First Korean War museum in works
Construction crews in Springfield are due to break ground on the country's first Korean War museum next June, on the 60th anniversary of the day the three-year battle started.
The 50,000-square-foot Korean War National Museum will be at Fifth and Madison streets, near the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum.
"There are lots of monuments. Monuments are wonderful, but this is the only museum dedicated exclusively to the Korean War," said museum executive director Larry Sassorossi.
A temporary smaller facility containing Korean War exhibits opened last month in a former Osco store on Springfield's Old State Capitol Plaza. Called the Denis J. Healy Freedom Center, the facility moved to Springfield from its previous home in Rantoul.
While the actual museum will be bigger and have more "bells and whistles," Sassorossi said, it's important in the meantime to have a tribute up and running because "we're losing 1,100 Korean War veterans every day."
Admission is free, but a $3 donation is requested. Info: (888) 295-7212; the forgottenvictory.org.