November War Heroes: US Marine Corps Harris Father and Son

Independence Activists Include Seosanggyo, Choi Nakcheol, and Shin Gicheol

In November, the war heroes selected were the father and son duo of the U.S. Marine Corps, Major General Field Harris (pictured) and Lieutenant Colonel William Frederick Harris, while the independence activists of November were Seosanggyo, Choi Nakcheol, and Shin Gicheol.

On the 31st, the Ministry of Patriots and Veterans Affairs announced that Major General Harris, the father, served as the commander of the U.S. 1st Marine Aircraft Wing and participated in the Incheon Landing Operation, the Seoul Liberation Operation, and the Wonsan District Battle. During the Battle of Chosin Reservoir from November to December 1950, he supported the U.S. Marines' ground combat through close air support. His son, Lieutenant Colonel Harris, was the commander of the 3rd Battalion, 7th Regiment, 1st Marine Division, and covered the withdrawing troops at Chosin Reservoir, saving many soldiers. He went missing on December 7, 1950, while personally leading from the front with a rifle. Major General Harris received the U.S. Army and Navy Distinguished Service Medals for his service in World War II and the Korean War, and Lieutenant Colonel Harris was posthumously awarded the U.S. Navy Cross for his actions at the Battle of Chosin Reservoir.

Seosanggyo, selected as the independence activist of November, was born in Daegu in 1923. While attending the 5th grade at Daegu Commercial School in May 1942, he organized the "Taegukdan." The Taegukdan aimed to promote national consciousness and academic research, as well as translating military-related books and researching explosives manufacturing. However, due to betrayal by those around them, all 26 members, including Seosanggyo, were arrested. In 1944, Seosanggyo was sentenced to a fixed term of 5 years and a long term of 7 years by the Daegu District Court and was imprisoned until liberation, when he was released. The government posthumously awarded him the Order of Independence Merit in 1963. Seosanggyo passed away in 2018 at the age of 95.

Choi Nakcheol, born in Muju in 1921, formed the anti-Japanese secret society "Yeonguhoe" in January 1941 while in the 5th grade at Daegu Normal School. Later, Yeonguhoe merged with another secret society at the same school, the Literary Arts Club, to form the "Dahyeokdang." They circulated Korean history books, opened night schools to promote national consciousness, and conducted military training in preparation for the independence war. After graduating from Daegu Normal School in March 1941, Choi was appointed to Yakcho Public Elementary School but was arrested when Dahyeokdang's existence was discovered. On November 30, 1943, he was sentenced to 5 years in prison by the Daejeon District Court and was released upon Korea's liberation. Choi received the Order of Independence Merit in 1963 and passed away in 2005 at the age of 84.

Shin Gicheol, born in Chuncheon in 1922, joined the "Sangnokhoe" in February 1938 while attending Chuncheon High School. Sangnokhoe was an organization that promoted "the liberation of the Korean nation, the true education of Koreans, and the cultivation of members' unity and spirit," organizing reading clubs and rural enlightenment movements. Shin served as president of Sangnokhoe from October 1938 and led meetings at churches demanding the Japanese authorities address discrimination between Japanese and Koreans and rural issues, according to the Ministry of Patriots and Veterans Affairs. The Sangnokhoe was discovered by the police the same year, and Shin was sentenced to 2 years and 6 months in prison by the Gyeongseong District Court the following year. The government awarded him the Order of Patriotism Merit in 1990. Shin passed away in 2003 at the age of 81.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.