Archives of the Mayor's Press Office

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Date: Monday, September 13, 1999

Release #360-99

Contact: Sunny Mindel/Curt Ritter 212-788-2958


MAYOR GIULIANI ANNOUNCES FORMATION OF THE NEW YORK CITY KOREAN WAR VETERANS 50TH ANNIVERSARY COMMEMORATIVE COMMISSION

Commission Created To Honor Soldiers on the 50th Anniversary of the Forgotten War

Mayor Rudolph W. Giuliani, Metropolitan Transportation Authority Chairman E. Virgil Conway and Office of Veterans' Affairs Director Michael J. Handy today announced the formation of The New York City Korean War Veterans 50th Anniversary Commemorative Commission.

The Commission, chaired by Mr. Conway, will recognize the men and women who served in the U.S. Armed Forces during the Korean War. It will raise funds to support the various events planned throughout the City to commemorate the 50th Anniversary of the Korean War, among them a grand parade - The Nation's Parade - on Fifth Avenue, which will take place on November 11, 2000.

"The creation of this Commission, to commemorate the 50th Anniversary of the Korean War, will ensure that those who served and made the ultimate sacrifice for their country will never be forgotten," said Mayor Giuliani. "The Korean War has long been considered the Forgotten War. Next year on November 11th we will remember and honor those who fought and served our Nation with 'The Nation's Parade' on Fifth Avenue. During Veterans' Day weekend 2000, the City will pay tribute to the more than 181,000 New Yorkers who enlisted in the military during the Korean War and the thousands of others who fought to stem the tide of Communist aggression and stopped the North Korean incursion into the South."

During the course of the war over 54,000 Americans, 2,000 of whom were New Yorkers, lost their lives. In addition, 103,000 were wounded - 7,000 of whom were New Yorkers -- and 8,000 remain Missing In Action. Currently over 500,000 U.S. Veterans, among them 100,000 Korean War veterans, reside in New York City, while over 1.5 million veterans live in New York State.

Commission Chairman E. Virgil Conway said, "The Commission will strive to pay the highest honors to the men and women who served their nation and the world during the Korean War. The Commission will see that the services and sacrifices of 'The Forgotten Soldier' will not be eroded with the passage of time. On behalf of the Commission, I look forward to the opportunity to honor our nation's heroes who gave so much for their country almost 50 years ago."

The United States, one of 22 nations that fought under the United Nations command, entered into hostilities on June 27, 1950. A cease-fire was declared three years later and fighting ended with the signing of an armistice on July 27, 1953 in Panmunjom, South Korea.

"As a Vietnam Veteran, I am keenly aware of society's ability to put both war, and the warrior, behind them and act as though our individual sacrifice and collective acts of valor have no currency," said Veterans' Affairs Director Handy. "Such is the case with our Korean War Veterans. It is our intention to remember the men and women who fought and died 'in the shadow of World War II.' It is our hope that this City and this nation will follow the lead of Mayor Giuliani and New York's Korean War Veterans 50th Anniversary Commemorative Commission in honoring those who served."

The Commission is comprised of Korean War veterans and U.S. war Veterans and other New Yorkers from the public and private sectors. The Commission members include:

www.ci.nyc.ny.us


Go to Press Releases | Giuliani Archives | Mayor's Office | NYC.gov Home Page
Contact Us | FAQs | Privacy Statement | Site Map