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Houston City Council votes to rename Cesar Chavez Boulevard
The Houston City Council has voted to rename Cesar Chavez Boulevard to MSG Joe E. Ramirez Boulevard on Wednesday morning. The vote passed unanimously with no one opposed.
Visit abc 13 to see the full story. https://abc13.com/post/houston-city-council-vote-renaming-cesar-chavez-boulevard-msg-joe-ramirez/19177337/
Defense POW Annual Meeting 2025
Phil O’Brien, long time friend of the Association, spoke at the 2025 Defense POW Annual Meeting in August 2025. Here is a link to the videos.
Scroll to 2025 Korea/Cold War Annual Government Briefings Day 1 Part 5. Phil begins at 1 hr 2 minutes. His talk is continued in Day 1, Part 6.
Korean War Peace Ambassador Medal
My name is Ben Chon, a Korean Chaplain at VA hospital in PA.
Korean War POWs helped Korea to survive the War and laid the foundation for Korea’s success today. I would like to honor them with the AMBASSADOR OF PEACE medal from the Republic of Korea.
I would like to explore the possibility of reaching out to the families and to help them apply for the medal. All Korean War Veterans, living or deceased are eligible for the Medal. Please download the application form below and email to Ben.
Here is the link to the ceremonies that I conducted to honor the Korean War Veterans, living or deceased.
Ben Chon, M.Div, BCC, APBCC-HPC
Chief Chaplain
Altoona VA Medical Center
U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs
(814) 943-8164, Extension 17140
Republic of Korea Ambassador For Peace Medal
The Ambassador For Peace Medal, from the Republic of Korea, is a commemorative medal from the government of South Korea. In the past it was awarded to those veterans of that war who choose to return to South Korea on a revisit. Now it is available to all who served in Korea during the Korean War. Next of kin can also request this medal.
To learn more, use this link:
https://kwva.us/?page=info_peace_medal
This medal is available as well if you want to buy one. Very costly.
Shorty Estabrook
(Henry Arakaki told me about this.)
Civilian Tiger POWs
The civilian group with us in captivity were not turned over to the Chinese like we were, with one exception: Kiyohito Tsutsui, a Japanese National who was KP for an artillery unit. He came to Korea with that unit and was captured with us. He was called “Mike”. When we were turned over to the Chinese all the Officers went to the Officers camp as did Mike. Mike was repatriated at the same time we were. 22 Civilians perished in captivity which was 17%. But they are also included in the total of 58% who perished.
All the other Civilians were sent to Ujang-ni and remained under the control of the North Koreans. One more of them died there. He was Illan Kijikoff, a Russian. Those from Europe were released via the China-Trans Siberian Railroad to Moscow, where they were met by their Embassys and sent on home. And so were the Americans.
However, some were released on March 3, 4, 5, 9 1953, before we were. 18 remained because they were stateless. They were all living in South Korea when arrested.
- Farid Salahudtin
- Alim Salahudtin (the father of that family)
- Hamid Salahudtin
- Faiza Salahudtin (The mother of that family)
- Murat Salahudtin
- Sagid Salahudtin (Author of STATELESS. Changed his name to Salah.)
- Shaucat Salahudtin
- Saida Salahuditn (Hanmore) (The only daughter of that family.)
- Sultan Ahmet (Brother of Fazia)
- Sultan Sophia (Sister of Fiaza)
- Kilin Ivan (father of the Kilin family)
- Kilin Marusya (mother of the Kilin family)
- Kilin Nicolai (Son)
- Kilin Georgi (son)
- Kilin Olga (daughter)
- Vorosoff Dimitri (father of Alexsei)
- Vorosoff, Marsara (Daulasch) (Mother of Alexsei)
- Vorosoff, Alexsei (Son)
All of the above were Tatars (of Turkic origin), with the exception of Dimitri Vorosoff who was Russian. He and his wife Masara were married in captivity and she had Alexsei while still in captivity.
The Kilin family were Russian. In the past I listed all the Tatars as Russians. Forgive a humble oversight. We did not have any Turks with us.
The 18 Stateless people were not released until march 1954. If you are interested in how they came to freedom you should read “Stateless”.
from Shorty Estabrook, July 2022