Top lawmakers are pressing the Department of Defense to correct more than 1,000 reported misspellings and other mistakes on the Wall of Remembrance that was recently added to the Korean War Veterans Memorial in Washington.
Researchers who pored over the names said that, in addition to spelling problems, some individuals were not involved in the 1950-1953 conflict, while others who should have been included were left off the wall.
“Errors of this magnitude should not have made it past the initial blueprints, much less carved into stone, and certainly not erected and unveiled to the public. We find these errors deeply concerning and write to seek accountability on how the Remembrance Wall’s glaring flaws went unnoticed until post-construction,” Rep. Mike Rogers, chairman of the House Armed Services Committee, and senior lawmakers from both parties wrote to Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin on Friday.
The memorial was dedicated in 1995, but the wall was unveiled last year to list the names of 36,000 Americans who died in the conflict.
Hal Barker, a historian, and his brother Edward Barker Jr. did extensive research on the war and found many errors.
For example, the name of helicopter pilot John Koelsch — who was shot down during a rescue mission and died in captivity, earning him a posthumous Medal of Honor — is not spelled correctly, according to a New York Times story in January that detailed the errors.
Veterans of Foreign Wars, a prominent organization of U.S. war veterans, said fixing the memorial must be a priority.
“The VFW wants these mistakes corrected quickly to ensure America’s Korean War veterans are properly honored by this memorial,” said Pat Murray, the VFW’s director of national legislative service.
Federal funds were not used to construct the wall, which cost $22 million. It was handled by a private foundation, which used information provided by the Department of Defense.
Lawmakers told Mr. Austin to submit an explanation about how the names were transmitted and a plan for correcting inaccuracies.
“We find it unfortunate that what should have been a touching tribute for bereaved family members and a grateful nation has turned into an embarrassing gaffe,” the lawmakers wrote. “We must take the necessary steps to correct the issue, find the communication and research flaws that caused the errors, and ensure such errors are never repeated.”
Republicans and Democrats from both sides of the Capitol signed the letter to Mr. Austin, including House Committee on Natural Resources Chairman Bruce Westerman, Arkansas Republican, and ranking member Raul Grijalva, Arizona Democrat; Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources Chairman Joe Manchin III, West Virginia Democrat, and ranking member John Barrasso, Wyoming Republican; and Senate Committee on Armed Services ranking member Roger Wicker, Mississippi Republican.
• Tom Howell Jr. can be reached at thowell@washingtontimes.com.
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