This weekend, I would like to take time to remember those who made the ultimate sacrifice so that others could live and enjoy the great freedoms we have in our country and to keep the light of freedom shining in the world.
First, there is my great-uncle James. He died in 1942, in World War II, somewhere in the Pacific Theater. My father never got to know him (obviously, having been born in 1944), but I have heard that my great-grandmother was just completely crushed by his death. She bought ten plots at the cemetery, but only two have been used -- his and hers. I have traipsed all over Eastview Cemetery to find theirs and haven't yet. It's not that big of a cemetery, so if the weather is good on Monday, I would love to drive there, and get a small flag to place on his grave (if I find it, that is!) If not, there are plenty of other vets there, so the flag would not go to waste!
The county in which I live has an unusually high number of recipients (per capita) of the Congressional Medal of Honor: PFC Furman L. Smith, US Army (WW2); PFC William A. McWhorter, US Army (WW2); PFC Charles H. Barker, US Army (Korean Conflict); and L/CPL James D. Howe, USMC. Pickens County is also home to the first female military pilot killed in US history (Capt. Kimberly Hampton).
It is their bravery, their willingness to serve, and their selflessness that give me pause to be more like that in my own daily life. So on Monday, take even just a few minutes to pause and remember all those in the military who gave everything for your rights, your privileges, and your freedoms. It matters not how you feel about a particular war, or about war in general ..... the military doesn't get enough credit for doing a spectacular job!!!!
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