A few years ago I was able to take a trip to the Philippians. One of the things I was most excited to do on that trip was visit Corregidor Island and the WWII Manila American Cemetery and Memorial.  It was sobering to be there among the 17,202 brave heroes buried there. There is also over 36,000 names written in limestone in the center of the memorial of those still missing.

On this Memorial Weekend I wanted to take a moment and express my thanks to the over 1.3 million American’s we have lost in our wars throughout the years. 

These brave men and women had the courage to answer the call and paid the greatest price for a reward they could not savor, but its great importance and value they understood. The fight for freedom has waged on for centuries and the fight is rarely understood today by any whom have not tasted the bitterness of losing their freedom. I honor and respect those who still understand why this is a prize worth fighting and dying for.

The birth of this great nation started with the loss of 25,000 great men, who fought for this freedom by  crossing the Delaware in the middle of winter, many with  no shoes on their feet, to change the tide of war and gain this freedom.

There is a saying in this generation, “War does not determine who is right, only who is left.” I disagree with this statement. I believe the statement should be,  “War does not determine who is right, only the rights of who are left.”

I pray we will someday see the end of war, but I honor those who have taken up the fight that I might be free of tyranny and live free, unafraid of a ruler who oppresses and enslaves.

May we always remember these great sacrifices and take with grave seriousness our obligation to protect and hold on to these rights, when we consider giving up any of the many freedoms we have inherited through the blood of our great fallen. For once these freedom are given up, they seldom are regained without paying another heavy price in blood.