Greenville County students raising money for Korean War veterans

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TRAVELERS REST, S.C. — Greenville County Schools students are raising money to honor Korean War veterans from Greenville and across the state. The fundraising goal is $200K,  enough to have the names of all South Carolina KIAs and MIAs etched on the Korean War Wall of Remembrance in Washington, D.C.

“Having this monument means so much to Korean War Veterans," said Bella Powell, Travelers Rest High School senior class president. "Their generation is aging and they have wanted this for so long. I think working as a district and cultivating that unified body for something so good and pleasing is pretty awesome."

Interhigh Council members are spearheading the efforts in partnership with local Korean War Veterans. Interhigh Council is comprised of student leaders at Greenville County’s fourteen high schools. Students will hold events at their individual schools during the month of November.  Collectively students will sell bracelets with the message #ForgottenNoMore. Historians often refer to The Korean War as “The Forgotten War.”

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Greenville County had an estimated 55+ KIAs and MIAs during the conflict. There are an estimated 547+ South Carolinians who were either killed or held prisoner during the Korean War.

The estimated cost to construct and install the Wall of Remembrance is $26 million. However, no federal dollars can be used on the project. South Korea has committed to raising $13 million and American citizens will be responsible for the remaining $13 million.

“If you are going to perpetuate the legacy of the Korean War you need to get that wall built and those names on it and you need to do it now,” said former State Lawmaker and Korean War Veteran Lewis Vaughn.

Vaughn was 16 when he joined the Army. He lied about his age because he wanted to serve his country.

“World War II soldiers were my heroes, they were and are the greatest generation. I wanted to be one but I wasn’t old enough so when the Korean War broke out I said this is for me I want to go,” Vaughn said.

The Greater Greenville community is urged to join in the fundraising efforts. Students are asking local businesses and other local government agencies to extend the opportunity to their employees to wear blue jeans to work for a $5.00 contribution to the cause.

If you would like to donate, you can do so online here. You can also write a check to the GCS Wall of Remembrance Fund and drop it off at any GCS school location or mail it to 301 E. Camperdown Way, Greenville, SC, 29601.

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