title
PROSED RESOLUTION
RESOLUTION ENCOURAGING CONGRESS TO AUTHORIZE THE PRESIDENT TO PRESENT GOLD MEDALS TO KOREAN WAR VETERANS IN RECOGNITION OF THEIR CONTRIBUTIONS WHILE SERVING UNDER THE UNITED NATIONS
WHEREAS, the purpose of the medals are to express recognition of the exemplary contributions to honor all Korean War veterans, both US and Allied Forces of their respective countries, who demonstrated selfless acts during the battles of the Korea conflict; and
WHEREAS, Imperial Japan occupied the entire country of Korea from 1910 until the end of WWII; and
WHEREAS, in August 1945, prior to the official Japanese surrender on August 15, 1945, the US and Allies prepared an arrangement to divide Korea horizontal into two regions North and South; and
WHEREAS, on June 25, 1950, the North Korea Peoples’ Army and their allies invaded South Korea. The U.N. Security Council adopted a Resolution to send U.N. Forces into Korea; and
WHEREAS, on June 27, 1950, President Truman sent US troops under the aegis of the United Nations to aid; and
WHEREAS, in October 1950, China’s Peoples Volunteer Army entered the conflict by encroaching into North Korea. In response, China’s ruling party ordered by telegram to immediately destroy the entire 1st Marine Division, the ROK Army Divisions and the US Army’s 7th Infantry Division that led to the struggle to defend the Pusan Perimeter; and
WHEREAS, a series of battles against the Chinese forces took place throughout Autumn 1950, including the Battle of Inchon, the Battle of Naktong breakout, the Battle of Seoul-Second and the Battle of Changjin Reservoir, which tested the capacity of U.S. forces against the enemy and the elements; and
WHEREAS, on November 25, 1950, the Chinese Communist Forces launched an all-out assault, swiftly overtaking the U.N. Forces and forcing U.S. and U.N. troops to withdraw South; and
WHEREAS, battles against Communist forces continued throughout 1951 including the Battle of Seoul-Fourth, by far the largest artillery operation of the Korean conflict; and
WHEREAS, during this time, UN allied forces from countries such Australia, the UK, and the Philippines assisted in combatting the Chinese Communist Forces; and
WHEREAS, by 1953, at least another dozen battles took place to retake South Korea. The ground action was led by U.S. and U.N. forces, as well as U.S. Marines; and
WHEREAS, on July 27, 1953 The United States, North Korea and China sign an Armistice agreement that ends the conflict and created the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) again dividing Korea but fails to bring about peace. To date, these two governments, the Republic of Korea (South) and Democratic Peoples' Republic of Korea (North) have not signed a peace treaty, that would officially end the war; and
WHEREAS, one of two principle objectives was to not lose the war over the aggressors and the other was to keep Seoul, South Korea from occupation by the Communist NKPA to the north. American combat troops, to include allied forces from sixteen nations, helped secure this mission. Today, Seoul’s vibrancy is due to those who served and sacrificed; and
WHEREAS, it is the appropriate time for America to honor the troops to include all United Nations allied forces of the designated noteworthy battles listed during the Korean conflict and to award the Congressional Gold Medal, evidence that the forgotten war is no longer, but forever remembered by its people; and
WHEREAS, Following the award of the medals in honor of the Korean War veterans, one gold medal shall be given to the Smithsonian Institution, and one silver medal given to the War Memorial of Korea, Seoul, where it shall be available for display as appropriate and made available for research.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, that the Cook County Board of Commissioners does hereby encourage Congress to authorize the President to present gold medals to Korean War Veterans in recognition of their service and sacrifice.
end