The Press Democrat
By Chris Smith
FIGHT IN KOREA? If you did, you should know that a grateful South Korea would like to give you a medal.
It’s called the Ambassador for Peace medal. Anyone who served in the Korean Conflict between June 25, 1950, and July 27, 1953, is eligible to receive one from the Republic of Korea.
Eligible also are vets who took part in UN peacekeeping operations on the Korean Peninsula through the end of 1955.
Kin of Korea vets who’ve died can arrange for medals to be presented posthumously.
Both of our region’s members in Congress are collecting the names of Korea vets. Mike Thompson and Jared Huffman will arrange with the Consulate General of South Korea in San Francisco for a medals presentation ceremony that the congressmen will host.
Says Thompson, “Though the Korean War is often remembered as the ‘Forgotten War,’ our veterans will not be forgotten. I ask every veteran of the Korean War to contact my office so that they can be recognized for their service and sacrifice.”
The Korean Consulate asks vets to present a DD214 Military Separation form. They’re available at archives.gov.
To request a medal, call Thompson’s district office at (707) 542-7182 or Huffman’s at (415) 258-9657.