Dad heads off to the Korean War in August 1950 following WWII! This was too much war and trauma for one person let alone thousands like my Dad who fought two wars.

USS Andromeda (AKA-15)

(United States of America) Laid down: 22 September 1942 Launched: 22 December 1942 Commissioned: 2 April 1943 Decommissioned: 1 May 1956 Struck: 1 July 1960 Fate: Sold in 1971 General characteristics Displacement: 13,910 tons Length: 459 ft 3 in (140 m) Beam: 63 ft (19.2 m) Draft: 26 ft 4 in (8.0 m) Speed: 16.5 knots (31 km/h) Complement: 404 Armament: 1 × 5 in (127 mm) 1 × 38 caliber dual purpose gun mount 4 × 3 in gun mounts

Museum of Military History…  Quote and photo from this website…

I really don’t hear a whole lot about the Korean War and the sacrifice of combat veterans who are still very much with us, especially if they were just 17 when entering the service at that time in the early 1950’s.  What really shocked me is that my father, Vernon, after being diagnosed with severe “battle fatigue” following extended combat duty in WWII was sent away to the Korean War on the USS Andromeda just a few years later.  “Andromeda provided logistics support for United Nations forces fighting the Korean War until returning to San Diego at the end of the year. After 10 months of duty on the west coast, the ship returned to the Orient and logistics support for the United Nations defense of South Korea.”  Dad was told that he would not have to go back to any war while still in the Navy.  He was away again for about one year supporting the troops in the Korean War even though his condition and symptoms of PTSD worsened according to his medical records and observations by family members. 

I remember Dad coming home, as written in my book, Reconciliation: A Son’s Story.  “I was standing with my Mother, brothers, Jerry and Danny, and could see him waving from the ship when it was being secured to the dock.  The really tough times for Dad and our family were in the 50’s and vivid memories still persist.  We were all afraid and walked on egg shells most of the time.  It is sad for me to think of these times, and even more troubling to think that the US Navy sent my Dad and probably thousands of other WWII combat veterans back to war during the Korean conflict.  Dad’s symptoms were especially apparent with panic attacks and nightmares of shipboard duty.  He along with thousands of WWII veterans served America with pride and honor in combat during WWII and should not have had to return to duty during the Korean conflict.”

The Museum of Military History touched me personally during my visit last year…  I was honored to have participated in an open house event and share my family’s post WWII story with veterans from all branches of service who attended.   It is now my pleasure to honor the veterans and families who served both in WWII and the Korean War on this anniversary day of the Korean War on July 23, 1950.  We should never forget the realities of life after war, especially for veterans who serve multiple and extended combat duty in all wars… 

Steve Sparks
Author
Reconciliation: A Son’s Story  click to review and order…