Capt. Emil Kapaun, a chaplain who was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor for refusing to abandon troops during combat finally has been recognized with a monument in the country where he died more than six decades ago. The dark gray granite stone, erected by U.S. Army Garrison Daegu in front of the Camp Walker chapel, includes an image of Capt. Kapaun supporting an injured soldier and the inscription, “He paid the ultimate sacrifice and consecrated the soul of Korea.” The monument, about four feet tall, was unveiled Dec. 19. It’s the first memorial on the Korean peninsula for Kapaun, who died in a prisoner of war camp in May 1951 after being captured at Unsan the previous November. Although U.S. forces were surrounded and ordered to evacuate, the Roman Catholic priest stayed behind to comfort the wounded, despite the certainty of capture, and made rounds even as hand-to-hand combat broke out between U.S. and Chinese troops. Kapaun is being considered by the Vatican for sainthood. Thank you for your service, Capt Kapaun. May you continue to rest in peace. stripes/news/monument-unveiled-in-korea-for-medal-of-honor-recipient-emil-kapaun-1.321597
Posted on: Tue, 30 Dec 2014 13:04:12 +0000
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