Another Dog Tag Found in Remains of Cheongsong War Veteran from 10 Years Ago
Reserve Forces Military Worker Who Assisted with Grave Relocation Kept Dog Tag for 10 Years
Gyeongbuk Gyeongsan City Military Worker Im Daeseong "Happy to Deliver Senior Co
On May 17th, Mr. Im Dae-sung, a military officer of Gyeongsan City, is seen presenting a commemorative plaque along with a "dog tag" to the son of a war veteran who died in battle 73 years ago.
[Asia Economy Yeongnam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Dongwook Park] It has recently come to light that the military dog tag of a soldier who died during the Korean War was delivered to the son of the fallen soldier 67 years later by a reserve forces officer who happened to come into possession of it, creating a heartwarming story in honor of the Month of Patriots and Veterans.
According to Gyeongsan City, Gyeongbuk, on the 2nd, Im Daesung (52), the commander (civilian military officer) of the Western 1st Battalion of the 50th Army Division in Gyeongsan City, recently succeeded in finding the owner of the dog tag he had kept for the past 10 years. Although the dog tag bore the soldier’s number and name at the time of death when he was 27 years old, the dog tag’s journey through many twists and stories before finally reaching the bereaved family was not without difficulty.
Im came into possession of the dog tag in 2009 while serving as a reserve forces commander in Cheongsong County, Gyeongbuk. He was assisting in the process of transferring the remains of Private Kim Heon-chang, who died in the Battle of Gyeongju during the Korean War and was buried in his hometown of Cheongsong, to the National Cemetery. Upon hearing about the difficult circumstances of the soldier’s family from Kim’s younger brother, Im, concerned that the grave might become unclaimed, discovered another dog tag inside Kim’s remains box during the transfer to the National Cemetery.
Despite moving around various regions in Gyeongbuk due to the nature of his military civilian officer duties, Im had always intended to return the dog tag he carefully kept at home to the family. This year, he reported the matter to the Army Headquarters’ bereaved family management team and was able to learn the whereabouts of the dog tag’s family in May.
The owner of the dog tag, who had not returned to his family for 67 years, was Private Lee Jong-hak of the 2nd Battalion, 6th Division of the Republic of Korea Army, who was severely wounded after participating in the Battle of Gyeongju on February 18, 1953, near the end of the Korean War, and died while receiving treatment at the Gyeongju 18th Army Hospital.
After receiving the address of the bereaved family, Im took leave on May 19 and met with Lee Seung-ho (68), the son of the fallen soldier living in Cheongdo, Gyeongbuk, to deliver the dog tag. At this meeting, Im was deeply moved again when he heard from the soldier’s son that "My mother was pregnant with me when my father died in the war, and I have never heard anything else about him."
In addition to the dog tag, Im also presented a commemorative plaque he had prepared. The plaque included the name of the unit in which the late Private Lee Jong-hak served, the hospital where he died (Gyeongju 18th Army Hospital), and the inscription "In honor of our fellow veteran comrades."
In a phone interview with a reporter, Im said, "The dog tag delivered this time is presumed to have mistakenly entered another fallen soldier’s remains box during the urgent circumstances of the war and was accidentally discovered during the grave relocation process 10 years ago." He added, "I am glad that the noble and proud dog tag of a senior comrade who sacrificed for the country, despite the long passage of time, could be returned to the bereaved family."
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