Korean War Veterans visit new war museum

(ABC 6 News) – The Veterans and Emergency Services Museum president Richard Krom loves telling old war stories.

"They’re taking incoming mortar and artillery fire at the rate of 500 rounds a minute. They’re losing men like crazy. They’re running out of ammunition," he said.

Many wonder who will tell these stories after our older generations are gone. Who will remember?

"The Korean War is referred to as the forgotten war," Krom said.

Richard Krom has never forgotten. He spends hundreds of hours researching about this war and talking to veterans over the years.

"We’re losing these people every day. And a lot of them never heard anybody say thank you for your service," he said.

This week a new display is open to the public that highlights the history and war heroes of the Korean War. From paintings to old war uniforms, Krom helped build the Veterans and Emergency Services Museum in the Hilton downtown.

He says he wants to focus on individual stories of heroism.

"Things come and go and they change, but the stories of how people have poured their heart into things for your country – our community – that’s the important part," Krom said.

Display cases also include stories from the Rochester Fire Department, police department, World War II, and the Korean War. Our local vets were freezing in foxholes. Krom said he wants to make sure these stories are preserved.

"This is a place where we can get a great deal of people seeing our endeavor and give us credibility," he said.

Krom works with the Korean War Veterans Club. Together they’re raising money for an even bigger museum.

"I wanted to make it the unforgotten Korean War," he said.

He wants the museum to be a piece of history for generations young and old. The display is up indefinitely at the Hilton hotel in downtown Rochester. Free of charge.