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Medal of Peace given to 70 Korean War veterans

RALPH WILSON/Sun-Gazette Correspondent U.S. Senator Pat Toomey and Congressman-elect Fred Keller award Ambassador of Peace medals to nearly 70 Korean War veterans during a presentation ceremony at Pennsylvania College of Technology on Friday.

Seventy Korean War veterans Friday each received the Korean Ambassador for Peace Medal at Pennsylvania College of Technology.

The eligible veterans served in country during the Korean War from June 25, 1950 to July 27, 1953 or participated in United Nations peacekeeping operations until the end of 1955, according to Maj. Gen. James Joseph, United States Air Force (ret).

Members of the U.S. Navy were eligible if they had served aboard a naval vessel assigned to Korean waters during the 1950 to 1953, he said.

The ceremony was held to commemorate Armed Forces Week and Memorial Day in Williamsport.

Joining Joseph were Col. Bob DeSousa, state director; U.S. Sen. Pat Toomey, R-Zionsville, U.S. Rep. Fred Keller, R-Middleburg and several state officials, including Sen. Gene Yaw, R-Loyalsock Township and representatives Garth Everett, R-Muncy Township; Jeff Wheeland, R-Loyalsock Township; Stephanie Borowicz, R-Clinton/Centre counties.

The local heroes were presented with medals while about 300 of their family members in the attendance at the Klump Academic Center auditorium watched.

The medal is an expression of appreciation from the Republic of Korea to American service men and women who served in the Korean War, Toomey said.

“Your bravery remains an example for all Americans, especially those currently serving in our Armed Forces,” Toomey said.

Toomey said he has two priorities when it comes to veterans.

“It is my view that veterans deserve to be first in line to the best quality health care in the world,” he said. “We’ve made some progress in recent years. There is more work to be done.”

Another aspect of work for Toomey is to “give honor and respect to men and women who wore the uniform and made enormous sacrifices for the rest of us.”

Pennsylvanians, he said, have fought valiantly in every single major conflict in the nation’s history.

Pennsylvania has been a battleground, whether it is at Valley Forge, Gettysburg or Somerset County, where Flight 93 went down in on 9/11 — and it is a birthplace of heroes, he said.

Keller acknowledged the veterans and their hometowns.

Keller, whose father served in the Korean War, said when he saw the Color Guard present the flag and noticed Montgomery American Legion on the side of the hat, he thought about those veterans.

“When America goes to defend our way of life and our freedom around the globe, a lot of people don’t know where those hometowns are from – Selinsgrove, Williamsport, Montoursville or Montgomery.

“The reason we are going is because we are proud of our nation,” Keller said. “When our armed forces show up to defend what is right in this world, they go behind our flag and there’s no mistaking what our flag means. When our flag shows up with our veterans they know that a force of good is on the way. And they know we are here to protect our God given rights and make sure that nobody can take them from any one.”

Yaw expressed how “very proud” he was of the long history of military heroism in Pennsylvania. Everett, who is a veteran and whose father served in the Korean War, said he noticed long time friends, friends of his father and it brought back memories.

“From a thankful nation thank you for your service in the Korean War and God bless you.”

Wheeland said his father was a World War II veteran and on many occasions at a hunting cabin in Tioga County, they leased land from a Korean War veteran who drove a tank in the war. “My dad and I had a lot of conversations about war and what he experienced,” Wheeland said. “We as Americans, we fought that forgotten war in Korea, you folks did. We took it to them. Because of your service we don’t have those fights in our country. We fight for democracy outside our own cities. We experienced a sample of it on 9/11 and because of service you folks gave, we don’t have to do that in our country.”

Borowicz’s remarks were reserved for the men in the audience.

“It’s all about the those that sacrificed in times of war. Thanks for being my inspiration and my heroes.”

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