A Wall That Beckons

We all have one, and long after we’re gone, it becomes a memorial to what we did or didn’t do during our time on earth.

Whether chiseled in stone, recorded in a legal document, or written on the page of a book, our name, the unique combination of surname and given name, represents our personality, passions, accomplishments, and contributions to the world.

What a wonderful gift it is to have been given a name! Every human being, from the beginning of time until the end of the human race, will have one.

But names can sometimes lose their significance. When thousands appear together, on a monument or memorial for example, they become abstract words, a collection of almost mundane letters.

The Memorial Wall

The War Memorial of Korea in downtown Seoul is such a place. Near the museum’s entrance is a huge granite wall with the names of over 38,000 servicemen who died in combat or became missing in action during the Korean War.

The wall, similar to the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington, DC, beckons us with a seemingly endless sea of names. By reading the names and remembering that each one represents a grief-stricken family, destroyed dreams and aspirations, and a terrible emptiness for those left behind, we can better appreciate the sacrifices of those who died.  

The Vietnam Veterans Memorial Wall in Washington, DC. (Photo credit: Military Times) 

"Give Me Tomorrow"

These men never wanted to be heroes. Answering the call of duty, they simply wanted to accomplish their mission, survive, and return home.

A Marine at the Chosin Reservoir (pictured above) may have summed up what many throughout history have felt while fighting for their country. When asked by a reporter what he wanted if he could make one wish, the battle-hardened, exhausted young man replied, “Give me tomorrow.”

Tragically, for thousands of men who fought in the Korean War, tomorrow never came. An enemy bullet, hand grenade, artillery round, or bomb snuffed out their lives.

These soldiers, sailors, airmen, and Marines from the boroughs of New York City, plains of Nebraska, and mountains of Colorado never returned home. They never watched another baseball game or movie and never celebrated another birthday. They died as young men in the prime of life.

The honor we bestow upon them when we visit these memorials, read their names, and share their stories helps keep the memory of their sacrifices alive for future generations. 

Walls of remembrance at the War Memorial of Korea (museum). The names of over 38,000 servicemen who died in combat or became missing in action during the Korean War are listed on the bronze tablets.

“What’s In A Name?” Project

In a small gesture of appreciation to those who lost a father, son, husband, brother, uncle, grandfather, or friend in the Korean War, we would be honored to take a picture of any name listed at the War Memorial of Korea and send it to the family or friend of the deceased serviceman.

Please click here to get more information.