The Korean War: Orphans and Orphanages -- American Aid

Figure 1.--This Marine Corps sergeant is one of thousands who wrote hime about Korean orphans. The press caption reads, "The Sergeant and the Waif: Marine Sgt. Joseph R. McKinnon enjoys the delight of aittle Korean girl sampling a few of the packages's contents, that were shipped to Seargeant by folks in his home town of Marion, Virginia. Sgt. McKinnon wrote aetter back to the States asking for aid for Korean such as this little waif. The towns people resoponded with 74 crates and packages. Medodist Bishop Willian C. Martin, mindful of just such instances, praised the Amerucan soldiers in Korea for their relief work in behalf of Korean children. He said the soldiers 'planted the seeds of goodwill' and 'Kindness that will never be uprooted.' The photograph as dated December 26, 1953. Notice the packages. They are not foodand supplies ordered by the governent, but packaged lovingly prepared by individul families.

The American support for the Korean orphans were the GIs serving in Korea who saw the desperate need up close and personal. Countless American GI's helped save the lives of thousands Korean orphans during and after the Korean War. It is one of many forgotten stories about American exceptionalism that does not fit the narative that the media, academia, and Hollywood are determined to project. There was no national organization, only individual GIs and small groups who set out to save the children. [Long] American GIs are believed to have saved some 10,000 Korean children who lost their parents and living on the streers of largely destroyed cities, facing rampant disease and starvtion. any more thousands of children were supported during and after thec War. One of those GIs who served in Korea began compiling accounts of the orphans year after retuning to the states. [Drake] Years later South Korean film producers sought out Drake to learm the detaols of how the children were saved. It went largely unrepoorted in Korea and America. One of the jourmslits was fascinared by the story. “What amazed me was … that George Drake had such an unbelievable attachment with these kids, which he still does.” [Oh] One of the orphans who emigrated to America and adopted an American name relates, "I love these people — they took care of me. I had no clothes. No food. Looked like a wild doggy. How sweet, how warm their hearts.” [Rue] He keeps two well-worn photographs in his wallet. One of him at age 10 years in surplus American uniform items, the other with several grinning U.S. soldiers. The same GI who collected the information recalls arriving at Uijeongbu near the DMZ (1952). He and other soldiers volunteered at a nearby orphanage, where they were greeted by a dozen children. He reports that “They were starved for affection." [Drake] And not just affection. They lacked everything, they were starving — malnourished, diseased, barely clothed and dirty. Justvarriving from America, it was shocking. And the sanme was iccurung at GI posts throughout South Korea. Soldiers that preceeed him has been writing letters hom, describing the dreadful conditions. Much of the same had occured in Germany after the War. But in Germany the post-War Government stpped uo to aid refuges and orophans. This was not occuring in Korea. [Long] The soldiers wrote letters home and described the dreadful conditions, especiall the plight of the orphanbs. Packges and dimations began arriuving from American churches and civic orgnizations like the Elks and Rotary clubs. The outpoing of compassion was overwealming. TheArmyeventually had to leasea frighter to bring the packages to Korea. Food, clothes, and supplies began reaching the orohbages. The director of field operations during the war for the Christian Children’s Fund estimates that the GI's audedcsoime 100,000 ababdined Korean children durung and ruht after the War. He says, “I refer to them as an army of compassion, and it really was exactly that." [Ashbury] And that assistance continued on a smaller scale for years as the orhanans were placed and many orphanages closed. I recall an orphanage we assisted when I was stationed in Korea (1972). We stoped by with food every week on maul runs to a hawk missle base.

Sources

Ashbury, William. Director of Field Operations in Korea, Christian Children’s Fund.

Drake, George. "George Drake". Website dedicated to honoring the thousands of American GIs who helped save Korean war orphans.

Long, Katherine. "Veterans’ forgotten story: How thousands of Korean orphans were saved," Seattle Times (November 10, and updated November 11, 2010).

Oh, Jessica. Korean film maker in Korea.

Rue, Bob. Korean war orphan saved by American GIs.

Created: 7:35 AM 9/6/2018
Last updated: 7:13 AM 9/6/2018