Yongsan Garrison –
YONGSAN GARRISON, Republic of Korea – Department of Pacific Area, Veterans of Foreign Wars hosted a Veterans Day ceremony to commemorate war veterans who have served in the U.S Armed Forces at the Eighth Army War Memorial here, Nov. 11.
General Vincent K. Brooks, commander of United Nations Command, Combined Forces Command, and U.S. Forces Korea placed flowers on the steps of the memorial along with U.S. and Korean officials to honor the sacrifice given by war veterans.
“Veterans Day, for veterans, is a day that brings back those memories, those circumstances of shared hardship, danger, achievement, victory, glory, life, death and uncertainty,” said Gen. Brooks. “All those things that are the experiences of veterans, the sights, the sounds, the smells, the feelings, the emotions all come back for veterans on Veterans Day."
The annual event, attended by young service members, senior officers, retired veterans, civilians and school children, featured pictures of honored veterans who took part in the Korean War. The time treasured photos underscored the patriotism that war veterans had shown during the three-year long conflict.
Also in attendance was U.S. Ambassador to South Korea, Mark Lippert, who noted the “unique and deep significance” of the day’s event.
“Here on the Korean Peninsula we stand miles from one of the last remaining fault lines of the Cold War,” said the ambassador. “Each day this serves as a clear reminder of the thanks we owe the veterans of our two countries and those of the United Nations sending states who fought and died.”
Veterans Day pays tribute to all American veterans–living or dead–but especially gives thanks to living veterans who served their country honorably during war or peacetime.
Veteran Michael R. Jugan said that although Veterans Day is hard for those who are battle scarred, it is very important. It is important because we need to remember the sacrifices of those who came before.
Jugan’s sentiments were echoed by the presence of everyone in attendance.