While Korea Day traditionally marks the anniversary of the June 15, 1950 start of

the Korean War, the involvement by Veterans Affairs Canada harks more to

marking the 60th anniversary of the war’s end and is the big Ottawa event in lieu

of celebrations there on July 27, the date that the Korean War armistice was signed

in 1953.

Holding the national 60th anniversary celebration in June clears the deck for

veterans, Minister Blaney and other officials to participate in the traditional July 27

Armistice Day services that are held at the Korea War Veterans Wall of

Remembrance in Brampton, Ontario.

The services have been held on July 27 every year since the Wall was dedicated in

1997.

Of special note this year, is that for the first time, July 27 is officially designated

Korean War Armistice Day by federal statute.

The Governor General of Canada on Thursday gave Royal Assent to Bill S-213,

which had unanimously passed both the Canadian Senate and the House of

Commons.

The Bill had been conceived, written, entered and encouraged through the Senate

by the untiring Senator Yonah Martin, who was born in Korea. Cosponsoring the

Bill was Senator Joseph Day, a former RCAF fighter pilot who, for many years,

has been a very strong supporter of all Canadian veterans and their causes.

If Senator Martin’s picture appears often below it is because she had a hand in

arranging virtually all of the various activities. Her fluency in English, French and

Korean and her knowledge of Korea and passion for assisting and commemorating

the servicemen who defended the nation where she was born, give her unique

ability to handle manifold assignments and projects, linking veterans and officials

from several nations.

We are advised that 144 veterans registered for the weekend activities, some

traveling from locations far from Ottawa. It was estimated that some 200 veterans

would participate as the weekend events unfolded.

Below is a pictorial account of the “Gala” dinner and celebration event held within

the Canadian War Museum on Friday night – it was co-hosted by the Canada

Korea Society and by VAC.

This account will be followed by others covering the second day of activities when

Veterans toured the Canadian War Museum, viewed the Korean War Book of

Remembrance that was on special display, and layer attended a reception at Rideau

Hall by His Excellency David Johnston, Governor General of Canada.

Finally, it is anticipated that there will be a pictorial report on the Korea Day

ceremonies that will be held on Sunday, June 23, with services both at the

Monument to Canadian Fallen of the Korean War and the National Monument.

Honoured guests and participants in the evening “Gala” that opened the Korean

War Veterans Weekend in Ottawa. From left, Colonel David J. Clark, Executive

Director of the U.S. Department of Defence’s 60th Anniversary of the Korean War

Commemoration Committee Program; Ambassador Cho Hee-Yong and his first

lady; Senator Yonah Martin; Chungsen “C. S.” Leung, Taiwanese born Member of

Parliament for Willowdale (Toronto), who is a piper with the York, Royal

Canadian Legion; Young-Hae Lee, president of the Canada Korea Society; Steven

Blaney, Minister of Veterans Affairs and Minister of State for La Francophonie,

and - traveling from Korea to represent his Government - Honourable Choi

Wankeun, Vice Minister of the Ministry of Patriots and Veterans Affairs of the

Republic of Korea. For the record, Colonel Clark, who traveled from Washington

to participate, also is the U.S. Army’s Director of Foreign Intelligence and the U.S.

Army Deputy Chief of Staff (G2) at the Pentagon. He is very heavily involved in a

labyrinth of Korean War commemorative activities, both within the United States

and South Korea. He also served two tours of duty in Korea in senior posts with

U.S. Forces Korea.

MPVA Vice Minister Choi Wankeun, Senator Yonah Martin and Minister of

Veterans Affairs and Minister of State for La Francophonie Steven Blaney, pose

for Korea Newsweek photographer in corridor gallery where commemorative

collection of Korean War photographs is being displayed. – Photo by Korean Newsweek Ottawa Bureau Chief Jiyun Shin

Piper Chungsen “C. S.” Leung, who is also a Member of Parliament, pipes in the

head table guests to start the gala dinner activities. Following him in an honoured

place at head of the line is Young-Hae Lee, president of the Canada Korea Society,

followed closely by Minister Steven Blaney and close behind him is Korea’s Vice

Minister of Patriots and Veterans Affairs, Honourable Choi Wankeun. – Photo by

Korean Newsweek Ottawa Bureau Chief Jiyun Shin

Veterans Affairs Minister got things rolling with welcoming remarks while the

veterans and other guests took their seats in the Le Breton Gallery in the Canadian

War Museum. Also speaking was Canada’s Senator Yonah Martin and Young-Hae

Lee, president of the Canada Korea Society.

Waiter uncorks wine at table of veterans in left foreground, which includes Major

(Ret’d) Charles Kim of the ROK Army, distinctive in his dress whites. Charles is a

former president of the ROK Korean War Veterans Canada East Chapter and a life

member of the Heritage Unit of KVA Canada. It is reported that 144 veterans

registered for the weekend, and that virtually all attended the “Gala.”

MPVA Vice Minister Choi Wankeun presented gift DVDs to the veterans. He is

shown making a presentation to KVA Canada national vice president Doug Finney.

Doug is the president elect of the successor organization to KVA Canada,

tentatively called the Heritage Unit of KVA Canada. The DVD was produced by

KBS TV in Korea. It is an hour-long documentary on the interment in Korea of the

ashes of Korean War Veteran Archie Hearsey. The KBS team spent many days in

Canada interviewing and videotaping and developed hours of footage for the video.

The gala dinner event couldn’t be all fun! The guests listened with good nature to

the crooning of a volunteer veterans vocal group, which was the finale to the

dinner program. You’ll likely see them next on “Canada’s Got Talent,” if that

show returns to the Canadian television net. Somebody said they’re available for

bookings, if the price is right.

The “veterans’ senators” – Senator Joseph Day and Senator Martin share a moment

for the photographer while the dinner is winding up. As noted, Senator Martin

conceived and authored the Bill that last week was enacted as federal law and

made March 27 Korean War Veterans Day throughout Canada. Senator Day co-

sponsored the Bill in the Senate. Senator Martin is a Conservative Party appointee

to the Senate and a member of the Conservative Caucus. Joe Day is a Liberal Party

appointed Senator and member of the Liberal Caucus.

The quintessential soldier, Veteran Don Landry, who served in Korea with the 1st

Battalion, Princess Patricia’s Canadian Light Infantry, renews acquaintances once

again with Senator Martin. He met her in Korea on a revisit in 2011 and at the

KVA Canada “Last Hurrah” function in Winnipeg, and perhaps in Halifax. Don

flew in from Halifax to participate in the weekend event. Don attended Dalhousie

Law School after graduating from college but did not complete his legal studies.

He has long been involved in veteran activities and at one time was president of the

Korean War Veterans Association of Prince Edward Island.

Two ladies men were in their glory when they posed with Senator Yonah Martin

and Kristin Doyle, her special assistant. Tallest veteran is the athletic Dennis

Moore who played in the first hockey game that was held on the frozen Imjin River

in the winter of 1951-52. Beside him is another warrior-hockey player, Claude

Charland, who proudly served in Korea with the Royal 22e Regiment, and also

shot pucks and clubbed and checked competitors on the Imjin ice. The veterans

also participated in Ottawa in the “Imjin Classic,” a commemorative hockey game

organized and managed by Senator Martin in January. It was played on the frozen

Rideau Canal in Ottawa. Dennis drove in from North Bay, Ontario.

Gentlemen in the foreground are Korean War Veterans who served in the armed

forces of the Republic of Korea during the war. They were flown to Canada by the

Ministry of Patriots and Veterans Affairs. The veterans arrived a few days ahead of

the Ottawa events by special arrangement coordinated by Senator Yonah Martin.

They were then guests of the Hamilton, Ontario unit of the Korea Veterans

Association of Canada. They were taken on a tour en route to Ottawa, including a

stop in Niagara Falls. Senator Martin helped the Hamilton group raise the funds to

cover the interim expenses of the four veterans. Veterans from Hamilton are shown

in the second row with Senator Martin. All four of the ROK Veterans were

decorated for bravery. They also were decorated as meritorious veterans by

Korea’s MPVA.

NEXT REPORT: SATURDAY ACTIVITIES IN OTTAWA