Kathryn Simon, above, places a rose in remembrance of her uncle John Lesko at a Korean War memorial

Kathryn Simon, above, places a rose in remembrance of her uncle John Lesko at a Korean War memorial at Austintown Veterans Park. In the foreground is an empty chair to represent those missing in action. Korean War Veterans Association Chapter 137 conducted a ceremony Sunday to honor the 118 members of the military from Mahoning, Trumbull and Columbiana counties who died during the war. They were among the nearly 37,000 Americans who lost their lives in the Korean War. At right, John Pariza of Cortland and the American Legion Trumbull County Honor Guard post the flag near a statue of a Korean War soldier. The ceremony included a salute by the Honor Guard. Today is the 57th anniversary of the start of the war, when the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea Army (North Korea) opened fire on the Republic of Korea (South Korea). The three years of fighting stopped July 27, 1953.