WHEREAS, on June 27, 1950, in response to the communist threat to South Koreans and their democracy, President Harry S. Truman committed the first United States forces to combat in South Korea, beginning the Korean War; and

WHEREAS, nearly 1.8 million members of the United States Armed Forces served alongside the forces of the Republic of Korea and 20 other Allied nations under the United Nations Command to defend freedom and democracy on the Korean Peninsula; and

WHEREAS, the Korean War was one of the bloodiest wars in history, with 36,574 American deaths, approximately 103,284 wounded, and 8,157 listed as missing-in-action; and

WHEREAS, seventy-two years have passed since the signing of the cease-fire agreement at Panmunjom on July 27, 1953, yet the Korean peninsula still technically remains in a state of war, and the Korean War has become a “Forgotten War” to many Americans; and

WHEREAS, the State of Maine recognizes the service and bravery of all Korean War veterans, and we remember the 242 Maine people who lost their lives for our nation during the Korean War; and

WHEREAS, in accordance with 1 MRSA § 150, the State of Maine designates July 27th of each year as Maine Korean War Veteran Recognition Day;

NOW, THEREFORE, be it resolved that I, Janet T. Mills, Governor of the State of Maine, do hereby proclaim July 27, 2025 as

Maine Korean War Veteran Recognition Day

throughout the State of Maine, and I urge all citizens to recognize this observance.

In testimony whereof, I have caused the Great Seal of the State to be hereunto affixed GIVEN under my hand at Augusta this eighth day of July Two Thousand Twenty-Five