Calgary, September 5, 2025 — Ethiopia has lost one of its most decorated war veterans. Lieutenant Colonel Mamo Habtewald, renowned for his courage in the Korean War and honored as a Hero of the Korean War, has passed away.

Lt. Col. Mamo was a distinguished member of the United Nations’ Kagnew Battalion, earning international recognition for his extraordinary bravery. He remains the only Ethiopian, aside from Emperor Haile Selassie, to be awarded the nation’s highest honor, the St. George’s Battlefield Medal.

His long list of military decorations reflects his global recognition:

• Ethiopia: Star of Honor, Officer’s Medal, Korean War Commemorative Medal, Combat Badge
• United States: Unit Citation for Allied Valor
• South Korea: High War Medal, Korean War Commemorative Medal, Community Citation
• Belgium: King Leopold II Knight’s Medal, World War II Medal
• United Nations: Korean War Commemorative Medal

The funeral service will be held in Calgary, Ca