Tuesday, November 11, 2014

Let's Not Forget the War That Wasn't Officially

The crew of the HMCS Haida during her first tour of duty in the Korean  Conflict.
My wife Kathy's father is among the men in the picture above. But he isn't my only connection to the navy and the Korean war. When I was going through Basic Officer Training in Chilliwack in 1973, one of my course mates was a grizzled old (well probably 40 yrs old but I wasn't quite 18!) sailor who was Commissioned From the Ranks and who had been a young ordinary seaman when he sailed off to Korea, possibly on the Haida but I don't remember now. Sadly 41 years later, I cannot recall his name either.  I do remember some of his stories and that he was a good friend and resource during a hard time.

Thank you to all who have served in peace and in small conflicts as well as to those who served in great wars.

4 comments:

  1. Let's not forget...nice post Ross...

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  2. I organised the wreath laying in our village which included a reading of names. One was from Korea in 1951. It is true that conflict as well as the many post 1945 ones tend to get overlooked

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  3. Ross Mac,

    The Korean War is a forgotten war; thanks for reminding us that a lot of young men fought - and died - in Korea in the name of freedom.

    All the best,

    Bob

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  4. Lovely photograph...have Gillette been banned from Canadian warships! Strangely Korea (and Cyprus) are the only GSM bars my farther is missing between 1945 and 1980? Not sure how he wangled that - but he would have been being shot-at somewhere else!

    Korea is a forgotten war, but not as forgotten (over here) as Radfhan, Arabian Pennisular, both Malaya 'emergencies', Aden, Kenya, Borneo, Brunei...

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