How a South Korean medal made from barbed wire near the DMZ pays tribute to Utah veterans

Utah veterans who fought as U.N. peacekeeping forces against communist North Korean troops from 1950 to 1953 are eligible for a South Korean commemorative medal made from melted down pieces of barbed wire.

The wire that is used to make the medals was cut from fencing at the 38th parallel, giving it profound significance. Those veterans know well that the 38th parallel was the boundary established by the Allies after WWII that separated the northern and southern parts of the Korean peninsula.

In addition to U.N. forces who served in Korea during the war years, veterans who participated in U.N. peacekeeping operations in Korea through December 1955 are also eligible for the South Korean medal.

Categorized as a commemorative award, the medal is known as the Ambassador for Peace Medal. It was created by the government of South Korea to honor veterans from the United States and other countries who helped South Koreans preserve their freedom.

The Ambassador for Peace Medal was initially awarded to veterans in 1975. The veterans who were presented the award at that time had returned to South Korea as participants in a new initiative called the “Revisit Program.”

The program was created by the South Korean government to convey its appreciation for the service of Korean War veterans and also to demonstrate how the country had developed since the armistice took effect.

Later presentations of the Ambassador for Peace Medal became more inclusive. Veterans not able to take part in the Revisit Program have been presented the medal at home. This has afforded Utah veterans a great opportunity.

For a good many years, a Roy resident named John C. Cole presented the Ambassador for Peace Medal to eligible veterans in the Beehive State. John was a decorated Marine Corps sergeant who was badly wounded at the Battle of Chosin Reservoir in 1950.

I recently heard the story of an event at which John presented two medals to deserving veterans. Larry Kerr, chairman of the Utah Cold War Veterans Foundation, shared some details with me about that event.

Kerr shared his memories of a Utah Cold War Veterans Foundation pinning ceremony in May 2023 at the Mountain Crest High School auditorium in Hyrum, where two of the veterans who received a Utah Cold War Victory Medal were also awarded the Ambassador for Peace Medal.

With Kerr looking on, the Ambassador for Peace Medal was presented to Korean War veterans Richard A. Sorensen and Robert Joseph Smith by John Cole in an emotional and memorable ceremony.

John Cole has since joined the ranks of other distinguished Utah veterans who have passed away. But he has left behind an impressive and enduring legacy of veteran advocacy.

Eligible veterans or their next of kin who have not received an Ambassador for Peace Medal can contact the Utah Department of Veterans and Military Affairs at https://veterans.utah.gov/ to get assistance applying for the medal.

By transforming oxidized pieces of historic barbed wire into meaningful awards, the South Korean government has conveyed its gratitude to veterans who helped prevent communist aggression from destroying a democratic society.