From a veteran

While sitting on a log, leaning back against a tree, I wondered how long mankind has glorified wars in words and verse and song. Surely no one partaking in such violence, seeing pain and blood and death, could glorify such horror which most certainly has included screams of agony and pain.

These thoughts which my mind unleashed could have placed me at a time in any of the past twenty millenniums, I thought, so why embellish such reflections now? Perhaps, I realized, it was because I might as well be sitting here in the 1400s as compared to what is now called the 21st century. Are the horrors of past and present wars not still glorified on film and in song and books? How honorable it is that one should sacrifice their life for ten miles or more of land to possess, or to temporally destroy and occupy a city which is left a pile of rubble at best? And who will bury the bodies?

But then I think of the past 100 years, and how many times nations with evil desires have tried to impose their rule and slaughtered millions of innocent humans and tried to impose restrictions on freedoms of speech and religion and democracy. And I recall the millions of Americans who sacrificed their lives so our surviving generations could be free.

And I know it is my duty to give thanks and supreme gratitude to those fellow Americans who gave their lives so that the free world could truly be free. Whether supply lines or front lines, all past and living Veterans have given more time in their lives to serve their country than civilians will ever know.

James R. Johnson, E-5, Vietnam Veteran, 1968 and 1969

Clark Fork, Idaho