Whitley County Korean War Memorial Marker

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Columbia City in Whitley County, Indiana — The American Midwest (Great Lakes)

Whitley County Korean War Memorial

By Gerald O. Boyd, October 13, 2008

1. Whitley County Korean War Memorial Marker

Inscription. Freedom is not Free

Korean War Memorial

Dedicated to all Who Served

1950 - 1953

We Remember
By: M. Garvey

Those we left there is the cold
We remember We remember
Have no fears of growing old
oh do we remember

Those who fell in prison yards
We remember We remember
Savage weather Savage guards
Oh do we remember

Those who died face down in mud
We remember We remember
Asian soil Yankee blood
Oh do we remember

Those whose name we can’t forget
We remember We remember
Comrade spirits with us yet
Oh do we remember

Heartbreak Ridge and Pork Chop Hill
We remember We remember
If we don’t honor them who will
Oh do we remember

Those who died when far too young
We remember We remember
It is for them this song is sung
Oh do we remember

Whitley County
[on the Memorial base]:
Killed In Action
David J. Debolt 01/28/1951 • William G. Joy 11/24/1950 • Glen G. Kemery 09/25/1951 • Gene R. Ruby 11/30/1950 • John R. Wasson 06/25/1953

Erected by Korean War Awareness Committee of Whitley County.

Location.

Top - - Whitley County Korean War Memorial Marker Photo, Click for full size

By Gerald O. Boyd, October 13, 2008

2. Top - - Whitley County Korean War Memorial Marker

41° 9.411′ N, 85° 29.332′ W. Marker is in Columbia City, Indiana, in Whitley County. Marker is on West Van Buren Street (Business Indiana Route 30) west of South Main Street, on the left when traveling west. Click for map. Marker is in this post office area: Columbia City IN 46725, United States of America.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within 2 miles of this marker, as the crow flies. Whitley County (a few steps from this marker); Whitley County Civil War Memorial (within shouting distance of this marker); Valiant Men and Women of Whitley County (within shouting distance of this marker); Thomas Riley Marshall (within shouting distance of this marker); Marshall, McNagny & Clugston (about 300 feet away, in a direct line); Home of Thomas R. Marshall (approx. 0.2 miles away); Whitley County Viet Nam Memorial (approx. 0.9 miles away); Eel River Battlefield (approx. 2.1 miles away). Click for a list of all markers in Columbia City.

More about this marker. On the Memorial's left wing are two pictures. One depicts Marines scaling the wall at the "Inchon Landing." The other is of three soldiers, one of which is comforting a comrade, "It hurt when a buddy is killed."

On the the Memorial's right wing are two other pictures. The top depicts the Breakout from the Chosin Reservoir. The lower picture is of a a U.S. Army nurse comforting a wounded American, "They touched many lives."

Middle -- Whitley County Korean War Memorial Marker Photo, Click for full size

By Gerald O. Boyd, October 13, 2008

3. Middle -- Whitley County Korean War Memorial Marker

The poem, “We Remember," written by Korean War veteran M. Garvey, is etched on the monument.

Regarding Whitley County Korean War Memorial. Eighteen Whitley County Korean War veterans formed the "Korean War Awareness Committee of Whitley County". The memorial was designed by Gerald O. Boyd, a Korean War Veteran, who was also a member of the Committee.

The fine effort and hard work of the Korean War Awareness Committee, coupled with many community activities and fund raising, they were able to dedicate this Korean War Memorial - and - establish a perpetual Vocational Scholarship for local Senior High School students.

Additional comments.
1. Memorial Unveiled and Dedicated - Memorial Day 2002
Source: “Post & Mail” newspaper May 28, 2002
The monument was unveiled by Mrs. Gladys Ruby, mother of Gene R. Ruby, one of the five men killed in action. Flags and medals were then given to surviving members of the men’s families.

John Slabaugh, a member of the Korean War Community Awareness committee of Whitley County, then put a bayoneted rifle in the ground and placed a helmet on top. The act symbolized a combat soldier placing a fallen comrades rifle and helmet over his grave to aid the grave registration in recovering the body.

Col. Perry Collins, vice commander of the 122 Fighter Wing, stationed at Fort Wayne International Airport, was the featured speaker.

Left Wing - - Whitley County Korean War Memorial Marker Photo, Click for full size

By Gerald O. Boyd, October 13, 2008

4. Left Wing - - Whitley County Korean War Memorial Marker

— Submitted October 29, 2008, by Al Wolf of Veedersburg, Indiana.

2. Memorial's "Real Photographs".....
The Korean War monument includes four pictures copied from four “true photographs” from the Korean War.

The Inchon Landing:

The landing was planned by Gen. Douglas MacArthur to cut the road and rail supply lines of the North Korean Peoples Army (NKPA). The plan was to land the U.S.M.C. (United States Marine Corps) At the port city of Inchon some 165 miles behind enemy lines.

On Sept. 15, 1950 the Marines stormed ashore and engaged between 30,000 to 40,000 entrenched enemy. In only 32 minutes after the landing the Marines planted their flag on the highest hill in the area. Cost of the action was 536 Navy and Marines dead, 2,500 wounded and 65 missing.

The Marine leading his men over the top in the picture is 1st Lt. Baldomero Lopez. Lopez earned a posthumous Medal of Honor after smothering a hand grenade with his body to save his men.

The landing achieved everything it set out to do. The North Koreans were now in full retreat. By Thanksgiving, United Nation troops were in sight of the Yalu River, the boundary of North Korea and China.

Chosin Reservoir Breakout:

During the evening of Nov. 27, 1950,

Base - - Whitley County Korean War Memorial Marker Photo, Click for full size

By Gerald O. Boyd, October 13, 2008

5. Base - - Whitley County Korean War Memorial Marker

a Chinese Army of more than 60,000 crossed the Yalu River in wave after wave.

During the attack, the U.S. Army’s 31st Regimental Combat Team of the 7th Infantry was decimated attempting to relieve the 5th Marine Regiment dug in East of the reservoir.

Of the 3,200 man task force, 2,657 were killed in action and 354 wounded. For five days and night the Marines fought back wave after wave of assult.

The Marines then reorganized, broke through the encirclement and began a 35 mile battle south to a relief point. At one point, 5,381 of the most critically wounded Marines, including Gerald Boyd, were flown out of the area. The rest made the 35 mile march through bitterly cold weather - dipping below zero at night. On Dec. 9, 1950 12,000 Marines reached the relief point.

U.S. Army Nurse:

This picture symbolizes the more than 120,000 Nurses on active duty during the Korean War era. When MacArthur landed at Inchon, Army Nurse Corps Officers also came ashore on the same day of the invasion.

The 13 Army nurses of the 1st MASH (Mobile Army Surgical Hospital) and those of the 4th Field Hospital made the landing and by the end of 1950 more than 200 Army Nurse Corps officers were in Korea.

In addition to the nurses actually in Korea, many women served at support units nearby in Japan and other far Eastern Countries.

Soldier

By Gerald O. Boyd, October 13, 2008
6. Right Wing - - Whitley County Korean War Memorial Marker

Comforting Comrade:

This picture symbolizes the thousands of grief stricken infantrymen, whose buddies where killed, being comforted by a comrade. A total of 33,651 Americans were killed during the Korean War.

Source: A “Post & Mail” newspaper article by Staff Writer Charles Trump, published on May 11, 2002

— Submitted November 5, 2008, by Al Wolf of Veedersburg, Indiana.

Back - - Whitley County Korean War Memorial Marker Photo, Click for full size

By Gerald O. Boyd, September 22, 2008

7. Back - - Whitley County Korean War Memorial Marker

Entitled - "America Forever"
The lower section is enscribed "Designed by a Korean Veteran - Gerald O. Boyd".
Eighteen Korean War Veterans worked hard together to bring this Korean War Memorial into reality.

Whitley County Court House at Columbia City, Indiana Photo, Click for full size

By Gerald O. Boyd, October 5, 2008

8. Whitley County Court House at Columbia City, Indiana

The Korean War Memorial can be seen to the Left on the Court house lawn under the tree. (Click photo to see the details.)