Created and Photos by catch4all.com, Sandra Englund
Music by: Yanni, In the Morning Light
POW / MIA Highway 117 Dedication Remembering the Prisoners of War (POW) and those Missing in Action (MIA) and their Families September 22, 2013 - 11:00 AM - 2:00 PM
Rainbow Sweepers 4101 S Tumwater Truck Route
Port Angeles, WA 98362 Hosted by Korean War Veterans Association
Photo desc: September 22nd 2013 at 11:00 AM At POW/MIA
Highway 117 Dedication: 2 American Legion Riders, Post 29, Jerry Rettela (President
Korean War Veterans) Cherie Kidd (Port Angeles Mayor), Dori Synn (KWA Board),
Paull Shin (Senator), Chong Kim Dameron (KWA Board Chair), Pia Hong (KWA
Board), Kiyul McDonald (KWA Boad) Yang Jae Hak ( Korean War Merit Association President)
and 2 American Legion Riders, Post 29
Welcome and Guest Introduction and presented appreciation medal to Senator Paull Shin by Korean War Veterans Assoc. President, Jerry Rettela
Photo desc: Clallam County Commissioner, Mike Doherty, Senator Paull Shin, Cherie Kidd, Port Angeles Mayor, and Korean War Veterans Assoc. President, Jerry Rettela
Special Guest Speakers: Senator Paull Shin, Cherie Kidd, Port Angeles Mayor, Legislative Assistant Shawn O'Neill for Senator Jim Hargrove, Col. Robert, Clallam County Commissioner, Mike Doherty, Korean War Veterans Association Vice President, Terry Roth, Marine Corp League.
Photo desc: Korean War Veterans Association Vice President, Terry Roth, Marine Corp League, Col. Don Roberts, guest, Clallam County Commissioner, Mike Doherty, Senator Paull Shin, and Cherie Kidd, Port Angeles Mayor
Photo desc: Col. Don Roberts, guest, Clallam County Commissioner, Mike Doherty, Senator Paull Shin, and Cherie Kidd, Port Angeles Mayor and Legislative Assistant Shawn O'Neill
Support Organizations: Korean War Veterans Association American Legion Riders, Post 29 Korean War Merit Association American Legion Ladies Auxiliary Serving Korean Women's Association (KWA)
Korean War Veterans Association
American Legion Riders, Post 29 and Korean War Merit Association
American Legion Ladies Auxiliary Serving
Korean War Veterans Association, and Korean Women's Association (KWA) , Board Dori Synn and Board Chair, Chong Kim Dameron, and KWA Board Chief of Staff, Ki Yul McDonald
Korean Women's Association (KWA) Board, Ki Yul McDonald, and Pia Seeger and Korean War Veterans with Col. Don Roberts
Regardless pouring the rain which felt like the rain tears from the POW those of who stood for the freedom and died and lost from the war, Korean war, Vietnam war, and many wars.....and it didn't matter even all of us got wet in the ceremony....all of us were strong and we were one and united in spirit.....we could see each others eyes and face with Freedom that we have is not free which costed their sacrifieces and love and what kept all of us free......
The WTP identifies the total unfunded statewide need, identifies significant statewide transportation issues, and recommends statewide transportation policies and strategies to the legislature and Governor (RCW 47.01.071(4). STP Naming decision in year 2013 which was given the Resolution No.
713 for POW/MIA Memorial Highway.
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The sixty-third legislature passed and the President of the Senate signed Senate Joint Memorial 8005 requesting the Transportation Commission to commence proceedings to name state route number 117 in Clallam county between the junction of state number 101 and Marine Drive in the city of Port Angeles the “POW/MIA Memorial Highway” to honor the service and sacrifice of all prisoners of war, missing in action, and those unaccounted who served for the United States of America; and The Washington State Transportation Commission requested the Department of Transportation adopted this on May, 22nd, 2013 by Washington State Transportation Commission.
This bill was supported by Sen. Jim Hargrove, D-Hoquiam for the dedication who represents the 24th District, which covers Clallam and Jefferson counties and part of Grays Harbor County.
“The vast majority of men who became POW’s (in the Korean War) did not survive. Eight-thousand men are still unaccounted for,” said Gerald Rettela, President of the Korean War Veterans Association. “We must not forget what these men went through.”
According to Senator Jim Hargrove, he reported that Korean War Veterans Association president, Jerry Rettala and Col. Don Roberts, a veteran of World War II, the Korean War and Vietnam, testified in favor of the joint memorial and received a standing ovation from the committee.
Highway 117 joins four other roadways in Clallam County in honoring America’s soldiers:
Portions of Highways 112 and 113 have been dedicated as the “Korean War Veterans Blue Star Memorial Highway."
A portion of Highway 112 has been dedicated as a ”Vietnam War Veterans Memorial Highway.”
A portion of State Route 110 has been designated as an "Operation Desert Shield and Desert Storm Memorial Highway.” Senator Jim Hargrove was not able to attend this ceremony but, his assistant represented for him during this ceremony.
"Korean War POWs (Prisoners of War) Detained in North Korea" refer to the tens of thousands of South Korean soldiers who were captured by the North Korean and Chinese forces during the Korean War (1950-53) but were not returned during the prisoner exchanges under the 1953 Armistice Agreement. Most are presumed dead but the South Korean government estimates some 560 South Korean POWs still survive in North Korea. The unaccounted South Korean POW issue has been in dispute since the Armistice in 1953. North Korea continues to deny it holds these South Korean POWs. Interest in this issue has been renewed since 1994, when Lt. Cho Chang-ho, a former South Korean soldier presumed to have been killed in the war, escaped from North Korea. As of 2008, 79 former South Korean soldiers have escaped from North Korea.
There have also been reports that several hundred American POWs may not have been returned by North Korea. But the vast majority of unaccounted POWs are South Koreans.
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