It has been a long time coming for Doug Whorrall.
The 81-year-old Innisfail resident has waited six decades for this day.
Whorrall, who served with the Canadian army as a signalman in the Korean War, will stand and salute proudly with six other Innisfailians, along with two Didsbury veterans, at the local cenotaph on July 27 to mark the 60th anniversary of the ceasefire.
It is the Year of the Korean War Veteran, officially marked by the Canadian government earlier this year to pay tribute to more than 26,000 Canadian men and women who came to the aid of South Koreans during the Korean War, and especially to the 516 Canadians who were killed in the line of duty.
“I am deeply honoured by this day, and that I have lived long enough to see it,” said Whorrall, who is the prairie representative of the Korean Veterans Association. “This day is extremely important. This year marks the first time the government has finally recognized us for the sacrifices we made.”
Whorrall, who joined the Royal Canadian Signals in 1949, volunteered to go to the Korean War in 1951. He spent 14 months in Japan and Korea before returning home in May 1952. Whorrall continued to serve for the Canadian military in various roles until 1996. However, his service for Canada during the Korean War is special.
“We've always had short ceremonies every year but not as elaborate as this,” he added. We will have our special ceremony here in Innisfail and we will be joined by others across Canada and South Korea,” he added.
The July 27 ceremonies in Innisfail to mark the 60th anniversary of the Korean War ceasefire will begin at 10 a.m. in the legion lounge by the Korean Wall with a gathering of veterans and dignitaries.
At 10:10 a.m., the opening ceremony will begin with the singing of the national anthem. Special guests will include Mayor Jim Romane and Chris Strong, vice- president of the legion's NWT Command.
The ceremony will then move to the cenotaph at 10:35 a.m. There will be a short prayer by Ed MacPherson followed by the Last Post and two minutes of silence. Then there will be the Laying of the Wreath with a Double Salute, followed by a recital of the Act of Remembrance, and ending with the singing of God Save the Queen.
Veterans and special guests will then head back to the legion where there will be a special lunch in the boardroom for Korean veterans.
For the Year of the Korean War Veteran, the federal government also announced that Korean War veterans could receive a certificate of recognition as a lasting reminder of the important contributions they made during the Korean War. They can apply for the certificate of recognition by contacting Veterans Affairs Canada at 1-866-522-2122 or apply online at www.veterans.gc.ca
The public is also invited to view an interactive website feature, Land of the Morning Calm, which is also available at www.veterans.gc.ca
This feature presents Korean War history and archival footage, interviews with Korean War veterans and an interactive history calendar.
