General Whitcomb, Who Dedicated Himself to Korea, Honored at 43rd Memorial Ceremony in Busan

Busan Regional Office of Patriots and Veterans Affairs
to Hold Memorial Ceremony at 10 a.m. on July 11
at United Nations Memorial Cemetery and Other Venues

A memorial ceremony will be held to honor the noble spirit of General Richard S. Whitcomb, who dedicated himself to the reconstruction of Busan and the establishment of welfare infrastructure after the Korean War.

The Busan Regional Office of Patriots and Veterans Affairs (headed by Lee Namil) announced that the 43rd memorial ceremony for General Richard S. Whitcomb will take place at 10 a.m. on July 11 at the United Nations Memorial Cemetery and the UN Peace Memorial Hall in Busan.

Statue of General Witcom.

Approximately 150 people are expected to attend the event, including Lee Namil, head of the Busan Regional Office of Patriots and Veterans Affairs, the chairman of the Whitcomb Hope Foundation, the president of Pusan National University, the director of the UN Peace Memorial Hall, the commander of the 5th Logistics Support Command, the president of Tongmyong University, and the mayor of Nam-gu.

The ceremony will include an introduction of the general’s achievements, commemorative speeches, a wreath-laying at his grave, and tours of the general’s statue and the memorial hall.

General Whitcomb (1894?1982) served as the commander of the U.S. 2nd Logistics Support Command during the Korean War, leading humanitarian aid and infrastructure development efforts in Busan, which had been devastated by war. He played a leading role in establishing Maryknoll Hospital in Busan and spearheaded the founding of orphanages for war orphans. In particular, he is recognized for securing 500,000 pyeong of land in the Jangjeon-dong area free of charge, laying the foundation for the establishment of Pusan National University.

The most widely known episode is his response to the great fire at Busan Station in 1953. General Whitcomb was summoned to a hearing in the United States for providing military supplies to disaster victims, but he consistently upheld his belief that "war is not fought with guns and swords alone; true victory comes from caring for the people of that country," demonstrating moral leadership.

An official from the Busan Regional Office of Patriots and Veterans Affairs stated, "This memorial ceremony will serve as an opportunity to reflect on the spirit of General Whitcomb, who loved Korea more than Koreans themselves, and to share the precious value of Korea-U.S. friendship with the public."

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