Patriotic Writings

QUOTES, PROSE, POEMS
and other Patriotic Writings

”If you are able, save for them a place inside of you and save one backward glance when you are leaving for the places they can no longer go.
Be not ashamed to say you loved them, though you may or may not have always.  Take what they have taught you with their dying and keep it with your own.
And in that time when men decide and feel safe to call the war insane, take one moment to embrace those gentle heroes you left behind.”
Major Michael Davis O’Donnell
1 January 1970
Dak To, Vietnam
Listed as KIA February 7, 1978

“There is no trust more sacred than the one the world holds with children.  There is no duty more important than ensuring that their rights are respected, that their welfare is protected, that their lives are free from fear and want and that they grow up in peace.”
Kofi Annan

“There is nothing so likely to produce peace as to be well prepared to meet the enemy.”
“Peace is not only better than war, but infinitely more arduous.”
George Washington

“One flag, one land, one heart, one hand, one nation, evermore!”
Oliver Wendell Holmes

“Our flag is our national ensign, pure and simple, behold it!  Listen to it!  Every star has a tongue, every stripe is articulate.”
Robert Winthrop

“We hold these truths to be self-evident that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights, that among these are life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.”
Thomas Jefferson

“America – the place where miracles not only happen, but where they happen all the time.”
Thomas Wolfe

“I shall know but one country.  The ends I aim at shall be my country’s, my God’s and truth’s.  I was born an American; I live an American; I shall die an American.”
Daniel Webster

“France was a land, England was a people, but America, having about it still that quality of the idea, was harder to utter – it was the graves at Shiloh, and the tired, drawn, nervous faces of its great men, and the country boys dying in the Argonne for a phrase that was empty before their bodies withered.  It was a willingness of the heart.”
F. Scott Fitzgerald

“We defend not only our precious freedoms, but the freedom of people everywhere to live and raise their children free from fear.  Sacrifices are being made by members of our Armed Forces who now defend us so far from home, and by their proud and worried families.  They are dedicated, they are honorable.  They represent the best of our country.  And we are grateful.  We will not waver.  We will not tire.  We will not falter.  And we will not fail.  Peace and freedom will prevail.”
George W. Bush

“I know not what course others may take, but as for me, give me liberty or give me death.”
Patrick Henry

“Our greatest glory is not in never falling, but in rising every time we fall.” 
Confucious

“Let every nation know whether it wishes us well or ill, that we will pay any price, bear any burden, meet any hardship, support any friend, oppose any foe, in order to assure the survival and the success of liberty.”
John Fitzgerald Kennedy

”Let there be peace on earth, and let it begin with me.”
Anonymous

“If there must be trouble let it be in my day, that my child may have peace.”
Thomas Paine

“Character is doing the right thing when no one is watching.”
J.C. Watts

“The basis of a democratic state is liberty.”
Aristotle

“Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.”
Martin Luther King, Jr.

“I have a dream that one day this nation will rise up and live out the true meaning of its creed:  We hold these truths to be self-evident that all men are created equal”.
Martin Luther King, Jr.

“To sin by silence when they should protest makes cowards of men.”
Abraham Lincoln

“They that can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary safety deserve neither liberty nor safety.”
Benjamin Franklin

”Through the generations, America’s men and women in uniform have defeated tyrants, liberated continents, and set a standard of courage and idealism for the entire world.  On Veterans Day, our Nation pays tribute to those who have proudly served in our Armed Forces.
To protect the Nation they love, our veterans stepped forward when America needed them most.  In conflicts around the world, their sacrifice and resolve helped destroy the enemies of freedom and saved millions from oppression.  In answering history’s call with honor, decency, and resolve, our veterans have shown the power of liberty and earned the respect and admiration of a grateful Nation.
All of America’s veterans have placed our Nation’s security before their own lives, creating a debt that we can never fully repay.  Our veterans represent the best of America, and they deserve the best America can give them.
This Veterans Day, we give thanks to those who have served freedom’s cause; we salute the members of our Armed Forces who are confronting our adversaries abroad; and we honor the men and women who left America’s shores but did not live to be thanked as veterans.  They will always be remembered by our country.”
President George W. Bush

            “When history looks back upon the records of our age and our nation, centuries from now, I believe it will be written that once there was a great nation of free people who sent their very best young men and women out to serve on the frontiers of freedom in uniform.  They went forth to defend their nation and its ideals, giving up the comforts and conveniences of home.  Too many never returned to their families, but none who served ever sacrificed in vain.
They led lives of great consequence, for they kept the torch of liberty burning in the oldest democracy on Earth.  Each and every one of them were heroes, and gave to every child born thereafter a precious and irreplaceable gift.  And their nation remained eternally grateful.”
President Bill Clinton

You’re a grand old flag,
You’re a high flying flag
And forever in peace may you wave.
You’re the emblem of, the land I love,
The home of the free and the brave.
Every heart beats true ‘neath the Red, White and Blue,
Where there’s never a boast or brag.
But should auld acquaintance be forgot,
Keep your eye on the grand old flag.
George M. Cohan

God bless America, land that I love,
Stand beside her, and guide her,
Through the night, with the light from above,
From the mountains, to the prairies
To the oceans, white with foam
God bless America, my home sweet home,
God bless America!  My Home Sweet Home!
Irving Berlin

 

BEN STEIN’S LAST COLUMN…. “How Can Someone Who Lives in Insane Luxury Be a Star in Today’s World?”  http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1331469/posts

 

EULOGY FOR A VETERAN

Do not stand at my grave and weep.
I am not there, I do not sleep.

I am a thousand winds that blow.
I am the diamond glints on snow.

I am the sunlight on ripened grain.
I am the gentle autumn rain.

When you awaken in the morning’s hush,
I am the swift uplifting rush

Of quiet birds in circled flight,
I am the soft stars that shine at night.

Do not stand at my grave and cry,
I am not there, I did not die.

Author Unknown

FLY THAT FLAG

Fly that flag proudly, knowing that a veteran
Gave you the right to your freedom.
Look at The Wall, read the names.
See the headstones at Arlington.
Those old men conducting the ceremonies, once young,
Gave their all for our freedom.
Now they honor long dead friends, fallen comrades.
Knowing they gave their all,
Knowing we remember them,
As we honor them today.
Salute and listen as the last tap is played.
This Veteran’s Day
Author Unknown

ONE
By Dr. Cheryl Sawyer

As the soot and dirt and ash rained down.
We became one color.
As we carried each other down the stairs of the burning building,
We became one class.
As we lit candles of waiting and hope,
We became one generation.
As the firefighters and police officers fought their way into the inferno,
We became one gender.
As we fell to our knees in prayer for strength,
We became one faith.
As we whispered or shouted words of encouragement,
We spoke one language.
As we gave our blood in lines a mile long,
We became one body.
As we mourned together the great loss,
We became one family.
As we cried tears of grief and loss,
We became one soul.
As we retell with pride of the sacrifice of heroes,
We become one people.

We are
One color
One class
One generation
One gender
One faith
One language
One body
One family
One soul
One people
We are The Power of One.
We are United.
We are America, and God Bless Us all!

MY NAME IS OLD GLORY
By Howard Schnauber

I am the flag of the United States of America.
My name is Old Glory.
I fly atop the world’s tallest buildings.
I stand watch in America’s halls of justice.
I fly majestically over great institutes of learning.
I stand guard with the greatest military power in the world.
Look up! And see me!
I stand for peace – honor – truth and justice.
I stand for freedom
I am confident – I am arrogant
I am proud.
When I am flown with my fellow banners
My head is a little higher
My colors a little truer.
I bow to no one.
I am recognized all over the world.
I am worshipped – I am saluted – I am respected
I am revered – I am loved, and I am feared.
I have fought every battle of every war for more than 200 years;
Gettysburg, Shiloh, Appomattox, San Juan Hill, the trenches of France, the Argonne Forest, Anzio, Rome, the beaches of Normandy, the deserts of Africa, the cane fields of the Philippines, the rice paddies and jungles of Guam, Okinawa, Japan, Korea, Vietnam, Guadalcanal, New Britain, Peleliu, and many more islands.
And a score of places long forgotten by all but those who were with me.
I was there.
I led my soldiers – I followed them.
I watched over them.
They loved me.
I was on a small hill in Iwo Jima.
I was dirty, battle-worn and tired, but my soldiers cheered me and I was proud.
I have been soiled, burned, torn and trampled on the streets of countries I have helped set free.
It does not hurt, for I am invincible.
I have been soiled, burned, torn and trampled on the streets of my country, and when it is by those with who I have served in battle – it hurts.
But I shall overcome – for I am strong.
I have slipped the bonds of Earth and stand watch over the
Uncharted new frontiers of space
From my vantage point on the moon.
I have been a silent witness to all of America’s finest hours.
But my finest hour comes when I am torn into strips to
Be used for bandages for my wounded comrades on the field of battle,
When I fly at half mast to honor my soldiers,
And when I lie in the trembling arms of a grieving
Mother at the graveside of her fallen son.
I am proud.
My name is Old Glory.
Dear God – Long may I wave.

FREEDOM ISN’T FREE

I watched the flag pass by one day.
It fluttered in the breeze
A young Marine saluted it, and then
He stood at ease.
I looked at him in uniform
So young, so tall, so proud
With hair cut square and eyes alert
He’d stand out in any crowd.
I thought, how many men like him
Had fallen through the years?
How many died on foreign soil?
How many mothers’ tears?
How many pilots’ planes shot down?
How many foxholes were soldiers’ graves?
No, Freedom is not free.
I heard the sound of taps one night,
When everything was still.
I listened to the bugler play
And felt a sudden chill.
I wondered just how many times
That taps had meant “Amen”
When a flag had draped a coffin
Of a brother or a friend.
I thought of all the children
Of the mothers and the wives,
Of fathers, sons and husbands
With interrupted lives.
I thought about a graveyard
At the bottom of the sea
Of unmarked graves in Arlington.
No, Freedom isn’t Free!!
God Bless America

            Author unknown

THE FLAG THAT’S NEVER FLOWN

In my Mother’s house
The most prized possession is
The Flag that’s never flown
It’s never hung proudly
On the Fourth of July
To watch a marching band go by.
It sits on the corner of a shelf
Standing there proudly
All by itself
Folded so neatly for all to see
I can never express how much
That Flag means to me.
You see, it’s only been unfolded once
Then folded back up with care
After it honored the casket
Of the man whose name
I proudly wear.

Good-bye Dad

Written by David Fruge

A SOLDIER’S PRAYER

Brave warriors,
Should fate find us in battle,
May our cause be just.
May our leaders have clear vision.
May our courage not falter.
May we be triumphant and earn victory
As we show mercy to our enemies.
May our efforts bring lasting peace.
May our sacrifice be always
Appreciated by those we serve.
May we return to our loved ones unharmed.
Should we be harmed, may our wounds heal.
Should we perish in the struggle,
May God embrace us and find for us
A place in His Kingdom.

            By LTC Charles Roller

 

HERO

For those who fought on distant shore,
Who gave without a word;
Defending us with honor,
So gallantly they served.

For every boy who left his home,
Returning there a man;
And every woman who made a choice,
To make serving part of her plan.

For every fallen soldier,
Who gave all they could give;
To guarantee our liberty,
And the freedom that we live.

Each one who served with honor,
The brave, the tried, the true;
America gives its thanks today,
For we see a hero in you.

By Allison Chambers Coxsey

PRAYER

In the middle of this forsaken land
Stands a Marine, rifle in hand,
For my country, my life I’ll give.
So the people in a free land will live.
Here I am standing with my squad
I bend my knees and pray to God:
Help me through this coming year,
Help me be brave and shun all fear.
God, I need you from day to day
So, please listen while I pray.

God in heaven, God on high,
Help me be brave, I’ll try not to cry.
For I need you every day.
For your love, and to guide the way.
These jungles of death and strife
Take away the love for life.
I no longer worry and don’t seem to care,
Because in the air I know you are near.

If it weren’t for your hand,
I couldn’t understand
What it takes to be a man.
I fight not just the enemy
But the deep fear inside of me.
I can beat this fear deep inside my soul,
With my Bible, and my hand in fold.
God, I pray you, listen, be near,
And guide me through this coming year.

By Sgt. Danny Johnson

THE FLAG SPEAKS
By M. Lucille Ford

I love you ,dear children, as you love me,
And this is the way I should like you to be:
As brave and full of courage
As my red stripes gleaming bright;
As clean in body, heart, and mind,
As my other stripes so white;
And as true as the true-blue background
Where my stars send out their light.

THE FLAG I LOVE
By Edna Hamilton

There are many flags in many lands,
Of bright and cheery hue,
But the one flag that I love best
Is our Red, White, and Blue.
Rah, rah, rah, for America’s flag!
No other flag will do.
There isn’t another flag like ours,
Our dear Red, White, and Blue.

FLAG
By Helen Kitchell Evans

(An exercise for four children. The children carry large letters spelling FLAG.)

First child:
Here we see the letters,
Spelling out a word,
One that every single person
Has very often heard.

Second child:
A word that means so very much –
It stands for all we love;
Beneath it men have fought and died
That it might wave above.

Third child:
On mountain or on prairie,
On ocean or the sea,
This tiny but important word
Stands for liberty.

Fourth child:
Oh! Often should these four letters
Be held aloft to spell
The word that we all love so much!
This flag we honor well.

ALL:
Hail to the red, white and blue!
“Old Glory,” to you we say
Live forever in our hearts,
Wave over the U.S.A.

MY FLAG
By Agnes Davison (an acrostic)

F  reedom you give me;
L  oyalty I return;
A  llegience I pledge you;
G  ratitude you earn.

 

FIVE BROTHERS – found at:  http://www.fuzzyworld3.com/stuff3/vet1111.html

           
Who Has Your Back? 
Author unknown

 

I am a small and precious child, my dad’s been sent to fight.
The only place I’ll see his face, is in my dreams at night.
He will be gone too many days for my young mind to keep track.
I may be sad, but I am proud.  My daddy’s got your back…

I am a caring mother.  My son has gone to war.
My mind is filled with worries that I have never known before.
Every day I try to keep my thoughts from turning black.
I may be scared, but I am proud.  My son has got your back…

I am a strong and loving wife, with a husband soon to go.
There are times I’m terrified in a way most never know.
I bite my lip, and force a smile as I watch my husband pack.
My heart may break, but I am proud.  My husband’s got your back…

I am a soldier.  Serving proudly, standing tall.
I fight for freedom, yours and mine by answering this call.
I do my job while knowing, the thanks it sometimes lacks.
Say a prayer that I’ll come home.  It’s me who’s got your back.

 

 

THE WHITE TABLE
Based on the book
Script written by Becky Melhus

             :  Those who have served and those currently serving the uniformed services of the United States are ever mindful that the sweetness of enduring peace has always been tainted by the bitterness of personal sacrifice.  All Americans should never forget the brave men and women who have answered our nation's call to serve and have served or are serving the cause of freedom in a special way.

                  :  We are compelled to never forget that while we enjoy our daily pleasures, there are others who have endured and may still be enduring the agonies of pain, deprivation and imprisonment.

                  :  Before we begin our activities this morning we will pause to recognize our POW's (those held prisoner of war) and our MIA's (those missing in action).

                   :  This Honors Ceremony symbolizes that they are with us, here in spirit.

                    :  As you entered here this morning, you many have noticed a small table in a place of honor.  It is set for one.  This table is our way of symbolizing the fact that members of our armed services are missing from our midst.  They are unable to be with us and so we remember them.

                    :  We would like to explain the meaning of the items on this special table.

                     :  This table, set for one person, is small - - symbolizing the frailty of one prisoner alone against his oppressors.  It shows one soldier's lonely battle against many.

REMEMBER

                       :  It is covered with a white cloth to honor a soldier's pure heart when he or she answers the country's call to duty. 

REMEMBER

                          :  The single red rose displayed in a vase reminds us of the families and loved ones of our soldiers who keep the faith awaiting their return.

REMEMBER

                           :  The red ribbon tied on the vase symbolizes the red ribbons worn by the many people who seek to account for our missing.

REMEMBER

                            :  The white candle is lit and reminds us of the upward reach of our soldiers' unconquerable spirit.  The candle is a symbol of light and hope that lives in our hearts to illuminate our soldiers' way home, away from their captors, to the open arms of a grateful nation.

REMEMBER

                            :  A slice of lemon is on the plate to remind us of our soldiers' bitter fate.

REMEMBER

                             :  There is salt on the plate -  symbolic of the families' tears as they wait.

REMEMBER

                              :  The glass is turned over for the meal that won't be eaten.

REMEMBER

                              :  We push an empty chair to the table for the missing soldiers who are not here.

REMEMBER

                              :  We lay a black napkin on the table to symbolize the sorrow of captivity.

REMEMBER

                         :  Until the day they come home.

REMEMBER

                         :  Let us remember and never forget their sacrifices.

REMEMBER

                          :  May God forever watch over them and protect them and their families.

REMEMBER
THE STORY OF THE STAR-SPANGLED BANNER
by Becky Olsen

Cast:  Major George Armistead, Mary Pickersgill, Caroline Pickersgill, Dr. William Beanes, John Skinner, Francis Scott Key, British Admiral, Two British Sailors, Narrators

Narrator 1:    The year was 1812, and America and England were at war again.  The Americans fought to capture British forts in the north and west.  The British responded by attacking American ports and creating blockades of ships so that people and goods could not get in or out.

Narrator 2:    In Baltimore, Major George Armistead was in charge of the American fort - Fort McHenry.  Fort McHenry was shaped like a star, with large cannons at each point.  It guarded the city of Baltimore and the surrounding countryside.

Narrator 3:    Major Armistead wanted the British to know that Fort McHenry belonged to the Americans, so he hired Mrs. Mary Pickersgill, a local seamstress, to sew a gigantic American flag to fly over the fort.

Major Armistead:  Mrs. Pickersgill, I know that you have made flags for many ships, but now I want you to make a flag bigger than any you have ever sewn.  I want it to be 30 feet high and 42 feet wide.  I will be able to pay you four hundred dollars.  I will fly it over the fort for all to see.

Mary: Sir, I would be honored to make this flag for you, but such a big flag will require more room than I have in my tiny shop.  I will see if there is a larger space in which to work.  If I can find a place, I will sew the flag.

Narrator 4:    Mrs. Pickersgill asked and got permission to use the floor of a large warehouse in Baltimore to spread out her flag.  She had to work at night, when all the workers had gone home, so she and her daughter Caroline sewed by the light of oil lamps.

Caroline:        Mother, these stars are so big!  They are nearly two feet across.  They will certainly be seen from the harbor if the British come here.

Mary: Sew them on well, Caroline.  This flag must be very sturdy and strong.  See, I have sewn the binding twice, so that it will not come off of the flagpole.  Fifteen stars and fifteen stripes will wave over Fort McHenry soon.

Narrator 5:    When the flag was finished, Major Armistead proudly raised it over Fort McHenry.

ALL:  ALL THROUGH THE WINTER AND SPRING THE FLAG WAVED IN THE STIFF BREEZE.

Narrator 5:    Finally, in the summer of 1814, the British ships arrived in the harbor, and the Major knew that Baltimore was now part of the war.

Narrator 6:    During the summer there were many smaller battles between the Americans and the British.  Both sides captured prisoners.  Some of the British soldiers had their wounds treated by Dr. William Beanes.  But Dr. Beanes himself was captured in a British raid and taken as a prisoner to the largest warship in the harbor.

Narrator 7:    Major Armistead asked two men to go to the British Admiral and talk to him about releasing Dr. Beanes.  It was a dangerous mission, so he chose two brave men.  Mr. John Skinner was in charge of prisoner exchanges with the British.  Mr. Francis Scott Key was a lawyer in Baltimore.  Both men agreed to go.

Narrator 8:    Before they left, Francis Scott Key took time to visit the British prisoners being held in the fort.  He had them sign letters saying that Dr. Beanes had been kind to them and treated their wounds.

ALL:  HE PUT THE LETTERS IN HIS POCKET AND TOOK THEM TO SHOW THE BRITISH WHY THEY SHOULD RELEASE DR. BEANES.

Narrator 9:    Early on the morning of September 12, John Skinner and Francis Scott Key got into a boat and began to row out toward the British ship.  They held a white flag to let the ship know not to shoot at them.  They had come to talk, not to fight.  When they reached the ship, they were given permission to come aboard and talk to the Admiral.

John Skinner:           Sir, we are here to talk to you about the release of our friend, Dr. William Beanes, who is being held as a prisoner on your ship.  If you will agree to let Dr. Beanes go free, we will let some of your men go free, too.

Admiral:        Wait on the deck until I have had time to read these letters and consider your request.

Narrator 10:  Mr. Skinner and Mr. Key made their way to the deck of the ship.  From here, the fort looked far away, but they could see the large American flag, still waving above the walls.  While they were waiting, two sailors standing nearby began to talk to each other.

British Sailor 1:        Well, it won't be long now until the battle begins.  By this time tomorrow, Fort McHenry will belong to us.

British Sailor 2:        Their fort will never be able to survive the blasts of our cannons.  We are sure to win.

Narrator 11:  Mr. Skinner and Mr. Key were shocked to know that an attack would take place that very night.

ALL:  THEY MUST GET BACK TO THE FORT AND WARN THEIR FRIENDS!

Narrator 11:  But they could not leave until the Admiral had made his decision about releasing Dr. Beanes.  Soon, the Admiral called for them.

Admiral:        Gentlemen, I have read the letters you brought, and I will agree to release Dr. Beanes.  However, I cannot allow you to leave the ship.  I believe that you may have heard our plans, and I cannot let you warn the fort of our attack.  You must stay here on this ship until the battle is over.  Then I will release you all.

Narrator 12:  John Skinner, Francis Scott Key, and Dr. Beanes stood on the deck of the ship.  There was no way for them to send a warning, and they knew that Fort McHenry did not have enough soldiers to hold out for very long.

ALL:  AS THE SUN SET THAT EVENING, THEY LOOKED ACROSS THE WATER TO SEE THE STARS AND STRIPES FLYING BRAVELY OVER THE FORT.

Francis:  I wonder if we will see that flag tomorrow, or if a British flag will fly in its place.

John:  We will know soon enough.

Narrator 13:  Early the next morning, while it was still dark, the British cannons began firing.  All around Fort McHenry there were explosions.  As the bombs lit up the night sky, the men peered through the smoke to see if they could spot the American flag.  At first they were able to see it, but soon the air became so filled with smoke that they could hardly see at all.

ALL:  ALL THROUGH THE DAY THE BATTLE RAGED, AND ON INTO THE NEXT NIGHT.

Narrator 14:  Finally, after 25 hours of battle, the cannons stopped.  The battle smoke began to clear, and the sky began to lighten.  The tired Americans rushed to the deck of the British ship and strained to see the fort.

Dr. Beanes:    What can you see?

John:  Nothing, yet.  There is not enough light.  The sun is coming up now, and soon we will know how we have fared.

Francis:  I believe I can see something.  I can see a flag.  Yes, it is the American flag.  Fort McHenry has been defended!  The Americans have won!  Quickly, I must have paper and pen.  I must write about what has happened, and what we have seen.

Narrator 15:  So there, on the deck of a British warship, on the morning of September 14, 1814, Francis Scott Key began to write the famous words for which he is still remembered.

 

Francis Scott Key:    O say can you see by the dawn's early light.
(add Skinner and Beanes) What so proudly we hailed at the twilight's last gleaming.
(add other  characters)  Whose broad stripes and bright stars, through the perilous fight,
(add narrators 1-5)  O'er the ramparts we watched, were so gallantly streaming.
(add narrators 6-10)  And the rockets' red glare, the bombs bursting in air
(add narrators 11-15)  Gave proof through the night that our flag was still there.
(all)  O say, does that star-spangled banner yet wave
O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave?

Narrator 1:    Major Armistead was given the flag upon his retirement.  Many widows came to him requesting pieces of the flag to be buried with their husbands.

Narrator 2:    In succeeding years, Major Armistead cut off additional pieces to gratify the wishes of others.  The flag was seen only on rare occasions.

Narrator 3:    Our flag went through many homes before it came to rest in Washington D.C.  In 1964, when the Museum of American History opened, the flag was moved to a prominent place inside the museum's Mall entrance.  It is currently undergoing extensive renovations to ensure that the flag lasts for Americans of the future to view.

ALL:  OUR FLAG REMAINS THERE AS AN AWE-INSPIRING TESTAMENT TO OUR NATIONS'S INDEPENDENCE.

            I love you, dear children, as you love me,
And this is the way I should like you to be:
As brave and full of courage
As my red stripes gleaming bright;
As clean in body, heart, and mind,
As my other stripes so white:
And as true as the true-blue background
Where my stars send out their light.

 

WHAT IS A VETERAN?
by Father Denis Edward O’Brien, USMC Gunny

Some veterans bear visible signs of their service:  a missing limb, a jagged scar, a certain look in the eye.

Others may carry the evidence inside them:  a pin holding a bone together, a piece of shrapnel in the leg - - or perhaps another sort of inner steel:  the soul’s alloy forged in the refinery of adversity.

Except in parades, however, the men and women who have kept America safe wear no badge or emblem.

You can’t tell a veteran just by looking.

What is a veteran?

He is the cop on the beat who spent six months in Saudi Arabia sweating two gallons a day making sure the armored personnel carriers didn’t run out of fuel.

He is the barroom loudmouth, dumber than five wooden planks, whose overgrown frat-boy behavior is outweighed a hundred times in the cosmic scales by four hours of exquisite bravery near the 38th parallel in Korea.

She is the nurse who fought against futility and went to sleep sobbing every night for two solid years in Da Nang.

He is the POW who went away one person, and came back another - - - or didn’t come back at all.

He is the Quantico drill instructor who has never seen combat - - but has saved countless lives by turning slouchy, no-account rednecks and gang members into Marines, teaching them to watch each other’s backs.

He is the parade-riding Legionnaire who pins on his ribbons and medals with a prosthetic hand.

He is the career quartermaster who watches the ribbons and medals pass him by.

He is the three anonymous heroes in the Tomb of the Unknowns, whose presence at the Arlington National Cemetery must forever preserve the memory of all anonymous heroes whose valor dies unrecognized with them on the battlefield or in the ocean’s sunless deep.

He is the old guy bagging groceries at the supermarket - - palsied now and aggravatingly slow  - -  who helped liberate a Nazi death camp and who wishes all day long that his wife were still alive to hold him when the nightmares come.

He is an ordinary and yet an extraordinary human being - - a person who offered some of his life’s most vital years in the service of his country, and who sacrificed his ambitions so others would not have to sacrifice theirs.

He is a soldier and a savior and a sword against the darkness, and he is nothing more than the finest, greatest testimony on behalf of the finest, greatest nation ever known.

So remember, each time you see someone who has served our country, just lean over and say, “Thank you”.  That’s all most people need, and in most cases, it will mean more than any medals they could have been awarded or were awarded.

Two little words that mean a lot.  “Thank you”.
Remember…

It’s the soldier, not the reporter,
Who gave us our freedom of the press.

It’s the soldier, not the poet,
Who gave us our freedom of speech.

It’s the soldier, not the campus organizer,
Who gave us our freedom to demonstrate.

It’s the soldier,
Who salutes the flag,

Who serves others with respect for the flag,

And whose coffin is draped by the flag,

Who allows the protester to burn the flag.