WHEREAS, on June 27, 1950, in response to the communist threat to South Koreans and their democracy, President Harry S. Truman committed the first United States forces to combat in South Korea, beginning the Korean War; and

WHEREAS, nearly 1.8 million members of the United States Armed Forces served alongside the forces of the Republic of Korea and 20 other Allied nations under the United Nations Command to defend freedom and democracy on the Korean Peninsula; and

WHEREAS, the Korean War was one of the bloodiest wars in history, with 36,940 Americans killed in action, approximately 103,284 wounded, and 8,176 listed as missing-in-action; and

WHEREAS, seventy one years have passed since the signing of the cease-fire agreement at Panmunjom on July 27, 1953, yet the Korean peninsula still technically remains in a state of war, and the Korean War has become a “Forgotten War” to many Americans; and

WHEREAS, the State of Maine recognizes the service and bravery of Korean War veterans, honors the sacrifice of the 38 POW/MIAs, and remembers the 245 Maine people who lost their lives for our nation during the Korean War; and

WHEREAS, in recognition of the service and contributions of those veterans of the United States Armed Forces who served during the Korean War, the State designates July 27th of each year as Maine Korean War Veteran Recognition Day in accordance with Sec. 1 MRSA § 150;

NOW, THEREFORE, be it resolved that I, Janet T. Mills, Governor of the State of Maine, do hereby proclaim July 27th, 2024 as

Maine Korean War Veteran Recognition Day

throughout the State of Maine, and I urge all citizens to observe the day with appropriate celebration and activity.

In testimony whereof, I have caused the Great Seal of the State to be hereunto affixed GIVEN under myhand at Augusta this seventeenth day of July Two Thousand Twenty-Four