Posts Tagged ‘Moon Jae-in’
Guided by God’s Own Hand: Captain Leonard LaRue and the Meredith Victory
From deadly World War II Murmansk runs, to history’s greatest rescue operation by a single ship, to a life of prayer as a Benedictine monk, Leonard LaRue, or Brother Marinus as he was called after entering St. Paul’s Abbey in Newton, New Jersey, led a life of service to others. He has recently been remembered…
Read MoreMen of the Merchant Marine: Unsung Heroes of the Korean War
As the elderly American, surrounded by cameras, microphones, and reporters, walked towards the memorial, two Korean men stepped forward from the crowd. As if on cue, the sea of people suddenly parted, and the three men shook hands, their warm smiles and contagious laughs drawing everyone’s attention. It was a magical moment, one that words and pictures…
Read MorePlanes, Presidents, and Presentations – A Look Back at 2017
Nearly eight months ago, on May 11, 2017, I posted my first blog. I had written an article the day before for the Korea Times, Moon Jae-in: From Geoje to Cheong Wa Dae, with my reflections on the newly elected president of South Korea, and the blog reiterated some of the points I’d mentioned in…
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 MoreLong Live the Lane Victory!
She’s a survivor. SS Lane Victory, one of 534 “Victory” class cargo ships built during World War II, has a proud and storied history. From trans-Pacific operations during the final months of World War II, to rescuing over 7,000 North Korean refugees in December 1950, to delivering supplies throughout the Vietnam War, Lane Victory and…
Read MoreArmistice Day – 64 Years Later
After three years and one month, the guns stopped firing, the bombs stopped dropping, and the people stopped dying. The fighting was over. But the war wasn’t. On July 27, 1953, now remembered as Armistice Day, an agreement was signed, bringing a ceasefire to the ravaged Korean peninsula. Wars end with a peace treaty, not…
Read MoreHow Could We Ever Forget You?
“How Could We Ever Forget You?” For those who fought in the “Forgotten War,” it’s a rhetorical question they rarely hear. But this past June in Houston, hundreds of Korean War veterans, their relatives, and guests attended a commemoration of the 67th anniversary of the start of the Korean War. Like similar events held around…
Read MoreWho Would Have Guessed?
When my cousin Alice told us she’d be coming to Seoul for her first trip to Korea, we were thrilled. After somewhat randomly agreeing that she’d arrive on June 23rd and stay until the 3rd of July, we patiently waited for the big day. We had everything planned out. Or so we thought. What we…
Read MoreHome Again, Home Again
My whirlwind trip is over. I’m back in Seoul. After traveling nearly 13,000 miles in a 3-day period, it’s good to be home! It’ll take a while for everything to sink in, but for now I’m just trying to recall the moments that made the trip such a memorable experience: talking with President Moon in…
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