I don’t think I’ve ever expressed my gratitude for having the opportunity to serve in the Army of the United States of America. When I was drafted so to do in 1951, I railed against it. Having been sent to the front lines to fight during the Korean War, I was devastated. And yet, that time of service was where I discovered the precepts of what the Founding Fathers proclaimed: “that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights.”
I used to ask my mother what those words of Thomas Jefferson meant. And in her calm and persuasive manner, she said that it meant that no one could deprive me of the enjoyment of those rights, and that it did indeed mean me. A mother’s words are indelible, especially to this son, and caused me to believe in the highest possibility of aspiration.
I not only fought with men from all over the world, but also shared bunks, food, and recreational opportunities. More importantly, I came to know these men and have discourse and discussions about why we were called to fight for the preservation of the principles of freedom. My only brother Robert fought in the Philippines in World War II. My nephew Michael fought in Vietnam.
To have been a part of preserving and believing in the American creed fills me with pride. When I visit veterans’ homes and see the tears welling in the eyes of the residents when hearing the playing of “The Star-Spangled Banner,” it renews my belief and hope that our nation is indeed the “land of the free and the home of the brave.”
We honor all who have served and sacrificed to preserve the freedoms we cherish.
We must continue to venerate this day.
