Remember the Cheonan
With few to know and none to weep
For faith so brave, a soul to keep
A silent grave in oceans deep.
And when the end has come at last
And unfilled shadows heaven casts,
Remember we who served and fell
And to the hosts of heaven tell,
Bring home my boys who loved so well.
[Getty Images, via N.Y. Times]
[Getty Images, via N.Y. Times]
[AP]
Painful.
While every person who signs up for military service knows he or she may die in combat, at a young age, these folks were not even in battle, technically speaking. They were, in a way, “sucker-punched.” At least in the battles of 1999, 2002, and 2009, the enemy was in sight and the ROK sailors had the chance to fire back.
At the very least, the ROK now has a president who openly honors and salutes the men and women in uniform who are on duty to serve the Korean motherland. A huge improvement.
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I was privileged to attend a memorial ceremony for the brave sailors of the Cheonan this week. The Korean people are very much moved by the sinking of the Cheonan (as am I). As a USFK member, I am reminded daily of the specialness of our alliance with Korea. We spilt our blood together here and in Vietnam, Iraq, and Afghanistan. Korean Soldiers serve in our formations (KATUSAs). For me, losing the sailors of the Cheonan is as if we lost 46 American sailors.
May God be pleased to bless the vitality and strength of our alliance with the Republic of Korea.