During the Battle of Britain, during WWII, Winston Churchill used the phrase 'Never in the field of human conflict have so many owed so much to so few'. While Prime Minister Churchill was referring to the RAF pilots and their defense of England, I feel that this quote can equally apply to the men and women of the United States Armed Forces. Since its creation by President Woodrow Wilson in 1917 a day honoring those that have fought and died in the defense of the US has been observed on November 11th of each year. From the Ardennes in WWI to the Battle of the Bulge in WWII.
From the freezing cold of the Chosin Reservoir to the rice patties of Southeast Asia and in our day the many conflicts in Kuwait, Iraq and Afghanistan, our troops have been at the forefront in defending this country. All to often we as Americans take for granted the sacrifices these men, women and their families have endured. Our soldiers have endured time away from their families, stress of combat and sometimes even scorn from their fellow Americans for stepping into harms way. These troops go where they are told to and do what they are ordered to do whether or not they agreed with that order or not. We as Americans owe more than we can pay towards the many that have died or come back from combat wounded, not only physically but mentally as well. They have been the "shield" that protects the U.S. from the violence and tyranny that has reared it's head throughout history. So as I end this post I salute those who have donned a uniform in service of the United States, with a special note of thanks to my Dad who served in the Philippines during the Korean War. God Bless to all our soldiers!!
