The U.S. House will vote tomorrow on a measure honoring the 6.8 million Americans who served in the Korean War by adding Korean War Armistice Day (July 27) to the list of days on which the American flag is displayed at half-staff.

I introduced the resolution on Memorial Day with Representatives John Conyers and Sam Johnson − all three of us are Korean War veterans − along with Members Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, Peter King, and Diane Watson.

In light of the tensions in the Korea region, the lessons and sacrifices from the Korean War are still pertinent today.  Sandwiched between World War II and Vietnam and often forgotten in the public consciousness, the Korean War claimed 54,246 American casualties. Altogether, the war ended leaving in its wake four million military and civilian casualties.

Only two million U.S. Korean War veterans are surviving today and about 1,000 die each day.  A number of them will gather in Washington on Armistice Day to commemorate the freedom for which they fought.  Among the organizations supporting the bill are the Korean War Veterans Association, the Korean American Public Affairs Committee, and the Global Commission for Korean Reconciliation.

The House will have the unique opportunity to highlight this story of American bravery and bring the history of this 'Forgotten War' out of the shadows.

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