IT’S known as the forgotten war.
But memories of the Korean War live on in Australia through veterans like Wanneroo man Brian Smith.
Mr Smith’s services in the conflict of the early 50s were last week honoured when the Regents Garden resident, who also lived in Willagee for more than 50 years, received the Korean Ambassador for Peace Medal.
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READ NOWHis daughter Helen Walters said her father (85) was “really rapt and proud” to have received the acknowledgement.
“The big thing was that it was from the people of the country he was trying to protect,” she said.
She said her father mainly talked to her about the light-hearted aspects of his deployment when she was growing up.
“He never talked about anything serious at all,” she said.
Mr Smith was 19 in 1952 when he signed up with the 3rd Royal Australian Regiment company 9 section.
The squad trained in Japan before being deployed in South Korea.
Mr Smith stayed behind after the ceasefire as part of the United Nations Commonwealth Military Forces, which helped with peace keeping operations.
He left in 1954 as a Lance Corporal.
The peace medal is presented to veterans as a sign of a gratitude from the South Korean government.
Honorary Consul for the Republic of Korea in Perth Fay Duda presented Mr Smith his medal.
Nearly 17,000 Australian soldiers served in the Korean War and more than 300 were killed.
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