Colonel Dean Hess, a Korean War hero, is awarded the Baek Sun-yup Korea-U.S. Alliance Award.

The Ministry of National Defense said Defense Secretary Kim Yong-hyun, who is visiting the U.S. to participate in the 56th Korea-U.S. Security Consultative Meeting, presented the award to the late Colonel Dean Hess, a Korean War hero who was selected as the winner of the 12th Korea-U.S. Alliance Award at the "Night of the Korea-U.S. Alliance."

The ministry said it conveyed the award to Lawrence and Ronald, Colonel Hess's first and third sons.

Colonel Hess was given the title of the "Godfather of the Korean Air Force" while training Korean Air Force pilots during the Korean War, contributed to the defeat of North Korean troops with 250 combat appearances in the early stages of the war, and was also called the "Father of War orphans" by sending more than 1,000 war orphans to Jeju Island.

After the war, Colonel Hess frequently visited Korea to take care of orphans and took the lead in raising donations, and the government awarded the Ulchi Military Medal and the National Medal of Merit in honor of Colonel Hess.