Challenge and Hope: How Korea Forged an Integrated Army

As our nation marks Martin Luther King Jr. Day and looks ahead to America’s 250th year, this episode tells a lesser-known story from the Korean War—one that reveals both the promise and the pain of our national journey. Mike sits down with his father, retired U.S. Army Colonel Dennis Runey, to reflect on the Army’s first full integration in combat. Through the story of a fellow soldier who lived it firsthand, we hear how Black and White soldiers learned to fight, trust, and live as brothers under fire—only to face the sobering reality of re-segregation upon returning home. This conversation does not rush to resolution. Instead, it invites us to remember honestly, reflect faithfully, and consider what it means to love our neighbor as individuals made in the image of God.