Korea

Book excerpt: In this revised edition, men from the army, navy, and air force are honoured for their bravery in the Korean War. The Korean War (1950-53) forms a little-known but exciting part of Canada’s military history. The heroism and sacrifice of Canadians who fought in this conflict as part of the United Nations force has often been ignored. In this lively, anecdotal book, John Melady combines archival material and interviews with many Korean veterans. The result is a vivid, intensely human account of the war from its first days, to heroic battles such as Kapyong, to fascinating and more obscure incidents such as the Koje prison camp insurrection, as well as personal stories of doctors, POWs, and journalists who witnessed the conflict, including Pierre Berton and Rene Levesque. The men from across Canada who served and fought were forever changed by what they saw and experienced in this faraway land. Army, navy, air force all receive their share of long-overdue praise in this important book, which was originally published in 1983 but is now fully revised.