“War is Never Good”

On the occasion of the upcoming 52nd anniversary of the Korean War Armistice (July 27th), Korean War Vet Jim McMurty is quoted, “War is never good.” Jim has good reason to think as he does, he saw his best friend, Keith Seaman, killed by a Communist mortar. Jim said, “Back then we were young, gung-ho.” But, Jim’s wife notes, “When you're young -- and he was very young then -- you can push things back,” and “As you get older, it begins to bother you. It does bother him today.”

Jim, “good” is a relative term and while war was not good for you personally, war is often good for humanity in general. That’s why it was necessary for you and Keith to sacrifice. I suppose for you that is a small consolation for having seen your best friend blown to pieces. But, please be assured that the world is just a little better because of your efforts. Just ask the South Koreans what they think about your sacrifice.

We owe Jim and Keith a large debt of gratitude. Keith paid with his life, and Jim continues to pay with each passing day. Thank you both, and thank you to all of the rest of the Korean War Vets, including my friend Al Martinez.

For the text of the Korean War Armistice, go here.

Update: See my subsequent post.