Korean War exhibit in Pecatonica

SUBMITTED PHOTO The Gazette
Members of the Pecatonica American Legion Post #197 posting the colors to start the open house on May 24. Glenn Smith played trumpet.
The 75th anniversary of the start of the Korean Conflict is this year. As part of Pecatonica Memorial Day weekend that took place on May 24, the Pecatonica Historical Society held an open house to honor our local Korean War Era veterans.
The Korean War, also known as the Forgotten War due to its overshadowing by WWII and the Vietnam War, took place from June 25, 1950, to July 27, 1953. North Korea and China invaded South Korea. The United States, along with the support of the United Nations, aided in South Korea’s defense. Despite the armistice in 1953, there was no official peace treaty signed. Since the conflict never ended, the peninsula is still technically at war. It remains divided at the 38th parallel. This created the existence of the DMZ (Demilitarized Zone), with both North and South Korean soldiers guarding the 38th parallel and with U.S. military still stationed in South Korea.
We opened the ceremony with the Pecatonica American Legion Post #197 raising the flag and the playing “To the Color” and “Taps” by Glenn Smith. We also had the pleasure of hearing Susan Schomber read letters that her dad, Harold “Hal” Fransen, wrote to her mom, Delores “Dee” Dahl, while he was at sea. They corresponded for two years before marrying in 1956. Background music was provided by Julie and Glenn Smith. Two veterans were also in attendance: lifelong residents Jim Owens, Navy, and Lyle Byl, Army.
The exhibit will remain in the Pecatonica Public Library’s history room for an extended period of time. It contains information and memorabilia from our collection and items on loan from families of the veterans. The exhibit contains items such as uniforms and stories, including those of Donald Campbell, who was a prisoner of war.
Please make a trip to this exhibit to honor those veterans from our community. We also welcome any information about local veterans that we may have missed in this exhibit.
The library is open 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Thursday, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Friday and Saturday, and is closed Sunday (until after Labor Day).