 All right. Good afternoon, everyone. Welcome back. Hopefully you had a great day yesterday and even better day today for the For those who went out to the remembering ceremony. Hopefully it wasn't too hot. I was waiting outside I saw a couple people coming off the bus first thing It was tough out there, so thanks for bearing through it You could you had the option for the livestream, but we understand so hopefully you had a good time outside out there next year That's right next year and Just want to say thanks for allowing us to the opportunity on behalf of DPAA for you being here I know we kept saying it keep saying thank you, but we can't Say it enough and re-emphasize that fact So just thank you for allowing us this opportunity to be here with you to be here for you and for us to all experience this together For those of who I haven't had the chance to meet. My name is Mark Obwig I'm the new director of outreach and communications here at DPA. I've been here for about three months and I Say three months because at the end of this event you're gonna have a survey So depending on what you say the survey, maybe I'll say along. Maybe they'll let me stay longer than three months We'll see but just a little bit about me born raised four-door, California army veteran station Korea as a soldier Did some time there as a civilian. I was Deployed to Iraq and also was in Afghanistan as a civilian So through all that I'll throw out my little journey there here at DPA Glad to be part of the family and glad to be here with all you family. So thank you for the opportunity Before we get into a rundown of today's agenda I just a few admin notes for those who haven't had the opportunity to provide a sample or if you want to After will be outside until about 430. Don't go rushing out yet But when you get a chance they will be there until 430 and one more at one more note Is that unfortunately we had a DPA employee who it was experiencing cold like symptoms So they tested unfortunately they tested positive this morning So there they're in isolation right now. They are in good spirits So that's a good thing and they'll continue to be in the health and safety protocols And we asked that you closely monitor your own safety and well-being wear a mask If that's something you want to do and just a reminder that we have the classroom in this general direction Where I'm pointing that's a stream that is has our live stream up in case you feel more comfortable in that venue And and they can see it up to 32 people just in case you need that room All right, I'm going to go into the agenda and if you want to follow along while I'm reading it On page three pages three and four are agenda for today We're gonna right after I'm done speaking We're gonna go into our remembrance remembering ceremony which you can reference on page 12 as a guide But I'll go more into it once we start But after that we have a few recorded remarks from some of our invitees from the Republic of Korea and Department of State Then we'll roll into A special presentation by Dr. Don Berry about partner research projects followed by Dr. Jung Woo Han And he'll give a presentation as well with contributors for a panel type discussion And after that we will have a carryover session from yesterday in case you weren't able to Ask a question So we'll have time for that as well Then after that we'll hear from our director mr. McKeg for some closing comments Then we'll roll into a few other admin notes for tonight in case you're going to go to the twilight the army twilight tattoo ceremony All right, so that all sound good All right All right We're going to go into the remembrance ceremony. So if you want to go to page 12 of your program booklet as a guide This is your opportunity to to Tell us a little bit about your story as far as your uh, your family member and of course not mandatory But if you want to go ahead and share we have service members Position throughout the room if you want to go ahead and raise your hand that you can see the they're in uniform. They will have mics In hand ready for you to share your story Would anyone like to help us get started? All right I'm sorry, my name is marietta jessup and i'm coming from st. Louis, Missouri pray for us, please And i'm here on behalf of my uncle for patralli frazier uh, junior And this in this process. I was going along my mom was coming with me And because she wanted to find her brother and find out information about her brother. This is my first time here and i've been Searching and trying to find answers to my uncle's Disappearance or people are missing in the action There's been an ongoing thing for like five or six years Well, my uncle has been missing for 70 almost 70 years. He's been missing and we had no information We had no correspondence from the military all those years So I started investigating about six or seven years ago about my uncle charlie And I found out how I can get in touch with certain people and how to get information And then I got a letter telling me about this meeting My mom me and my mom started trying to get ready and everything for the meeting this right here But my mom died she died last august You know, she had uh cancer And she wanted to be here with me And I just i'm so excited about being here and i'm just so amazed about the wonderful things that's happened And I got something to take back to my family because we always wanted answers and I We have them And thank you guys Thank you, ma'am Would anyone else like to share? Oh, we have our hand raised in the back tucker from california. I lost my brother He was he's been missing since he was 18 And it's been 72 years now. And you know, I just want closure Um, I wanted to tell you that my brother went in the army and he was at four door And you know way back in the fifties. He would hitchhike home. We lived there Sacramento He would hitchhike home to save money to give my mom and help with the big family And at that time you could hitchhike and she would insist that you take the bus back to four door and You know, you think about that and he was a really good kid. He's really had our family at heart This is about the fifth or sixth time i've been to a briefing and it's just wonderful what the army has done To keep it informed about my brother. I appreciate all the work that everyone does. Thank you so much Hi, my name is tammy shrieve. My uncle felix yannes was 19 years old and he was Killed in action within the first two weeks of the war I'm here today representing my family. My mom and his sister are his only two living relatives and they're both too fragile to travel So i've been doing this for years and years and years going to different seminars and different locations One of the important things that I found to do is to get up and say your loved one's name Tell their story at one Meeting that we did in phoenix A lady heard my name heard me tell the story say his name She came up to me and told me that her brother was my uncle's best friend And told me the story about how they were in the backyard playing guitar and She remembers clear his day that they dared each other to go join the military So they ran down there enlisted and they were 17 years old Um And it was just kind of a piece of the puzzle to fit together to learn the story that mean none of us ever knew the story So it's important to get up tell your story. I'm scared to death speaking public I'm up here shaking and telling all of you because it's important To do this and good news is a few days before My fiance and I came here The military column said that they found my uncle's remains And in phase four he's one of the bodies So a few months ago they had called us and asked us to give another DNA sample so I think I don't know if it was because the format behind all that got him That they the chemicals they were putting in so when they asked for more samples It's not a guarantee but definitely do what you can to to help that out None of my other family members would I counted them and helped them None of them would provide a sample so just me and my mother did So definitely do that and always there's hope, you know, you never know when it's gonna happen It's 72 years almost to the day that he was killed that he was identified It's so wonderful to see all of you here. This is amazing I'm just and I know a lot of you a lot of the families already have identified their loved ones So they're not here. That's why we still got seats left so But you all look amazing and that those that are here for the first time, please come back I wanted to tell you Yes, it's wonderful to tell your story But also there are going to be a lot of veterans in your town or in your area That need to tell their story to take them into the schools I've done this eight times and I can guarantee you Everybody that I took in there had an incredible beautiful story And uh one in particular was a Joe man that he was a full book colonel And he was field promoted to a lieutenant to begin with and he was interrogated by russia As I spy for eight months during which time his son was born I took this man in and he stood for eight hours While he was had cancer leukemia and prostrate cancer at the same time Doing his testimony to all these kids and their eyes were like bigger than This big it was wonderful to watch And pass around his shadow boxes of metals But if you do this, I guarantee you that not only rich those kids lies, but it'll enrich your own and then you can tell your story to these kids And one teacher told me she said this is like Having history with skin on And it's a wonderful thing to do get involved with them. Don't go home and sit on your story But you know share it and go to the news media I've been on twice and I get such really good field feedback Color times is published three times But it all you always come away with something new And trust me it is a wonderful important thing And I know your father your brother your uncle they're all going to come home And my brother is going to come home too I have to tell it very similar to the one that this Told you earlier my uh uncle james howland coolwood was Killed in burrito of boris many Probably 72 years ago or very close to it And his family Been very serious about wanting him to be returned all that time Dad gave DNA 2014 About a year before he died And his two brothers gave DNA and they passed this Winner, but in may We got word but it was our benefit He also was in phase four of the principle He had been uh His remains have been removed from korea in 1953 and listed at that time As My father was captain jim s tremble He was in the chong chong river valley when he was shot down By the chinese he Told his troops to move he took cover fire So that they could move And I want to live long enough For him to come home my cousin Her my aunt was Very close to me And my cousin was an only child She was only her Her only child And when he disappeared She said she was going to train me And boy she trained me From leading to leading to leading to everywhere else And I've done it ever since I was a young girl I've been there every day that I go to And But you are in my heart and someday they find you While you're not here They get home This is my daughter I bring her from here Now Denise barge and my father was corporal done done done horde I asked my mother a couple years back if he was drafted or if he had listed He had listed because he wanted to go ahead and do his time come home and take care of her family and Own a gas station like his father Um Got married shortly before going over Apparently going to honeymoon. They had a good time Because a couple months later you found out he was going to be a father But it was um The last push for pork chop hill at the end of the war. He went missing in action So he never got to know whether he had a son or a daughter And I never got to know my father And his past year and my mother passed away So this is kind of very sweet because I would always go home after one of these and tell her everything This year I can't do that But I also realized before the day I have nobody else left in my life who did share the memories of my father to me And so I'm glad that some of you people got the chance to meet your loved ones and what's happened I'm sure hope you get the stories from your families Um, and I'm so glad that this organization exists. I wish I'd known about it years and years ago when my grandmother was still alive I found out because my husband being in the service, we used to get these afterburners And he had a little bourbon and that's how I got a hold of this organization So if you know anybody Tell me about this organization No matter what war it is My name is Robert Johnston Moore my father was sergeant James Fred Johnson My father joined the army Going to make it a career when he was 16 The local pharmacist said he was 18 My grandmother was not happy about that at all, but there wasn't anything she could do about it So anyway, he uh In 1940 when he went into the army he fought all the way through World War II fought on watercolor command Saipan, Guam Tinian and Actually survived all of that believe it or not and then uh went home for a while Married my mother they had known each other since they were in elementary school married my mother then they Went to Fort Bennington, Georgia for training for hippity training Spent some time there and uh, I think that's where I got started with the picture and what I understand from my mother and After that, my father shipped over to Japan The war had started uh shortly after that and he went to uh A kriya and landed in China my wife and I are going to a kriya in september And we're going to land in in China and to be able to go there where my father first put Put his feet on the kriya's soil It's going to be a special time 72 years later if you can imagine that Anyway, my father fought with the uh South Korean soldiers they went to uh Soul took that back with the Marine Corps. They took it back Then they went all the way up to the Chosin Residore and uh He made me from a fox over there named me after my grandfather after him And uh, I'm very proud son of his and the only child of his and uh He remains there today. I hope not but I hope he's in one of those 55 boxes or at the punch bowl So we're hopeful for that and looking forward to that and all the rest of you are as well But uh tomorrow, I'm going to be able to go to the Library of Congress and share my father's story to have it permanently put into the archives of of the Library of Congress and you can do that too by the way. That's a great way to keep the story alive. So Anyway, thank you for your time. I'm sorry to make up the onus I was with the military for a little bit about 33 years I am proud of my uncle. Well, excuse me. Yeah, my uncle. He was an idol. My father He he served in uh, uh, korea became my m.i.a. December the first 1950 I went to korea 1995 about an admission And not the same kind of mission he had been there with But still at that point I hadn't found out All the story that I have now And I am proud to say that As a veteran We always welcome people into our Units into our companies And every time I come here I ask people are you here by yourself? And it's surprising how many people will say yes. I'm here by myself. I don't have anybody here But we have each other. We don't need to be alone And it is yourself ask who you are who's your family member And together we can get through all of this. Thank you. My name is Polly Royer, and I'm here because of my father-in-law captain Ted Royer Uh, he was shot down on the northern border So they have never recovered the plane or the crew members or anything And potentially it's not looking good for any kind of an update So we haven't been going to updates But my husband Was seven years old when this happened His mother had a nervous breakdown He never went through the death process and the emotional Different things and I can tell you this story because he's asleep up in the hotel room Anyway, I knew nothing about any of this Because he was raised by his mother and his grandmother And they never disclosed any information. He never discussed any of this with me He still doesn't discuss this with me But I did find out when we were married for 30 years That when he was in high school He played mind games with himself He would put the baseball bat up on his shoulder and stand at home plate And tell himself if I had a home run, my dad's coming home. So he has been messed up all these years Thank goodness for the Air Force department Asked us several years ago and I said can we put a sign up on the highway On it and how to say Antonio Texas that said in honor of captain Ted Royer And they said well, have you ever had any kind of service? I said no, no kind of funeral, no kind of memorial. She had a nervous breakdown. Nothing ever happened They said an Arlington memorial service for us with a for strong carriage and the Air Force band And we had that we have the we still have the tombstone up there on the side of the hill So I want to read to you and to tell you that it's very important for you to Share the information that you have with your family with your children with your grandchildren because We might not be alive Whenever they finally get these remains. I know they will someday But um at this memorial service My grandson who is 10 years old now This happened in 2019 And my son is named after his grandfather. He's a Ted Royer also But my grandson read this at the service I'm here because of you And things I never saw you do My world is bright I sleep safe at night I'm here because of you There are others next to me. I hope that you can see They hold my hand And tell me I can be who I'm supposed to be I'll learn to stand up tall Help others when they fall And try to do all I can do I'm here because of you My name is Butch Morrow. My father was first lieutenant Carl Nelson Morrow. He was uh In the army He was in world war two like the gentleman over there said he lied about his age when he Got in and anyway, he's he's served in world war two over in the european theater Came out with a few little line in medals and a few little line in the scrapes and bumps and bruises But he did make it out But uh, he wanted the army life So he stayed in In the guards and he was assigned to a guard unit over in jackson, tennessee That's where I was born 75 years ago And on my birthday the other day my father's only remaining brother Gave me a call on my birthday on july 3rd Let me tell you a story that happened 75 years ago Butch said your dad comes pulling up in our driveway We lived out in the country your dad comes pulling up in our driveway and he says I want him That's my uncle and And his sister my dad's sister to go to jackson. We've got a new baby over there Said to need your help taking care of him. Well, that baby was me So my cousin tammy Went over there and my aunt Evelyn Y'all I've got parkings and so forgive my shakes, but anyway, that's just part of it, but but anyway Uh He said he went to work with uh nelson a few times and nelson worked at an armory over there in jackson Uh a second in command And he said I went to work with him a few times He said he never would take me over to the actual armory, but he worked at the federal building in jackson, tennessee Don't know if it's still there or not But it's the old federal building Well, I have a son who's an attorney. He's a federal prosecutor and guess where he works At the federal building in jackson, tennessee the same building that his granddad Worked in I said now that's just a real neat thing to know and it took 75 years for Us to find out about that, but anyway, that's a little bit of my story. My name is sally hernandez I'm here for my uncle Sergeant edward during Eaton My my uncle I'm never metting. I never met my birth parents. I was adopted when I was seven years of age Back in 1988 I decided I was going to start searching for my birth family Found them when I was 50 But I still never met my parents. I met my brothers and sisters During my search. I found the name of edward hannard eaton He was born in 1931 february He and my mother and all of her brothers and sisters were in the st. Joseph's orphanage and little rock art they saw Until they turned 18 years of age As soon as they turned 18 years of age, they were kicked out of the orphanage and on their own He immediately went and joined the army He was deployed in july 1950 And he died in november of 1950 He never ever had a life None of my brothers or sisters. I am the oldest living member of our family left None of my brothers and sisters knew anything about my uncle So I have since 1988 tried to find information Um, I think it was james bolt from her organization contacted me Shortly after my 50th birthday And I said I have information on him. He died in north korea After the tiger march, okay, so um I have made it my mission since then Well in the last 20 years To try to introduce him to my brothers and sisters And it would be a miracle and god can do it. He can bring all of our family members home And I wanted to thank the dedication of all of the servicemen here today and those that have Have died serving our country keeping us alive And um, I want to thank your organization for all that you have done to try to identify And bring home our loved ones I company third battalion under 87 My brother was a pair trooper Rock son He died in the battle of sujean sujean On october the 21st and his remains are somewhere else. They're not here He died just 24 hours after leaving kampo in Seoul and Crossing over into north korea where he was dropped In less than 24 hours he had died He was 18. I was six I often say Dan was my first love and my first grief We had different mothers. So I didn't know him all the time But he lived with us for a long while and he was there when I was born and many years several years after that And the story is that he loved me so much that he would take me in his arms Put a diaper in his back pocket and take me to the movies with him That was a big deal in 1940 in the 1940-44 when I was born and take me to the ocean, the Gulf of Mexico That owned his bicycle And so I know that I was wrapped in his arms And now I hold him in mine And when I visited korea in 2016 to have him on there I held his picture in my arms with all the other people who were doing the same on the soil that he would last see And I felt like then I finally had some kind of beginning a relief from all the pain of not knowing so much about him He too did not have a life So I have determined since I found out about all this to give him a life To do it as cool as I could so everybody that I need to know you he did live And when I was in korea The greatest joy for me was to touch his name on the wall of remembrance Because I didn't know as I say to dan They did not know your name. They did not know your face, but they knew your presence But it wouldn't be long until I saw that they had looked up his name And they had put it on a wall and I thought how wonderful, but I will never be able to go back to korea to stand there with that marker I did that yesterday We all stood by that marker and that's the only one that we have for him in this country He died at the battle of sin john because his his group the pair troopers that landed were just off the train That was carrying the most important high military for north korea and also the prisoners of war That probably many of your loved ones that was on the 20th They were executed that day the day before when he would land on the 21st And there you know the train was not stopped and the pow's were not saved but we know That wars are thought to the death And when they die our soldiers are not forgotten for as long as we love love someone Are we know someone or we love someone who loves someone they will not be forgotten I know that it's important to know that this war is not forgotten And as we keep hearing you hear that it's a remembered victory also I do want to say that Another point to someone made to be sure and tell your story I was here several years ago telling this about johnson john And about leaving campbell air force air base When a man tapped me on the shoulder And said I was there And he began to tell me all about the rain that fell and how it got postponed And they didn't get to leave till about three o'clock Because he was there doing the weights or the planes or making sure that they were the right whatever they had to be that I never understand And I realized then that it Adams Breathe the same air my brother did The last hours that he had on earth and this is it Excuse me, uh, first of all, I'd like to mention my own feeling that I think god is a good god He takes care of all of us and I sit here with mixed emotions High and low and some of the stories I hear because I was the 17 year old I was the one that went into korea. I was in uh A lot of part of july I was in open hour in 1950 the war started in july My brother named first went in in july the sixth They were the first groups in the 34th division and I was in open hour I was not aware of the fact that he had been in that they shipped him into korea However, because of the need of our groups going in for those of you who are not familiar with the history of why Uh, uh, korea stands out among a lot of the wars When our people went in whether you know it or not, they went in with a 45 pistol a clip A weapon And another clip and that was their protection Those first 500 and some that was brought out of tokyo To stop the passage of the groups going soft the koreans He was the buffer zone. Well, I was not aware exactly what his possession was But I do know in okinawa. I was attached to what they call the 29th group the airborne group our airplanes I was a loadmaster so to speak They needed help in korea and getting supplies into them A lot of people asked me, uh, what is the most memorial thing I can think about in, uh, korea and, uh It's a sorrowful thing, but every morning I wake up every night I go to bed. I think it's the same thing Uh, they dropped me into kimple the first day we took it It was the airport that made the airport south of seoul and we needed that for the fighter planes Coming in for regrouping and things like that Well that first day we went in we were unloading taking supplies up to the front about four o'clock in the afternoon We were notified all planes had a lead there was going to be an attack on The kimple field which she was related to at that particular time where we dropped her brother out of So that all the planes had to be taken out There was about 18 or 20 of us air airmen there that were not attached to any of the groups So we became infantry For for that evening and we were signed through a foxhole Now this the only reason I'm telling you because You have to understanding feeling like a vet that I appreciate what you're doing And it makes life worthwhile for me I was placed in the foxhole at about nine o'clock We were told there was a group coming up to take the field to prepare for hand-to-hand combat About 10 minutes we heard the group coming up the highway I had my rifle ready to fire A runner came down yelling abort abort abort that means to those that don't understand forget it drop to the ground Keep quiet. You don't mess with them nothing. We let the group grow through Well, I didn't know at that time really what I had just witnessed and why? About a month later. I was guarding some prisoners in kimple and the Base base commander came by and the jeep they loaded me on a plane flew me out of korea into japan And over the japan waters telling me that my brother had been captured And you know that two Siblings could not be in the same front at the same time So at that time they gave me a choice and it seems the news media is picked up on this But they asked me that I if I wanted to go home They say you can go home or you can go back to what you were doing And they asked me what I wanted to do and that's what I'm going back And the captain he said why I have said hell it's the right thing to do and uh anyway at that time When they told me about all this they also told me about my brother and then it came together That group you've heard of the death walk in korea When they first went in and hit that town there's 500 some people with our military They captured and killed half of them well that the North koreans were dressed as civilians And guarding the prisoners taken him on that death walk that group That I came two minutes from firing on my own brother was that group was coming through So to me every time I hear some of you talk I'm so thankful and I want you to know on behalf of all the veterans We appreciate what you're doing. You're wonderful and thank you My name is carlos I wanted to thank uh mr. William chuck williams and mike And the new director of the the miapow office for the united states marine court Our family is truly grateful for The hard work that they've done On behalf of my family My uncle was a private first-class thomas montoya When my uncle was listed as m ia kia a couple of days later He was with some of you remember iran mandra My uncle was with her brother philip And we my grandparents have been gone a long time My mother who was the closest to my uncle has been gone for a long time But we our family like you carry on this effort to try to Hopefully one day to bring him home Unfortunately the circumstances involving my uncle's death It's highly improbable that any remains what we recovered Um But it's good to be around people like yourselves to hear your stories and Because when I go back to salt lake I share them with the remaining aunts of my uncle Um A side note In utah it took me over 30 years to get the state of utah to build Uh a world war two memorial monument utah's never had one I was in the governor's office just covid hit Where he signed a bill So now we have midi coming together and hopefully in the coming years we'll have one Um a couple of hours ago. I met a fellow brother of mine I didn't get his name. I've had him over here for a couple of minutes And it made me Feel very proud again Talking with him He was with uh third special forces group. I was with seven special forces group It was wonderful To talk with someone like that again. It's been a long time for me He's a great role model for many of us Like many of you in uniform Thank you Hi, i'm jack witt my uncle jack Who i'm named after was in october 1952 his outpost was overrun And one of the five men made it out and he was one of the four that didn't and Soon as the Information got to my grandmother that my uncle was missing My dad got the bright idea to enlist And I say that out of respect. He went to korea to find uncle jack So you just have to know my father and the relationship we had so I just looked him in the eye one day and I said Dad that's about the dumbest thing you ever did He said but I couldn't leave him behind And I said I respect that that's not the dumb part. I said korea is a large place You're not just going to walk in to the bedroom. It's always over there He said it doesn't matter. I had to do it so He did what he had to do and and I respected that and He passed away in september of this past year And His word his love was the last words to me was it's on you now You have to take care of him when they bring him home. So the pressure is not on me Chuck it's on you guys You got to go get him so I can keep my work to my father Thank you That's wrong to set up an ambush and they were ambushed instead three hours of firefight later And when everyone regrouped my uncle was gone without a trace. That's what is one other gentleman if there's Anyone here from our martin's family? I'd love to meet you But the two of them have literally disappeared into thin air with no sightings No, they went back the next morning in canvass and they never found nothing no reports of either So I am just so thankful this has torn my father up for years again So many of the stories what happened to their mother as a result of this happening Her refusal to have a service We thought she was still sending care packages for years because she refused to acknowledge that this could have possibly happened And so I know my father had been doing the regional updates in the west He's just not in good health and able to do this. So it's on me And I am just so thankful for The community for everyone's hard work and I just can't say enough about the connections You never know. We're and how we're going to connect with people in fury all the way years ago started There was a work to start the on-flight and we had a privilege of welcoming home The veterans from the very monocle on-flight in peoria And my girls made signs that my girl that little girls made signs thanking them for their service and we put The 45th and same deal on the signs and You just never know at one We've been discussing an on-flight welcome home events after that and at one point there was a gentleman at the other side of the airport that just Was frantically grabbing his family members and shaking them and pointing to us and pointing at us And when all of a sudden done and he was very frail they're helping him and he's just like looking over to us If that was his infantry And we had no idea and while he didn't necessarily didn't know my uncle it's still The connection with that family because when we saw On my uncle on the sign all of his family members are just falling and hanging on to him realizing Just across the airport Long way that that could have been done And so get out there and tell the story. Thank you to everyone I'm here by myself, but I was adopted by table 15. So thank you And Again passing on my daughter's now 19 and 21 and some obsessed with carrying this on and Wanting to go to Korea and wanting to find out more. So I just can't thank everyone enough For all you're doing all the opportunities Is Mary Chiddister Borowitz and I'm here for my father colonel arthur a chiddister Who is lost in chosen reservoir? december 1950 And then my story is a bit different than I've been hearing here today because My mom never spoke about him And we paid As young kids. I was seven years old the oldest of four children We really didn't spend a lot of time talking about him. We didn't have pictures of him My mother remarried and after that there was definitely nothing Going on about our dad and I grew up Being anti-military. I was angry. I could not understand why my father Abandoned four children to go off and fight who knows where who cares? That's how I fell for years for decades I spent a lot of time being really really angry. I fought against the vietnam war And it's taken me a very long time to come back to Some semblance of peace with this and it happened because After my mom died I got her address book and I say not notices to all the people in her address book that she had died And up comes a message from a person I now call uncle slim Slim russell. He had known my dad And he made his way out to visit us in california from florida to tell stories to us I collected my brothers and sisters so all now adults And we listened with tears to his stories About our dad when he chose to go into the service No one had ever told me he went in to take care of his family by being in the service And something he felt was important to do I had never heard that And it just really brought me up short And I started thinking I do things because I think it's important to do and I believe in it And he did too Let me jump forward to 2015. I was able to go to korea With the first group of people. I want to highly recommend that program And it was there also that I got such a huge picture Of how much the south koreans appreciated us I had no way of knowing what there was a mean to them what there was a mean in their lives And I didn't have any way of knowing about that Everywhere we went there were banners hanging. Thank you. Thank you to your heroes and Banners on the buses and a banner on our sheets in the bed of the hotels I met a man in the grocery store Who spoke english and came up and thanked us my sister and I were there And I went This is like this isn't somebody who created this situation This person just volunteered and came up. So I thought I guess that really is the case So When I think about this group It has helped me to come to terms with Why it is that he chose to be in the military And having the ability to come to these meetings has really helped me a lot. Thank you Hello, my name is sue Bowden I am here to honor my uncle dandy airman first class dandy harris pillsbury I've been inspired by all of the stories that I've heard from all of you I've been inspired by the dedication of the korean war memorial But I'm here to talk about an mia from the truly forgotten war and that's the cold war My uncle was 22 years old when he Boarded a flight with his 11 other service members. It was in the air force and They took off over the sea of japan On june 13th 1952 His plane went down. My grandmother was told he was the youngest of 12 kids and like the other Seven or other six brothers ahead of him. They'd all been in various branches of the military during world war two So he felt it was important that he also served his country by being in the military My grandmother was told that he was on a weather reconnaissance flight And that his plane had gone down over the sea of japan So for 20 years, that's what we all understood But then in 1992 The gates opened Allowing the united states to get more information About those service men or about those flights that went down During the cold war and lo and behold, we found out that My uncle's plane was a reconnaissance plane, but it wasn't for the weather. It was a spy plane Of russia and so the russian two mid fighter jets shot their plane down Not that far from russian land We never knew really what happened to him. There were conflicting reports as to all of us all the 12 flight crew were lost at sea And then there were other reports that there was wreckage scene and that there was a possibility that some of the Some of the flight crew had been taken prisoner All my mother's life She believed that my uncle lived after that crash and that he was someplace and I know that when she died She still felt that but I appreciate that's all of the work that the dpaa has done to Honor not only the korean war and the cold war But all of the other wars that have have resulted in mias out there to help bring some closure to families We'll probably never have closure But I feel like it's my responsibility of that next generation since all all 12 of the pillsbury clan are gone now to Continue to to try to access Information and to share that information with the rest of my family so that they can Truly keep our hero our family heroes spirit alive. Thank you Before we get on to our next speaker I just quick admin note as far as our agenda for the cold war families We have an optional breakout session an open discussion with our principal deputy director mrs. Fern sumter windbush And army colonel john lust and marine colonel matt brandon And they are in studio a is an alpha and for any cold war families who would like to Go go in the session you can Follow our marine captain conrad ganski and he can show you to the room. Thank you. We'll go on to our next family member Hi, good afternoon My name is jip cribbin and i'm here to our father my uncle and actually my other uncle Robert there were three 17 year olds living in coronado in san diego in 1952 that decided they all wanted to enlist in the marine corps Luckily my mother's brother had better parental supervision and he said no I'm not signing and letting you go into the marines, but you can go into the navy So my uncle went into the navy and ended up serving aboard the manchester for two years in country My father and his identical twin brother Had no such luck they were sent off to uh Well, they ended up in the What is now the dmz? And they were assigned to outpost vegas Outpost vegas saw a three-day battle march 26 1953 And though they wouldn't let my dad and his brother fight Go on outpost together. They did serve together in the same unit. They had one serial number separated them So while my father was back at the main line of resistance, uh, they would flip a coin They were identical So they would flip a coin to decide who had to do the bad duty and if they had to change shirts to do it That's what they would do So one of these coin flips resulted in my uncle going out on outpost vegas about 1500 yards Beyond where my father was back at the mlr at about 7 p.m 3000 chinese Oprah and the outpost My uncle was never seen again so Getting involved in all of this it really it really injured my dad badly And a lot of ups and downs over the years and in 1969 He did have a nervous breakdown and he was committed for two years where they proceeded to give him 13 elect work shock treatments Among other medications and it just didn't go well So I got involved in trying to Help out with the search and I found a lot of information by coming to these meetings and it's just a wonderful thing to do But I did want to mention parts about my father's experience there In in an attempt to search for his brother He moved forward into the into the rice paddies where a mortar shell came and landed in and he did receive some A shrapnel wound to the hand So he was taken back to the aid station It was later that day where he stopped a transport troop truck carrying dead marines and decided that he would stop that transport troop And he spent the next hour or two on zipping body bags looking for his brother So Anyway, uh the part that I'd like to get to is that uh about five years ago I started an organization to try to build housing for veterans with post-traumatic stress disorder And uh so far we've raised some good money and we've held golf tournaments and and whatnot And luckily I live in San Diego very close to camp penalty So our fundraising effort has kind of morphed into uh A two-fold effort And this year we were able to host 52 active duty marines from camp penalty and our golf tournament Where they get to come and enjoy a day of r and r surrounded by uh civilians who really appreciate what they do If you guys get a chance, please go to jimmy's house dot org and and uh, you can see our mission and what we're trying to do To make lives better for uh others My name is megan marx. I'm here for my mother Jerry angel who passed away in 1999 Her first husband was white angel. He was an ensign in the navy And his plane went down on January 18th 1953 Over the straits of Formosa The other men on that plane included Ronald B. Clifford Byers, William McClure, Paul Morley and Lloyd Smith To our knowledge, we're the only family here that represent the members of that crew That crew unfortunately was not honored on the wall of the members We're fighting to get their names put on there and I know that there are other people whose family members are not on that wall as well They died in service to their country and We are eternally grateful for the support and the information that we get here that helps us to understand what happened and How will to be with the rest of you? My name is Alpina Tunkins golden and my father was master sergeant Ruben Tunkins And I wanted to comment that ladies statement About the way she felt about her father leaving and not knowing the reason and I had that same feeling But many many years many years. I mean most of my life And what made me stop having that feeling was I had my father the gentleman spoke about that yesterday If you can you can have a headstone placed at Arlington or your state Uh military They won't uh, if it's found they won't let him have another funeral But they will provide that in your state or at Arlington and in 2015 I did that I just figured i'm getting older. I'm an only child So I might as well do it and have it done and know I can rest I can rest in peace But um, I was very angry with my father believing me I was seven years old And he told me I'll be back and he never came back So I'd say angry In 2015 when I had him the headstone placed at Arlington I was invited to South Korea. So I was in South Korea in 2015 too, but I was privileged to go with Four civilians and all generals these handsome generals and over And we were able to go with them And I think the lady is here. That was my He's back there. She's one of the ladies and it was a couple and that was it So we got to see what I needed to see to get closure We needed to see it from a military point of view We also got to see I think they did to the reenactment of the korean war Where my father may have come in from japan and all So there is a way for some closure I mean when I came back after that And meeting the people in Korea and the way that they treated me and the humility and the gratitude to us Everything changed I could forgive myself my father Just everybody the government Because they did not have a korean war memorial and that is why I came I didn't believe it when they said it I saw it online. Nope. They're not going to do it. They've been promising, you know And it was there and I am very grateful that that has occurred in my lifetime My daughter was with me. She says they're gonna have and I said, I don't know, you know, but I am very grateful to this organization. They have done a lot with me coming throughout the years and I come quite often Whatever I've asked them for they got it. I have never asked them for anything that I did not get I got the matter of fact when we had the ceremony for my dad I was the only one there nobody could get off work So I had the entire What do you call all the I had the burial team the airplanes the rifles everything sitting there by myself And it was okay and I was also told sometimes that even people that don't have family members that are Is capable or able to come that they will do the same ceremony for them too and tape it and send it to them So if you're young you knew it this you're with a good group Just ask them. They're not going to fail you. It might take them a minute But they will not fail you and I'm glad I know all of them and I appreciate them. Thank you My name is Jerry Carpowitz. I'm named after my uncle who was playing with shot down on May 17th 1953 We're all brothers and sisters here. So I just like to add to what my sister who just talked Said and my sister from San Antonio said about the memorial services We had one for my uncle last last august 6th at early international cemetery. It was spectacular We had we had to fly over the strangest thing about the flyover was that I was told that they shut down The Baltimore airport Reagan airport on Dulles so that they could do the flyover Unbelievable unbelievable experience Um So I strongly suggest having a memorial memorial service for your loved one Because although they haven't found your loved one yet when they do find your loved one He'll have he or she will have a place ready for him or her And I'm very biased about this but the air force catapulting office people not a fool might see in here I can't imagine that any other service has best people I've come to know these people a number of years. I come to this event And I think they're spectacular And also I hope everybody remembers it after Cali mckay talks That you give him a standing ovation because I remember him saying last year about this memorial wall being done this year And it's done and I think he's a badass and I think he deserves A standing ovation after the speech of us. Thank you. It's good to see everybody here again I've been to several meetings and I never You had the courage to stand up but I just wanted to say how much I appreciate your organization and how much I've learned from from everybody that I've dealt with my my uncle My my I come from the Mulcarrey family my dad and all four all three of His other brothers served my dad in the first uncle in world war two and then My uncle charlie enlisted in the army when he was 17 in 1946 and he was in japan during the pressuration he Came out of the service During that two year period his mother had passed away with his my grandfather had been gone for a long time So uncle charlie came back to the states and worked a little bit. He wanted to buy a car So he decided to re-enlist go back to japan because it's easy duty and Make the money and come out and have money to buy a car He was in the first group that was sent into south korea. He was with a third infantry regiment And he was in korea less than 20 21 days He was missing and the my aunt Told me when I when I started this she was the only living sibling And uh, she told me that the charlie stayed with her the night before he shipped out And he told her he said I don't have a good feeling about this. I don't think I'll come home 21 days into his second You know his time in in korea He was gone. He's missing in action There's he was uh, and he was in the ballotation There's no record that he was ever a prisoner of war. There's no record that he was part of the title march But his body is not going to identify so I keep working and I keep hoping that He will one day I will get the phone call that he's been identified. I Was able to get my my aunt and her daughter To give DNA samples and my two male cousins To give DNA samples I'm the one working on this and I'm the only one who can't because of my relation You know because of where I stand in the family, but um, I hope that Um, one day we'll have any information to to recognize charlie all my life I grew up hearing stories with my dad and my other uncle and my aunt talking about him and he was um he was Declared missing in action july 19th 1950. I was born 13 months later But I feel like I've known charlie just like I've known all my other uncles and um It just It's such an honor to me that I'm the I'm able to to work to try to get his story and to find out what happened to him and um I've met so many nice people that in this In this organization coming to the the annual meetings here the regional meetings I've met so many people and to hear your stories to share my story Means a lot and I just I just hope and pray that one day we all have closure. Thank you. Thank you