Korean War Veterans Memorial unveils new Wall of Remembrance

Pago Pago, AMERICAN SAMOA — The Korean War Veterans Memorial was rededicated yesterday with a new feature: a "Wall of Remembrance" that features the names of the more than 43,000 U.S. service members of the Republic of Korea Army assigned to the U.S. Army who were killed during the war.  

According to statistics from the Korean War Veterans Memorial Foundation, the Wall of Remembrance features the names of 29,857 U.S. soldiers, 4,522 U.S. Marines, 668 U.S. sailors, 1,587 U.S. airmen, and 7,174 Korean augmentees to the U.S. Army. A total of 43,808 names appear on the wall.

 Chairman of the Korean War Veterans Memorial Foundation, retired Army Gen. John H. Tilelli Jr. said the Wall of Remembrance and enhancements to the memorial will better educate visitors on the importance of remembering the Korean War.

"We are hopeful that this memorial will remind the millions of people who visit here each year that freedom is not free," Tilelli said.

Congresswoman Uifa’atali Amata issued this statement yesterday on the 69th anniversary of the end of the conflict.

“I would like to celebrate all the heroic men and women who fought and sacrificed for our country during the Korean conflict. In particular, we remember the many who never returned from Korea, but whose impact we still feel.

“Many Samoans served alongside their brethren from the mainland during those hard years, and the country and world are better off because of their sacrifice. Today, we can be thankful the Korean Peninsula has been stable for almost 70 years, South Korea has become a strong ally, and we continue to pray for the people living in North Korea.”

The entire surrounding Pacific family is safer because of those who fought in Korea. For us to be secure and strong for the next 70 years, we must heed the lessons of history and keep the Pacific free and open, the congresswoman wrote ending her statement.

(Sources: Congresswoman Uifa’atali Amata’s D.C. staff & U.S. Dept. of Defense)