Of the 18,000 Australians who served in Korea, he guesses there are maybe 2000 remaining.
“There are a lot of our mates still over there,” he said.
“And a lot of us have gone recently. There aren't too many left.”
John still refers to Korea as the "forgotten war", but he will continue to keep it in the memories of those around him.
On June 25, John led a small group at the Moama Cenotaph in a ceremony to acknowledge the start of the conflict 70 years ago.
He thanked those in attendance, before laying a wreath and leading the Ode.
With Anzac Day falling during the peak of the COVID-19 situation, John wanted the day to be marked correctly.
“It was very good to have my daughter and some others make the trip,” he said.
“We were always known as the forgotten war, but some wonderful Australians who were still only so young made the journey and many never came back. We have to keep their memory alive.
“We had our services in our driveways, but I was determined to do this. I want the public to remember the conflict and to take the time with us to remember them.”
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