JUSTIN MUSEUM OF MILITARY HISTORY Korean War Hall Welcome to the Korean War Hall, a gathering of Collections related to the the History of the Korean War. The Korean War began on June 24, 1950 with the sneak attack invasion of South Korea by Communist North Korea, which quickly involved American troops present in South Korea. The United Nations intervened and the UN troops, largely American forces but also including many other Free World nations, began to defeat the North Koreans. This led to the North Korean Puppet Master, Communist China, to actively partake in the fighting by sending troops across the border. This became the gravest and most perilous open conflict of the post World War Two era. Often called the Forgotten War due to its being over shadowed by the magnatude of World War Two which preceded it and the social upheaval associated with the Vietnamese War which followed it, the Korean War was greatly significant. The Korean War was the Corner Stone of the defeat of Soviet Communism. One of the first major campaigns of the Cold War, the Korean War began the drain on Communist resources which would end with the collapse of the Soviet Empire some three decades later. That battle, however, dragged through three long years. The war continued with fighting as fierce as any seen in World War Two through 1950, 1951, 1952 and did not stop until a Cease Fire was negotiated in 1953. The cost of the war in human terms was staggering. Over 36,000 Americans and some 2 Million Koreans were killed. Yet they did not die in vain. When the fighting was over, South Korean borders were restored and that country was allowed to grow in the sphere of the Free World , becoming one of the shining lights of the Pacific Rim Economy. America and the Free World owes a debt to the men and women who made that possible. The Korean War, of course, is not just a matter of History but also a current event. The War itself was never officially ended and the DMZ ( De-Militarized Zone which designates the border between North and South Korea ) has remained one of the heaviest armed stretches of land on the planet since the Cease Fire. Thousands of American troops still must spend their days in trenches and bunkers defending South Korea from the active agressions of her dictatorship neighbor. Armed combat still occurs from time to time both on the DMZ and along the Coast as North Korea tests the defenses. Follow the links below to Original and Outside Korean War resources to familiarize yourself with the history of this War and the origins for the current conundrum which is the Korean Peninsula. Original Collections Original Websites of the Museum Biography of Charles Francis Augustin, A1/c, 34th Bomb Squadron, Pusan East K-9 Airfield, 17th Bomb Group (L), 5th Air Force, USAF, Korean War Biography of Grady Flook, Cpl, 24th Division, Korea Biography of Harley F. Mooney, Capt, 3rd Plat, Co B, 1st Bn, 7th Inf Regt, 3rd Inf Div, USA, Korea Biography of Oliver R. Smith, T/Sgt, 33rd Marine Service Sqdn, 33rd Marine Air Group, 1st Marine Air Wing, USMC, Korea Biography of Peter A. Weston, "Far East Flying Boat Wing". R.A.F.Seletar. No.209 Sunderland Sqdn. Mk.V., portion of biography regarding Korean War related service flying from Iwakuni, Japan Biography of Frederick P. Williams, Cpt, CO/ TranDiv 13, BuPers, USS Ozark (World War II), CO/DesRon 3 (Korea), USN Photograph Pages (some biographies above have photographs included as well) Formation of Short Sunderland Mk. 5s, Photo By Peter A. Weston, No. 209 Sqdn, FEAF, RAF, Korean War Sunderland Flying Boat, Photo Peter A. Weston, No. 209 Sqdn, FEAF, RAF, Korean War Collections on Loan Unaffiliated Websites outside the Museum 98th Bomb Group Unit History, Includes 343rd, 344th, 345th and 415th Bmb Sqdns, USAAF/USAF, WWII, Korea, Cold War, Gulf War Biography of Chuck Baisden, M/Sgt, 93rd Bmb Sqdn, 19th Bmb Wng, Korea, biographical homepage including account of Korean War duty Allen J. Diefendorf, Col., 367th Ftr Grp/49th Ftr-Bmbr Grp/557th TAC-Ftr Sqn, USAAF/USAF, WWII, Korea, with some accounts of Korean War duty K14 Tac Recon, 11th, 12th, 6166th TAC Recon, Page dedicated to the story of Tac Recon flyers based on Kimpo Airfield during the War, with photos and personal accounts and more John Francis Richter, HM1, Corpsman, USN, WWII and Korea Memories of the Korean War, Collection of Short Stories etc from veterans U.S. Forces Korea, 50th Anniversary Webpage Site regarding ceremonies in Korea with historical material USS Helena, CA-75, Unit History, Korean War, Cold War USS Henrico, APA-45, Unit History from Veteran Page, WWII, Korean War, Cold War USS Lake Champlain, CVA-39, Unit History and Vet Association, Korean War, Cold War USS Maddox, DD-731, Unit History, World War Two, Korean War, Vietnam War, Cold War USS O'Brien, DD-725, Unit History, Korean War, Vietnam War, Cold War VFA-34 / VF-20 / VF-9A / VF-91 / VF-34 / VA-34, Brief Attack Squadron History from active unit page, WWII, Korea, Vietnam, Cold War, Gulf War LINKS Back to the Justin Museum of Military History Please Share your Comments and Knowledge! E-mail the Curator to share or discuss or with any questions! THIS SITE IS UNDER CONSTRUCTION AS OF 24 JUN 2000 ! I AM GATHERING INFORMATION ON THE SUBJECTS ABOVE. IF YOU HAVE ANY LINKS OR INFORMATION ON THESE SUBJECTS PLEASE E-MAIL ME WITH SAME. CONTRIBUTERS WELCOMED. NO FEES PAID FOR CONTRIBUTIONS HOWEVER.
JUSTIN MUSEUM OF MILITARY HISTORY
Korean War Hall
Welcome to the Korean War Hall, a gathering of Collections related to the the History of the Korean War. The Korean War began on June 24, 1950 with the sneak attack invasion of South Korea by Communist North Korea, which quickly involved American troops present in South Korea. The United Nations intervened and the UN troops, largely American forces but also including many other Free World nations, began to defeat the North Koreans. This led to the North Korean Puppet Master, Communist China, to actively partake in the fighting by sending troops across the border. This became the gravest and most perilous open conflict of the post World War Two era.
Often called the Forgotten War due to its being over shadowed by the magnatude of World War Two which preceded it and the social upheaval associated with the Vietnamese War which followed it, the Korean War was greatly significant. The Korean War was the Corner Stone of the defeat of Soviet Communism. One of the first major campaigns of the Cold War, the Korean War began the drain on Communist resources which would end with the collapse of the Soviet Empire some three decades later.
That battle, however, dragged through three long years. The war continued with fighting as fierce as any seen in World War Two through 1950, 1951, 1952 and did not stop until a Cease Fire was negotiated in 1953.
The cost of the war in human terms was staggering. Over 36,000 Americans and some 2 Million Koreans were killed. Yet they did not die in vain. When the fighting was over, South Korean borders were restored and that country was allowed to grow in the sphere of the Free World , becoming one of the shining lights of the Pacific Rim Economy. America and the Free World owes a debt to the men and women who made that possible.
The Korean War, of course, is not just a matter of History but also a current event. The War itself was never officially ended and the DMZ ( De-Militarized Zone which designates the border between North and South Korea ) has remained one of the heaviest armed stretches of land on the planet since the Cease Fire. Thousands of American troops still must spend their days in trenches and bunkers defending South Korea from the active agressions of her dictatorship neighbor. Armed combat still occurs from time to time both on the DMZ and along the Coast as North Korea tests the defenses.
Follow the links below to Original and Outside Korean War resources to familiarize yourself with the history of this War and the origins for the current conundrum which is the Korean Peninsula.
Original Collections
Original Websites of the Museum
Biography of Charles Francis Augustin, A1/c, 34th Bomb Squadron, Pusan East K-9 Airfield, 17th Bomb Group (L), 5th Air Force, USAF, Korean War
Biography of Grady Flook, Cpl, 24th Division, Korea
Biography of Harley F. Mooney, Capt, 3rd Plat, Co B, 1st Bn, 7th Inf Regt, 3rd Inf Div, USA, Korea
Biography of Oliver R. Smith, T/Sgt, 33rd Marine Service Sqdn, 33rd Marine Air Group, 1st Marine Air Wing, USMC, Korea
Biography of Peter A. Weston, "Far East Flying Boat Wing". R.A.F.Seletar. No.209 Sunderland Sqdn. Mk.V., portion of biography regarding Korean War related service flying from Iwakuni, Japan
Biography of Frederick P. Williams, Cpt, CO/ TranDiv 13, BuPers, USS Ozark (World War II), CO/DesRon 3 (Korea), USN
Photograph Pages (some biographies above have photographs included as well)
Formation of Short Sunderland Mk. 5s, Photo By Peter A. Weston, No. 209 Sqdn, FEAF, RAF, Korean War
Sunderland Flying Boat, Photo Peter A. Weston, No. 209 Sqdn, FEAF, RAF, Korean War
Collections on Loan
Unaffiliated Websites outside the Museum
98th Bomb Group Unit History, Includes 343rd, 344th, 345th and 415th Bmb Sqdns, USAAF/USAF, WWII, Korea, Cold War, Gulf War
Biography of Chuck Baisden, M/Sgt, 93rd Bmb Sqdn, 19th Bmb Wng, Korea, biographical homepage including account of Korean War duty
Allen J. Diefendorf, Col., 367th Ftr Grp/49th Ftr-Bmbr Grp/557th TAC-Ftr Sqn, USAAF/USAF, WWII, Korea, with some accounts of Korean War duty
K14 Tac Recon, 11th, 12th, 6166th TAC Recon, Page dedicated to the story of Tac Recon flyers based on Kimpo Airfield during the War, with photos and personal accounts and more
John Francis Richter, HM1, Corpsman, USN, WWII and Korea
Memories of the Korean War, Collection of Short Stories etc from veterans
U.S. Forces Korea, 50th Anniversary Webpage Site regarding ceremonies in Korea with historical material
USS Helena, CA-75, Unit History, Korean War, Cold War
USS Henrico, APA-45, Unit History from Veteran Page, WWII, Korean War, Cold War
USS Lake Champlain, CVA-39, Unit History and Vet Association, Korean War, Cold War
USS Maddox, DD-731, Unit History, World War Two, Korean War, Vietnam War, Cold War
USS O'Brien, DD-725, Unit History, Korean War, Vietnam War, Cold War
VFA-34 / VF-20 / VF-9A / VF-91 / VF-34 / VA-34, Brief Attack Squadron History from active unit page, WWII, Korea, Vietnam, Cold War, Gulf War
LINKS
Back to the Justin Museum of Military History
Please Share your Comments and Knowledge! E-mail the Curator to share or discuss or with any questions!
THIS SITE IS UNDER CONSTRUCTION AS OF 24 JUN 2000 ! I AM GATHERING INFORMATION ON THE SUBJECTS ABOVE. IF YOU HAVE ANY LINKS OR INFORMATION ON THESE SUBJECTS PLEASE E-MAIL ME WITH SAME. CONTRIBUTERS WELCOMED. NO FEES PAID FOR CONTRIBUTIONS HOWEVER.