Retired ROK Army general donates Gen. Paik field jacket to Eighth Army museum

Retired Republic of Korea Army Maj. Gen. Lee Seo-young, a former defense attaché to the ROK embassy in the United States, presented a field jacket of the late Eighth Army honorary commander, Gen. Paik Sun-yup (ret.), to Lt. Gen. Bill Burleson, Eighth Army commanding general, at the Eighth Army, 2nd Infantry Division and Korean Theater of Operations Museum, Dec. 2, 2022.

Lee received Paik's honorary commander field jacket when he visited Paik's office in mid-January 2014 when he returned from his post as defense attaché to the ROK embassy in the United States.

Lee, who had personally owned Paik's field jacket, met with Burleson Oct. 7 and announced his intention to donate it to the Eighth Army, 2nd Infantry Division and KTO Museum on USAG Humphreys so that more people could see Paik's field jacket and reflect on his achievements during the Korean War and the importance of the ROK-U.S. Alliance, and Burleson agreed.

Lee currently serves as president of Korea Defense Veterans Association (KDVA) Korea chapter.

Paik was South Korea’s most highly decorated war hero and first four-star general. He led combat forces in 10 major battles from the Nakdong River to the Yalu River during the Korean War. Paik also served on the Korean War Armistice Commission and helped establish the Korean Augmentation to the U.S. Army program (KATUSA) that assigns ROK Army troops to Eighth Army units. Paik chronicled his Korean War service in his memoir “From Pusan to Panmunjom.”

Paik’s ROK Army troops won a decisive victory against North Korean forces at the Pusan Perimeter in 1950. During the Battle of Tabudong, Paik’s troops protected the Eighth Army and ROK Army headquarters in Daegu. For his actions in the battle, Paik was awarded the Distinguished Silver Star from then Eighth Army commanding general, Lt. Gen. Walton Walker.

Paik was named honorary Eighth Army commander Aug. 30, 2013.