Ambassador of Peace Medal awarded by Rep. Andrew Clyde
A Gilmer County Korean War veteran was honored for his service by Georgia’s 9th District Congressional Representative last week.
Otis Suddeth, 92, received the Ambassador for Peace Medal from Andrew Clyde, 9th District Congressman, during a March 15 ceremony at Suddeth’s place of worship, Cartecay Baptist Church. The medal is given as an expression of appreciation from the South Korean government to U.S. servicemen and women who served in the war.
“(This) medal recognizes the courage and bravery of veterans who served our country during the Korean War, from June 25, 1950, to July 27, 1953,” said Clyde. “This war was not simply a border dispute, but instead represented a greater fight for freedom and democracy to combat the global spread of communism.”
“When this war started, the North Koreans came across with a million people plus,” said Rick Law, an Air Force veteran and church member, during the medal ceremony. “They were under the impression that the U.S. government and the leaders of the U.N. would not care if the North Koreans came in and took over South Korea. The (U.N.) pushed back and pushed back. Eventually, they pushed them back to where they were able to establish air bases throughout the peninsula.”
Suddeth, who enlisted in the Air Force in 1951, was stationed at one of those bases, Kimpo Air Base, near Seoul, South Korea. Clyde said it was the closet air base to the 38th parallel, where fighting between North and South Korea was at its most intense.
“Otis may remember the big sign at Kimpo posted over one of the maintenance hangars that said ‘Upon our work, men’s lives depend.’ Think about that,” said Clyde.
Suddeth was assigned to a motor pool for the 67th tach recon wing, which flew reconnaissance missions and provided aerial intelligence for air and ground units.
“As a combat veteran myself, I can tell you it was the good work of those inside the wire of the bases that really enabled those fighting outside the wire to be the most effective and have the best chance of coming home,” Clyde said.
Law said the duties of Suddeth’s unit included going out and using photographs from low flying aircraft to determine where to shoot artillery and drop bombs.
“It was very dangerous. Many times these men did not return,” he added.
“While the Korean War may have been short, it was exceptionally brutal,” said Clyde. “Nearly 5 million lives were lost in the war, including almost 40,000 Americans, in addition to more than 100,000 U.S. troops (who were) wounded.”
After his tour of combat duty was done, Suddeth was sent back stateside and stationed in Florida. He was honorably discharged in December 1954.
Suddeth, originally from Dalton, worked for years in commercial sales of office supplies and later helped run a local apple house, Cantrell’s Apple Barrel, with his wife, Shirley.
He’s long enjoyed gardening and today, at 92, still grows an assortment of fruits and vegetables each year. Otis and Shirley are avid patrons of the Gilmer County Cannery, where they enjoy processing and canning their crops.
In his acceptance of the Ambassador for Peace medal, Suddeth said he was honored to be chosen to receive it and, about his role while stationed in Korea — “They had to have food. They had to have ammunition and fuel. It was our job to (do that).”
He continued, “I always want to thank my lord, Jesus Christ. In my lifetime, I’ve lived to see World War II, the Korean War, Vietnam, (wars in) Iraq and Afghanistan and other outbreaks. Every load we carried, every trip we made...it was all for freedom.”
Clyde said he’s been asked to present military service medals only a few times since being elected, but this was his first time awarding a medal a to a living veteran. The other times, the medals were accepted by surviving family members.
“Tonight is special to me because it is to the actual veteran,” he said.