Iowa PBS presents The Forgotten War: Iowans in Korea

Iowa PBS will shed light on the sacrifices of Korean War veterans in a new broadcast special, The Forgotten War: Iowans in Korea, premiering Monday, June 22 at 8 p.m.

Between 1950 and 1953, nearly 1.8 million soldiers from 21 nations fought side-by-side in a combat zone smaller than the states of Iowa and Missouri combined. During the conflict, 33,000 Americans, including 508 Iowans, lost their lives. But there was more to the conflict than just numbers. Lives were changed forever. Some never recovered. 

Fighting ended in 1953 with a cease fire, and while a few have chosen to speak about their experiences, most have remained quiet about what happened so long ago. Now in their late 80s and early 90s, many feel their part in holding Communism at bay has been forgotten. The Forgotten War: Iowans in Korea shares their stories and explores their battlefield experiences, including the long-term effects on soldiers’ lives more than six decades after they came home.

“It has been an honor to capture the oral histories of these Iowans who fought on the front lines of the Korean War,” said Iowa PBS Senior Producer David Miller. “During the interviews, there was both laughter and tears when these men spoke about their service some 70 years ago.”

In addition to Iowa PBS’s statewide broadcast, viewers from across the state and beyond will be able to stream the special on demand on iowapbs.org, YouTube and the PBS Video App.