Army unit at Taegu holds open house to foster relations with Korean community
By Franklin Fisher, Taegu
bureau chief
Franklin Fisher / Stars and Stripes
Sgt. 1st Class Johnny Burke of Army's 20th Support Group, Taegu, South Korea, tries out
the cockpit of an AH-64 Apache attack helicopter during an open house at Walker Army
Heliport, Camp Walker, Taegu. |
TAEGU, South Korea — With hamburgers sizzling and grill smoke
wafting on the breeze, a U.S. Army unit held the first major open house here in years.
The 20th Support Group held the open house at Camp Walker’s
heliport to foster good relations with the Korean public.
It featured a performance by a Korean military band and drill team,
an assortment of U.S. and South Korean helicopters, and military vehicles, food and a play
area for children.
“This helps to tear down the barriers, just let them know that
we’re friends,” said Sgt. 1st Class Charles E. Beard of the 20th Support Group.
U.S. Army officials offered varying attendance estimates, with
figures ranging from 200 to more than 400.
But Korean police at the event said the number of Korean civilians
was closer to 100.
“I saw a big helicopter, and I was in a big helicopter,”
said 6-year-old Sohn Jun Ho. He was with his parents and 5-year-old sister, Ji Min. His
dad is a master sergeant in the Korean Army and works in aircraft maintenance at K-2 Air
Base in Taegu.
Kids and adults alike got excited over the helicopters.
One of those was Sgt. 1st Class Johnny Burke, the NCO in charge of
the 20th Support Group’s motor pool at Camp Henry in Taegu. Burke had come over on
his bike and couldn’t resist getting into the Apache’s cockpit.
“That’s a definite first,” said Burke. “That gave
me goose bumps.”
“We’ll do it again — that’s what I’d
recommend to my boss,” said Lt. Col. Gary McKenna, deputy commander of the 20th
Support Group. “It’s a very good activity for the community.”
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