Illinois Korean War Memorial

The Illinois Korean War Memorial was dedicated on June 16, 1996. The Memorial is located in Oak Ridge Cemetery in Springfield, Illinois. The monument's centerpiece is a 12-foot bronze bell surrounded by four larger-than-life warriors representing the five branches of the armed forces - Army, Navy/Coast Guard, Air Force and Marines. The names of over 1700 Illinoisans killed in Korea are inscribed along eight walls of the memorial's granite base. Below the names are quotations from each branch, including one from Marine General O.P. Smith: "Retreat hell, we're attacking in a different direction." Legend has it Smith uttered these words during the Chosin Reservoir battle in the North Korean mountains near Manchuria.