Korea
He Never Forgot His Captain
On December 14, 2017, I’ll have the privilege of joining J. Robert “Bob” Lunney at a lecture about the Hungnam Evacuation being held at The Korea Society in New York City. It’ll be a memorable event, one that I’ve been looking forward to for months. During two and a half years of researching and writing…
Read MoreTurkey Popsicles and Frozen Gravy
67 years ago today, men of the 1st Marine Division found themselves on the other side of the world. The Korean War was raging, and they had been sent to a cold, grey, and lonely place no one had ever heard of – Chosin, or Changjin, as it’s called here in Korea. And it was…
Read MoreOne Restaurant, Three People, and a Dream
Every once in a while, whether you’re in Charleston or Seoul, Rome or Busan, or your favorite vacation spot in between, you stumble upon a restaurant that’s much more than just a place to get great food. It’s also a little slice of home, a dash of childhood nostalgia, and a hefty serving of good…
Read MorePhotographing Korean War Veterans – An Unfinished Mission
It was one of those days that goes above and beyond your expectations. Walking toward a restaurant last week with a Korean friend who would be my interpreter for the evening, I wasn’t sure what to expect. Neither one of us had met the man we were about to have dinner with, and although we knew…
Read MoreVeterans Day 2017 – A Message from Seoul
Today, in tribute to all veterans and in honor of my grandfather, Colonel Edward H. Forney, USMC, I’m posting a speech he made at the Marine Corps Birthday Ball in Seoul, South Korea on November 10, 1958. Col. Forney was the senior US Marine Corps advisor to the ROK Marine Corps from 1957-’59 and as…
Read MoreTrump’s First Visit to Korea
It’s always fun to write a piece for The Korea Times, and when I was asked to contribute my views on Trump’s upcoming visit I jumped on the opportunity. As I point out in my article below, the ROK-US alliance is strong – and getting stronger. South Korea and the United States have agreed to increase…
Read MoreRemembering Chosin
It’s a pivotal event of the 20th century. An experience so monumental that it has come to represent, even encapsulate, the ongoing struggle between the forces of oppression, tyranny, and authoritarianism and those who believe in freedom, justice, and democracy. The Chosin Campaign, correctly called “Changjin” in Korea, was a defining moment in history. The two-week…
Read MoreEver Been to a Skygarden?
Until this morning if anyone had asked me, “Have you ever been to a skygarden?” the answer would have been a quizzical, “Don’t think so,” followed by, “What’s a skygarden?” Now I know. Today, as I walked around downtown Seoul on a crisp, clear, October morning, I experienced Seoul’s new – it opened just a…
Read MoreThe Domino Effect
As joint ROK/US military drills begin off the coast of Korea and Kim Jong-un revives his threats against Guam, people around the world are understandably concerned. No one knows what will happen next. With Rex Tillerson saying America’s diplomatic efforts will continue “until the first bomb drops,” a retired US Army general predicting America will…
Read MoreThe “Great Alphabet”
It’s time for another holiday in South Korea. Tomorrow, October 9, is “Hangeul Day,” a day set aside to appreciate and honor the Korean alphabet, known as “Hangeul” or the “Great Alphabet” (han (한) means “great” or “big” and geul (글) means “script”). As strange as the holiday might seem to non-Koreans, the commemoration of Korea’s alphabet is a revered…
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