By JOSEPH FITZGERALD

WOONSOCKET — It’s been called “The Forgotten War.”
But there was no forgetting the veterans who served in the Korean War of 1950-1952 by the 150 or so city residents who came out Tuesday for a Veterans Day ceremony at the Museum of Work and Culture.
Officials of the George Dubois Veterans Wing of the museum decided the theme of this year’s observance would center on the Korean War, a war in which more than 36,000 Americans gave their lives, including 26 men from Woonsocket.

A total of 1,789,000 Americans served in the Korean theater from June 25, 1950 to July 27, 1953. During that time, 33,665 Americans were killed in action and another 3,275 died from non-hostile causes. There were 92,134 Americans wounded in action and 8,176 Americans are still missing in action.
“We stand here today with a sense of deep humility and great pride,” Korean War veteran Robert Ducharme told the crowd assembled outside of the museum, which included veterans of all wars, including a dozen or so Korean War veterans. “Our veterans who fought in Korea fought bravely for a people they didn’t know. They fought in a magnificent way and with honor.”
“Freedom is not free. It is won by blood, sweat, tears and body bags,” Ducharme said.
One of the more poignant moments of the ceremony was when Jacques E. Staelen, chairman of the program planning committee, read the names of the 26 Woonsocket men who died during the war. They were:
Gilbert A. Archambault, Joseph R. Arel, Samuel A. Branch, Harry R. Bean, Donald R. Castonguay, Donald F. Corriveau, Gary Coyne, Thomas W. Dalton, Walter D. Dusablon, Normand G. Gautreau, Ralph Green, Ellwood Hayes, Owen T. Hill, Robert E. Hindy, Lawrence A.
Lefrancois, Gerard G. Millette, Rene R. Ontigny, Eugene K. Moore, Calvin C. Newell, Thomas J. Poulin, Harry Speight, James P. Shunney, Harry J. Tipping, Arthur E. Thibeault, Daniel A. Turgeon and Elphege Vadenais.
The program also served as a sort of history class for those not familiar with the Korean War, which has often been referred to as the “forgotten war” because it came on the heels of World War II and was overshadowed by the Vietnam War.
In his presentation to the crowd, Woonsocket High School Junior ROTC member Steve Boudreau explained that Korea, like Vietnam, was part of the Cold War to stop the advancement of Communism in Southeast Asia. When the Communist troops of North Korea invaded the democratic Republic of South Korea, the United States became involved through a promise of support given to the president of South Korea.
In 1945 the United Nations established the 38th parallel as the boundary dividing North and South Korea, he said. It was the 38th that the North Koreans crossed to invade and unite South Korea under a Communist government. The United States entered the conflict under an assumption that this would be like a police action to drive the North Koreans back across the 38th. The two armies criss-crossed the dividing line several times. When the Chinese feared that their own borders were threatened, they became involved on the side of the North Koreans. The conflict then escalated further into war.
Junior ROTC member Sabrina Williams talked about General Matthew Ridgeway, who held  several major commands and was most famous for resurrecting the United Nations war effort  during the Korean War. Military historians generally credit Ridgway’s leadership with helping to restore the Eighth Army as an aggressive fighting force, allowing it to combat the overwhelming masses of troops from the People’s Republic of China to a standstill and eventually drive them out of South Korea, back across the 38th parallel.
The program also included a waiving of the flag by members of the Woonsocket High School ROTC, accompanied by Korean War veteran Raymond Morgan of Woonsocket.
Several local veterans who served in Korea were introduced and representatives from a state organization of Korean War veterans took part in the ceremony as did local Boy Scouts.
A flag-folding ceremony was narrated by Dave Richards of radio station WOON, and Roger Bouchard of WNRI read the lyrics to “Taps.”
Several re-enactors were present, and local performers Charles Desaulniers and Jean O’Donnell were the guest soloists.
Following the outdoor ceremony, the museum was open to the general public, which got the opportunity to view the Korean War film, “Fixed Bayonets.” There was also a display of paintings by local artist Bernard Fontaine, a Korean War veteran, on exhibit in the museum gallery.
The Veterans Day at the Museum Planning Committee also includes Romeo Berthiaume, Roger Petit, Francis Lanctot, Paul Papineau, Julian Mitchel, Marshall Sloat and William Marrah.