The Graybeards - KWVA - Korean War Veterans Association

U.S. 80 Dedicated as the Korean War
Veterans Memorial Highway
AN OCEAN TO
OCEAN MEMORIAL
TO THE KOREAN
WAR VETERANS,
FROM SEA TO
SHINING SEA
76
This July 19, 2006 press release from
the Louisiana Department of
Transportation and Development
(DOTD) says it all:
The Louisiana Department of
Transportation and Development
(DOTD)honored those who fought in the
Korean War today by dedicating U.S. 80 as
the Korean War Veterans Memorial
Highway.
Senate Resolution No. 12 was passed in
2005, allowing DOTD to rename U.S. 80
throughout the state of Louisiana as the
Korean War Veterans Memorial Highway.
Sens. Robert Barham and Gerald
Theunissen authored the bill in order to recognize
those who defended the freedom of
the people of South Korea.
“I am honored to be here today as we
acknowledge the brave soldiers, sailors and
airmen who served in the Korean War,” said
DOTD Secretary Johnny B. Bradberry. “I
believe the dedication of U.S. 80 as the
Korean War Veterans Memorial Highway is
a fitting tribute to those involved in the conflict.”
William Clark, a veteran of the Korean
War and resident of Pearl, Miss., started the
mission to have U.S. 80 renamed from coast
to coast. Louisiana is the fourth state to dedicate
the highway, after Alabama,
Mississippi and New Mexico. Clark has
been working with the transportation departments
of California, Arizona, Texas and
Georgia, so U.S. 80 can be known as the
Korean War Veterans Memorial Highway
across the entire nation.
Speakers at the dedication ceremony
included Bradberry; Sen. Barham, District
33; Mayor James Mayo, City of Monroe;
President Sue Edmunds, Monroe Chamber
of Commerce; and Col. Louis T. Dechert,
president of the Korean War Veterans
Association.
Lou Dechert, President of the KWVA, unveils
the new highway sign
Here is what President Dechert said:
AN OCEAN TO OCEAN MEMORIAL
TO THE KOREAN WAR VETERANS,
FROM SEA TO SHINING SEA
The ceremony today is to honor men who
have fought for this nation and freedom, the
men from the Korean War who gave generations
since and generations yet to be the
great truth: FREEDOM IS NOT FREE!
This is, I believe, particularly appropriate
since Highway 80 was such a distinctive part
of our national history. Great explorations
from the Old World traveled along this trace.
In the west, Cochise and Geronimo fought
the US Army. Bonnie and Clyde died on it.
Yankees trod it in the War between the
States. German and Italian POW were held
in camps in various places, either side of the
route—and there was none of the present
nonsense about constitutional rights
mouthed about or printed in the press. In
fact, there was no liberal pro-enemy press
allowed in those days—we knew how to do
things right, then.
And, as Ms. Edmunds said a few
moments ago, men went off to the war in
Korea traveling Highway 80—and men
came home along the same route, her daddy
being one of those who came home on
Highway 80.
Highway 80 was once upon a time called
The Dixie Overland Highway. There are
September – October 2006
The Graybeards