Chosin Reservoir Battle Memorial

GROUND BREAKING - JAN 10, 2022 - 
JANGJIN / CHOSIN FEW MEMORIAL
DALLAS - FT WORTH NATIONAL CEMETERY
PROPOSED DEDICATION - SPRING - 2022

PURPOSE:  Our mission is to create a monument honoring the United Nations and South Korean forces who participated in the epic battle of the Chosin Reservoir,  and the many North Korean refugees who fled to freedom during the battle.  Our mission is to educate present and future generations about the cost of our freedom.  Our mission is to preserve the legacy of valor of Americans, South Koreans, and all who fight for freedom and democracy around the world.

PROJECT OWNER/SPONSORS:  The Chosin Few Association of North Texas has teamed with the Metroplex Military Charitable Trust (MMCT) and Metroplex Marines to build the monument on the grounds of the Dallas - Fort Worth National Cemetery.   This partnership originally was formed about 2012 to raise support for an internationally significant Chosin Reservoir Battle Memorial.  That project was successfully completed and dedicated in May, 2017 on the grounds of the National Museum of the Marine Corps in Quantico, VA.

THE MONUMENT.  The monument, shown above in an artists rendering, will consist of a granite wall over 12 feet long and 7 feet high.  Atop the wall will be the "Star of Koto-Ri" , a polished stainless steel sculpture based on the emblem of the Chosin Few Association.  The wall will be built of eight panels of polished black granite engraved with the story of the battle.  Bronze sculptures, rendered in relief, will be mounted on the upper third of each panel.  The sculptures, will depict places and scenes from the battle as well as many faces of individuals, from  GIs and Marines, to Medal of Honor recipients and North Korean refugees.

WHO ARE THE CHOSIN FEW?  The Chosin Few is an association of members of  the military forces of the United Nations who are veterans of the Chosin Reservoir Battle in North Korea in 1950.   Of the over 18,000 UN forces who were at the reservoir,  about 15,000 were US Marines, about 250 were British Royal Marine Commandos, about 2,300 were US Army soldiers and about 700 were Koreans attached to the US Army.   Numerous US Air Force and Navy pilots also supported the ground forces. 

WHO IS THE METROPLEX MILITARY CHARITABLE TRUST?   Metroplex Military Charitable Trust, of Dallas, TX,  is a 501c3 not for profit which has raised money for programs supporting veterans and the community at large, in the Dallas and Ft Worth metroplex for over 30 years.  The outreach arm of the MMCT is Metroplex Marines.  Members are Marines whether active duty, reserve, or retired.  The mission of the Metroplex Marines is to support local military personnel – regular, reserve, and retired; and to assist  military support charities and volunteer organizations.  Learn more about the MMCT at:  http://www.metroplexmarines.org/ and http://www.nonprofitfacts.com/TX/Metroplex-Military-Charitable-Trust.html

WHY TWO NAMES - JANGJIN /CHOSIN?  The battle will forever be known to Americans and other UN forces who  fought in it as the battle of Chosin,  but Chosin is a Japanese word.  The only maps available to the UN forces at the time of the battle were Japanese maps which were made during Japan's brutal rule over Korea which ended after WWII.   The Korean word for Chosin is Jangjin, sometimes spelled Changjin.   In respect for the Koreans and in appreciation of the generous financial support that South Koreans and Korean Americans have given to the project the formal name of the memorial is:

       JANGJIN / CHOSIN RESERVOIR BATTLE MEMORIAL

ABOUT THE CHOSIN RESERVOIR BATTLE.   In the winter of 1950, in temperatures of -30 to -65 degrees,  18,000 United Nations troops, US and British marines, US Army soldiers and South Korean soldiers were surrounded, high in North Korea's rugged mountains, by over 120,000 Chinese soldiers.   The mission of the attacking Chinese was to annihilate the 1st Marine Division.  Chinese leaders believed if they destroyed the 1st Marine Division the Korean War would be over, and Korea would be theirs.  A few days later the Marines broke out and evacuated by sea to South Korea after having inflicted severe casualties on the attacking Chinese.   South Korea remains free today!

WE HAVE DONE THIS BEFORE!  -  CHOSIN RESERVOIR BATTLE MEMORIAL - NATIONAL MUSEUM OF THE MARINE CORPS.   In 2017 the Metroplex Military Charitable Trust partnered with the North Texas Chapter of the Chosin Few Association, survivors of the Chosin  Battle,  in creating the internationally significant Jangjin/Chosin Reservoir Battle Memorial at the National Museum of the Marine Corps in Quantico, VA.  Chairman of the Joint Chiefs, General Joseph Dunford was keynote speaker at the dedication and a few days later President Moon of the Republic of Korea laid a wreath at the memorial.

Above:  President Moon of the Republic of Korea speaks of his own family's escape from North Korea in the evacuation of over 100,000 North Koreans who fled to the south.

DEDICATION - 2019.  The few surviving veterans of the battle are in their late 80's and 90's  Many of them live here in Texas and surrounding states including a large and active Korean American community.  Help us complete this memorial this year.   Our target date for dedication is Veterans Date, November 11, 2019.  

PRESERVING THE LEGACY.  The memorial is designed to "tell the story" of the battle and stimulate the interest of future generations.   About 24 bronze relief scuptures will depict the faces of all 17 Medal of Honor recipients and  many of the other notable participants in the battle.   Key scenes in the actions will be shown  such as  the huge masses of North Koreans who chose to risk injury and death on the brutally cold frozen battlefield - voting for freedom and democracy with their lives - by following the 1st Marine Division as it fought its way south.  

FREEDOM SHIPS.  Many refugees died along the way, but thousands of North Koreans lined the docks waiting to board the evacuation ships.  About 100,000 of them were evacuated in an operation that South Koreans consider a miracle.    Among  the refugees  were the parents of future ROK President Moon.