CEDAR CITY — EvaDean Reeves Francisco was about 22 years old in 1952 when she got the news that her happy-go-lucky brother Thiel would not be coming home from the war in Korea.
"Mom never did believe he was really gone. She would say, 'I wonder where my boy is? Only God and his angels can take care of him now,"' said Francisco. "I saw my mother go from a beautiful brunette to having all gray hair in just two weeks."
USAF 1st Lt. Thiel M. Reeves, then nearly 25, flew jet fighters during the Korean conflict. It was the perfect job for an adventurous boy who grew up spending his hard-earned cash on model airplanes only to set them on fire and throw them off the roof of his house to watch them crash and burn.
"We always used to tease him over that," said Francisco. "He loved adventure. The higher he went, the better."
On Jan. 11, 1952, Reeves was flying a mission over North Korea when his own jet was hit by enemy fire. He remains the only soldier from Cedar City listed as missing in action, joining more than 8,000 other Americans still listed as MIA's from the Korean War.
Francisco recalls her big brother as a fun boy who loved to test his own limits.
"Thiel was a very fun loving kid. He used to come home from school and ride his bike out to the airport," she said. "Thiel got his pilot's license before he got his driver's license. I always said if he'd of come home, he would have been the first astronaut on the moon."
Francisco, who lives now in Tropic, was in Cedar City on Saturday with another brother, W. Golden Reeves, and three daughters for the dedication of the new Korean War Memorial at the Rotary Centennial Veterans Park.
Several hundred people attended the event including more than two dozen Korean War veterans, South Korean Deputy Consul General Sung W. Shin, retired military brass from every service, and many Korean nationals. A contingency of Patriot Guard Riders escorted veterans to the park for the dedication ceremony.
Central to the Korean War Memorial is a 7-foot-tall bronze soldier sculpted by Jerime Hooley, who said the statue represents the "humble gratitude and respect" the American people hold for the nation's veterans.
In a patriotic, two hour long program preceding the dedication ceremony at the park, the Korean War veterans in attendance were recognized with applause and words of thanks.
"It is my great honor and privilege to be here in peaceful Cedar City," said Shin, who added he was glad the memorial would be located in "such a beautiful city."
Shin reminded the audience that American soldiers fought alongside South Korean soldiers during the war.
"The Korean war is sometimes called the forgotten war," said Shin. "This is simply not true. The Korean government will never forget your dedication, sacrifices and suffering on behalf of the Republic of Korea."
Shin said the presence of 27,000 American troops on the Korean peninsula is "essential" to maintain a "strong, robust democracy" in South Korea.
"We hope that 80 million Koreans living in South and North Korea will become one in the near future," he said. "For that to happen permanent peace must be brought about and North Korea's nuclear program must be eliminated completely."
U.S. Army Maj. James Miller thanked his Korean guests for coming to southern Utah, noting he had been deployed to Korea 24 times during his career.
"The fabric of our nation is held together with a lot of interesting threads," said Miller. "Service in the military is one of those threads that binds us together."
At the memorial park, Korean native Sunny Lee paid her respects to the veterans and families attending the event.
"Today is a very special day in my life. I was born right before the end of the Korean War and grew up in the post-war period," said Lee, who wore a traditional Korean dress. "My parents told me stories about the American soldiers and what they did for our people. I grew up wondering who these great soldiers were. My questions have been answered. You are the ones who dedicated your lives to save my beloved country."
Memories of the 213th Armored Field Artillery Battalion, headquartered in Cedar City, were shared through a short documentary produced at Southern Utah University. The unit sent 600 men to Korea and none failed to return.
E-MAIL: nperkins@desnews.com