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Gordon Bradley of Hollidaysburg spent his career in accounting.

But he wasn't counting on getting recognized at age 78 for his service 57 years ago as an engineer in the Korean War.

Bradley was one of more than 280 "Forgotten War" veterans who received medals Wednesday at the Jaffa Shrine Center in an event organized by state Rep. Rick Geist, R-Altoona.

Keynote speaker Palmer Brown of Duncansville, a retired U.S. Marine Corps lieutenant colonel, told the group he got spit on when he returned from Vietnam.

"But at least they knew where I was," he said.

By contrast, the Korean War veterans returned to vague puzzlement.

"'Oh, have you been somewhere?'" Brown asked rhetorically, mimicking the reception they got.

Bradley said he understood that vagueness and never resented it.

The Korean War occurred just five years after World War II, the monumental overthrow of a monster, he said.

It was a fight not for ourselves, but on behalf of another people, the South Koreans, he said.

Officials diminished it by calling it a "conflict" or "police action."

It was indecisive, ending by truce - and technically hasn't ended even now.

And the soldiers trickled home little by little, instead of coming back all at once.

Bradley "melted back" into ordinary citizenship, having served by blowing up tunnels and bridges then reopening them so Americans could retake the same ground - kind of a mirror of the back-and-forth war.

"We didn't get any big hurrahs," he said.

Still, he appreciates the medal he wore around his neck on a ribbon, like a runner who finished a road race.

"It makes you feel good," he said.

The idea of recognizing vets came out of the General Assembly some years ago, with the realization that those who served in World War II were dying quickly, Geist said.

Geist previously honored local World War II veterans and plans to honor Vietnam veterans the same way.

It takes about five months to track down honorees, largely through veterans organizations, he said.

But it gets him choked up.

"It's really difficult," he said.

Mirror Staff Writer William Kibler is at 949-7038.