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Veterans Fight to Restore Funding to Korean War Memorial

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    Is state legislature snubbing vets?

  • Duration 3:58
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They answered the call of duty for their country but some Korean war veterans say the state has turned its back on them and their fallen compatriots.

Now they're fighting to make sure future generations never forget their valor and Mike -- has the story from our Fox25 affiliate in Boston.

83 year old Lou Pelosi is a decorated Korean War veteran.

A silver star three purple hearts but he's not here to talk about that it's not about being.

This is about the Korean War Veterans Memorial below sea is fighting a different kind of battle.

A fight for state funding of the official Massachusetts Korean War Veterans Memorial in Charlestown.

For more than a decade the state gave the memorial 101000 dollars a year money used to maintain the memorial.

All of these things cost money and over the ensuing years.

With these inflation that is -- period we.

Depend on that 101000 of -- brought an end on a memorial.

78 year old Joseph -- -- -- is another Korean War vet who is on the front line of this fight lot of guys.

Never -- the twentieth birthday and.

The veterans say they understand times have been tough.

And accepted the state eliminating funding for the maintenance of all the states war memorial back in 2009.

Since then they've had to raise more money on their own.

Leave expensive items on fixed including two displays that -- to let visitors listen to -- story.

It's and it's like a broken windows center.

Once things got to go for everything falls apart and this is a beautiful spot and this -- it should be maintained.

This year's budget lawmakers restored some of the funding for the State's war memorials.

25000 dollars for maintaining the State's Vietnam Veterans Memorial.

151000.

For the Vietnam veterans moving wall and 25000 for the USS Massachusetts at battleship -- But there's no money for the states Korean War Veterans Memorial as a veteran.

-- -- -- Well it's more than insulting it it it's that it's a recognition of you know the -- manage.

That we hands that Korea was -- forgotten -- young people of Internet and they leave us out whether it's an oversight.

Just.

That paperwork -- just laziness I don't know.

But it's gotta be corrected that's remained something that can only be corrected on Beacon Hill.

But the veterans say they're getting few answers nobody ever calls back.

You know I know my phone works as I can call my house -- battalion did speak with state representative Eugene O'Flaherty why does it seem like -- legislature is snubbing.

The Korean War -- the Korean War as the forgotten war but certainly.

We are not forgetting -- need to maintain this facility in Charleston on the Korean War Veterans Memorial isn't represented -- clarity is district why get funding to some memorials but not others not every memorial has received an appropriation.

For its maintenance somehow.

In the reason probably why some have is very simply.

An effort in the ways and means committee to demonstrate a commitment to restoring some of that funding.

O'Flaherty says he has a commitment from house speaker Bob DiLeo to fund maintenance for the memorial but not until next year's budget.

Battalion remains frustrated even after speaking with represented -- clarity he still feels like he's not getting any answers.

I.

Respectfully would suggest that it's probably because -- it's the process I don't have the ability here to just -- go get a check will there be money for this memorial.

Yes when.

Next year's budget is there any chance of getting money before them a possibility yes that's something that my staff and I are looking -- -- my -- -- reporting from Boston.

We'll be sure to keep you posted on whether state lawmakers restore that funding to -- while.

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