North Allegheny Students Preserve the Korean War Memorial

By Paula Green

Yuri Jang and Daniel Shin with Congressman Mike Doyle

The Korean War Memorial is located on North Shore Drive in Pittsburgh, situated between Heinz Field and PNC Park and was dedicated on July 27, 1999. The memorial honors the brave service members who gallantly fought in this war, which ran from 1950-1953.

Four North Allegheny School District students are committed to maintaining the upkeep of the monument. Every Saturday, Vedha Avali, Yuri Jang, Daniel Shin and Alex Malfregeot clean the memorial grounds. Vedha and Yuri are sophomores at North Allegheny Intermediate; Daniel is a junior and Alex is a senior at North Allegheny High School.

“I enjoy cleaning up the war memorial to show my gratitude. It is important to carry on the soldiers’ legacy, so their hard work will never be limited to an inscription on a granite wall. This extends further than just the Korean War. From World War I to the Vietnam War, the brave hearts who have served should be commemorated for their heroic deeds on and off the battlefield,” added Daniel.

“As a Korean-American, I knew loosely the history of the war bearing my country’s namesake. I realized the memories of those who passed away in the war still live on in the veterans who survived. I am thankful for these brave heroes because, without them, my parents would have never come to America, and I would never have the opportunities I have today,” Daniel said.

Daniel Shin and Alex Malfregeot with Korean War veterans in front of the memorial.

“I clean the memorial because I do not want the people who sacrificed so much in the war to be forgotten. It is important to pay respect to those who served. The Korean War is sometimes overlooked, but it was fought just as hard, was just as demanding as any other war our forefathers fought, and they ask for little in return, only our respect,” Alex remarked.

“Many veterans fought courageously and strongly in the Korean War, and their courage needs to be remembered. Since the Korean War is often seen as a smaller conflict that is overshadowed by the Cold War, light needs to be brought to the struggles and triumphs of the veterans who fought for us. Keeping the memorial beautiful and clean is important for memorializing the Korean War, and I am glad I can help do this and give back to the community while honoring the veterans who fought for our country,” Vedha said.

“As a young Korean teenager, I did not pay much attention to my heritage in the past. I was living in the United States, living in the moment. As I got older, I realized how wrong I was,” said Yuri.

“I learned of an amazing opportunity that helped improve the environment and built relationships with Korean War veterans. By cleaning the Korean War Memorial, it keeps it beautiful for people to visit and remember. We do this every Saturday morning to keep it in pristine condition. I want everyone to experience the heart of the veterans through a beautiful memorial. It is not possible to force someone to care, but it is in my control to keep the memorial clean and try to bring people together with the memory of the war and the veterans who served,” Yuri added.

Last summer, Congressman Mike Doyle honored the students for their community service with the Korean War Memorial. Pittsburgh Mayor Bill Peduto will honor the foursome on January 10. n

Sources: http://www.kwva.org/memorials/pa/p_mem_pa.htm