Korean War Legacy Project

Tesfaye WoldeTsadiq

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Bio

Lieutenant Colonel Tesfaye WoldeTsadiq was born on January 3, 1929, in Addis Ababa to WoldTsadiq Woldgebreal and Terunish Woldgebreal. He attended Teferi Mekonnen School, now known as Entoto Technical and Vocational School.

Driven by a strong desire to serve in the military, Tesfaye enrolled in the Imperial Guard Candidate School in April 1946 and was admitted as a candidate. That same month, he was appointed as an officer. After completing his training, he graduated as a Captain in September 1949 and was promoted to Lieutenant Colonel in July 1950. During his service, he was deployed to Korea as part of the First Kagnew Battalion.

During his tenure, the first Kagnew Battalion received the Pioneer Medal of Honor for exemplary service in Korea. Lieutenant Colonel Tesfaye earned several personal accolades, including the Giorgis Military Medal, the Haile Selassie I Honor Star Medal, and the 15 Years Service Medal, in recognition of his dedication and integrity. Notably, the Emperor also honored him for outstanding performance as an Imperial Guard. After his military career, he served as a photographer for the Ministry of Health until his retirement. Tesfaye was remembered for his sincerity and loyalty throughout his life. He had seven children and one grandchild. He passed away in September 1991 at the age of 62.