@katchup_news The remains of Korean-American U.S. Marine veteran who was missing in Ukraine for more than a year, returned to his family on May 20th. Korean-American retired Marine Captain Grady Kurpasi, 50-year-old, volunteered in February 2022 to help evacuate Ukrainian residents. But, according to the reports, due to the intensity of the war, and the need for combat-experienced leader, he later fought in the Ukrainian Foreign Legion with leading a squad in the battle, and was last seen in April 2022, and finally declared killed in action last month by the U.S. State Department. He was born in Korea and was adopted to the U.S. when he was in infant. If you perhaps have a heart for Captain Kurpasi’s service, you may visit his gofundme page. Thank you for your service Captain Kurpasi, rest in peace. #koreanamerican #marine #veteran #koreanveteran #ukraine #korean #fyp #news #captain #gofundme #restinpeace
A U.S. Marine veteran of Korean descent, who had gone missing while serving as an international volunteer in Ukraine, has been officially confirmed as killed in action.
According to a post on GoFundMe on May 19 (local time), Grady Krupasi, a retired U.S. Marine as of September 2021, felt a sense of duty to assist Ukraine in defending their country against the Russian invasion.
Initially intending to provide soldier training, the intensity of the war and the demand for experienced combat leaders led Grady to lead a squad into battle, ultimately resulting in his death.
The Washington Post reported that Krupasi went missing on April 26, 2022 after joining British citizen Andrew Hill in investigating gunfire. However, his death was not confirmed until a year later in April this year.
As stated in the GoFundMe post, Grady was a resident of his hometown, New York City, during the September 11 attacks on the World Trade Center. This tragic event motivated him to enlist in the United States Marine Corps.
Before his deployment, he worked as a computer programmer. He subsequently served three tours in Iraq, where he received the Purple Heart in 2007. He also served in the U.S. forces in South Korea for three years with his wife and daughter.
“Captain Grady Krupasi was an inspiring, selfless individual who faced hardship and challenges with a smile on his face,” said William Lee, a friend of Grady’s wife who created the GoFundMe page.
BY JEEHYE HAN [support@koreadaily.com]
