The Korean War Memorial / Wall of Remembrance
Cold War Losses
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The Korean War Memorial’s Wall of Remembrance hosts the names of thousands of U.S. servicemen lost during the Korean War. Not among these names are U.S. servicemen who served in the Korean War theater but were lost on overlapping Cold War surveillance missions along the China/Soviet Union coastlines. They served in the two conflicts concurrently but are not acknowledged for their missions in Korea. This is a discredit to the men’s service and a second loss to their families.
The legislation authorizing the Wall began in the House Natural Resources/Federal Lands subcommittee (H.R.1475; Public Law No: 114-230; 114th Congress;). The missing men’s names do not appear due to the legislation’s narrow description of territory authorizing eligible names. |
Resolving the issue can be done by amending the bill to broaden the criteria used to authorize the names honored. The Korean War Memorial Foundation will then be able to add a special panel to include the names of these still missing servicemen who served simultaneously in both the Korean and Cold Wars.
The Coalition of Families of Korean and Cold War POW/MIAs is working with family members to secure a Congressional office that will take the lead on an amendment. The Wall is a meaningful tribute to the missing men and a place for the families to honor their loved one’s service. These men’s names belong among their Korean War brethren. |
Original Legislation - 2016
Proposed Added Text (italics):
“The Wall of Remembrance shall include a list of names of members of the Armed Forces of the United States who died in the Korean War or who served in the defined theatre of operations during the Korean War but died during missions operating outside the defined theatre of operations, as determined by the Secretary of Defense, in accordance with subparagraph (B).”
