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Courtenay veteran receives gift from Republic of Korea

Thursday, June 25 marks the 70th anniversary of the outbreak of the Korean War.
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Reg Whynott of Courtenay is pictured with Cmdr. Kim of the Republic of Korea Navy at a ceremony at CFB Esquimalt. Photo supplied

Thursday, June 25 marks the 70th anniversary of the outbreak of the Korean War.

To commemorate the occasion, the Korean government has sent protective face masks to 22 United Nations countries that sent troops to South Korea in an effort to “defend freedom and peace on the Korean Peninsula,” states a letter from the Consulate General of the Republic of Korea in Vancouver to Reg Whynott of Courtenay, a Korean War veteran. “We hope these protective face masks will assist you and your family in remaining safe and healthy.”

Whynott, 86, was pleasantly surprised by the gesture.

“They sent a supply of about four dozen of them, for me and my family to use,” he said. “I was not expecting that parcel at all. The post office delivered it on Sunday…It’s a follow-up to an earlier visit I had with them.”

At a December ceremony in Victoria, Whynott had been presented with the Korean Ambassador for Peace Medal — a token of appreciation and recognition presented to Canadian servicemen and women who served in the Korean War. The ceremony was held aboard the Republic of Korea Navy Destroyer ‘Munmu the Great,’ which was visiting CFB Esquimalt.

“They call it the Republic of South Korea Peace Medal,” Whynott said. “There were two or three families of other Korean veterans there, but the veterans were no longer alive.

“I was the only live one there that night that received a medal. That confirmed to them that at least one Korean veteran was in the area and still alive.”

Whynott served with the Canadian Forces in Korea from 1951-1953.

“Through the Legion, the Republic of South Korea has been working to get a mailing list of Canadians who were with the Armed Forces in Korea.

“South Korea is a peaceful country,” Whynott added. “They’re very sincere in this thing. There aren’t too many of us Korean veterans around.”