I don't believe that I have mentioned that, via, as always, Milblogging.com
('where those who want to be in the know...go':)
I was alerted to the fact that Garry Trudeau, creator of Doonesbury, has launched a military blog on his website "featuring entries emailed in by service members stationed in Iraq and Afghanistan."
There are already many Fantastic! posts on there,this is a Do Not Miss site! so please check it out.
I checked it out today,and left a comment on one of the posts. To my surprise (and this is,yet again, one of the things I Love about the Internet:) I received an email tonight from the son of a WW II Pacific Army veteran who had read my comment.
He shared with me something he had written to honor his dad (and all veterans) for Memorial Day in 2000, and has since updated. It was so moving that I asked his permission to share it, which he graciously gave.
So, from MIKE, son of a WW II Army veteran, here is:
AT THE RIGHT TIME, WE REMEMBER
I wasn't there when the American Colonial Army stood winter guard in the snows of Valley Forge wearing bloody rags for boots as they fought for my freedom.
I wasn't there in the war of 1812.
I wasn't in the trenches when the German's seared the lungs of young American men with mustard gas as they fought for my freedom in World War One.
I wasn't at Pearl Harbor when a single Japanese bomb detonated a million pounds of black powder on the Arizona and instantaneously killed over one thousand American sailors preparing to defend my freedom against the Japanese and the Nazis.
I didn't see the bullet riddled bodies of theAmericans who died defending my freedom in Korea.
I only vaguely remember the nightly news clips of American soldiers as they carried out our government's orders in the jungles and swamps and tunnels of Vietnam.
I have never been with a family who lost a son or a daughter defending Kuwait.
I wasn't there with any of them when they suffered as prisoners of war in any of these wars.
I have never been with a family whose child died in a peace time military training exercise.
Not every one of our veterans saw combat. Some were clerks, cooks, mechanics, machinists. Some served during war time, some served during peace time, some serve in peace today, ready for battle tomorrow. Today they prepare for the ongoing war against terrorists. Some gave their lives, some suffered wounds, some saw things that no human should ever have to see, and many did things that no human should ever have to do. And all gave their daily life, for a period of time, while many more gave their time to work in the industries that sustained our veterans.
Not all of those who have protected my freedom were even in the military. Some of them were the firemen, policemen, and paramedics who risked their lives each day, rushing in where most of us would never tread. Some of them were "just" passengers on commercial airline flights who, with faith in Christ, calmly chose to fight, and die if necessary, rather than let Flight 93 be used as a weapon against their country and their fellow citizens.
When I tried to join the US Air Force, my application was turned down for medical reasons.
But because others were there, I am priveliged to continue to live in the greatest nation the world has ever known and to enjoy the greatest freedoms that any people have ever known.
And so I thank you, veteran, whoever you are, and wherever you are.
Thank you Vet. Thanks Dad. This Memorial Day, I remember WHY I am free, and I thank you.
I know that when you were asked, at the right time, like Christ, you gave your life for me.
Romans 5:6-8
While we were still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. Why, one will hardly die for a righteous man--though perhaps for a good man one will dare even to die. But God shows his love for us in that while we were yet sinners Christ died for us.
Mike
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Thank you,Mike, for sending that to me. My thanks also to your father, for his service to our country.
It seems appropriate, to close with this quote :
"Only two defining forces have ever offered to die for you,
Jesus Christ and the American G. I.
One died for your soul, the other for your freedom. "
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This guy is either going to think we are completely nuts (not an impossibility) or realize that we were having an absolutely wonderful time shopping to try and send just a little bit of 'home' to a complete stranger, as our small way of trying to say 'Thank You' and 'Someone is thinking of you.'
"Everywhere he went, he would not take his cross off," his brother Fernando Acosta said. "He was a very strong believer in God." The avid Los Angeles Lakers fan with a fondness for the cartoon character Scooby Doo "felt very strongly about helping other people out," Fernando Acosta said. He re-enlisted this year despite his concern over the dangers because "he figured it was the right thing to do," his brother said. "I know that he did not die in vain," said his widow, Roxanne Longoria Acosta. "He was proud of what he did."