The Korean War Years
The Rotary Club
Historians agree that the official time line for the Korean War is
1950-1953; although tensions in the region gradually escalated before that,
finally resulting in an invasion into South Korea by North Korea in June of 1950.
Back in our Rotary Club during those years events overseas were closely
followed as the club carried on with its work. In the Rotary year 1951-1952, J.D.
“Jack” McSpadden, the Vice-President of Liberty National Life Insurance
Company, ably guided this club through the war years of 1951 through 1952 and
was said to have earned the esteem and affection of the entire membership.
Colonel William J. (Bill) Rushton, President Of Protective Life Insurance
Company, was the first son of a former president of Birmingham's Rotary
Club to serve as president of our organization. The Rotary year led by
Colonel Rushton (1952-1953) was complete with strong programs, intellectual
repartee, and a revival of real intra club interest.
The stalemate on the Korean Peninsula from 1951 to July of 1953 ended
with the signing of a final armistice agreement in July of 1953. As the Korean
leaders continued to insist that they won the war, our Rotary leaders
disregarded that boastful talk and turned a deaf ear to the North Koreans
while continuing their community work.
During the national Recession of 1953, Robert C. (Bob) Crumbaugh served
as our president. It was during Crumbaugh’s year that ads in the club
bulletin for local Birmingham companies were permanently discontinued.
Amasa G. (Mac) Smith followed Crumbaugh as the President of
Birmingham’s Rotary Club. He was the manager of Chicago Bridge and Iron.
During his year several special programs took place reflecting on Rotary’s
Golden Anniversary.
Leading our club into the middle 1950’s was John A. Hand, Executive Vice
President of The First National Bank of Birmingham. Many of the programs
given during Hand’s year (1955-1956) were from representatives from other
cities and from foreign countries. The rest of the 1950’s were to be times of
great prosperity for our club and the country as a whole, with the exception of
1958’s short-term recession.