It is July 27, 2013 and today is the 60th Anniversary of the Armistice that ended the Korean War. In honor of the day, I visited several Monuments/Memorials dedicated to the Veterans of the Korean Conflict. The cities that were on my Korean War Memorial Tour were Oaklyn, Audubon, Haddon Heights, Haddon Township and Collingswood. I had a huge surprise in Haddon Township when an actual Combat Veteran of the War showed up!
While I was filming at the fourth Memorial, a car pulled up and out stepped the Veteran! He saw me by the Memorial and stopped his car so he could talk to me! As you will see, he walked into the view of the camcorder and started talking about his time in the War! Totally unscripted, unplanned and impromptu! I was and still am blown away! Very, very, very incredible!
I was initially a bit bewildered because the man who pulled up in the car was wearing a Korea Veteran hat and a Korea Veteran shirt and he appeared to look under 80 and under 70. In my mind I thought he looked way too young to be a Veteran of the Korean War. As it turns out, he is 84 years of age! Here is my documentary video for the 60th Anniversary:
Here is the url for the above video (in case it does not embed properly): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oBOn94Fi__E
Here are photographs of each town ...
Oaklyn:
Audubon:
Haddon Heights:
Haddon Township:
Here I am with Leo Tocco ... one of very few remaining Korean War Combat Veterans in the area:
Collingswood:
I felt it was very important to observe this day and to remember the sacrifices and struggles of those involved in the Korean War ... the Service Personnel who returned home and the Service Personnel who did not return home. We must keep them all in our hearts and in our thoughts.
It is July 21, 2013 and the American Civil War Sesquicentennial continues. On this day 150 years ago, Daniel McCook of the Fighting McCooks, passed away. He was wounded two days prior near Buffington Island, Ohio during Morgan's Raid involving Confederate General John Hunt Morgan. Daniel McCook had twelve children ... three daughters and nine sons. All nine sons signed up with the Union Army and three of those sons died in combat. His brother and a number of his brother's sons were involved in the conflict as well.
It is very important for me to point out that Daniel McCook was 65 years of age when he was killed in combat ... certainly way above the average age of someone involved with the conflict. He was a Major and Paymaster and he was specifically given the role of Paymaster due to his age.
This blog entry is my personal tribute to Daniel McCook ... a man who gave his life for a cause that he believed in.
In this video, I am holding a Court Of Common Pleas document that dates to the year 1840 and was signed by Daniel McCook: Here is the url for the above video in case it does not embed properly: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PY9fb2RP2So
Thank you Daniel McCook and thank you to all of you out there who are watching and reading.
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