OSAN AIR BASE, South Korea - U.S. Air Force chaplains at two sites in South Korea recently marked the 75th anniversary of a humanitarian airlift that saved hundreds of children at a critical moment in the Korean War.
Operation Kiddy Car began Dec. 20, 1950, as Chinese and North Korean forces advanced toward Seoul, forcing United Nations troops to withdraw, leaving hundreds of orphaned children without a safe way out of the city.
Nearly 1,000 children were flown to safety at Jeju Island aboard 16 Air Force transport planes thanks to the operation organized and led by Chaplain (Lt. Col.) Russell Blaisdell, according to the National Museum of the U.S. Air Force website.
Ceremonies at Osan Air Base on Dec. 17 and at South Korea's Gwangju ChoonHyun Babies Home Memorial on Thursday recognized the operation's historical significance and the Air Force's humanitarian role.
In a short speech at Gwangju, Kyung-Ae Lim provided a personal perspective, shifting focus from official history to a child affected by the war.
"My name is Kyung-Ae Lim, and I stand before you as one who was once a Korean War orphan," Lim said in the frigid air at the Gwangju memorial.
Lim was 10 years old when Blaisdell helped her evacuate, an experience she said changed her life. Lim spoke for about five minutes next to a statue of Blaisdell.
"We were transferred by U.S. C-54 cargo planes to Jeju Island," Lim said. "Even now, 75 years later, the memories of those days remain vivid in my heart."
The Skymaster aircraft eventually carried about 955 children and several dozen caregivers to Jeju Island, in what historians consider a rare example of a chaplain-led humanitarian evacuation during active combat.
Blaisdell "saved many orphans from near certain death by collecting them from the streets" with the help of Staff Sgt. Merle "Mike" Strang and Korean social workers, according to the museum. Blaisdell found shelter and medical care for the children, while he and Lt. Col. Dean Hess arranged contributions of food, money and clothing.
Lim said that after arriving on Jeju, the children were sheltered by U.S. and Korean caretakers, and that Blaisdell remained a constant presence during a time marked by fear, displacement and uncertainty.
"We may be from different countries, but I sincerely thank Chaplain Blaisdell for taking care of us with God's love," Lim said. "I sincerely thank Chaplain Blaisdell for giving me a second chance at life."
During an interview the day prior to the Osan ceremony, Air Force Chaplain (Capt.) Nathan Smith of the 51st Fighter Wing said the event was meant to help service members understand their history and recognize how individual actions can make a difference in a crisis.
With no direct orders and little time, Blaisdell and Strang arranged trucks, moved the children to Kimpo Airfield and worked with air crews who stayed behind despite growing danger, according to the Air Force museum.
"What made Operation Kiddy Car remarkable was that a chaplain and an enlisted religious affairs airman stepped beyond their formal duties to alleviate suffering, showing how humanity and ethics must remain central even during war," Smith said.
Wing Chaplain (Maj.) Matt Henry during the same interview said the operation showed how one decision by a small team eventually involved a wide range of Air Force personnel.
"This story belongs to the entire Air Force," Henry said. "It shows how airpower can be used not only for combat, but also for rescue, protection and the preservation of life under extreme pressure."