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Jasperites gathered at the town cenotaph Friday to honour the fallen from the Korean War and Canoe River disaster.
Greg Key, vice-president of the Jasper branch of the Legion, gave special thanks to Dong Han and the Jasper Korean community, and welcomed Les Dammann and Pete Pearson, past presidents of the Valemount branch of the Legion.
“The Canoe River disaster is special in their hearts and to their Legion,” he said, before telling the story of the tragic train crash.
On November 21, 1950, a troop train and a CNR train collided head-on outside Valemount, killing 17 soldiers and four engine crew members. The soldiers had been on their way to fight in the Korean War. The crash was the largest loss of life on Canadian soil and more than would be killed in a year of combat.
“It was a horrific accident,” said Key. “The level of destruction would shape them all.”
Key described the Korean War, June 25, 1950 to July 27, 1953, where more than 26,000 Canadians served on land, sea and air. More than 500 Canadians lost their lives in the bitter conflict and thousands were injured.
Following an opening prayer from Padre David Prowse, Sergeant at Arms D.J. Klymchuk read the Act of Remembrance, led a two minute silence, and read the Commitment to Remembrance.
Wreaths in honour of the Canoe River disaster, the Korean War, the Legion and the UN were laid by members of the Jasper Korean community, and Pearson and Dammann.
One of those was Dong Han, affectionately known as Grandpa, who has spent years advocating for Canadian soldiers who fought in the Korean War. He said a few words at Friday’s service.
“Thank you to veterans who sacrificed as we celebrate the 70th anniversary of the Korean War,” he said.
“Also we remember those who made the ultimate sacrifice to protect world peace and freedom and democracy. We are very thankful to those who sacrificed, especially those at the Canoe River disaster enroute to the Korean War.
“Canadian sons and daughters answered Canada and the UN’s call, but they are those who never set foot on Korean soil. We remember those sacrifices today.”
Han recalled the start of the Korean War on June 25, 1950.
“At 4 a.m. we heard tanks, Caterpillars and guns and mortars and killing,” he said.
“We heard that when I was ten years old.
“The Korean army had 40 tanks and they had automatic rifles. We didn’t have even one automatic rifle but we fought our best.
“What if the UN did not come to rescue us? We wouldn’t be here.”
Han is spearheading a project to install a new plaque in memory of the Canoe River train crash on Jasper’s cenotaph.
