| When the Sgt. Harold F. Adkison Chapter 255 formed, almost four years ago, our goal was to
erect a Korean War memorial in the Horse Creek - Midland Valley Veterans Park, at Bath, South Carolina. The
memorial would honor all that served during the Korean War from the Central Savannah River Area (CSRA), which
is an area around Augusta, Georgia. A committee was formed. We wanted a large memorial that we estimated
would cost about $100,000, which we would have to ask for donations to raise.
One of the first problems that we had was in defining the CSRA. It seemed that almost everyone had a
different opinion about which counties were a part of it.
I went to the Augusta, Ga., mayor's office and asked them if they had a definition. They did. They also
informed me that a Mr. Eugene Chin Yu had asked the City about erecting a Korean War memorial. We contacted
Mr. Yu and discovered that he had a committee that was working on the design of a memorial. We asked about
joining forces. Mr. Yu welcomed our group, even allowing our chairman, Harold Harmon, to be the combined
committee chairman.
One of Mr. Yu's employees had made a drawing of a proposed memorial. But in 2002, Mr. Yu went to Missoula,
Mont., to an anniversary of the erection of a Korean War memorial there. He decided that we should have one
like the one in Missoula.
We spent over a year looking for a place in Augusta to place the memorial. We picked two places and
submitted a request to the City. The City approved our second choice and we began the process of obtaining the
memorial and preparing the site. We tried to have it ready earlier in the year. Finally, we announced that it
would be on December 4th. And we did it!
Speakers were Mayor Bob Young of Augusta; Committee Chairman Harold Harmon, Capt., USNR (Ret); Major
General John E. Hoover, USA (Ret) (a resident of the CSRA); Colonel Jeffery Smith, Deputy Commanding General,
Fort Gordon, Ga.; President Louis Dechert, KWVA, Colonel, USA (Ret); Major General Nels Running, USAF (Ret),
keynote speaker; and Mr. Eugene Chin Yu.
The memorial, costing about $117,000, was paid for by Mr. Yu, his family, and Mr. Lawrence Benenson, of New
York City. Mr. Yu and family own Commercial and Military Systems in Augusta. Their company refurbishes
military tactical vehicles and sells them, mostly to foreign countries.
The memorial contains the names of 85 men from the CSRA that were killed in action during the War. Named on
the memorial are three men from the area that were awarded the Distinguished Service Cross for their heroism
in Korea. Also named on the memorial are 20 men who were prisoners of war in Korea.
According to the Augusta Chamber of Commerce, the CSRA is defined as 16 counties in Georgia and 5 counties
in South Carolina.
On the picture I sent: there are three others that were not present for the picture. They are: Eugene
Chin Yu, Kenneth Badke and George Miller.
Directions to get to the memorial:
There are two ways that you can get to it.
One, you can exit the Aiken-Augusta Highway (U.S. 1, 25, 78, & 278) before you get to the Savannah River
and go across the 5th Street Bridge. When you get to Broad Street, turn left and go to 4th Street. The
memorial is just past 4th Street.
Two, you can exit the Aiken-Augusta Highway (U.S. 1, 25, 78, & 278) (Gordon Highway) at Walton Way. Turn
left, as if you were going to the Red Lobster. Go one block and turn left on 4th Street. Continue on 4th
Street until you reach Broad Street and turn right. The memorial will be on your left.
If they ever complete the construction of the bridges, one can exit at Broad Street, turn right, make a
U-turn and go to 4th Street.
[KWE Note: Memorial information and directions were provided by Korean War veteran Clyde Hooks.]
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