MEMORIAL CROSS | For Fallen Soldiers of the Korean War
On June 25, 1950, the Korean War broke out.
Fukuoka Prefecture became a state-of-the-art base for the United Nations forces, and many supplies and soldiers were transported to South Korea from Ashiya, Tsukijo, Itazuki, and Moji ports. U.S. troops stationed in areas other than Fukuoka Prefecture also headed to the battlefield via Kokura. The 24th Army Division stationed in Kokura went to South Korea immediately after the war broke out, but was annihilated by the fierce attack of the North Korean army. At the beginning of the war, North Korea’s strength was so strong that the United Nations forces were forced to struggle, and many dead and wounded soldiers were transported to Kitakyushu. The Korean War is also called “The Forgotten War”
While researching the Memorial Cross, I met people.
“Hello from Kokura, Fukuoka JAPAN”
Seina – Tom Thiel
Mr. Tom Thiel
My name is Shoko “Seina” Shiraishi and I live in Kokura where the 24th Infantry Division used to be there.
I am a singer who truly loves American Songs from the 1930s-1940s,
especially the WWII era and also I am working with ex-POWs of the Pacific War. Why do I sing a WWII song and work about ex-POWs? My story is a little complicated so would you please to check Angels Swing’s website?
I checked 24th Infantry Division’s website and I called Mr. Donald E. Maggio and he gave me your contact information.
In my hometown, Kokura, we have the Korean War Memorial(Memorial Cross) which was built United Nations.
I knew it had been there since I was a child but I didn’t know why in my hometown. I asked the people about it but I couldn’t get any details. I went to the city office and library but no details. A staff of city office told me the United Nations built and left no further information.
I’d like to know why the Memorial Cross was built in Kokura.
How many soldiers left for Korea from Kokura and never came back?
I believe the Korean War is a part of the history of my hometown and I would like to record their lives and history. And also I would like to know about Kokura during the GHQ occupation and the Korean War.
If you can share your memories about Kokura, it would be wonderful.
I look forward to hearing from you.
Warm regards,
Seina
Seina
I have spent some time this morning rereading your email, examining the two web links you gave, doing a Google Maps look up Kokura, doing retrievals of Kokura on www.24thida.com (found in 75 of my web pages).
First of all I am very impressed with your web sites. I have very limited web ability and use only Expression Web to create my sites.
I also looked up the UN memorial in Kokura, and when I discovered where Kokura is, it is clear why such a memorial might be built there. Before war broke out in June of 1950, many US forces were stationed in Japan as occupational forces following WWII. Kokura was HQ for the 24th Infantry Division. General Dean in his book on the 24th website tells of being in Kokura. I have a friend who was with the 24th Division’s 3rd Engineers also in Kokura, I am asking him to give me more information. I also have another friend who was with the 40th Infantry Division. It was stationed in Kokura after the 24th went to Korea, and also was the Division that replaced the 24th in January 1952. And next Wednesday I will be meeting with about 20 or 30 24th division members and will ask them if they were in Kokura.
When the Korean war broke out and US forces were committed to defending South Korea, Kokura was closest to South Korea, and the 24th was the first to supply troops to the Korean War. Many of those left from Kokura.
As to why a memorial in Kokura, I can only surmise that by 1951 the UN realized that so many of those members of the 24th Infantry that left Kokura for the Korean War died very soon after their arrival in South Korea. For example, the 24th’s 34th Infantry Regiment (about 15,000 at full strength) was essentially totally destroyed by the North Koreans, and was returned to Japan “on paper.” Its surviving troops were dispatched to its sister 24th regiment, the 19th Infantry Regiment, which was the unit I where was assigned.
You can enter into a Google search the exact text [ kokura +”www.24thida.com” ] This will search the entire 24th website for all pages on the site (somewhere around 15K to 20K pages total) that have the work Kokura. Within a Taro Leaf magazine or a book you will need to do another search with Adobe Reader or whatever PDF file reader you have on your computer. When I did this I was given 75 occurrences, one of which is from General Dean’s Book. Kokura in fact appears in our very first Taro Leaf magazine which was published in 1947 I think.
You mentioned Camp Drake. I came there in April of 1951, but do not remember anything of it. I was there only a few days and then went on to Inchon, South Korea, and was assigned as a replacement troop with the 24th ID. In December 1951 I came to Tokyo for five days of leave. Then in January 1952, I came back to Yokohama where I boarded a train for Camp Haugen near Hatchoni at very north tip of Honshu. After 30 days I then went back to Yokohama and boarded a ship for the US. The Korean war was over for me. I was very lucky as I was never wounded, except for ears and some Psyche. I lost many friends some very close to me. You may view some of my story in photos at: http://cid169.kwva.org/tell_america/0_tell_america.htm (scroll down to near the bottom of the page). I use that sometimes when I talk to school students about the Korean War,
I was in Korea when Monica Lewis and Danny Kay were there to entertain troops. There is a scene rather early in the video in Korea where you can see mountains in the background. I was likely on one of those mountains as Oct and Nov was for me a very difficult time. I do not remember them being there. I do remember Bob Hope’s Troupe being there but I did not go to see because it would make me so sad to be away from family and home, So I volunteered to stay on the front line and left my buddies go; they then were sad! And I should say, I am only 6 years junior to Ms. Lewis!
What I plan to do, with your permission, Seina, is to publish a web page connecting you with www.24thida.com This will not be very soon because I have so many other things to do, but say in a couple of weeks. Once I have that done I will better understand what you want. I then plan to write an article for two magazines, the 24th’s Taro Leaf and the Korean War Veterans Association’s Graybeards. Readership of these two magazines will be about 20,000 veterans, a large percentage of whom will have some experiences in Kyoto.
To do this I would like to have you send your photo to me as an email attachment in a resolution of at least 300 dots or pixels per inch (sorry do not have in metric).
One final thought comes to mind. The 24th Infantry Division holds annual reunions. The next one will be in Louisville KY September 2013. Just in case your tour of US Nursing homes might materialize.
I now need to get to some of those other pressing matters.
Tom Thiel
NEVER FORGOTTEN Monica Lewis
NEVER FORGOTTEN: My Facebook friend and fellow singer / humanitarian Shoko “Seina” Shiraishi, who is devoted to preserving and performing the American pop and jazz hits of my own mid-century era, sent me these lovely photos taken on Christmas Day 2012. Seina visited the Korean War Memorial Cross in her hometown of Kokura, Japan, and — as a sweet gesture of remembrance and gratitude to our soldiers and their sacrifices, and to my own 1951 troop-entertainment tour of the frontlines in Korea with Danny Kaye — played two of my songs on-site via her iPhone. The tunes were “The Song is You” and “I’ll Be Seeing You,” which both appeared on my 1957 album SING IT TO THE MARINES. To learn more about Seina, her music and her good work, please visit her on Facebook the Web.
Love to you, Seina! oxo, Monica
ダニー・ケイとモニカ・ルイス(朝鮮戦争慰問)
Ms. Monica Lewis passed away on June 12, 2015.
I encountered Ms. Monica Lewis when I was researching the Korean War Memorial in my hometown. She is a singer who has supported American troops in the Korean War throughout her life since she visited Korea with Danny Kaye and sang for them.
I was a singer who loved American songs from the WWII era and I did some projects through music and met many Americans who were through the era.
Two singers who love songs from the era, we became a friend.
Ms. Monica,
Thank you very much for sharing your life, and music and became my friend.
Rest in peace and sing for people in heaven.
I’ll be seeing you in every lovely song that you sing.
Angels Swing / Seina