Leon County paid tribute to veterans of the Korean War on Saturday, May 16. The ceremonies took place at the Korean War Memorial at Cascades Park.
County Commission Chairwoman Mary Ann Lindley greeted the hundreds of attendees, most of them veterans and their families.
"Today on Armed Forces Day we honor the cost our bravest Americans have paid to protect our freedom and also the freedom of another nation. They're not forgotten," she told the crowd during her welcome.
Honor Flight Tallahassee's Mac Kemp gave some historical backdrop.
"The Korean War started on June 25, 1950," he recalled. "It ended July 27, 1953. More than 1.7 million Americans fought in that war. More than 44,000 died."
Retired Marine Major John Haynes who fought in World War II and Vietnam as well as Korea, shared stories of extraordinary heroism.
"Not only the Korean War, but in all wars, many people don't survive and their story is never told," he reminded the audience at the end of his remarks.
It was the county's fourth "Operation Thank You" honoring the area's Korean War Vets.
