In 2008, the Butler Center for Arkansas Studies initiated “FORGOTTEN: The Arkansas Korean War Project” to document and preserve Arkansas’s role in the war. Brian Robertson and Stephanie Bayless in the manuscripts division of the Butler Center began the project, and by 2025, one hundred and eleven veterans had shared their memories.

The project consists of three components:

  • Asking veterans to fill out a survey about their experiences and then conducting oral history interviews with them.
  • Collecting archival materials from veterans and family members—letters, documents, diaries, photographs, etc.—that will be housed in the Butler Center.
  • Adding the collected information to this website and highlighting featured portions.

We want to ensure that these materials are preserved for educators, researchers, and family members to help future generations understand more about the war and our veterans’ experiences in it. We believe it is critical to honor our veterans’ service and contributions.

The project is ongoing. If you are a veteran of the Korean War or are a family member of a veteran and want to participate, contact Brian Robertson.

Project Outcomes

After the project launched, it it was expanded to include a conference and a documentary film.

The one-day conference, Arkansas in the Forgotten War: The Korean War Remembered, took place on May 22, 2010, and featured five sessions highlighting various aspects of the war. Speakers included Dr. James I. Matray, Professor of History at California State University, Chico; Dr. Roger Pauly from the University of Central Arkansas; Steve Rucker, Director of the Arkansas National Guard Museum; and a panel of Arkansas Korean War veterans.

Uncle Sam Desired Our Presence: Arkansans in the Korean War was a 2010 documentary produced by the Butler Center for Arkansas Studies. It is narrated by Steve Stephens and features photographs, documents, and oral history interviews from “FORGOTTEN: The Arkansas Korean War Project” as well as video footage and photographs from the National Archives and Records Administration.

The DVD of Uncle Sam Desired Our Presence is available from the University of Arkansas Press. To order your copy, follow the link below.

Order Your Copy

The project has been featured by several news outlets and won the Arkansas Historical Association’s Award of Merit. Those who have worked on the project have immense gratitude for the veterans and families who have shared their memories with us.