Brigadier General Frank D. Daly of the U.S. Army (then Lieutenant Colonel), the protagonist of the 'Miracle Battle of Gapyeong'. [Photo provided by Keaton Daly]

The great-grandson of Brigadier General Frank D. Daly of the U.S. Army (then Lieutenant Colonel, 1913-1990), a key figure in one of the most famous battles of the Korean War, the 'Miracle Battle of Gapyeong', is reportedly engaged in missionary work in Korea. 

The Battle of Gapyeong took place over two days, May 26-27, 1951, in Gapyeong, Gyeonggi Province. Two hundred and forty soldiers from the 213th Field Artillery Battalion of the Utah Army National Guard held their positions, repelling an attack by 4,000 Chinese soldiers. 

During this battle, while approximately 350 Chinese soldiers were killed and over 830 were captured, not a single U.S. soldier was lost, leading to the battle being called the 'Miracle at Gapyeong'.

Frank Daly (left) and his great-grandson Keaton Daly. [Photo provided by Keaton Daly]

Keaton Daly and his companions paying respects at the Korean War Veterans Memorial in Gapyeong. [Photo provided by Keaton Daly]

After the Korean War concluded, General Daly returned to his hometown with his soldiers and lived a comfortable life, passing away in 1990. 

War memorials commemorating this battle stand side-by-side in Gapyeong County and Cedar City, Utah. The two cities also formed a sister city relationship in 2009. 

And now, over 70 years after he first set foot on Korean soil, his great-grandson, Keaton Daly (20), has arrived in Busan to serve as a missionary for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (Mormon Church). 

It is known that while serving as a missionary, he always carries with him the dog tag engraved with his great-grandfather's name. 

Utah is the headquarters of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, and most of General Daly's battalion members were also believers. 

Members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints serve as missionaries at around 18-19 years of age, depending on their aspirations. After graduating from high school, Keaton Daly applied to be a two-year missionary, and his assignment to Korea was purely coincidental. The church leadership assigns mission locations with very little personal information about the applicants. 

Keaton Daly stated that he grew up hearing many stories about the 'Miracle of Gapyeong' from his father, and was greatly surprised when he was told he would be going to Korea. 

He has reportedly been deeply impressed by witnessing Korea's development firsthand. 

“My great-grandfather would be very proud to see Korea’s amazing achievements. The fact that my grandfather contributed to fighting for Korea’s freedom is a great inspiration to me.”

He personally attended the 74th anniversary ceremony of the Miracle Battle held in Gapyeong last May. Although the principle during a mission is to focus solely on missionary work without leaving the assigned area or engaging in external activities, he made a special exception to attend and deliver a speech as a family representative. 

The 'Miracle Battle of Gapyeong' Veterans Memorial in Cedar City, Utah. [Photo provided by Keaton Daly]

Keaton Daly said, "Seeing the Korean people still showing gratitude for what happened over 70 years ago made me feel it was destiny once again that I am here. Gapyeong will forever remain a special place in my heart."

In Busan, he is spreading his faith through various activities such as teaching English classes and helping with farm work. 

He will return to the United States in October, concluding his two-year service. Afterward, he plans to major in architecture at university. 

By Reporter Im Yo-hee