When we meet a veteran of the Korean War, we shake his hand, thank him for what he did and tell him that he and the others are by no means forgotten — even though their war is sometimes referred to as “The Forgotten War.”
We also tell him that because of what he and the others did, a small country on the other side of the world is free and prosperous, while its neighbor to the north is oppressed and enslaved, and its people are impoverished and hungry.
This is the message we wish we could give to James R. Hare, but that will not be possible.
Former U.S. Army Cpl. Hare will be laid to rest this afternoon, having come home from an absence that lasted more than 60 years.
Hare was captured by the North Koreans in February 1951 and died of starvation in a Prisoner of War camp less than three months later. His remains were identified only recently and returned to Cumberland and his family.
Most certainly, he has never been forgotten.
“There are just eight of us left,” said his brother, Stanley Hare, “but we have pulled together and we believe it is a blessing that we will be able to lay James to rest. It is a great honor to have this on my watch and be a part of this closure for my family.”
Only those who have faced an ordeal similar to that of the Hare family can understand its nature, and only those whose ordeal has come to a similar end can understand the relief it brings.
Several years ago, a woman who lives in Cumberland received word that the remains of her brother had been identified and were being returned — Calvin Coolidge “Grady” Cooke, who had been Missing In Action since the Vietnam War. She said the outpouring of support she received from area veterans and others meant a world of difference to her and her family.
It is estimated that more than 1 million American service members are still MIA and, since the start of World War II, about 142,000 Americans have been Prisoners Of War. A number of them still live in our area. Of those POWs, about 17,000 died in enemy captivity.
America never stops looking for those who are missing and, like Hare and Cooke, some are occasionally found and brought home. Remains of Civil War soldiers have been found in recent years and, even though they may never be identified, they are returned to their home states and interred with full military honors; Union or Confederate, it makes no difference.
James Hare’s younger brother, John Hare, was Killed In Action during the Vietnam War.
We will continue to remember both of them with gratitude. Considering what they and all of the others did for us, it’s the least we can do.
Editorials
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Cashing in
As anyone who lives in the area knows, economic gains have been hard to come by in recent years. The opening of the Rocky Gap Casino Resort is one of the biggest boosts the region has seen in some time.
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Why have the media been silent all this time?
When I read the Cumberland Times-News Editorial this morning, Friday, May 17, entitled, “Outrageous,” I laughed like a kid at a birthday party!
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What are chances this much money will be spent on road?
I was intrigued by cost data summarized in reporter Kathy Mellott’s recent article, “Completing southern link of U.S. Route 219 said to be best use of highway funds,” which appeared in the Cumberland Times-News on Tuesday May 14 (Page 1A).
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School board should be doing better job with less money
The Allegany County Teachers Association (ACTA) board of directors recently submitted a letter to the editor asking the Allegany County commissioners to fully fund the Board of Education’s budget request for the upcoming fiscal year (“Commissioners should fund school board request,” April 29 Times-News).
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Better ‘Click It’
If you notice more police on the highway this week, it’s for a couple of reasons.
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They do bite
This week is National Dog Bite Prevention Week. For anyone thinking that is not such a big deal, consider that 4.7 million Americans annually are bitten by dogs, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
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Stop buying licenses; let them find the money somewhere else
A few months ago, I received two cards from the National Rifle Association. These were dealing with a legislative alert.
They asked that I should contact Sen. George Edwards and Delegate Kevin Kelly concerning the anti-gun legislation. -
Strength of gun laws is not reflected in grisly statistics
According to the FBI’s uniform crime reports, California had the highest number of gun murders in 2011 with 1,220, which makes up 68 percent of all murders in the state that year and equates to 3.25 murders per 100,000 people.
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An old story
What for years has been an on-again, off-again battle over funding between the Allegany County Commissioners and the Allegany County Board of Education seems to be growing even uglier.
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‘Forgotten warrior’ not forgotten
The Korean War is often called “The Forgotten War.” My generation remembers the Battle for LZ X-Ray at Ia Drang, The Tet Offensive, and Khe Sahn of the Vietnam War.
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