Local man, born in South Korea, joins Richland County veterans on honor bus trip
Local retired psychiatrist Jay Haar has been to Washington D.C. to see the Korean War monument before, but he will return to the nation's capital this month to see all monuments dedicated to U.S. military veterans with the third Richland County Honor Bus trip.
Sixty veterans are going to see the monuments built in their honor.
Surviving from any difficult time, including a war, is an enormous experience and task, Haar said.
"It is not just a relief that you survived but a lifetime work including all sorrowful memories and aches and pains often lasting forever. Wars are very destructive to all people and land. Survivors struggle often with feelings of guilt because many others didn’t survive," he said.
Haar, now 82, was 10 years old and living with his family in Seoul, South Korea, when North Korea bombed South Korea on June 25, 1950.
Grateful the USA helped his native country
He was just happy that he survived. In an interview with the News Journal, Haar shared his gratitude for the United States coming to his country's rescue. During the war in Vietnam, he served in a Republic of Korea medical unit operating field hospitals in Natrang and Saigon, from 1969-1972, after his medical school. And he served two more years in public health. He also served in the Vietnam War with U.S. troops for a year and 2 months as a quarantine officer.
"But then soon, I realized life was not the same anymore. The first day at school when Seoul, the capital city was retaken, we cried all day because many of my classmates were without fathers, mothers, brothers, or sisters. The teacher tried to comfort us but failed to do so. She did cry as well," he said.
"My wife and I are going back to many memorials including Korea War. The statistics of Korean War shows 2 to 3 million civilian deaths —- South Korean deaths: 991,000 and North Koreans: 1,550,000; including 171,000 U.S. and Allied forces dead and 566,000 wounded. Numbers are numbers but the memories of all the aches and pains cannot be counted," Haar said.
After a few years interrupted by the pandemic, Richland County is sending its third Honor Bus to Washington on Sept. 9-11. Some 32 veterans and wives/caretakers are going to see all memorials such as the WW I, WW II, Korean War, and Vietnam War memorials; the Lincoln Memorial; Arlington National Cemetery; the Flight 93 Memorial, and take a tour of the White House visit, according to Ken Estep, director of Richland County Veteran Services Commission.
Estep said veteran Dean Krance had the idea to start these bus trips and he's really glad the trips have worked out for so many Richland County veterans.
Why do veterans want to go there?
There are names on the walls and the memorial stir memories of those who didn’t survive. Healing is a must process in life after any disaster or loss, said Haar. As a retired psychiatrist, he said he knows more about this very valuable healing process. Post-traumatic stress disorders in many forms need to be healed or mitigated if possible, he said.
Veterans from all wars are united in this effort with all the ceremonies, parades, meetings and many activities. Veterans meet monthly and go to the flag ceremonies. It is a good and wonderful thing for survivors get together and continue with all the efforts.
"‘We honor you’ is the next best thing we can do after we survived the wars," he said.
Haar said 1,822 young men from Ohio didn’t come back from the Korean War.
'Freedom is never free'
"They paid the ultimate price. Freedom is not free. Freedom is never free. At the Arlington National Cemetery we will participate in a wreath presentation and we will salute at all memorials we visit.
"This may be a puzzle for many but in psychiatry we find this is not only healing but so very therapeutic. I have helped many including myself by going back there to see what is left or what can be done. Some people will never talk about or go back there because of many different reasons. One lady who was abandoned by her mom at an early age never wanted to go back to the the house she was born at. We don’t force anyone to go back there especially if not emotionally ready," he said.
"When she finally made the decision to visit the place, I advised her to go with someone. I was afraid she was going to collapse. Her husband went rather reluctantly. What she found immediately was her mom was forced to abandon her because of poverty and inability to raise her. She met with neighbors and learned all about her mom who died in agony. She went to her cemetery and was able to forgive her and she too was forgiven. Her husband too was able to forgive all of them.
"Not all can do this. But when you are ready, you can do. Many people don’t like to visit cemeteries, funeral homes, churches, hospitals, or nursing homes because of certain fears or prejudice or belief. I believe more people carry on with unresolved feelings," Haar said.
"Personally, I am grateful to all those who perished away and can pray for them and for their loved ones. I was 10 years old then but I knew we were going to lose our country very quickly. Without those guys, I will not be here," he added.
Haar is an associate member and serving as a secretary this year at Korean War Veterans Association.
lwhitmir@gannett.com
419-521-7223
Twitter: @LWhitmir
This article originally appeared on Mansfield News Journal: Local Korean man, joins Richland County veterans on honor bus trip
