Letter, Father Paul White to President Harry S. Truman

Catholic Church

Inje Koun

Inju Myen

Kang Won Do

Korea

October 15, 1967

President Harry S. Truman

Independence, Missouri

Dear Mr. President,

Your decision to send in troops to the rescue of South Korea in June of 1950 is still remembered here in Korea and will not be forgotten. Especially here, in the seven counties liberated north of the 38° parallel, the people are strong allies of America. Their 45,000 troops fighting communism in Viet-Nam is proof of that.

I am a Catholic priest from Fonda, Iowa, and except for a few civilians working for the U.S. Army, I am the only American civilian living in the liberated seven counties. I have lived in Korea seven years and speak the language.

Last spring I got the idea of building a monument to you in this ex-communist territory. What better monument than a good hospital? I am not a doctor, but I spend about half my time getting medicine and sending people or taking them in my jeep to a doctor 3 hours from here. There is not one good hospital in the seven counties.

I hope to raise one million dollars for the Truman Memorial Hospital. It will serve as a day clinic for about 500 patients, plus a 50 bed hospital with specialists in Tuberculosis and stomach diseases. People from a population of about 300,000 could come to it.

I request your kind permission to use your name in the effort to raise the million dollars.

Respectfully,

Father Paul White