Korea and Vietnam

Stories submitted by Peggy A. Wells and Martha J. Martin Ironton Tribune, 4 July 1976, Sunday, Page A

The age of atomic warfare had been launched, and a new international organization built out of the ashes of war – the United Nations – was established under the realization that another global conflict with full use of atomic weapons would obliterate civilization. But, a cold war between the Democracies and Communist countries developed until, in June 1950, an invasion of U. S. -supported South Korea by Communist North Korea, backed by Chinese and Soviet Reds, sparked a United Nations “police action” which further polarized the Western Nations and the Communist Bloc. Although called police action, the Korean Conflict was pure “War” as far as the American commitment was concerned and again Lawrence Countians found themselves serving in battle on land, sea and in the air. For the next 37 months, it was a seesawing battle over North and South territory. Then, on July 27, 1953 an Armistice was signed. Another conflict in Asia, to follow the Korean War by a decade, erupted into guerrilla style warfare by the Communist-backed Viet Cong of South Vietnam. At first American “advisors” and special troops were sent in to help the South Vietnamese military contain the enemy. But when North Vietnam began open military action against the South, another Korea was in progress. This time, the U. S. lacked the commitments from its Allies of the Korean Conflict. It became a personal involvement of the U. S. with the South Viets against the Cong and North Viets. This long, bitter war – waged in terrain that gave American war technology little advantage over the guerrillas – cost Lawrence Countians many sons, husbands and brothers. By the mid-1960’s, a half- million U. S. troops were committed. Although major portions of the troops were withdrawn earlier, the last troops didn’t pull out until South Vietnam’s fall in April 1975. It was the longest conflict the U. S. had ever engaged in; and, to this date, it has been the last. Out of this last war, a Lawrence Countian – Sgt. Donald Russell Long of Blackfork – received the Congressional Medal of Honor for heroism performed during the events that led up to his death on that Southeast Asian battlefront. Lawrence Countians, in expressing their appreciation for the sacrifices made by Sgt. Long and other men who died in the Vietnam War, erected two years ago a monument in their memory on the Courthouse lawn at Fourth and Center Streets. Lawrence County has a heritage of serving America in war that it can be proud of. The patriotism and dedication of men and women here will, no doubt, carry through in the wars of the future.