October 05, 1999

As current President of the Korean War Veterans Chapter, Seventh U.S. Cavalry Association, I wish to issue the following statement regarding the alleged "Korean War slaughter." Quoting from a letter written September 19, 1998 by the late Colonel Gilmond Huff, Regimental Executive Officer, 7^th Cavalry and 2^nd Battalion Commander in 1950:

"The Korean people represented by the Associated Press, have accused our people of attacking civilians, having no respect for their lives. There may have been some cases of mistaken identity of whom they were firing upon. But, in my opinion, our soldiers would not have fired upon unarmed civilians. My soldiers fought well, not unlike seasoned soldiers of combat, though they were not. They were young soldiers brought in without adequate training."

"How many mothers and fathers have lost sons, how many husbands lost? Our objective was to restore Korea to its rightful place as a sovereign nation. Who is going to pay for our losses incurred while doing this? We certainly can’t ask Korea to do it. But these 20 families of refugees intend to ask the Federal Government to pay restitution for their losses."

"In closing, let me say that I have never commanded a better group of soldiers, who fought any better or more bravely than did those who were with me in the 2^nd Battalion."

These words of Colonel Huff adequately express the sentiments of the 1100 member Korean War Veterans Chapter, Seventh U.S. Cavalry Association. As Chapter President and a veteran of the 7^th Cavalry during the early days of the Korean War, I take strong exception to the allegations that our veterans deliberately fired on civilians without provocation.

Although the investigative reporters in their news release mentioned North Korean atrocities, did they investigate the possibility that these casualties could have been a part of those atrocities? Do these descendants make their claim for compensation from the U.S. Government, knowing that they would stand no chance of restitution from the North Korean government? Is this a case of going after the deeper pocket?