Seoul: The U.S. military on Wednesday commemorated the 75th anniversary of an operation rescuing Korean children orphaned in the winter of 1950, when North Korean communist troops threatened to take Seoul. Under Operation Kiddy Car, more than 1,000 children and caretakers were airlifted to safety to the southern island of Jeju from Seoul on Dec. 20, 1950, thanks to the humanitarian operation led by chaplain Lt. Col. Russell Blaisdell and Staff Sgt. Merle Strang.

According to Yonhap News Agency, the U.S. airmen initially rescued lost children from the streets and worked to provide them with shelter and food. But as communist forces threatened U.N. troops and forced a retreat southward, Blaisdell and others loaded the orphans onto trucks at the port of Incheon and transported them to an air base in Gimpo, from where they were flown to safety.

Maj. Gen. Trent Davis, the chief of chaplains at the U.S. Department of Air Force, emphasized the enduring partnership between the Republic of Korea and the U.S., stating, "It is that partnership ... it's really a partnership united by a shared heart that I think this ceremony speaks to." In his speech, Davis noted that Operation Kiddy Car had evolved into "more than an air force operation," becoming a shared act of compassion that continues to define the alliance today.

When reflecting on the significance of the rescue operation 75 years after the war, Davis highlighted the ongoing importance of the South Korea-U.S. partnership in fostering hope. He expressed that the compassion shown during the operation continues to inspire and is mirrored in the actions of airmen today.

The commemoration event was attended by approximately 100 personnel, including Col. Ryan Ley, the commander of the 51st Fighter Wing, and Park Ki-un, a Korean War survivor. In parallel, the South Korean air force has been holding a separate remembrance ceremony since 2016 for the late American fighter pilot Col. Dean Hess, who also participated in the airlift operation.