Axe Murder Incident Memorial Marker

HMdb.org

THE HISTORICAL
MARKER DATABASE “Bite-Size Bits of Local, National, and Global History”

Home — My Markers — Add A Marker — Marker Series — Links & Books — Forum — About Us

Word or Phrase

Your search returned just one marker . . .

Add Photo — Add Link — Add Commentary — Correct this page — Print

Panmunjom in Demilitarized Zone, Gyeonggi-do Province, South Korea

Axe Murder Incident Memorial

By Craig Swain

1. Axe Murder Incident Memorial

Inscription. On this spot was located the yellow poplar tree which was the focal point of the axe murders of two United Nations Command officers, Captain Arthur Bonifas and First Lieutenant Mark Barrett, who were attacked and killed by North Korean guards while supervising a work party trimming the tree. On 18 August 1976.
(On alternate lines is translation in Korean)

Location. 37° 57.36′ N, 126° 40.355′ E. Marker is in Panmunjom, Gyeonggi-do Province, in Demilitarized Zone. Click for map. Technically this memorial is located between North and South Korea within the Joint Security Area, jointly administered by both Korean governments, within the Demilitarized Zone. Location is accessed only by escort of military personnel. Marker is in this post office area: Panmunjom, Gyeonggi-do Province 468-1, South Korea.

More about this marker. The memorial is located near the "Bridge of No Return."

Also see . . .
1. Axe Murder Incident. Wikipedia entry detailing the incident. (Submitted on September 11, 2010, by Craig Swain of Leesburg, Virginia.)

2. Memorial Service. Video of a recent memorial service held at the site. (Submitted on September 11, 2010, by Craig Swain of Leesburg, Virginia.)

3. Remembering the DMZ Axe Murder. Blog post with details of the incident. (Submitted on September 11, 2010, by Craig Swain of Leesburg, Virginia.)

Bridge of No Return and Memorial Photo, Click for full size

By Craig Swain

2. Bridge of No Return and Memorial

The bridge is known as "The Bridge of No Return" since crossing it indicates a defection to one side or the other of the two Koreas. The location of the poplar tree, and that of the memorial is just visible at the "Y" of the road junction, in front of the guard house. The memorial is on a concrete slab to the right side of the road running toward the bridge.

By Craig Swain

3. Pan-Mun Gak

The main North Korean building within the DMZ.

Joint Security Area Map, 1976 Photo, Click for full size

From Wikipedia Commons

4. Joint Security Area Map, 1976

Map showing the location of the tree, the bridge, and related buildings in the JSA as they stood at the time of the incident.

38th Parallel Sign Photo, Click for full size

By Dodson M. Curry

5. 38th Parallel Sign

Located in another section of Korea, but a reminder of the division that still exists today. This sign was in Kumsong, Korea. Kumhwa Valley Demarcation Line between North and South Korea.

Credits. This page originally submitted on September 11, 2010, by Craig Swain of Leesburg, Virginia. This page has been viewed 3,187 times since then. This page was the Marker of the Week October 10, 2010. Photos: 1, 2, 3, 4. submitted on September 11, 2010, by Craig Swain of Leesburg, Virginia. 5. submitted on May 13, 2010, by Dodson M. Curry of Birmingham, Alabama.