The United Nations Command commemorated the 50th anniversary of an attack that killed two U.S. Army officers in the Korean Demilitarized Zone, marking an incident that prompted one of the largest military demonstrations since the 1953 Korean Armistice Agreement. Captain Arthur Bonifas and First Lieutenant Mark Barrett were killed by North Korean guards on August 18, 1976, while leading a work party to trim a poplar tree that blocked visibility between a U.N. Command checkpoint and observation post.
In response to the attack, the U.S. and South Korea conducted Operation Paul Bunyan three days later to cut down the tree. The mission included 16 military engineers, 124 ground troops, 27 aircraft and field artillery teams.
A memorial now stands atop the tree stump near a bridge in the security area. At this year's 50th commemoration ceremony, Bonifas' grandchildren shared reflections. "We learned that Arthur Bonifas cared deeply about the soldiers with whom he served and the people entrusted to his leadership," said Brady Bonifas.
Barrett's niece, Stacy Adams, also spoke during the ceremony: "When conflicts required their presence, our military performed expertly and professionally. Yet sometimes the well-coordinated force lost a member. One fell from the many." Bonifas was posthumously promoted to major.