Luncheon honors Korean vets

K.C. Bertling, at right, greets Gen. Dennis L. Via at the Legacy 4 Korean War Veterans Foundation’s annual luncheon on Redstone Arsenal. Bertling serves as foundation president. (CONTRIBUTED)

REDSTONE ARSENAL – Veterans of the Korean War veterans, relatives of deceased veterans, leaders from Redstone Arsenal and local dignitaries attended the Legacy 4 Korean War Veterans Foundation’s annual luncheon on July 30.

The Summit on Redstone Arsenal hosted the event, spokesperson K.C. Bertling said. Legacy 4 Korean War Veterans Foundation is a 501(c)3 organization and was established in January 2011 in honor of Korean War Veterans.

K.C. Bertling is foundation president and founder. Her husband Sam Bertling volunteers as the foundation’s financial advisor.

Guest speaker for the event was Gen. Dennis L. Via, who serves as Commanding General for the U.S. Army Materiel Command. State Sen. Bill Holtzclaw, Madison Mayor Troy Trulock and Tammy Johnson, who is vice commander of VFW Post 5162, were among the local leaders in attendance.

The 389th U.S. Army Materiel Command Band entertained the audience with rousing renditions of patriotic tunes and armed forces anthems.

Brittany Johnson and Bobby Pastorelli served as masters of ceremony.

Korean War veterans and Vietnam War veterans all received a special gift of a walking stick from Hyosung USA, Inc. Other gifts included a 10th-anniversary lunch tapestry, a lapel pin fashioned from the United States and Korean flags and specially designed medals from Legacy 4 Korean War Veterans Foundation.

The foundation has sponsored Revisit Korea, a weeklong, expense-paid visit to South Korea for veterans of the Korean War. The veterans return to Korea for the first time since the armistice signing in 1953.

For more information about the foundation, email to samnkc@knology.net.