NSW: Memories fading for Korea veteran

AAP General News (Australia)
04-25-2001
NSW: Memories fading for Korea veteran

By Ruth Peters

SYDNEY, April 25 AAP - All diggers have their own memories of war - some recalling
each battle they endured, others happy to forget.

For 71-year-old Frank Casey, the memories of the Korean War are fading.

"It's 50 years now and its starting to fade and there's a lot of things you don't want
to remember," he said.

"You only think of the good things now. The hard parts we don't want to know about."

He remembers three things from his two years in Korea - the freezing winters, the loss
of good friends, and the fear.

Mr Casey served in the infantry during the 1951 Battle of Kapyong, which turned the
Korean War around for the United Nations' forces.

A commemoration parade for the battle was held at Sydney's Holsworthy barracks yesterday,
with Army boss Lieutenant General Peter Cosgrove saying the Australian effort at Kapyong
"saved the UN's bacon".

Today, Frank Casey remembered the 24-hour assault by the Red Army.

"It was rough, dirty and frightening ... the Chinese weren't that far away and we were
trying to find holes in the ground to get away from them. It was frightening because you
didn't know," he said.

This year commemorates the 50th anniversary of Kapyong and 50 years since Australian
troops joined the UN forces in Korea.

While there would be no special celebration this year, every year was a celebration for Mr Casey.

"Its another year that I'm alive, which is good."

He said it was now up to the current national servicemen and women to keep the Anzac
spirit alive.

"We're lucky now, we've got the national servicemen moving in and then you've got the
Timor boys and the peacekeeping forces. They'll keep it going," he said.

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KEYWORD: ANZAC MEMORIES

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