BAGRAM AIRFIELD, Afghanistan, June 6, 2015--A Korean Memorial Day Observance was held at BAF today, along with a memorial rededication ceremony for Staff Sgt. Yoon Jang-ho, an American soldier killed in 2007 while serving as an English translator with Task Force Dasan. Dignitaries present included the Republic of Korea's Ambassador to Afghanistan Young-Cheol Cha and the Republic of Korea's Defense Attaché to Afghanistan Col. Heejae Lee.
The Republic of Korea first observed Memorial Day on June 6, 1956, to honor the men and women who gave their lives while serving in the Republic of Korea's military. A memorial ceremony is held every year at the national cemetery in Seoul and sirens are sounded across the country to observe a minute of silence.
"I'm honored to be here today to share in this solemn yet celebratory occasion," Commander Maj. Gen. Mike Murray, Bagram Airfield, said. "To honor the fortitude and sacrifice of Korean service members and to recognize our joint commitment to world peace. When darkness threatened, you kept the torch of liberty alight. You kept the flame burning so that others all across the world could share it. You demonstrated the universal truth that freedom is not free. And, for that, we owe you a debt of gratitude. Throughout the past seven decades, we've continued to witness the valor of the Korean warfighter. From combating communism in Far East Asia to the Global War on Terror in Iraq and Afghanistan, the Republic of Korea has stood hand in hand with the United States and served a vital role in Operation Iraqi Freedom, Operation Enduring Freedom, and our current Resolute Support Mission."
Born on Sept. 21, 1980, Jang-ho was the youngest of three children. After graduating from elementary school in Seoul in 1994, he received a secondary education in New York. In 2003, he graduated from the Kelley School of Business at Indiana University with an undergraduate degree in business and started attending The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in early 2004. In December 2004, he returned to the Republic of Korea and joined the Republic of Korea Army's Special Warfare Command as a translator in June 2005. He was deployed to Afghanistan in September 2006, and was to return to Republic of Korea on March 14, 2007.
On Feb. 27, 2007, while serving as an English translator with Task Force Dasan, Jang-ho died while defending BAF when a suicide bomber detonated an explosive device at an entry control point. An American contractor and 20 Afghan workers were also killed. Jang-ho was posthumously promoted to Staff Sergeant and awarded the Inheon Order of Military Merit and the Bronze Star.
"I am sincerely grateful for this opportunity to take part in the memorial service for Staff Sgt. Yoon Jang-ho," Republic of Korea's Ambassador to Afghanistan Young-Cheol Cha said. "On behalf of the government of the Republic of Korea, I extend my deepest appreciation for your dedicated efforts toward relocating and embellishing the memorial monument for Staff Sgt. Yoon. I firmly believe that what you have shown today will move the hearts of not only the family and relatives of Staff Sgt. Yoon but also the hearts of all Korean citizens."
"As a fellow man in uniform, I am eternally proud and grateful to participate in the memorial service for Staff Sgt. Yoon Jang-ho," Republic of Korea's Defense Attaché to Afghanistan Col. Heejae Lee said. "Staff Sgt. Yoon volunteered to serve in the ROK Army and chose the most dangerous mission in Afghanistan despite the fact that he spent a large portion of his life in the United States. And he died honorably on duty and became the symbol of patriotism for Korean people as well as the symbol of the blood-forged ROK/US alliance. I am sure he lives forever in our hearts through your sincere attempt to remember the history and to hold memorials for him. As it has always been, I wish that the alliance between the Republic of Korea and the United States will continue to serve as the strongest alliance in the world, protecting and building world peace."
This will likely be the last public event for the Korean contingent, as the hospital and training center will close later this month. The Korean Hospital at Bagram cared for almost 300,000 patients. At its peak, the hospital had a staff of eleven doctors -- six from Korea and five from Afghanistan -- with 200 to 300 patients coming through its doors daily. In addition to the hospital, the Korean Provincial Reconstruction Team established a vocational training center that graduated over 900 students in disciplines that included automotive work, construction, welding & plumbing, electrical, and computer application.
In an appreciation ceremony for the Korean unit earlier this year, Murray said, "We sincerely hope they leave Afghanistan knowing they have had a very positive impact on countless Afghans throughout Parwan and the surrounding provinces. Although they will be gone, the memory of the good they have done here in Afghanistan will live on."
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