After more than 3 years of devastating combat & destruction, United Nations forces – which included the United States, South Korea, and 20 other countries – and North Korea & China signed an armistice agreement effectively ending the hostilities of the Korean War #OTD# in 1953. We remember all those who fought for freedom. #KoreanWar# #WashingtonDC#

National Korean War Armistice Day marks the armistice signed on July 27, 1953, ending active combat in the Korean War. Nearly 37,000 American service members gave their lives, tens of thousands more were wounded, and many endured captivity as prisoners of war in defense of freedom on the Korean Peninsula. Today, we honor their courage, sacrifice, and unwavering service, and remember all who answered the call of duty during the Korean War.

.@POTUS recognizes Korean War veterans Cpl. Patrick Finn, and PFC Rudy Meekins, who fought bravely at the Chosin Reservoir while greatly outnumbered by Communist forces. "America will NEVER be a Communist country." 🇺🇸

🇰🇷🇰🇵 South Korea’s president just proposed formal talks to OFFICIALLY end the Korean War... 73 years later. Lee Jae Myung says the discussions could also cover steps to halt the further expansion of North Korea’s nuclear arsenal. He’s offering talks with ZERO preconditions, a sharp shift from the previous hardline approach. Pyongyang has not yet responded, and continues to strengthen its military ties with Russia and China. Doubtful that Kim Jong-un agrees, but an interesting shift nonetheless. Source: SCMP / Writers: Sol, Michael

A small mare named Reckless never knew she was becoming a legend. Bought from a Seoul racetrack for just $250 during the Korean War, she was trained to carry ammunition to Marine positions that vehicles couldn't reach. She quickly learned to avoid barbed wire, dive for cover during bombardments, and find shelter whenever enemy fire erupted. Soon, she no longer needed a handler. During the Battle of Outpost Vegas in March 1953, Reckless crossed dangerous terrain again and again under enemy fire. In one day alone, she completed 51 trips, delivering 386 rounds of 75mm ammunition—more than four tons of shells over roughly 35 miles. But ammunition wasn't the only thing she carried. After each delivery, Reckless often returned with wounded Marines strapped to her back, bringing them to safety before heading straight into the fight again. Even after being wounded twice during the battle, she refused to stop. To the Marines, she became far more than a pack animal. She lived among them, wandered through camp like one of their own, and earned their respect through courage that matched any soldier's. She was promoted to Sergeant, awarded two Purple Hearts, and later brought to the United States, where she spent the rest of her life at Camp Pendleton. Every journey told the same story: On the climb up the mountain, Reckless carried ammunition. On the way back down, she carried hope.

On July 27, 1953, the Korean War Armistice Agreement was signed, bringing an end to over three years of conflict. Prior to this, in 1950, Japan’s National Police Reserve was established to fill the security vacuum created by the deployment of U.S. forces from Japan to the Korean Peninsula. This organization later evolved into the National Safety Forces and eventually became the Japan Self-Defense Forces in 1954. The upheaval of the Korean War marked the definitive beginning of a shared security journey, in which the United States and Japan worked together for regional peace and stability.