Korean War - Tennessee State Library & Archives

The Korean War, 1950-1953</s>

Sandwiched between World War II and the Vietnam War, the "Forgotten War" in Korea began in 1950 when Soviet- and Chinese-backed North Korea crossed the 38th Parallel and invaded neighboring South Korea. The United Nations, and particularly the United States, rallied to support the independence of South Korea. Vicious fighting and numerous exchanges of territory eventually ended in 1953, when the warring nations declared an unsteady armistice and installed heavy defenses along the demilitarized boundary between North and South Korea.

During the war, Tennessee furnished, in addition to increased enlistments in the regular armed forces, units of the Air National Guard, Army National Guard, Army Reserve Corps, and Marine Corps — 10,500 officers and soldiers serving as fighter pilots, combat infantrymen, engineers, artillerymen, and members of support units.

181st CIC Detachment troops shaking hands and receiving congratulations when they received the Meritorious Unit Citation after truce signing at Panmunjom, Korea, in 1953, Gene A. Stone Korean War Photograph Collection, ID: 43009

David F. Brock sitting on washstand at Hook base camp, David Franklin Brock Korean War Photograph Collection, ID: brock0044

Special Agent Gene Stone assigned to 1st Marine Division, Reinforced, Pajuri, Korea, 1953, Gene A. Stone Korean War Photograph Collection, ID: 42964

187th RCT Airborne Troops hitting the ground at Munsan-ni, Korea, 1951, Gene A. Stone Korean War Photograph Collection, ID: 42913

Jack Knox's After Five O'Clock Cartoons

 

Jack Knox served as the lead cartoonist for the Nashville Banner from 1946 to 1975. He published a collection of cartoons related to the Korean War commenting on "domino theory" Communist expansion, Soviet-US animosity, and the lack of materiel support for US soldiers in Korea.

Left: "More than a party affair, Mr. President," Jack Knox Papers, ID: 42407

Right: "Looking Him in the Eye," Jack Knox Papers, ID: 42405

Tennessee National Guard

A Korean War veteran, Walter Williams formed the Minute Men jet acrobatic team in 1953. In 1956, the Minute Men became the official jet acrobatic team of the Air National Guard.

Colonel Walter E. Williams sitting in the cockpit of a Lockheed F-86 Sabre, about 1958, Library Photograph Collection, ID: 5062

Left: Men from the 278th Regiment, a National Guard unit mobilized during the Korean War, 1947, Looking Back at Tennessee Collection, ID: 6931

Right: Tennessee Air National Guard Republic RF-84F Thunderflash reconnaissance jet, 1951-1953, Archives Photograph Collection, ID: 29518

Visit the Tennessee Virtual Archive (TeVA) to see more images from

the <a href="https://teva.contentdm.oclc.org/customizations/global/pages/collections/brock/brock.html"> David Brock Korean War Photographs Collection</a> and the <a href="https://teva.contentdm.oclc.org/customizations/global/pages/collections/stone/stone.html"> Gene A. Stone Korean War Collection</a></s>

Colonel Walter E. Williams sitting in cockpit of a Lockheed F-86 Sabre, ca. 1958

Men from the 278th Regiment, a National Guard unit mobilized during the Korean War, 1947

"Looking Him in the Eye"

"More than a party affair, Mr. President"

187th RCT Airborne Troops hitting the ground at Munsan-ni, Korea, in 1951.

Special Agent Gene Stone assigned to 1st Marine Division, Reinforced, Pajuri, Korea, 1953.

181st CIC Detachment troops shaking hands and receiving congratulations when they received the Meritorious Unit Citation after truce signing at Panmunjom, Korea, in 1953.