U.S. Korean War hero Dean Hess receives alliance award

U.S. Air Force Col. Dean Hess, a late veteran who helped rescue around 1,000 orphans during the 1950-53 Korean War, has been selected as this year’s recipient of an award marking the South Korea-U.S. alliance, the South’s defense ministry said Wednesday.

Hess is known for training South Korean Air Force pilots during the Korean War and taking part in a rescue operation to airlift some 1,000 war orphans from Seoul to the southern island of Jeju. He later visited the country frequently to take care of the orphans and led fundraising activities for them.

A ceremony took place in Washington D.C. on Tuesday (local time), where two sons of the late veteran — Lawrence and Ronald — received the Paik Sun-yup ROK-U.S. Alliance Award on behalf of their father, the ministry said.

“Col. Dean Hess, a child who has survived thanks to your devotion and become the defense minister of a free Republic of Korea that you guarded, expresses gratitude,” Defense Minister Kim Yong-hyun said during the ceremony, referring to Sout
h Korea by its official name.

The Hess family has decided to donate the prize money of US$30,000 to an orphanage that the late veteran used to support, according to the ministry.

The Paik Sun-yup ROK-U.S. Alliance Award is named after legendary Korean War hero Gen. Paik. Hess is the 12th recipient.

Source: Yonhap News Agency