Today we laugh at North Korea. Its a joke. Its civilians starve, its military feels impotent. But its important to remember that between 1950 and 1953, twenty-six thousand members of Her Britannic Majestys armed forces in Canada deployed to the Korean area of operations, not because Canadians crave war, but because we hate it. Canadian Army involvement was spearheaded by the newly-created 2 PPCLI, who helped make up the 27th British Commonwealth Brigade assigned with IX Corps, under the United States Army. The Second Battalion of Princess Patricias Canadian Light Infantry, the Pats, were the first Canadian foot soldiers to see action on the peninsula. Follow-on forces would bring Canadian ground strength to 8,500 men. The Royal Canadian Navy participated with eight destroyers and seconded an aviator to the United States Navy for aircraft carrier combat operations. All told over 3,600 sailors joined in. From the Royal Canadian Air Force, twenty-two pilots went on secondment with Americas air force to fly against the enemy. Eight Distinguished Flying Crosses were awarded, and four Air Medals. Other airmen helped thousands of tons of cargo and thirteen thousand passengers cross the Pacific in six hundred flights. And still others watched the fort in Europe. Canada also supplied sixty fighter jets to the Americans. That war netted three hundred twelve members of the Canadian Armed Forces killed in action; and two hundred four noncombat deaths. A price we offered freely to show that, sometimes, the United Nations can make a difference, and so that South Korea could become what it is today. If England invaded Wales tomorrow, somebody would probably do something. That willingness should be extended regardless of where these things happen.
Posted on: Mon, 07 Jul 2014 19:30:28 +0000
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