GALWAY–Members of The Korean War Veterans Association came to visit the junior class at Galway on Friday, November 8 and told them a little bit about what the war was like for Veteran’s Day. They shared their stories and ensured that the Korean War will never be forgotten.

After their presentation, a few students went to eat lunch with them and learned more about their stories. I also got the chance to sit down with a few of them and listen to them tell us about their lives and how they were affected by the war. One man in particular told us a lot about what the army means to him.

Bob Olsen enlisted in his late teens. “It was the smartest thing I ever did.” He told me that if he hadn’t joined the army he would’ve gone nowhere. “If I hadn’t enlisted, I would probably be in jail right now. That’s where everybody else went.”

His love for the army didn’t stop him from telling us about some of the horrors of the Korean War. He and his fellow veterans told us about the living conditions for soldiers in Korea and they did not sound very comfortable. They explained that the temperatures could go all the way down to thirty degrees below zero and all they had for shelter were round, metal huts. “The sleeping bags were two blankets sewn together,” one of the veterans explained. Olsen began to tell us the ugly truth about the situation. Trucks full of dead soldiers were parked near where he was camping. He told us about a time when he took a sleeping bag off of a dead man on one of these trucks. He shrugged his shoulders and said, “That was how it was.” It seemed to me that he really wants people to know what happened there. The whole story.

Bob Olsen is a very special man. He received the Bronze Star. The Bronze Star is awarded for valor. He was awarded the star for volunteering to lead a patrol. “I looked after my men.” That was all he had to say when explaining his many promotions. When I asked him how honored he was to receive the Bronze Star, his response made me smile. “I don’t know if I deserved it or not but… I took it.” His humble manner inspired me and I know that I can’t be the only one.

After the war, Olsen went to college to be a teacher and says that he loves it. He has been married to his wife for 58 years and has more grandchildren and great grandchildren than you can count on your hands. He seems to be a very happy man. You can tell that he loves his wife. Another student asked, “Was it love at first sight?” He replied with a smile, “Oh, yes. You might not believe it now, but… you just wait.”

The Korean War affected Olsen’s life and many, many more. There were 33,742 casualties in the Korean War. 7,410 were captured and 8,177 were reported as missing in action. The Korean War must never be forgotten. That may be why these veterans came to tell Galway their story. They don’t want it to be forgotten and they want people to take lessons away from it. Olsen seems to look back on his experience with a smile and is never bitter about it. He seems to have taken away from it many lessons, himself, which he is sure to share with the world. The world just has to listen.