Korean War 75th anniversary
Australia remembers
On 25 June, Korean War veterans, families and descendants gathered for a moving National Commemorative Service at the Australian National Korean War Memorial in Canberra to mark the 75th anniversary of Australian service in the Korean War.
This was an opportunity to honour and remember the service of all Australians who served in the Korean War and the post-armistice period, their sacrifice, and the families who supported them.
We remembered the more than 18,000 Australian personnel who served in Korea and those who lost their lives: 340 in the Korean War, 16 while monitoring the dangerous and precarious cease[1]fire after the armistice, and 11 in the support bases in Japan. We remembered the wounded, those taken prisoner, and the more than 40 personnel who are missing in action, presumed dead.
At the service, Army veteran Stanley Starcevich vividly recalled the extreme conditions of the war. ‘The ground was mountainous, with rice pad[1]dies and orchards,’ Stanley said. ‘It was hot and humid in summer, and wet and miserable during the monsoons. In the winters, we suffered from snows and bitter winds. Frozen ground made digging in difficult, and it was no fun living in the open in temperatures well below zero!’
He also paid homage to the ‘good blokes’ and ‘real characters’ who served alongside him: ‘On patrols and in our battles, we experienced all the emotions, tension, fear, confusion and brutality of warfare. We witnessed courage and the true meaning of sacrifice.’
Fellow Army veteran John Munro OAM echoed the sentiment: ‘The winter months were shocking in the snow, rivers froze. But we always got on well together, because we had a job to do.’
On 25 June 1950, after years of political tension, North Korean soldiers stormed across the 38th parallel into South Korea, beginning the Korean War. A mere 5 years after the Second World War ended, Australians again found themselves at war – our nation became one of the first to be involved, becoming only the second nation after the United States to commit personnel from all 3 armed-services to the United Nations force.
Australian sailors, soldiers, airmen and more than 150 nurses were posted to both Korea and the support bases in Japan. Australia’s involvement in the Cold War conflict began with the commitment of HMAS Shoalhaven and Bataan in late June for patrol and escort duties. The Royal Australian Air Force’s (RAAF) No. 77 Squadron, which was stationed at Iwakuni, Japan, was swift to action. The Army would enter the fray in late September, with the 3rd Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment, quickly distinguishing itself with a victory at the Battle of Yongju in October.
We didn’t do much talking,
We didn’t raise a fuss.
But Korea really happened
So please – remember us.– Veterans’ Poem of Remembrance
The armistice between North Korea and South Korea achieved on 27 July 1953 holds to this day, but a peace treaty has never been signed. More than 40 Australians from across all 3 military branches remain missing in action in Korea. In 2015, the Army’s Unrecovered War Casualties unit stood up the Korea Missing in Action (MIA) Working Group to identify and recover Australia’s MIAs. As many MIAs went missing in North Korea, accessing their last known locations remains difficult.
In Korea, Australian service personnel won international respect for their courage, endurance and dedication to duty. Seventy-five years on – we remember – and we thank you for your service.
Lest we forget.
The National Commemorative Service to mark the 75th anniversary of Australian service in the Korean War was broadcast nationally by the ABC and is available on iView.
