In honor of National Korean War Veterans Armistice Day, recognized each year on July 25, President Barack Obama issued a statement for veterans who served in the war.
This year marks the 63rd anniversary of the 1953 signing of an agreement between North and South Korea that brought an end to the war.
“We pay tribute to the American patriots who fought for freedom and democracy throughout the Korean War, leaving behind everyone they loved to secure the blessings of liberty for a country they never knew and a people they had never met,” Obama said. “For the heavy price they paid, we will forever honor the legacy of their service and uphold the ideals they secured through this hard-won victory.”
The Korean War began June 25, 1950 and saw an estimated 1.8 million American soldiers participate in a fight to push back against North Korean armies. More than 33,000 Americans died in the war, and 7,800 remain missing.
