Thursday, July 27, is an anniversary that probably won’t be given much attention. To many veterans, it is significant and brings back many memories.July 27 is the 64th anniversary of the cease-fire in the Korean War.There has never been a treaty. Things are tense now along the DMZ. North Korea has made threatening moves toward South Korea, and in developing nuclear missiles, has even become a threat to the American shoreline.When the cease-fire came at 10 p.m. July 27, 1953, troops on the front lines didn’t know what to expect. Would the Chinese, who entered the war to help the North, and the North Koreans, observe the no fire agreement? They did, although there was sporadic artillery fire for an hour or two after 10 p.m.However, the next morning in the newly designated demilitarized zone (DMZ), which was off limits to troops on both sides, the North Koreans and the Chinese violated the agreement by entering that area. Several American and other United Nations units had been overrun by troops from the North in early July, and the Chinese and North Koreans were busy stealing what American equipment was there, including artillery howitzers.The American troops came home from Korea without victory banners and were pretty much ignored. It wasn’t until some years later that the word victory was finally used due to the fact that the South was saved from communism (at that time), and later from the dictatorship that the North is.The South is a booming country with a strong economy, a very good standard of living and above all, the people enjoy freedoms. People are starving in the North and freedoms are few under its oppressive dictatorship.When a South Korean tells an American veteran who served there, “Thanks for your service,” it has a special meaning. Of all the nations America has helped, none is more grateful than South Korea.