CANTON — A Canton veteran who survived one of the Korean War’s most brutal battles has been recognized by the Republic of Korea for his service more than 70 years after the conflict.
Corporal William L. Rood recently received the Ambassador for Peace Medal from the South Korean Consulate in New York City, an honor awarded to Korean War veterans in recognition of their efforts to help preserve South Korea’s freedom and democracy during the war.
Rood served with the 13th Combat Engineers, 7th Infantry Division, in Korea from September 1950 through December 1952. During his service, he took part in the Battle of Chosin Reservoir, one of the most significant and grueling engagements of the Korean War.
Often referred to as the “Frozen Chosin” campaign, the battle began on Nov. 27, 1950, when approximately 120,000 Chinese troops joined North Korean forces and surrounded roughly 30,000 United Nations troops near the Chosin Reservoir in northeastern Korea.
For 16 days, U.S., South Korean and British forces fought their way through the encirclement in temperatures that plunged to as low as 35 degrees below zero. In addition to enemy fire, troops faced snow, sleet, freezing rain and high winds.
More than 10,000 United Nations troops became casualties during the battle, including thousands killed, wounded or missing. Thousands more suffered frostbite and other cold-weather injuries. Historians estimate Chinese and North Korean forces suffered between 37,000 and 50,000 casualties.
Despite being heavily outnumbered, United Nations forces successfully fought through enemy lines and withdrew to the port of Hungnam before eventually evacuating by sea. The battle became a defining moment of the Korean War and earned surviving participants the nicknames “Frozen Chosin” and the “Chosin Few.”
Military historians often cite the battle as a turning point in the war, signaling that the conflict would likely end in a stalemate. The Korean War concluded in 1953 with the Korean Peninsula remaining divided near the 38th Parallel.
Following his military service, Rood returned to Canton, where he worked as a well driller for six years before joining the Canton Police Department. He served with the department from 1957 until his retirement in 1982.
Rood has remained active in the community as a lifelong member of the Canton Veterans of Foreign Wars post and has participated in numerous veterans-related activities over the years.
The Ambassador for Peace Medal is presented by the Republic of Korea to honor veterans from countries that served under the United Nations Command during the Korean War and to express the nation’s gratitude for their service and sacrifice.
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