Commemorating the 66th Anniversary of the Korean War

Floor Speech

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Mr. RANGEL. Mr. Speaker, I rise to recognize a very significant event in our nation's history during which 1.8 million American men and women courageously served to defend freedom and liberty. June 25th of this year marks the 66th anniversary of the outbreak of the Korean War. As a veteran who almost died fighting in Korea, I would like to pay tribute to my comrades-in-arms and all those who never made it home.

I thank Ambassador Ahn Ho-Young of the Republic of Korea and his Government for continually expressing gratitude to the Korean War veterans. He and his predecessors have annually honored the sacrifices through the wreath-laying ceremony at the National Korean War Veterans Memorial. Through this commemoration, they have paid respect to our service members who went to a country they never knew, for people they never met, for the pursuit of democracy on the Korean peninsula and around the world. I also applaud over two million Korean Americans who are flourishing across the nation and have never ceased to express their appreciation to the Korean War veterans community.

I am proud to have worked with my colleagues Representatives Sam Johnson and John Conyers, two other remaining veterans of the Korean War in Congress, to champion many bills that will cement the legacy of the Korean War veterans. Most recently, we sponsored H.R. 1475, the Korean War Veterans Memorial Wall of Remembrance Act of 2015, which passed in the House. The Wall pays tribute to those who were killed in action, wounded, or listed as missing from the Korean War. The Wall serves as a reminder that America will never forget those who serve to promote and defend international security, economic prosperity, and peace.

Mr. Speaker, our nation has a responsibility to make sure that we honor the members of the United States Armed Forces who served alongside the Republic of Korea and twenty other Allied nations. We have a responsibility to remember the 36,573 American lives and the 103,000 wounded to preserve the legacy of our Forgotten Victory. We have a responsibility to make sure we do not forget our men and women who sacrificed to defend the freedoms we enjoy.

Since the Korean War, the United States and the Republic of Korea have established an enduring friendship with shared interests, such as denuclearizing the Korean Peninsula, combatting aggression abroad, and strengthening our economies. It is with great pride that I have witnessed Korea rise to become an influential, international leader out of ashes of war. Its rapid and successful transformation testifies to the victorious efforts of our veterans.

The Korean War must never again be called the Forgotten War and the American people must never forget our heroes.

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