Photo By Sgt. 1st Class Edgar Valdez | Young Ho Jung, Consul General of the Republic of Korea, presents a plaque with a...... read more read more
HOUSTON – Veterans gathered with local community members of the Calvary Korean Baptist Church of Houston, November 10, 2024, to honor and remember service members that went missing in action during the Korean War.
The ceremony celebrated a partnership between the U.S. Government and the Government of South Korea which expands more than 70 years.
Brig. Gen. Michael Shanley, Commanding General, 85th U.S. Army Reserve Support Command, was the guest speaker during the event which also included Young Ho Jung, Consul General of the Republic of Korea; Max Johnson, President, Texas Lone Star Chapter and Arthur L. Bryan, Commander, Don C. Faith (MOH), Chapter 222, amongst others.
“It is an absolute honor to be here to pay tribute to our veterans and to reflect on all they have made possible in America, the Republic of Korea and around the world,” said Shanley. “Today, we pay tribute to these heroes, sons, daughters, brothers, and sisters who bravely face the harsh realities of war. They fought not only for the South Korean people, but for the principles, democracy, and freedom that we hold dear,” Shanley added.
The Korean War was the first time the U.S. military engaged in a shooting conflict since the end of World War II. The conflict, which began in 1950 and lasted until 1953, resulted in the United States losing upward towards 37,000 troops and suffered 102,000 wounded, according to the Korean War Project. Over 8,000 Americans were listed as Missing in Action during the conflict.
“There are many lives that we recognize, however, there is not as much recognition for those who never returned, that remain missing in action, and although there are many events that recognize those who died for our cause, I think there is a bit of lacking in terms of recognizing those missing in action,” said Jung.
Jung began holding memorial events recognizing those Missing in Action in 2023 after he felt compelled and enthusiastic about conducting such events.
“It is important to remember those service members Missing in Action, their families need to be remembered. There needs to be recognition and sensitivity towards protecting and supporting them as much as we can,” said Jung.
During the ceremony, Jung presented a plaque, with a picture of MIA Soldier Sgt. Frank Ayala Velasco, to his surviving family members.
Velasco, a was a member of A Company, 1st Battalion, 32nd Infantry Regiment, 7th Infantry Division, and went missing on December 2, 1950, during the moving battle from Sinhung-ni to Hagaru-ri, though specific details surrounding his loss are unknown. Velasco was never reported to be a prisoner of war, and his remains were not identified among those returned to the U.S. following the cease fire.
“I attended today’s event to honor my great uncle Frank Velasco, who is currently MIA from the Korean War,” said Cecilia Torres. “It is important for family members to have a chance and a space to see each other, to remember their fallen loved ones. I’ve been attending events such as this one since I was 10 years old with my grandfather and after he passed away, three years ago, it’s been a mission for me and my family to attend this events to remember him and other fallen U.S. service members during the Korean War.”
Today, Sgt. Velasco is memorialized on the Courts of the Missing at the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific. His name is also inscribed on the Korean War Veterans Memorial Wall in Washington, DC, which was updated in 2022, to include the names of the fallen.
| Date Taken: | 11.13.2024 |
| Date Posted: | 11.13.2024 15:18 |
| Story ID: | 485210 |
| Location: | HOUSTON, TEXAS, US |
| Web Views: | 26 |
| Downloads: | 1 |
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