National Korean War Memorial needs more funding for upkeep


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SALT LAKE CITY — Many war veterans and their families make the trek to Washington D.C. to visit the National Korean War Memorial.

But, those that maintain the memorial say funding is becoming an issue. That news caused one man to take action.

When John Quinn was growing up, he always considered his older brother Edward Quinn a hero and he was in fact a decorated war hero.

"He fought in Korea and that has always been a source of pride to me that my brother is a veteran, a Korean War veteran," said John Quinn.

The eldest Quinn brother graduated from West Point on June 6, 1950. The Korean War started three weeks later, and the 21-year-old second lieutenant found himself leading men with much more war experience than he had.

"I often asked myself why did these GIs follow what I was doing. They all had World War II experience for the most part," explained Edward Quinn. "I encountered the Chinese and got out of that trap. I think they figured he was lucky. I'm going to stay with him. I'm just glad I made it."

Quinn repeatedly proved himself on the battlefield and was awarded many medals, including two Silver Stars for distinguished gallantry in action.

Official Army records state that Quinn "through the complete disregard for his personal safety in exposing himself to enemy fire when the situation required aggressive leadership, Lieutenant Quinn was largely responsible for the success of (patrols)."

Another time he led his tank crew into enemy fire to rescue a friendly platoon completely surrounded by a large enemy force.

Forty-one men from Quinn's West Point class died and another 84 were injured, including Quinn. By the time the U.S. pulled out of Korea, more than 36,000 Americans had lost their lives. No peace treaty was ever signed, and technically the two Koreas are still at war, but Quinn does not regret his service.

"I feel that the Communist in their heart of hearts when we started fighting in Korea they were surprised and they were so surprised they did not start any more wars," Edward Quinn said.

He has visited the Korean War Memorial in Washington, D.C., several times. "I'm very proud of it. Very proud of it." He was shocked to learn from his brother John that the memorial is in jeopardy.

"I wouldn't of thought there would ever be any question that we wouldn't be able to cut the grass and polish the metal," said Edward Quinn.

John Quinn discovered the shortage in funds after reading a news article. "I saw an article in the New York Times a few months ago that said much to my amazement that the foundation that is responsible for maintaining this wonderful memorial in Washington, D.C., didn't have adequate funds to do that," explained the younger Quinn.

So he swung into action and has already organized a fundraising event in Seoul, Korea, on June 25 — the 66th anniversary of the war. "We don't have a location yet but we are getting a lot of help from Korean companies," said John Quinn.

Another event is planned in Washington, D.C., in the fall, and that makes John Quinn's older brother very proud.

"I'm just so glad (he's) involved," said the grateful war veteran.

John Quinn believes it is important the memorial is preserved for future generations. "It is a very special place," he said. "The soldiers' images out on patrol to me is very haunting and it is a beautiful memorial. I think it is very important that we respect it and that it is properly maintained."

John Quinn is raising money for the Korean War Veterans Memorial Foundation (KWVMF). That organization is also promoting legislation to add a 'Wall of Remembrance' to the memorial site that will include the names of all American military personnel killed in the Korean War.

Those interested in donating can visit the KWVMF website or call 1-888-KORAWAR.

*KSL.com does not assure that the money deposited to the account will be applied for the benefit of the persons named as beneficiaries. If you are considering a deposit to the account, you should consult your own advisors and otherwise proceed at your own risk.

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