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Current Status Bill Number:View additional legislative information at the LPITS web site.4420 Type of Legislation:Concurrent Resolution CR Introducing Body:House Introduced Date:20000112 Primary Sponsor:R. Smith All Sponsors:R. Smith, Harrell, Woodrum, Altman, Beck, Cato, Davenport, Delleney, Emory, Harrison, Haskins, Koon, Lanford, M. McLeod, W. McLeod, McMahand, Miller, Moody-Lawrence, J.M. Neal, Parks, Perry, Rice, Riser, Seithel, Simrill, Stuart, Tripp, Trotter, Vaughn, Walker, Witherspoon, Young-Brickell, Robinson, Rodgers Drafted Document Number:l:\council\bills\swb\5018djc00.doc Date Bill Passed both Bodies:20000216 Subject:Korean War, U.S. Armed Forces, men who fought during; Veterans' and Military Affairs, Resolutions History Body Date Action Description Com Leg Involved ______ ________ ______________________________________ _______ ____________ House 20000216 Received from Senate Senate 20000216 Adopted, returned to House with concurrence Senate 20000216 Recalled from Committee 08 SG Senate 20000127 Introduced, referred to Committee 08 SG House 20000126 Adopted, sent to Senate House 20000126 Co-Sponsor added (Rule 5.2) by Rep. Robinson Rodgers House 20000120 Committee report: Favorable 24 HIMR House 20000112 Introduced, referred to Committee 24 HIMR Versions of This Bill Revised on January 20, 2000 - Word format
COMMITTEE REPORT
January 20, 2000
H. 4420
Introduced by Reps. R. Smith, Harrell, Woodrum, Altman, Beck, Cato, Davenport, Delleney, Emory, Harrison, Haskins, Koon, Lanford, M. McLeod, W. McLeod, McMahand, Miller, Moody-Lawrence, J.M. Neal, Parks, Perry, Rice, Riser, Seithel, Simrill, Stuart, Tripp, Trotter, Vaughn, Walker, Witherspoon and Young-Brickell
S. Printed 1/20/00--H.
Read the first time January 12, 2000.
To whom was referred a Concurrent Resolution (H. 4420), to express the sense of the General Assembly of the State of South Carolina that, notwithstanding recent media reports of civilian casualties at Nokuen-Ri (No Gun Ri), South Korea, etc., respectfully
That they have duly and carefully considered the same, and recommend that the same do pass:
RONALD N. FLEMING, for Committee.
TO EXPRESS THE SENSE OF THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF SOUTH CAROLINA THAT, NOTWITHSTANDING RECENT MEDIA REPORTS OF CIVILIAN CASUALTIES AT NOKUEN-RI (NO GUN RI), SOUTH KOREA, NOTHING CAN DETRACT FROM THE DISTINGUISHED RECORD AND HEROISM OF THE BRAVE AND GALLANT MEN AND WOMEN WHO SERVED HONORABLY AND FOUGHT VALIANTLY AS SOLDIERS, SAILORS, MARINES, AND AIRMEN IN THE ARMED FORCES OF THE UNITED STATES DURING THE KOREAN WAR, AND THAT THE HEROISM, SERVICE, AND SACRIFICE OF ALL THOSE WHO SERVED THE CAUSE OF FREEDOM BY OPPOSING MURDEROUS COMMUNIST AGGRESSION IN KOREA MUST BE REMEMBERED AND COMMEMORATED WITH HONOR.
Whereas, in the early morning hours of June 25, 1950, the communist government of North Korea launched an unprovoked, surprise attack into South Korea; that, taken by surprise and ill-prepared to resist the sudden attack, the army of the Republic of Korea Army fell back in full retreat; and that hundreds and thousands of Korean civilians also fled southward as refugees to escape the communist onslaught; and
Whereas, determined to support the world's imperiled democracies, the United States immediately led a United Nations force to the remote Korean peninsula to shore up the Army of the Republic of Korea who was being overrun by the communist forces of North Korea; and that, in the face of the sudden emergency, United States garrison troops had to be pulled out of occupation duty in Japan and suddenly thrown into Korea when the North Koreans were smashing their way down the Korean Peninsula, causing great confusion, disorientation, fear, trepidation, and panic, especially among civilian refugees; and
Whereas, the weeks of June, July, and August of 1950, following the initial attack, was a period of great stress and chaos with United States Army units conducting a valiant fighting retreat against the invading North Koreans and facing heavy odds; that frequent relocation of friendly units under continuous attack by the North Korean forces, the prevalence of fighting during limited visibility, and the prevailing technological limits of air and artillery coordination, combined to make the potential of collateral damage, including unintentional civilian casualties, a very real and dangerous possibility; and
Whereas, during this period it was a known and frequently employed communist practice to use civilians to test for minefields; that it was also a known and frequently employed communist practice to disguise armed troops as civilians and attempt to infiltrate and take United States troops by surprise while posing as refugees; and that these cowardly communist practices, coupled with the difficulties inherent in supervising refugee withdrawal while conducting a fighting retreat, also combined to make the potential of collateral damage, including unintentional civilian casualties, a very real and dangerous possibility; and
Whereas, there are recent media reports that approximately one hundred forty-four Korean civilian refugees were killed by United States troops at Nokuen-Ri (No Gun Ri), South Korea, between July 26 and 29, 1950; that the governments of the United States and the Republic of South Korea are undertaking a joint investigation of the events at Nokuen-Ri to determine the facts behind these reports; and that, in the interim, these reports are capable of being used by the enemies of the United States and detractors of the Armed Forces of the United States to blemish the heroism and distinguished record of the one and one-half million men and women who served as soldiers, sailors, marines, and airmen in the Armed Forces of the United States during the Korean War; and
Whereas, of the one and one-half million United States soldiers, sailors, marines, and airmen who fought and served in the Korean War, it must never be forgotten that fifty-four thousand two hundred forty-six were killed in action, eight thousand one hundred seventy-seven are missing in action, seven thousand one hundred forty were prisoners of war, and one hundred three thousand two hundred eighty-four were wounded in action; and
Whereas, regardless of the findings and results of the joint investigation being conducted by the governments of the United States and the Republic of Korea, it is and will forever be the uncontroverted verdict of history that, but for the unprovoked aggression of the communist government of North Korea against the Republic of South Korea, there would have been no Korean War, no Korean refugees fleeing from communist forces, and no United States troops fighting in Korea to stop the communist onslaught; that, but for the unprovoked aggression of the communist government of North Korea against the Republic of South Korea, and the known, frequently employed, and unthinkable communist practices of using civilians to test for minefields, and disguising armed troops as civilian refugees in attempts to infiltrate and take United States troops by surprise, there would have been no occasion for civilians to be exposed to the ravages of war or to become casualties at Nokuen-Ri; and
Whereas, in the immortal words of William Sessions, former Director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation and a veteran of the Korean War, speaking of the United States troops who fought and died in Korea, "They went not for conquest and not for gain, but only to protect the anguished and the innocent. They suffered greatly and by their heroism in a thousand forgotten battles they added a luster to the codes we hold most dear: duty, honor, country, fidelity, bravery, integrity...". Now, therefore,
Be it resolved by the House of Representatives, the Senate concurring:
That it is the sense of the General Assembly of the State of South Carolina that, notwithstanding recent media reports of civilian casualties at Nokuen-Ri, South Korea, nothing can detract from the distinguished record and heroism of the brave and gallant men and women who served honorably and fought valiantly as soldiers, sailors, marines, and airmen in the Armed Forces of the United States during the Korean war, and that the heroism, service, and sacrifice of all those who served the cause of freedom by opposing murderous communist aggression in Korea must be remembered and commemorated with honor.
Be it further resolved that copies of this resolution be forwarded to: President William Clinton, as Commander in Chief of the Armed Forces of the United States; William Cohen, Secretary of Defense; Senator John W. Warner, Chairman, Senate Armed Services Committee; Representative Floyd Spence, Chairman, House Armed Services Committee; Mr. Togo West, Director of the United States Department of Veterans Affairs; Mr. Jimmie Ruff, Office of the Governor, Division of Veteran Affairs, and to each member of the South Carolina Congressional Delegation.
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