By Terri Moon Cronk
American Forces Press Service
WASHINGTON,
July 27, 2012 - Defense Secretary Leon E. Panetta observed the 59th
anniversary of the Korean War Armistice today by reminding a gathering
of Korean War veterans that America will not permit cuts to the military
to again "allow us to lose our edge", as he says happened on the eve of
that conflict more than 60 years ago.
Panetta
was the keynote speaker at an observance of the armistice that ended
the 1950-1953 conflict, held at Arlington National Cemetery, just across
the river from Washington. It was an opportunity to remember the more
than 50,000 U.S. service members who lost their lives in the Korean War,
and to celebrate the "sheer grit, determination, and bravery" of those
who fought for a noble cause in a distant land to make the world a safer
place, he said. "For three long, bloody years, American troops fought
and died in Korea, in difficult conditions, where the country's
mountainous terrain and the unrelenting cold of winter were bitter
enemies in themselves," Panetta said.
"It
was an uncompromising war, where capture by a vicious enemy often meant
summary execution. In Korea, American troops and their allies were
always outnumbered by the enemy, awaiting the chilling sound of bugles
and horns that would signal another human wave attack."
Panetta
said the troops that fought during that Cold War conflict will never
forget the battles waged in the country's mountains and at Massacre
Valle, Bloody Ridge, Chosin Reservoir and Pork Chop Hill. Those fights,
he said, "became synonymous in our lexicon with the heroic sacrifice and
the grim determination of the American fighting man."
The
Korean War caught America unprepared, Panetta said, and the mighty
military machine that liberated Europe and conquered the Japanese empire
had been rapidly demobilized. Only a few years of under-investment had
left the United States with a hollow force, he added.
"The
American soldiers and Marines initially sent to Korea were poorly
equipped, without winter clothing and sleeping bags, with insufficient
ammunition and inadequate weapons, including bazookas that weren't
strong enough to stop North Korean tanks."
But
those green troops sent to stem the tide of communism soon turned into
savvy combat veterans, he said, and what they weren't taught before
their baptism by fire, they quickly learned on the unforgiving
battlefield. They soon became a battle-hardened force, Panetta said,
that fought from one end of Korea to the other, halting repeated drives
to capture the peninsula, and in the process inflicting massive
casualties on the enemy.
"As
we honor our Korean War veterans we must also remember the more than
7,900 Americans missing in action," he said. "The Department of Defense
is dedicated to resuming the search [to find] the remains of fallen
service members missing in action in Korea. We will leave no one behind
... until all of our troops come home."
South
Korea has grown strong and has become independent, and the Korean War's
moniker as "The Forgotten War" no longer holds true, he added.
"Thanks
to the service and sacrifice of our veterans six decades ago ... South
Korea is a trusted ally, an economic power, a democracy and a provider
of security in the Asia-Pacific region, and in other parts of the
world."
Panetta
contrasted the South's progress with "the bleakness" of the North,
which he said remains a dangerous and destabilizing country bent on
provocation, "and is pursuing an arsenal of weapons of mass destruction
while its people are left to starve."
Two crucial lessons were learned from the Korean War, Panetta said.
"Too
many American troops paid a heavy price in Korea because they were not
provided the necessary training and the right weapons. They were sent
into a tough fight with little preparation ...Only a few short years
after World War II, dramatic cuts to the force made us lose our edge --
even though the world remained a dangerous place. We will not make that
mistake again. That's why today, coming out of a decade of war, we have
put forward a strategy-driven defense budget to meet the challenges of
the future. The world remains a dangerous place, and America must
maintain its decisive military edge."
America
"must remain the strongest military power in the world, and ... make no
mistake: We will be ready to defeat aggression – anytime, anyplace."
Panetta
said the second lesson taught by the Korean War is the service and
sacrifice made by a generation that bravely fought on its battlefields.
"Some
60 years ago, a generation of Americans stepped forward to defend those
in need of protection and to safeguard this great country. America is
indebted to them -- to you, for your service and your sacrifice. Sixty
years ago, the bugles sounded and you helped strengthen this country for
60 years. America will never forget you."
Following
the Sept. 11, 2001, terror attacks, another generation stepped forward
to lead, and its strength will be America's strength for decades to
come, Panetta said.
"Over
the past decade of war this new generation has done all this country
has asked of them and more," he said. "They take their place alongside
all of you -- another greatest generation of heroes that exemplifies the
best that America has to offer. Our nation is great because generation
after generation after generation, when the bugle sounded, our
[military] responded."
In
commemoration of the Korean War, Panetta said America should always
remember "the sacred call to duty," and to "renew our commitment to
honoring those who have fought, who have bled, and who have died to
protect our freedoms and our way of life."
|
| Biographies: Leon E. Panetta Related Sites: Korean War Special Presidential Proclamation: National Korean War Veterans Armistice Day, 2012 Panetta Speech
Related Articles:
Winnefeld Honors Korean War Veterans' Service, Sacrifice |
No comments:
Post a Comment
Do you have something to say?