To my children
My father passed away. I got a call from Eunhee, my sister, and went to the convalescent hospital. I knew we did not have much time left, but I was not ready for it yet. No one is ready for losing their parents regardless how old they are.
I and my wife stayed at his side and started the prayer for the dead while waiting for my siblings to arrive. I was praying for him but rather it was comforting me. It was late at night. But the hospital staff and the employees from the mortuary cleaned, prepared, and took him away in very respectful way.
I thought another screen was closing down.
He was born in a poor farmer’s family. Overlooking the railroad, the boy dreamed about the city. One day he ran away and went to Manchu. After working here and there, he joined Japanese army and met Korean independence on an island in Pacific. He came home. What welcomed him were his childhood friends who became communists. Korea was divided into north and south, and no one was allowed to cross the border. He decided to smuggle into the south. The ship he boarded broke down and floated without food and water for few days. Finally, it reached a port in south. He had an address for a distant relative and went to them. They did not want him to stay there long. He started to float again and saw an ad announcing Coast Guard recruitment.
Coast Guard soon became Navy and he joined Marine as a founding member. Korean War broke out and they retreated to south. He participated in Incheon landing as a commanding officer of an artillery company and met his wife for life after the combat in Seoul. He and his company were tired of American C-rations. His men told him they found a house where they could have some Korean food. There he was surprised to find a woman in red sweater. He saw her through his binoculars a day before while he was surveying the area. They were married for over sixty years.
He had a successful career as a Marine and made full colonel. He was expecting to be a general one day. Political demonstrations and a coup by Army brought political officers in power and he did not make the general. He gave up his dream and retire in mid-1960.
People told him south of Han River will prosper. Insead, he settled in north. It was closer to his home, north. He built a farm and raised chicken and bee hives. Later, he opened one of the first outdoor BBQ restaurants.
Thinking the only way to see his family again was going to America, he sold his popular restaurant in late 1970 and immigrated to the UnitedStates. He opened a small convenient store which had to be open 365 days a year. He ran that store for 10 years and paid for kids’ education.
In mid-1980, he finally went home and reunited with his siblings. His parents were long gone. He had to go and see them. During the Korean War, his company went up close to his home town. But his commander did not allow him to visit his family. He went without permission. His family and neighbors welcomed him. He told them that his army will defeat the communist and Korea will be united soon. Later, his speech became an issue and entire family was removed to remote area. He heard the news and regretted what he did and lived with guilty for the rest of his life.
It is the short version of my father's life story.
Now I will have Father’s Day without the father. “Dad, now Iam the head of the family. I will take care of mother and get along with the sibling. You can rest in peace. You have done well. Thank you!”