(Dearborn Michigan = Michigan Korean Times) Kevin Shin=
62nd Korean War Armistice Ceremony takes place in Henry Ford Centennial library auditorium at 16301 Michigan Avenue, Dearborn, Michigan.
Dearborn Allied War Consul Chairman John Ruselowski Lead
Chairman of Korean war veterans John Ruselowski leads the Ceremony. The posting of the colors is then done. The pledge of allegiance is lead by Veteran of the year Leo Barrett. The National Anthems of the United States and the Republic of Korea is sung by Ms. Hye Yoon. Pastor Gunsu Jung gives the invocation. Mayor John O’reilly introduces the special guests, and talks about his father in the Korean war, and how he commits himself to honor Korean war veterans with allied veterans. His father was a WW2 and Korean war veteran. His father spoke Korean at the Korean war events. O’reilly honors his father for serving the countries. Remarks are given by Julius Hwang, President of Korean American Society of Metro Detroit, Jae Woong Lee, Deputy Consulate General of the Republic of Korea in Chicago, and also by Debbie Dingell, U.S. Congresswoman representative of Michigan. After the remarks, there is a roll call of honor in memory of those who sacrificed themselves during the war, and then a tribute to the 26 dearborn native men who died during the Korean war. Their names are placed below.
William Alexander
Howard Ballentine
Lester W. Biggs
John Williams Brex
Damon K. Brown
Billy Roy Burkeen
Cashier M. Chrobak
Charles L. Dubas
Alexander Facchini
John R. Fox
David C. Greene
Arthur E. Johnson Jr.
Jack W. Johnson
John F. Lapinski
Bernard F. Mcevoy
Glenn D. Meyers
Jerome C. Nozicka
Lincoln R. Painter
Neil F. Peck
Donald K. Plummer
Robert Spanberger
George C. Strong
Jerry M. Summit
Robert Szwajkowski
Eriks V. Zalcmanis
Harold R. Cross
Debbie Dingell, Mayor O’reilly, and Sean Green placing the Wreath
Ryan Hong, Julius Hwang, and Jae Woong Lee placing the Wreath
After the tribute, taps was played. The benediction was given by Pastor Gunsu Jung. Ms. Hye Yoon came up again to sing God Bless America, and a closing was given by Sean Green, Commander Dearborn Allied War Veterans Consul.
July 27,1953
After three years, one month and two days, combat ended in Korea as the armistice was signed at Panmunjom. Signed at the 1000th hour, it became effective at 2200 hours on the same da. Korea remains in an armistice status without a formal peace treaty to this day. Sergeant Harold R. Cross, K Company, 3rd Battalion, 5th Regimental Combat Team, was killed by a mortar blast shortly before the signing, and became the last American casualty of the Korean war. Sergeant Cross was a native of the Detroit Area.
The Remarks by Mayor Jack O’reilly of Dearborn were a recognition of special guests in the audience and the stage. It was also a tribute and recalling of the past ceremonies, and also his late father who had also been at the ceremonies. He recalled the values that the ceremonies and his father had stood for.
Julius Hwang, President of the Korean American Community of Metro Detroit, gave remarks thanking the United States for their part in the Korean war. He also gave a retelling of the history of South Korea after the war, and it’s story of becoming the country that it is today.
Jae Woong Lee, Deputy Consulate General of the Republic of Korea, also gave remarks that thanked the United States. He also talked of the present day, and the endeavors that the United States and Republic of Korea had worked on together recently.
Debbie Dingell, U.S. Congresswoman Representative of Michigan, gave the final remarks. She thanked Ruselowski, and the previous ceremony helpers of the past. She also thanked the many veterans of the Korean War, and what they did to help South Korea and America.
Ryan Hong and Congresswoman Debbie Dingell
Korean War Veteran Sol Baltimore and Congresswoman Debbie Dingell
Kevin Shin Michigan Korean Times Youth Reporter
Video of the Ceremony is coming soon.
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