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Legion honors Korean War vets
More than 60 years after they served during the Korean War, six local veterans received special recognition during a ceremony earlier this month.
During its regular monthly meeting, American Legion Post 26 honored Raymond Donner, Herl Kilgo, Phillip Shinness, Richard Moore, John Isenhart and John Barrutia for their contributions during the war, which raged across the Korean peninsula for more than three years.
The Korean War began in June 1950 with a cease fire declared in July 1953. While open hostilities between North and South Korea ended at that time, both countries are technically still at a state of war.
While the Korean War is often referred to as the "forgotten war," it marked a number of firsts for the U.S. military, Schafhausen said.
It was the first conflict in which the Air Force participated as a separate service branch of the armed forces.
At the same time, the war marked the first time helicopters were heavily used during combat operations.
It was also the first time that Mobile Army Surgical Hospital, or M.A.S.H., units were deployed to the front lines. These medical units were credited with saving the lives of numerous men and women that were wounded in combat, Schafhausen said.
In 2013, nearly 60 years after the cease fire was reached, the South Korean government, business owners and other individuals worked together to publish a commemorative photo book to honor those who served during that three-year war. The books were then delivered to Veterans Affairs offices across the United States.
Word of these books then reached Jack Schafhausen, commander of American Legion Post 26 in Mountain Home, and Wade Baumgardner, Elmore County's veteran service officer.
"We really need to recognize our local Korean War vets," said Schafhausen, who wanted to ensure these books reached the former service members.
It took several months for the local American Legion post to compile a list of Korean War veterans and to organize a special recognition program for these individuals. The post invited David Braswell, director of the Idaho Division of Veterans Services, to personally present the books to these veterans.
"It was great to have a packed house for the monthly (Legion) meeting as we were not only celebrating the birthday of the American Legion but also this historic event," Schafhausen said regarding the presentation event.
The Legion has a limited number of the books available for other Korean War veterans. For details, call the post at 587-3447.