ROK Drop

By on September 5th, 2009 at 5:36 am

Memorial Unveiled for Forgotten Korean War Heroes

» by in: Korean War

Here is an action from the Korean War that I previously had not read much about:

A monument was unveiled at the Hwachon Dam Sept. 2 to recognize the forgotten heroes who helped to capture the critical hydroelectric plant during the Korean War.

Eighth U.S. Army Deputy Commanding General Maj. Gen. Michael Kuehr attended the ceremony in Gangwon Province where the monument was unveiled to honor the sacrifices of the Korean Labor Organization, the group that provided crucial intelligence on the power plant to U.N. forces in 1951.

The ceremony was hosted by the Korean Hydro and Nuclear Power Co. Ltd. and the Korean Labor Organization Commemoration Association.

The KLO was a group of North Korean refugees that assisted U.N. troops with such tasks as carrying ammunition and supplies, unloading cargo ships and handling the deceased.

The Hwachon Hydro Power Plant was built in 1944 during the Japanese occupation of Korea.  Today, it remains the second largest hydroelectric facility in South Korea with a capacity of 108 million watts.

The Hwachon Dam was occupied by enemy forces during the early days of the Korean War. U.N. forces captured the Hwachon Dam with the help of the KLO, although their story has remained largely untold.  [USFK]

Click the link to read the rest of the story, but Korean laborers carrying supplies for UN forces during the Korean War was of critical importance to the allies.  These laborers would eventually form the Korean Service Corps that is still providing important logistical services to USFK today.

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