This Korean War Memorial, located on capital grounds, was dedicated on July 24, 1993.
Vancouver Division, Portland VA Medical Center
The memorial is located on the grounds of the Vancouver, Washington Medical Center (Division).
Portland, Oregon VA Medical Center supervises both medical centerrs.
People involved:
- Richard P. Kim - President, Vancouver, Washington Korean War POW/MIA Group, Korean War Navy veteran
- Richard L. Quatier - Chief, Fund Raising. Korean War POW/MIA Group, Korean War Army Veteran
- Jerry L. Keesee - Banking, Historian, Chaplain. Korean War POW/MIA Group, Korean War Air Force
Veteran
All above are members of the American Legion Post #176 and 40 & 8 Group
- Byung Ju Ji - Chairman, Korean Society of Vancouver, Washington
- Various VA Officials
Builder - Vancouver Granite Works
Process - We, the POW/MIA Group, approached the VA to see if we could build a Korean War Memorial on the
Vancouver, Washington site. The Korean Society of Vancouver decided to co-sponsor the Memorial with our
Group. Starting March 2009 we started the fund-raising part and raised $16,625 and spent $14,660.31 for
the Memorial and Bench. On September 18, 2009 about 7 months later we dedicated the Memorial. The VA
awarded appreciation plaques to Richard P. Kim and Richard L. Quatier. Our Group awarded plaques to Byung
Ju Ji and to Jerry L. Keesee for their part. Finally a donation plaque was placed in a VA building above
the Outpatient Clinic.
Some closure - Richard P. Kim lost his younger brother Chan Jay Park Kim Jr. as a POW/MIA in Korea.
Richard L. Quatier lost his older brother Robert D. Quatier as a POW/MIA in Korea. Both were members of
the 24 Division coming from Japan as Occupational forces.
Final comment - We appreciate that the VA allowed us to put a Korean War Memorial on federal land and the
Memorial and Bench are pieces of beautiful art honoring our fallen comrades and all living and serving veterans
plus their families. God Bless all our veterans, deceased and living who served in the military.
These phrases mean so much: "All Gave Some, Some Gave All" and "Freedom is Not Free."
[Information provided by Richard P. Kim.]
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