Miguel Bach

Miguel Bach served as a Staff Sergeant in the United States Army. A highlydecorated veteran of the Korean War, Mr. Bach served in Korea with the 7th Infantry Division and the 45th Infantry Division.

In December 1952, while on active duty in Korea, then as a Private First Class, he was wounded during a battle in North Korea. For his valor, Mr. Bach was awarded the Purple Heart and later attained the rank of Staff Sergeant. He earned the Silver Star and the Bronze Star with V device, and the Combat Infantryman Badge for his service to our Nation.

In the mid-1980s, Mr. Bach became a staunch advocate for the establishment of a Korean War Memorial. He was determined to honor the service of the estimated 482,000 New Yorkers who served in the Korean War, including 2,249 who lost their lives and another 6,531 who were wounded.

Mr. Bach worked to build support for the Memorial by contacting and working with elected officials, business, community and religious leaders along with veterans organizations. After several years of advocacy, then-Mayor Koch established the Korean War Memorial Commission to develop the monument. As the plans for the monument went forward, Mr. Bach also advocated for a parade as part of the dedication ceremony.

After years of tireless advocacy by Mr. Bach and other dedicated individuals, the New York Korean Veteran’s Memorial was installed in Battery Park City on June 25, 1991, the 41st anniversary of the beginning of the Korean War.

To mark this momentous event, 9,000 Korean War veterans participated in a parade through the Canyon of Heroes as part of the dedication ceremony. Mr. Bach’s long advocacy helped these veterans achieve a lasting monument to their service.