Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

A Memorial Day to Remember
GOPUSA ^ | May.27,2004 | Doug Patton

Posted on 05/27/2004 11:08:56 AM PDT by Reagan Man

This Memorial Day, I will remember the 4,435 Americans who died revolting against the tyranny of King George in the Revolutionary War.

I will remember the 2,260 Americans who died fighting the British again in the War of 1812.

I will remember the 13,283 Americans who died in the Mexican War.

I will remember the 558,052 Americans, on both sides, who died in our bloodiest war, the Civil War.

I will remember the 2,246 Americans who died in the Spanish-American War.

I will remember the 116,708 Americans who died fighting German aggression in World War I.

I will remember the 407,316 Americans who died defeating fascism in Europe and imperialism in the Pacific during World War II.

I will remember the 33,651 Americans who died battling North Korea.

I will remember the 58,168 Americans who died in Vietnam, including my best friend from high school, killed by a sniper in June of 1968, at the tender age of 20.

I will remember the 293 Americans who died driving Saddam Hussein out of Kuwait during the Gulf War.

I will remember the 700-plus Americans who have died liberating Iraq.

I will remember the simple words carved in stone at the Korean War Memorial on the National Mall in Washington, DC: "Freedom isn't free."

I will remember those who have paid the price for that freedom, which I so often take for granted.

I will remember that courage is not the absence of fear, but rather the willingness to act decisively in spite of fear.

I will remember that there have always been far more tyrants than freely elected statesmen, and that brave Americans have had to pay the ultimate price to preserve liberty throughout our nation's history.

I will remember that the United States of America has always been a fragile experiment defended by ordinary men called upon to do extraordinary things in times of great peril.

This Memorial Day weekend, the long awaited World War II Memorial is being dedicated in Washington, DC. It has been a long time coming, and many who served in that epic struggle are no longer here to see it. In fact, we are now losing the members of that generation, most of whom are now in their eighties, at a rate of more than 1,000 per day.

There was never any adequate way for us to thank them for what they did. They never expected that we should. They simply did what destiny called them to do, and when it was finished, those who survived returned home to resume their lives and stoically cope with the horrors they had seen.

This Memorial Day, I will remember that even as the free nations of the world could have lost World War II, without the will to be victorious, America could still lose the worldwide war on terror.

As always, this year I will commemorate the sacrifice of my grandfather and my father, who served in World Wars I and II, respectively. They are now buried next to their beloved wives in a small cemetery on a hilltop surrounded by rolling farmland in Montgomery County in Southwest Iowa.

I will remember their service, and the noble lives they led after returning home. I will remember that they helped to preserve a legacy of freedom and opportunity for those of us who came after them.

This Memorial Day, I will remember those who sacrificed to protect my God-given rights.


TOPICS: Constitution/Conservatism; Foreign Affairs; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS:

1 posted on 05/27/2004 11:08:56 AM PDT by Reagan Man
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | View Replies]

To: Reagan Man

I will remember my Father who landed on Normandy Beach on D-Day and who fought in the Battle of the Bulge. And too all the men who fought to guarantee that freedom and liberty would continue in this great land.


2 posted on 05/27/2004 11:13:36 AM PDT by Reagan Man (The choice is clear. Reelect BUSH-CHENEY !)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Reagan Man

My Memorial Day Letter:

I have been lucky enough to travel around the world both as an American tourist and American soldier. Some insights I have picked up along the way:

I can honestly say, most of the world loves America and Americans. Even the French. They admire our "can do attitude," our eternal optimism, our individual independence and our absolute fearlessness in taking on "city hall" and the powers in charge. They are also very grateful for our generosity. Americans are by far the most friendliest and giving people (individual and collectively) on the face of the planet. I could present statistic after statistic, but just ask any bartender or waitress in any remote town of any third world country who would they like as customers, and they will reply "Americans."

Our enemies, who I have also met and talked with, believe this optimism and generosity are a weakness. They feel that any country foolish enough to try to help other people (instead of crushing them) or permits dissenting points of view is weak. They feel our wealth (ironically made by extremely hard work) has made us soft and unwilling to fight very hard.

Our course, they do not know our military history and ignore our fighting traditions and legends. They do not understand that Americans do not really want to make war and want nothing to do with conquering the planet (too much paperwork). We would rather stay home with our families, enjoy life and go to work. But if we must fight, then we go all out; that we will kill our enemies as fast and as a numerously as humanly possible, that we will bring relentless devastation and carnage to our adversaries and not stop until they are either dead or have surrendered. We want to get the miserable job of war done as fast, efficiently and as brutally as possible so that we can go home.

Our enemies look at our military as the strength of machines. They feel if we did not have our wonderful helicopters, F-16’s, Abrams Tanks, aircraft carriers, etc. that our soldiers would melt away. However, it is a rare event when an American soldier surrenders, even against overwhelming odds. The American soldier has slugged it out toe-to-toe with every enemy we have ever faced (even after all the wonder machines have broken down) and have always emerged the victor. This warrior spirit has been proven in regular army units, special op units and militia/National Guard units. It is not something that is taught, it is just always understood; that the soldiers of liberty and freedom will always defeat the soldiers of dictators and tyrants no matter what.

The men and women of the American Armed Forces understand that Freedom is not free. It has been purchased with a terrible price. American soldiers have suffered, bled and died under horrific conditions in dreadful places all across this hard world. Unlike most armies, Americans have put themselves in harm's way willingly. They fight not for treasure, glory or power but for an idea; that essential Liberty "shall not perish from the earth" as long as I can do something about it.

We should never take our liberty for granted. Since the dawn of humanity, tyrants have and will always try to gather more power by enslaving others. There is only one thing that they fear; when a free people look them in the eye and proclaim, "This we will defend."


3 posted on 05/27/2004 11:15:59 AM PDT by 2banana (They want to die for Islam and we want to kill them)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Reagan Man
Thank you for a very moving post!

I too, will remember the sacrifice of the generations of men in my family who fought to preserve freedom.

4 posted on 05/27/2004 11:23:10 AM PDT by Sunshine Sister
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Reagan Man
I'll remember one of the best snipers the United States ever had the good fortune of using in combat; Carlos Hathcock II.

I'll think of my father's cousin, who was MIA during the Vietnam War, and whose name is now inscribed on the Wall in Washington D.C.

I'll also take note of the accomplishments of my grandfather, who passed away around this time last year. He actively helped other disabled veterans, especially those who had served in World War II.

In Loving Memory of Donald P. Sprague.

Born July 11, 1928

Died May 28, 2003.

5 posted on 05/27/2004 12:31:04 PM PDT by The Scourge of Yazid ("My daddy beats my mommy. My mommy clobbers me. My grandpa is a commie. My grandma pushes tea...")
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson