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Worth the wait: War veteran returns to South Korea after 71 years to receive peace medal

War veteran returns to South Korea after 71 years to receive peace medal

By Colette Costlow 5 min read

Veteran Dave Dandrea waited a lifetime to return to South Korea.

After driving an Army truck during the Korean War, city resident Dandrea returned to the country in late July to receive the Ambassador for Peace Medal, one of three Americans honored at the ceremony.

Not only was Dandrea, 93, honored with a medal, but he was also honored with billboards depicting his likeness, private tours at the Kia factory and

gratitude from many Korean residents.

"It made me feel great as an American," he said. "And I'm glad I'm American."

In 1953, former city mayor Robert W. Anthony told an 18-year-old Dandrea to leave his job at Acme Market behind and prepare for the army. He arrived in Busan, Korea, before traveling to Chuncheon, where he spent the next 16 months with the 715th Transportation Company.

As a truck driver, he drove a 6×6 truck and a Jeep, both in convoys, on different missions throughout Korea, hauling gasoline, oil and troops in his vehicle.

One of the biggest missions he participated in was travelling to the 38th parallel -- the borderline separating North and South Korea -- to transport Chinese prisoners from Chuncheon to Incheon Harbor.

Other than truck driving, he said he completed whatever tasks he was assigned.

"They always say 'the youngest soldier is the best soldier because you don't think.' You do what they tell you," he said.

Dandrea returned to the United States in 1955 and married Virginia Dandrea of Spangler. They celebrated 68 years of marriage until Virginia died in 2025.

Revisiting Korea

As a longtime volunteer at the Veterans Affairs Hospital, Dandrea heard about its Revisit Korea program that invited Korean War veterans and their families back to the nation in remembrance of their sacrifices.

Dandrea spoke to his friend and VA chaplain Ben Chon about traveling to South Korea and applying for the peace medal in January, and Chon helped make that dream a reality.

With the VA, Chon shares information about the program with Korean War veterans who are healthy enough to travel, but only Dandrea wanted to sit in business class for 15 hours.

Dandrea said Korean War veterans are dying, and most of those alive are in wheelchairs or hospital beds. But he was eager to see the nation again.

Receiving positive news in early spring, Dandrea planned the trip, financially covered by the South Korean government, with Chon, who accompanied Dandrea as a friend.

"I picked my favorite chaplain here to go with me," Dandrea said, adding that Chon was the perfect tour guide.

The jetsetters arrived in Korea on July 23 and participated in the six-day event across South Korea, which honored 73 visitors from 22 countries who provided military assistance to U.N. Command during the war.

Dandrea was one of three American soldiers honored at the U.N. Forces Participation ceremony on July 27 in Seoul.

When Koreans asked him about Pennsylvania, he said, "I'm from the Horseshoe Curve."

"And they said to me, 'What's a Horseshoe Curve?' ... and they were astonished to know that we dug into a mountain and took the train around," he said.

During their free time, Dandrea and Chon explored the country and became enamored with their new bullet train system, the Kia manufacturing factory and kimchi.

Dandrea said South Korea has changed signi­ficantly over the last 70 years, recalling a regular train system and the thatched huts he saw the last time he visited the nation.

"So you can imagine he's shocked, right?" Chon said.

Saying thank you

Korea didn't shy away from showing its gratitude to the Korean War veterans. After arriving at the Seoul Incheon International Airport, Dandrea and Chon noticed two rows of electronic billboards featuring six war veterans, including Dandrea, along the busy street.

Dandrea felt like a celebrity.

"How did they do this that quick," Chon said with a laugh, astonished at how many cars passed by the electronic billboards.

"The Korean government wants to ensure that all Koreans remember this, their service and sacrifice," he said. "We're here because they were there."

Regardless of the flashing lights and the heavy medals, Chon said many South Korean citizens frequently approached Dandrea during the trip and thanked him for his service.

Dandrea said South Korean citizens are grateful for the American troops, as progress wouldn't have been possible without America's help.

That's why programs like this exist today, he said, to honor what the American soldier did for Korea.

Chon also remains grateful for American troops as well: his parents were one of 100,000 North Koreans trapped by Chinese troops during the Hungnam Evacuation. About 100 United States Navy vessels rescued the trapped South Korean and U.S. troops and North Koreans, including Chon's parents.

If the vessels didn't have room for Chon's parents, he said he wouldn't have been born.

"I personally am grateful to America and the Korean War veterans," he said.

Mirror Staff Writer Colette Costlow is at 814-946-7414.

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