NEW MEDAL HONORS VETERANS WHO SERVED IN POST-WAR KOREA.

Byline: Lisa Friedman Washington Bureau

WASHINGTON - Newly minted medals to honor U.S. military personnel who have served in Korea since the end of the Korean War will be issued by May, the Pentagon announced Tuesday.

As many as 2 million veterans could be eligible to receive the Korean Defense Service Medal, which was authorized in 2003 by legislation introduced by Rep. Elton Gallegly, R-Thousand Oaks.

The medal can be awarded to veterans who were assigned to the Korean peninsula for 30 consecutive or 60 nonconsecutive days after July 28, 1954. Those who were involved in combat, were wounded or flew missions over Korea also can qualify for the honor.

``All we wanted was a Korean service medal which was for the war, and the war's not over,'' said John Maclean, of Ventura, who served with the Army's 1st Reconnaissance Squadron, 9th Cavalry Regiment, and first drew Gallegly's attention to the fact that no service medal existed for Korean War veterans. ``We were getting no respect, no recognition.''

U.S. peacekeeping forces have been stationed in Korea for more than 50 years to secure South Korea's northern border. The Pentagon estimates that more than 40,000 Americans have been a part of that effort each year since 1953.

Distribution of the medal would be up to each branch of the military. The Army already has ordered thousands of the new medals.

A separate Korean War Service Medal, issued by the Republic of Korea, was established in 2000 to honor veterans of the 1950-53 conflict.

Lisa Friedman, [phone]

lisa.friedman(at)langnews.com