The United States came to the defense of democratic South Korea when the communists of North Korea crossed their border and invaded on June 25, 1950. Thrown hastily into battle, the initial United Nations response was met with defeat, only to be stabilized by the intervention of large amounts of American personnel and equipment. For three years, the forces of Democracy and Communism fought in a pitched battle of attrition that tested America’s post-WWII policy and tactics. In this exhibit, learn how Hattiesburg’s Jesse L. Brown became the first African-American aviator in the United States Navy, and read about Ensign Brown’s tragic death while serving in Korea.