SOPHIA, WV (LOOTPRESS) – In the small Raleigh County town of Sophia can be found a stunning monument to the Korean War conflict, often regarded as “The Forgotten War.”
The monument, erected in reflective black granite, sits just a block away from City Hall on Mainstreet, Sophia. First dedicated in 2007 by Chapter #156 of the Korean War Veterans Association of Southern West Virginia, the structure initially consisted of four sizeable structures complimented by corresponding granite benches – all paying tribute to those who fought and died in the mid-1900s conflict.
Several flags overlook the monument site, including a United States flag, POW (Prisoners of War) flag, a military flag, and a South Korean flag, and a number of lights can be seen illuminating the site when night falls.
The center monument is inscribed with the Pledge of Allegiance along with a brief description of the monument itself, as well as the conflict in Korea. An excerpt reads,
“The police action in Korea developed into a full scale war that helped stop the spread of communism that would enslave the people of South Korea, a country we never knew and a people we never met. All gave some. Some gave all.”
The inscription sits below that of the American Idiom: “Freedom is Not Free,” and the alternative moniker of the conflict, “The Forgotten War.”
The conflict is frequently referred to as such due to the general lack of attention the war generated with regard to the general public by relative comparison to the preceding World War II and the successive Vietnam War. Despite this relative lack of media acknowledgement, the Korean War statistically was one of the most devastating conflicts of modern times, illustrated by a more significant proportional death toll than both the Vietnam War and World War II, as well as approximately 3 million fatalities of war having been documented.
The structure to the left of the central structure bears inscriptions detailing units killed and wounded in action based on statistics released on June 1, 2000. The units in question read as follows,
“Unit      Killed in Action  Wounded in Action
2nd Inf. Div. Â Â Â Â Â Â Â 7,094 Â Â Â Â Â Â 16,575
1st Mar. Div. Â Â Â Â Â Â Â 4,004 Â Â Â Â Â Â 25,864
7th Inf. Div. Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â 3,905 Â Â Â Â Â Â 10,858
1st Cav. Div. Â Â Â Â Â Â Â 3,811 Â Â Â Â Â Â Â 12,086
24th Inf. Div. Â Â Â Â Â Â Â 3,735 Â Â Â Â Â Â Â 7,395
25th Inf. Div. Â Â Â Â Â Â Â 3,048 Â Â Â Â Â Â 1,086
3rd Inf. Div. Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â 2,160 Â Â Â Â Â Â Â 7,939
Far East AF/5th AF Â Â 1,200 Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â 368
5th RCT Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â 867 Â Â Â Â Â Â Â 3,188
45th Inf. Div. Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â 834 Â Â Â Â Â Â Â 31,710
Naval Far East 7th Fleet 458 Â Â Â Â Â Â 1,576
187th Airborne Act    442         1,656
40th Inf. Div. Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â 376 Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â 1,457
1st Marine Aircraft Wing 258 Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â 174
In addition to the unlisted, 1,432 Army personnel assigned to outfits independent of the divisions and regimental combat teams were also killed in action. Source: Battle Casualties of the Army 9/1994
Statistics released June 1, 2000
Totals:
Killed in Action: 47,274
Died of Wounds: 4,968
Died While Missing: 9,518
Died While POW Interned: 5,612
Total Battle Dead: 67,372
Prisoners of War: 14,490”
The structure right-of-center acknowledges nations that joined the engagement of North Korea in Defense of South Korea following America’s initial engagement. Notably, U.S. President Harry S. Truman regarded America’s involvement in the conflict as “police action,” and war was never officially declared. Also notable is that a peace treaty between North and South Korea was never established, and the war itself never truly concluded. As such, the countries are technically still at war to this day, remaining engaged in a “frozen conflict.”
The inscription of the righthand structure acknowledging additional nations to engage in the Korean conflict reads as follows,
“America was the first nation to engage North Korea’s communistic government in battle in defense of South Korea. America was later joined by:
Australia
Belgium
Canada
Columbia
Denmark
Ethiopia
France
Greece
India
Italy
Luxembourg
Netherlands
New Zealand
Norway
Philippines
South Africa
Sweden
Thailand
Turkey
United Kingdom
Republic of Korea
Hawiian Territory
The United Nations”
A fourth, smaller granite structure stands before the aforementioned three and displays a map of the Koreas along with various badges. At the foot of the structure sits one of the many granite benches at the site. This bench in particular, a more recent addition, features an inscription honoring the memory of Sgt. Prince A Clyburn Jr., who served in the Korean conflict and passed away in 2014.
Following approval from Sophia Town Council in 2019, the monument was also augmented by an additional structure – The Blue Hawk Fallen Hero Memorial. This addition was implemented to honor Sophia High School (1943 – 1976) and Junior High (1976 – 1994) alumni who were killed in battle following World War II. Its inscriptions read as follows,
“Sophia High School Bluehawks, 1943-1976
Sophia Jr. High Bluehawks, 1976-1994
Sophia High School and Junior High Alumni who were killed in action:
Class
1949  James Leroy McClure         Korea
Oct. 14, 1931Â Â Â Feb. 13, 1951
1955   Ewell Edgel Accord          Vietnam
Sept. 9, 1937Â Â Â May 1, 1967
1965   Richard Wayne Bryant       Vietnam
June 27, 1917Â Â June 28, 1967
1965Â Â Â Jackie Everett Bolen Jr. Â Â Â Â Â Â Vietnam
Oct. 26, 1917Â Â Oct. 17, 1947
1955 Â Bernard Burdette McKinney Jr. Vietnam
Apr. 12, 1936Â Â Feb. 8, 1968
1964   Bobby Wayne Armes         Vietnam
May 19, 1946Â Â Aug. 3, 1969
1994   Jeffery Scott Taylor      Afghanistan
May 18, 1975Â Â Jun. 28, 2005”
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