Former Marine Recalls Feeling Forgotten On 60th Anniversary of Korean War

On 60th Anniversary of Korean War, Former Marine Recalls Feeling 'Forgotten'
Written by Jennifer Moore
Friday, 25 June 2010


The Korean War began 60 years ago Friday when North Korea invaded the South.

President Truman was in his home in Independence, Missouri, when his Secretary of State delivered the news. Within a few short weeks, US Troops were preparing to come to the defense of South Korea, even though war was never officially declared. One soldier who was among them was a young Marine by the name of Clifford Auberry. On Friday, he joined KSMU's Jennifer Moore by phone in Springfield.


Auberry went to Korea just a few months after the invasion in 1950, and he stayed through 1951.

"Well, I was a Marine, and I was pretty proud to go over there. But I felt like we were forgotten over there," he said.

"We didn't have equipment. We didn't have food. And other than our folks, we didn't hear from anybody," Auberry said.

He made two major landings in amphibious tanks, and said South Korea was "pretty well shot up" by the time US troops got there.

I asked him what emotions he feels when he hears the Korean War referred to as the "Forgotten War."

"Well, it's not very good emotions. We felt that way when we were over there. Only our families seemed to be the only ones who knew we were in Korea. And they said it wasn't really a war, that it was a police action," he recalls.
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