BALTIMORE — Engraved in stone at the Korean War Memorial in Canton, it reads: "the members of the armed forces who served in Korea deserve special recognition." But this upcoming Memorial Day, they were almost going to receive no recognition at all here in Baltimore.
"The Korean War is often called the forgotten war. I want to make sure that the people who gave their lives are not forgotten," said Dario DiBattista, a Marine Corps veteran who served in Iraq, and current director of the Military and Veterans Center at Towson University.
He learned recently that the Memorial Day ceremony that takes place inside Canton Waterfront Park every year wouldn't be happening.
"We work closely with the Maryland Department of Veterans and Military Families. They're the ones who actually manage the memorial. They let us know that unfortunately, some legacy organizations of Korea vets have aged out or are no longer alive to do it themselves," he told WMAR-2 News.
A ceremony to honor the tens of thousands of American casualties - more than 500 of whom were from Maryland - was under threat of disappearing. DiBattista just couldn't let that happen. He decided to take it over, and reached out to his neighbors in Canton for help on social media. People were quick to offer it. So far, he's secured a National Anthem singer, and is working on getting a bugler and a color guard.
Veteran saving Korean War Memorial Day ceremony from disappearing
"It'll be a nice distraction. The day is really, as far as a mental health perspective, is really tough for me. I served in Iraq and I lost lots of friends; they weigh heavy on my heart on those days," DiBattista said.
While DiBattista likes to remind people that you don't have to be a vet to support vets and their families, he feels it's the veterans' responsibility to look after each other's legacies. And he can only hope the favor is repaid in the future.
"You know, maybe one day, 80 years from now, when I'm no longer able to do Iraq and Afghanistan stuff, the next generation of vets will step up as well," he said.
The ceremony is scheduled to take place on Memorial Day from 1 to 2 p.m. at the Maryland Korean War Memorial in Canton Waterfront Park, followed by a gathering over at Smaltimore.