USAG Humphreys, South Korea -- U.S. Marines with U.S Marine Corps Forces Korea attended the 73rd Anniversary of the Chosin Reservoir on October 12, 2023. The Commemoration Ceremony was held at the National War Museum of Korea. This ceremony has been held every year since 1951 to remember and honor those who gave their lives in the defense of the Republic of Korea and their freedom.
The Commemoration was widely attended by both U.S. and ROK officials and military leaders, including ROK Defense Minister Shin Won-sik, the Deputy Commander of the United Nations Command Lt. Gen. Andrew Harrison, and U.S. Marine Corps Forces Korea Commander Maj. Gen. William E. Souza, III
Participants of the ceremony include the President of the Republic of Korea Yoon Suk Yeol, and the U.S. Ambassador to Korea Mr. Phillip Goldberg.
In his remarks, President Yoon recognized that the South Korea-U.S. alliance was forged in blood during the Korean War and declared that “The South Korea-U.S. alliance today is stronger than ever.”
The Battle of the Chosin (Jangjin) is remembered as a key battle of the Korean War, where U.S., ROK, and British elements, including the 1st Marine Division, successfully conducted a retrograde in the heat of a Chinese onslaught. Despite the massive disparity in number of troops between the UN and Chinese Force, the participants held off an estimated 120,000 Chinese troops for two weeks and were able to successfully withdrawal. The Battle of the Chosin (Jangkin) Reservoir is a key case study of a successful military retrograde and demonstrated to the world that the U.S. Marine Corps will overcome all obstacles in order to accomplish their mission.
In the 73 years following the Battle of the Chosin Reservoir, the ROK-U.S. alliance remains dedicated to the peace and stability in the region. Combined training has underwritten the peace on the Korean Peninsula with the Korea Marine Exercise Program (KMEP) contributing greatly to readiness.