King College > Travel Opportunities > Experience D.C.

Send More Grenades!

What could you possibly imagine when you hear this sentence? This is not from a game or a movie. This is a desperate cry from an American solider while he was running toward a Russian tank during the Korean War. Officially, more than 54,000 American servicemen lost their lives during the Korean War. It has been more than fifty years since Korean War occurred, and yet their efforts and noble sacrifices have remained in our memory.

I have served as an air traffic controller in the Korean Air Force. During my duty, I met so many young, enthusiastic American soldiers. There are around thirty seven thousand American soldiers placed in Korea. As I spent more time with them during my service, I had chances to have a glimpse of what it means for them to be soldiers in a foreign country where it is very hard to communicate with native people and to adjust to the cultural differences. I was shown what it really means for young people to fight for another country. I am sure it was even harder for American soldiers back in 1950s.

 I am not an American. I am a Korean and yet, I understand what it means to be a soldier and what it means to be in a different country. For me, having the honor of laying a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknowns was a remarkable moment to pay tribute to the sacrifices and contributions made on the home front by the people of the United States during the Korean War and to thank and honor veterans and their families.

I surely know how much it costs to obtain freedom. I no longer take for granted the freedom I have enjoyed without thought or thanksgiving for those who helped give it to me – not only Korean, but also American soldiers – because freedom is not free.