Jesse Pardue was putting up peas when we reached him by phone late last week to inquire whether it was true that he was going to Washington to meet the president.

Pardue is one of thousands of Americans who fought in the “police action” that was the Korean War. It was not a popular cause. No hero’s welcome, no ticker-tape parade awaited the men and women who served in that conflict as it had those who served in World War II.

The Korean War had ended in stalemate. Parades and celebrations had seemed somehow awkward and out of place. Those who served, as well as those at home, were left to try and forget what happened at places like Pork Chop Hill and Heartbreak Ridge and to move on with their lives as best they could.

Now, 50 years later, the veterans of that war are about to get a long overdue “thank you” for having placed their lives in harm’s way. The South Korean government will honor 40 veterans of that conflict with medals commemorating their service in the Korean War.

Pardue is among those chosen to attend. He and his wife will travel to Washington, D.C., in July to receive his medal.

“They’re having a little ceremony and all,” Pardue said, putting those peas aside for the moment. “They say the president will be there for three minutes. Or maybe it was 30. Anyway, my kids are paying our way over there – me and the wife. We’ve never been to Washington before.”

Pardue fought in the war for nine months and was wounded. He doesn’t like to talk about it much. Recently, though, he called his three children together and laid it all out for them – the good along with the bad, the moments of dark humor and the moments of unspeakable terror.

“It was hard to tell,” he admitted. “I’ve told ’em bits and pieces over the years, but this time I just spilled my guts and told it all. It’s something I thought they needed to know.

“My daughter – she runs a beauty shop over on 14 – put it all down in a book: ‘Jesse Pardue’s Untold Story.'”

Pardue is hopeful he may even run up on some of his old comrades in Washington. And if the president is too busy to greet each one of the veterans of that forgotten war personally, he understands.

“I appreciate what they’re doing, and I’m going to honor that,” Pardue said. “I wasn’t no hero, I’ll tell you that right off. But I’m here to tell it, and I guess that’s something. I’ve had a lot of close calls. The good Lord was with me, that’s all I can say.

“Now, if you’ll excuse me, I’ve got to get back to these peas.”