SHARE The Korean War Memorial in Evansville.

By Mark Wilson of the Courier and Press

It's a little-known fact about a sometimes forgotten war, but the 38th parallel north — the latitude line dividing North and South Korea — passes through Evansville.

More than 33,000 American soldiers died in combat during the Korean War, which lasted from June 1950 to July 1953. Those fatalities included 921 from Indiana, among them 27 from Evansville, according to the National Archives and Records Administration.

On Friday, state Sen. Jim Tomes, R-Wadesville, and the Indiana Department of Transportation will unveil "38th Parallel Veterans of the Korean War Memorial" signs to be placed on Interstate 69 north of Morgan Avenue.

The unveiling will take place at 11 a.m. Friday at the Indiana National Guard armory, 3300 E. Division St. in an event that will include local, state and federal officials and legislators.

Tomes introduced a resolution calling for the signs during the last legislative session. It was co-authored with senators Vaneta Becker, R-Evansville, and James Arnold, D-LaPorte.

It was inspired, Tomes said, by his chance meeting with a Korean War veteran last year who asked him about it.

Tomes, a Vietnam War veteran, said he met the Korean War veteran last summer during a visit of The Wall That Heals, a traveling Vietnam Veterans Memorial half-scale replica.

He said he had not been aware of the 38th parallel connection before then.

"I didn't know about it, and I've got to tell you, most people don't know about it," he said. "For people coming into Indiana or Evansville, I think they will be interested in knowing that fact."

Tomes said the signs will also serve to commemorate the Korean War in general.

"It was a very significant battle for this country," he said.