Telling their stories: Korean War Memorial Interpretive Center to open in Wilsonville

Photos of Korean War veterans from Oregon line the wall of the Oregon Korean War Memorial Interpretive Center, with displays below sharing their stories through video, flip books and artifacts like Tootsie Rolls.

The finishing touches are being put on the center, which is housed in the Wilsonville Parks and Recreation building in Town Center Park and took years to reach completion. Its official opening date will be June 29.

Once open, the center will share the history of the Korean War and the stories of Oregon veterans who served in it.

Greg Caldwell, chair of the Korean War Memorial Foundation of Oregon and former honorary consul for the Republic of Korea in Northern Oregon, said the idea for the center came around four years ago.

First there were discussions of a museum, rather than an interpretive center, but that concept fell through due in part to cost barriers. The interpretive center project required collaboration between the Korean War Memorial Foundation of Oregon, the Oregon Trail Chapter of the Korean War Veterans Association and the city of Wilsonville.

One of the important aspects in planning the center was input from members of the Korean War Veterans Association. David Penaflor, president of the KWVA Oregon Trail Chapter, said input from the veterans helped choose some of the displays, like having a history of prisoners of war, a collection of artifacts and videos with veterans sharing their stories.

The interpretative center displays will also include a topographical map of Korea, including locations and descriptions of battles in the war. Stories of those who received medals of honor or were held prisoners of war will be on display, next to a cabinet with artifacts of the war.

Among the artifacts are Tootsie Rolls, which Caldwell said was a codename for a weapon used in the war. One soldier did not know the codename, and asked for the candy to be delivered to a site.

“If we asked a civilian organization to do this, they couldn’t do it,” Penaflor said, adding that those organizing the interpretive center needed to speak with veterans like himself, who experienced the war, to gather input for the center.

Through the work of Penaflor and his nephew, 24 video interviews of Korean War veterans are available to watch on screens in the center. Korean subtitles are also available. Penaflor, who did two tours in Korea, is one of the veterans who was interviewed in the video. Caldwell noted that the videos are an opportunity for veterans to share their stories in their own words.

Penaflor said the videos will be updated to include more veterans over time, with one new addition coming soon. Wilsonville resident and Korean War veteran Mike Williamson, who recently joined the KWVA, will have an interview added to the display.

Williamson served with the Navy in two different deployments to Korea after being drafted originally in 1950. He recalled a time when his boat was hit with a bombshell — right where he almost stood. During a KWVA remembrance ceremony on Memorial Day, Williamson will be giving a speech and receiving an Ambassador for Peace medal.

For Williamson, the interpretive center will be a good place to remember those involved in the Korean War, and he noted the significant number of people who died or were wounded in the war. He added that the war is an important part of history and he wants to share his story.

“I feel honored to be able to tell my story, but also appreciate the people on that wall over there,” Williamson said, referring to the Korean War Memorial located in Town Center Park.