Lesson 150:
Some Gave All
Kentucky Chaplain David Chaltas
We Are Your
Veterans “The willingness with which our young people are likely
to serve in any war, no matter how justified, shall be directly proportional as
to how they perceive the veterans of earlier wars were Treated and Appreciated
by their nation.” George Washington We are your Veterans ordained by God to do your bidding.
In 1776, we heard our mother weeping at the altar of freedom and ran to her
side to protect her. We stood bear footed at Valley Forge, trusting in God
alone for our victory. We experienced the sweet taste of freedom, as a new
nation was born. George Washington is one of us. We are your Veterans. In 1812, old Hickory called upon us once more to follow
the banner and we stood proud fighting for our country’s existence once again
against the British Invasion. We held our breath on August 24, 1814, as our Capital was captured and put to the torch. Yet we were undaunted in our
devotion to the cause and love for our star spangled banner. We tasted the
thrill of seeing through the rockets red glare those glorious colors at Fort McHenry
after being bombarded for twenty-five hours. Yet she waved. We are your
Veterans. We heard the drums of war in Texas and witnessed
unsurpassed bravery at the Alamo on March 2, 1836. For twelve days a force of
less than two-hundred strong held off overwhelming odds, offering our lives as
a sacrifice to a fledgling nation and future state. David Crockett is one of
us, for we are your Veterans. In April 1846, Mexican soldiers attacked a U. S. Cavalry
patrol, leaving eleven of us dead. The result was that on May 13, 1846, war was declared on Mexico. We took the long walk through Mexico to insure that Santa
Anna would remain within his boundaries. Stonewall Jackson marched with us.
We are your Veterans. In 1861, we heard the roar at Ft. Sumter and witnessed a
division of brothers, as some chose blue and some chose gray. We watched our
mother weep as her children fought each other, only to embrace after four
arduous years of conflict, and from the ashes rose the phoenix. General Lee
served with us on both sides. We are your Veterans. In April of 1898, the Spanish American War saw the boys of blue and gray unite to fight those that would do
injustice to the people. We were your Rough Riders and part of the old guard
as Teddy and Fighting Joe led us to victory and glory. We are your Veterans. In 1914-1918, the world called
upon us to go in the trenches of France and Germany to fight for democracy and freedom in the Great War. We
marched with and alongside America’s finest. We were your Devil Dogs and Fighting 69th
that offered our all in heeding the call to arms to end genocide. We are your
Veterans. In 1939, we watched in shock
and horror as yet a new order swept across the land, leaving death and
destruction in its wake. The global conflict soon spread to all countries, as
two alliances struggled for power. We volunteered to do our share to stop the
madness. We were there to stop the holocaust. We were there in an effort to
stop the mass murders of family that did not embrace the false doctrine of a
mad man. We witnessed atrocities that cannot be imagined; yet we fought,
willing to die for the cause of God and Country, for we are your Veterans. On a rainy Sunday morning on July 25, 1950, along the 38th
Parallel, North Korea attacked South Korea. We were called to defend their freedom. We were there
with McArthur and saw the blood of fallen comrades as China entered the
fight. We tasted the bitterness of the winter, the frostbite of the mountain
wind and the inhospitable environment but were undeterred, for we are your
Veterans. For fifteen years in Vietnam over 54,000 of
us gave our lives in an attempt to bring freedom and democracy to that small
country. We were met by our own with sneers, condemnation, and insults for
doing our country’s bidding. Yet we stood tall for we are your Veterans. The Persian Gulf War (August 2,
1990-February 28, 1991) saw us lead forces from thirty-five nations sanctioned
by the United Nations go into Iraq in an effort to liberate Kuwait. We stood firm and held the line, as we are your
Veterans. Once again we were called upon to fight terrorism in Afghanistan and Iraq after the cowardly
attack upon innocent people in the Twin Towers of that September 11 day. We are there with America in
our hearts and the names of each man, woman and child that died at the hands of
fanatics that burn in anguish for their foul deeds engraved upon our spirits.
We are your Veterans. We were with you in the past,
we are with you now and we will proudly proclaim God, Country and Honor forever
and a day, as we are your Veterans. God bless America and God bless the American Veteran. It Is Our Veteran I was our God that gave us our ancestors. It was our ancestors that chose to be Veterans. It was the VETERAN, not the preacher, who has given us
freedom of religion. It was the VETERAN, not the reporter, who has given us
freedom of the press. It is the VETERAN, not the poet, who has given us
freedom of speech. It is the VETERAN, not the campus organizer, who has
given us freedom to assemble. It is the VETERAN, not the lawyer, who has given us
the right to a fair trial. It is the VETERAN, not the politician, Who has given
us the right to vote. It is the VETERAN, who salutes the Flag, It is the veteran, who serves under the Flag, For your mindful reflections, I have taken the liberty of
copying excerpts from over forty years (four decades) of speeches that have
been offered at Arlington National Cemetery (the Custis/Lee plantation) and
wish for all to note that the War Between the States was a prominent point of
reflection for President Kennedy, Carter, and Reagan. Dear reader, digest the
words as a true American and you can not help but feel the pride that we must
continue to hold in your arms as a child is held by its father and mother. It
is for us to celebrate. It is for us to love. For this grand country is
nothing without God and the sacrifices of its heroes: the American Veteran. President George W. Bush offered the
following words on November 11, 2006. “On this Veterans Day, we're humbled by
the strong hearts of those who have served. Last week, Secretary Nicholson told
me about a visit he made to New York City where he met a group of veterans who
lost limbs in this war. Secretary Nicholson asked them how they could keep
their spirits up. One man answered, "Sir, it is because we feel the
American people are so appreciative of our service." Many of our veterans
bear the scars of their service to our country - and we are a nation that will
keep its commitments to those who have risked their lives for our freedom. That
young man was right -- we do appreciate the service of those who wear our
uniform. “To help Americans show our appreciation to those who
have served, Secretary Nicholson has asked all our nation's veterans to wear
their medals today. I urge our citizens to go up to those men and women and
shake a hand and give a hug, and give a word of thanks. I ask you to consider
volunteering at a Veterans hospital or a nursing home. I encourage you to work
with your local veterans group to help support our troops in the field -- and
their families here at home. “As we raise our flag and as the bugle sounds taps, we
remember that the men and women of America's Armed Forces serve a great cause.
They follow in a great tradition, handed down to them by America's veterans.
And in public ceremonies and in private prayer, we give thanks for the freedom
we enjoy because of their willingness to serve. “I thank
you for honoring those who serve today, and for honoring those who have set
such a sterling example -- our nation's veterans. May God bless our veterans,
may God bless all who wear the uniform, and may God continue to bless the United States of America. For
eight years President Clinton spoke at Arlington National Cemetery. The
following are excerpts from selected speeches. November 11, 1995, Clinton’s
closing remarks reminded us of our duty to remember: “On this hillside of honor and respects, let us once
again humbly thank our veterans for answering the call to duty for what they
did in times of crisis and war and what they did to preserve the peace. Let us
remain ever grateful for all they have done. And for what we owe them, let us
never be forgetful. We must and we will meet our obligations and secure our
future if we remember all of that. My fellow Americans, that is our mission,
and we must fulfill it. Thank you. God bless you, and God bless America.” November 11, 1993,
President Clinton offered words on behalf of the American people: One of his
closing statements from that speech sums up our eternal gratitude for those
Veterans. “Every year, our humble words on Veterans Day can never do justice
to the sacrifices made by our veterans: by those who returned and those who did
not; by those who live among us today and those who live only in our memories.
We know we can never repay the debt, but still we try because we know their
sacrifices should be in our hearts every day.” On
November 11, 1985, after placing a wreath on the Unknown Soldiers
grave, President Ronald Reagan offered the following words: “A
few moments ago I placed a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, and as I
stepped back and stood during the moment of silence that followed, I said a
small prayer. And it occurred to me that each of my predecessors has had a
similar moment, and I wondered if our prayers weren't very much the same, if
not identical. We celebrate Veterans Day
on the anniversary of the armistice that ended World War I, the armistice that
began on the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month. And I wonder, in
fact, if all Americans' prayers aren't the same as those I mentioned a moment
ago. The timing of this holiday is quite deliberate in terms of historical fact
but somehow it always seems quite fitting to me that this day comes deep in
autumn when the colors are muted and the days seem to invite contemplation. “We are gathered at the National Cemetery, which provides
a final resting place for the heroes who have defended our country since the
Civil War. This amphitheater, this place for speeches, is more central to this
cemetery than it first might seem apparent, for all we can ever do for our
heroes is remember them and remember what they did -- and memories are
transmitted through words. Sometime back I received in the name of our country
the bodies of four marines who had died while on active duty. I said then that
there is a special sadness that accompanies the death of a serviceman, for
we're never quite good enough to them-not really; we can't be, because what
they gave us is beyond our powers to repay. And so, when a serviceman dies,
it's a tear in the fabric, a break in the whole, and all we can do is remember. “It is, in a way, an odd thing to honor those who died in
defense of our country, in defense of us, in wars far away. The imagination
plays a trick. We see these soldiers in our mind as old and wise. We see them
as something like the Founding Fathers, grave and gray haired. But most of them
were boys when they died, and they gave up two lives -- the one they were
living and the one they would have lived. When they died, they gave up their
chance to be husbands and fathers and grandfathers. They gave up their chance
to be revered old men. They gave up everything for our country, for us. And all
we can do is remember. “There's always someone who is remembering for us. No
matter what time of year it is or what time of day, there are always people who
come to this cemetery, leave a flag or a flower or a little rock on a
headstone. And they stop and bow their heads and communicate what they wished
to communicate. They say, "Hello, Johnny," or "Hello, Bob. We
still think of you. You're still with us. We never got over you, and we pray
for you still, and we'll see you again. We'll all meet again." In a way,
they represent us, these relatives and friends, and they speak for us as they
walk among the headstones and remember. It's not so hard to summon memory, but
it's hard to recapture meaning. “And the living have a responsibility to remember the
conditions that led to the wars in which our heroes died. Perhaps we can start
by remembering this: that all of those who died for us and our country were, in
one way or another, victims of a peace process that failed; victims of a
decision to forget certain things; to forget, for instance, that the surest way
to keep a peace going is to stay strong. Weakness, after all, is a
temptation--it tempts the pugnacious to assert themselves--but strength is a
declaration that cannot be misunderstood. Strength is a condition that declares
actions have consequences. Strength is a prudent warning to the belligerent
that aggression need not go unanswered. “Peace
fails when we forget what we stand for. It fails when we forget that our
Republic is based on firm principles, principles that have real meaning, that
with them, we are the last, best hope of man on Earth; without them, we're
little more than the crust of a continent. Peace also fails when we forget to
bring to the bargaining table God’s first intellectual gift to man: common
sense. Common sense gives us a realistic knowledge of human beings and how they
think, how they live in the world, what motivates them. Common sense tells us
that man has magic in him, but also clay. Common sense can tell the difference
between right and wrong. Common sense forgives error, but it always recognizes
it to be error first. “We endanger the peace and confuse all issues when we
obscure the truth; when we refuse to name an act for what it is; when we refuse
to see the obvious and seek safety in Almighty. Peace is only maintained and
won by those who have clear eyes and brave minds. Peace is imperiled when we
forget to try for agreements and settlements and treaties; when we forget to
hold out our hands and strive; when we forget that God gave us talents to use
in securing the ends He desires. Peace fails when we forget that agreements,
once made, cannot be broken without a price. Each new day carries within it
the potential for breakthroughs, for progress. Each new day bursts with
possibilities. And so, hope is realistic and despair a pointless little sin.
And peace fails when we forget to pray to the source of all peace and life and
happiness. I think sometimes of General Matthew Ridgeway, who, the night before
D-day, tossed sleepless on his cot and talked to the Lord and listened for the
promise that God made to Joshua: “I will not fail thee, nor forsake thee.” “We're surrounded today by the dead of our wars. We owe
them a debt we can never repay. All we can do is remember them and what they
did and why they had to be brave for us. All we can do is try to see that other
young men never have to join them. Today, as never before, we must pledge to
remember the things that will continue the peace. Today, as never before, we
must pray for God's help in broadening and deepening the peace we enjoy. Let us
pray for freedom and justice and a more stable world. And let us make a compact
today with the dead, a promise in the words for which General Ridgeway listened,
“I will not fail thee, nor forsake thee.” “In memory of those who gave the last full measure of
devotion, may our efforts to achieve lasting peace gain strength. And through
whatever coincidence or accident of timing, I tell you that a week from now when
I am some thousands of miles away, believe me, the memory and the importance of
this day will be in the forefront of my mind and in my heart. Thank you. God
bless you all, and God bless America.” On October 24, 1977, President Jimmy Carter
made the following comments at Arlington National Cemetery, while honoring ALL
veterans: “Our hearts are filled with love and appreciation and gratitude and
closeness and brotherhood. And at the same time, we think about the horrors of
war, when those attributes are missing from the hearts and lives of people who
have to fight. I come from the South, as you know. We are one of the parts of
the Nation who have suffered severely, along with those who fought in the War
Between the States. And I think Robert E. Lee gave a good analysis of this
duality of feeling when he said to his wife in a personal letter, "What a
cruel thing is war, to separate and destroy families and friends and mar the
purest joys and happiness that God has granted us in this world, to fill our
hearts with hatred, instead of love, and to devastate the fair face of this
beautiful world." “We are here to commemorate the dead. The Tomb of the
Unknown Soldier was dedicated in 1921, and the body of an unknown soldier from
the First World War was buried here. Later, we had the bodies of unknown
soldiers from the Korean War and the Second World War. We don't have the body
of a Vietnam veteran, because every body so far discovered has been identified.
But they share in the commemoration of their heroism perhaps in a special way.” “Since the Revolutionary War in 1776, 45 million
Americans have been part of the Armed Forces during conflict. About 140 years
after my own family came to this country, the first James Carter in our family
who lived in Georgia fought in the Revolutionary War. My great-grandparents
participated in the War Between the States. My own father was a first
lieutenant in the First World War. I wore the uniform of our country during the
second war and the Korean war. I represent the kind of family that's close to
all your hearts. And the prospect in the service in war has touched almost
every life in our country. Francis Bacon said that peace is much better than
war, because in peace, sons bury fathers and in war, fathers bury sons.” On November 11, 1961, while standing upon the sacred
grounds of Arlington, President John F. Kennedy said the
following words: “This cemetery was first established 97 years ago. In
this hill were first buried men who died in an earlier war, a savage war here in
our own country. Ninety-seven years ago today, the men in Gray were retiring
from Antietam, where thousands of their comrades had fallen between dawn and
dusk in one terrible day. And the men in Blue were moving towards Fredericksburg,
where thousands would soon lie by a stone wall in heroic and sometimes
miserable death. It was a crucial moment in our Nation's history, but
these memories, sad and proud, these quiet grounds, this Cemetery and others
like it all around the world, remind us with pride of our obligation and our
opportunity. “On
this Veterans Day of 1961, on this day of remembrance, let us pray in the name
of those who have fought in this country's wars, and most especially who have
fought in the First World War and in the Second World War, that there will be
no veterans of any further war -- not because all shall have perished but
because all shall have learned to live together in peace.” As you read the words of five presidents, please note how
all refer to God, the Bible, and the great sacrifices of our Veterans. Notice
how we are grateful for their willingness to offer their lives on the altar of
freedom and how we chose to honor them. All Veterans, All Wars. We, as
Americans, must remember and fight for the right to remember those Americans
that chose to wear the gray as well as those that wore the blue. The Minute
Men, the Dough Boys, the Grunts, the 11 Bush must be remembered! Only when we
accept nothing less than our heritage will we be able to rest knowing that the
torch of our Lady Liberty will be passed down to another generation. God bless
the American Veteran. "Let every nation know...whether it wishes us
well or ill...that we shall pay any price, bear any burden, meet any hardship,
support any friend, oppose any foe, to assure the survival and the success of
LIBERTY" John F. Kennedy-January
20, 1961 Unknown
Soldier By David
Chaltas Each one
made a decision To wear the
blue or gray. And with a
sad submission She watched
them ride away. They fought
for God and Nation Each seeking
his own course. They wrought
a wild sensation With sabers
and their horse. They fell
fighting a battle Or
bushwhacked on the road. For them no
boots and saddles: Their
stories never told. They walk
among the shadows Behind a
vale of tears. Although
their names are hallowed They wonder
through the years. We must
always remember! For them our
nation prays. Their sacrifice must glimmer Each and every day. I am proud to be an American Veteran. I am proud of my
heritage. During the years of the Vietnam conflict, I heard the rolling
thunder of the war drum and was called to add my name to the muster roll. I
was honored to have served. I am a Veteran. My lineage is filled with those
men of yesteryear that heard their nation’s moan and plea for help. They
unselfishly went to her side to ease her suffering. They are American
Veterans. During the Revolutionary War, my beloved ancestors, Archelous Craft,
James Caudill, John Adams and William Cornett fought for God and country at
King’s Mountain. They were patriot Veterans. The War Between the States saw
my ancestors chose both sides. They were compatriot Veterans. Each war saw my
ancestors pick up their sword pull it from the scabbard and march towards the
enemy. They were Veterans following God’s call to arms. Today we learn by
heart the deeds of the Veteran. Do you remember? Do you recall their sacrifices? Can
you not hear them calling you to honor the soil in which they rest? Veterans,
ALL Veterans are calling for America to embrace her heritage and reflect upon
the high cost of freedom. For it is Veteran’s Day. What will you be doing to honor those men of today and
yesteryear on the 11th of November? What will you do in the name of
freedom? Will you take time to acknowledge their deeds and sacrifices? Can
you not take a flower to a grave and offer it as a means of saying ‘Thank
You’. Can you not reach out your hand to an American hero that has returned
home and earnestly thank him/her for their sacrifice? Can you not drop to your
knees and ask our gracious God to watch over those that currently fight in
foreign countries for the very freedom of being able to worship in public?
Will you not read of their sacrifices and place them in your memory for future
reference. Humbled by the honor of serving for God, Country, and Honor, I
remain your obedient servant, An American Veteran., The Old General NOTE: Our fathers, grandfathers, and more previous
generations gave their all – as it says, all gave some, some gave all – to
preserve and protect freedom only to find ourselves in a time when these
freedoms are abused, degraded, and abolished. I am proud of our present day
soldier, sailor, marine, and airman who have stepped up without fear of
conscription to defend our land. I see presidential candidates and other
politicians wanting our votes disrespecting our flag, anthem, and pledge – I
ask our ancestors to forgive these insults and for God’s help in changing
hearts and minds back to where they should be. Chaplain J. W. Binion, 5th
KY Chaplain, Co D, E, F