FORGOTTEN WARRIORS; Stories From the Korean War:
The book focuses upon the experiences of men who served in Korea. "Most Americans know very little about the Korean War, and yet it was a pivotal event of the 20th century," Knepp said. "Four million people, including 36,000 Americans, were killed in just 37 months. Americans stood a better chance of becoming a casualty in Korea than in Vietnam or even World War II. "Our men fought under very challenging circumstances - temperatures soaring to 100 degrees in the summer and plunging to 50 degrees below zero in the winter," he added. Chapter introductions frame the highlights of the war and the vignettes of 39 veterans give the book a personal touch. The coverage of American POWs is especially poignant. "The American POW experience was hellish. According to one scholar 60 percent of American prisoners died within that first year. "They were murdered, tortured, starved, and routinely subjected to communist indoctrination," Knepp said. The stories of three local POWs are told in the book. "Most Americans believe that Vietnam or Afghanistan are our longest wars, but actually Korea is. We signed an armistice ceasing hostilities in 1953, and so we are still technically at war. "Nearly 700 Americans have been killed in Korea since 1953 and we currently have 28,500 troops there," he explained. The major incidents of that period and the histories of nine men who served since 1953 are covered. "Remarkably," Knepp said, "none of these men see themselves as heroes. The heroes, they say, are those who didn't come home."