60 years ago July 23, hostilities ended in the Korean War. Technically, North and South Korea are still at war as a formal peace treaty has never been signed. A Northwoods veteran remembers that day.
Tom Sedivy from Minocqua was in the Army's 2nd Infantry Division. They were above the 38th Parallel, which is the demarcation between North and South today. He says when the truce was announced, more firing began...
"...when they signed it, you could see the enemy troops on the other side of the valley stand up and cheer and shoot off their guns up in the air, it was like the 4th of July was going on. After it was over, that was in '53. During the period leading up to (the truce )it was a little rough, but we all were glad it was over..."
Sedivy arrived in the early part of 1952. He says he was involved in some heavy fighting leading up to the armistice. A significant change was the addition of United Nations troops which Sedivy says were part of the troops he was with...
"....one big line along a place called the Chorwan Valley there were infantry divisions and the U.N. troops spread all the way from Panmunjom to the east coast. All the units were infiltrated into the U.S. forces..."
He says the French and Dutch units were on one side and British units were on the other.
He says he spent a couple of months in Korea after the truce, then headed back to the United States.
Sedivy says possible hostilities breaking out again between the Koreas would be horrific to think about...
"....it probably would be worse with the newer weapons they have now, all the aircraft and oh, my God. There wouldn't be nothing left of that country if they started something again..."
Korean War veteran Tom Sedivy from Minocqua.
