I am a 38-year-old Korean doctor, Kyung-Su Park, MD and working at Uijeongbu St. Mary’s hospital.
Uijeongbu is located just north of Seoul, and the headquarter of the 2nd infantry division of US army is
stationed at Uijeongbu.
With this letter, I’d like to express my great thanks to the Korean war veterans of the U.S.,
especially those who fought in “the battle of Chosin reservoir” in late November of 1950, 57 years ago.
Actually I had never heard about “the battle of Chosin reservoir” until I read a story about the late
general James F Lawrence of US Marines in September, this year. Several Korean newspapers reported an
obituary in the Washington Post which notified that general Lawrence passed away and said how he fought in
“the battle of Chosin reservoir”. According to the newspapers, “the battle of Chosin reservoir” is one of
the two major winter battles in world war history. In that battle, US Marines of the 1st Marine Division
and Army fought against Chinese army of ten times as many in number. Many veterans were awarded medals for
their valor at the fierce battle and the USS Chosin was named after the battle. Through the report, I knew
that there is an organization of veterans who fought in that battle, Chosin Few. As a Korean, what
impressed me the most was that the bravery of US soldiers at the battle delayed the advance of Chinese
army and made it possible that a number of Korean people evacuated safely from Heungnam, a North Korean
harbor, to South Korea. Heungnam evacuation is so famous that several songs about the evacuation are still
very popular among Koreans. It has been well-known that many Koreans were able to escape from the
communists by virtue of ship “ Victoria,” but it has not that sacrifice of US veterans at Chosin reservoir
made Heungnam evacuation possible and saved so many lives of our fathers and mothers. Now that I know what
happened in late November, 1950, I’d like to express my sincere gratitude to those veterans who fought at
the Chosin reservoir 57 years ago in severe cold of late November for a country they never knew and a
people they never met.
Although this is my personal letter, I hope you veterans remember that most Koreans appreciate your
service and sacrifice at the Korean war. Without you, we must not have been able to enjoy freedom as we do
now. With the late November coming, I think about “the battle of Chosin reservoir” and salute the veterans
of Chosin Few who fought in that fierce battle and protected our freedom. Thank you !!! - Kyung-Su Park,
MD
