A MEMORIAL
Once each year, at about this time the nation pauses and pays tribute to our fallen service men and women, along with those who survived the conflicts, but joined their comrades later.Family members and friends gather at appropriate locations to honor and to reflect.Each with their own memories of a brave and gallant warrior who gave the ultimate sacrifice for their country. It is our fervent wish that those being honored and remembered are aware of our ceremony and thoughts. That they may know the high esteem they are regarded by their countrymen, and their grateful nation.
I had the honor of serving my country during WWII.We were in the Philippines when the AtomBomb was dropped and brought an abrupt end to the war.I was reassigned since there were about 2 Million men over there and troops were brought home based on seniority service in the combat zones. Our permanent camp was near Manila.A city considered to be nearly completely destroyed due to the intense combat.The Philippine people were happy to have the Americans back there and told us that many times, but one couldn’t help but wonder how the people managed to survive.The Japanese were cruel and stripped the Philippine population of their food and valuables. The Japanese committed countless atrocities to the helpless population, and left the older people to search for their children with a look of dread on their faces. What was done to them was unforgiveable, but somehow they managed to go on.We lost thousands of troops in the Pacific theatre, and thousands more of the local people were killed simply because they lived there, and had no place to run to. The agony and suffering of those innocent people and the loss of our own young men in the role of rescuers, amounts to an intolerable amount of personal grief and suffering by everyone concerned.War is truly Hell.
This is also a time to reflect upon the growing unrest among the population of the world and the governments who represent them. Each year we learn newer and more efficient ways to kill people in various conflicts.Our country is in the forefront of this weapons race in the effort to maintain a superior power in the world. Other nations are following suit and we find ourselves in an ever increasing sense of insecurity. Beginning in 1950 up until the present time, political and global interests have sparked disagreements that resulted in armed conflicts due to insincere negotiations by both sides to resolve the problem. This caused the loss of thousands of American lives, not to mention the gigantic financial costs. It is evidenced by the obvious resentment towards the U. S. by other countries and our own nations distrust of them in return. It is time to stop senseless conflicts that foster hatred towards the United States, and costs us the loss of thousands of our troops, and adds trillions to our national debt. How ironic, we dedicate time to honor our fallen service men and women, and continue to send more to face possible death ina senseless conflict to help a nation so filled with corruption and deceit that it defies description. We are sorely in need of level headed diplomacy and common sense policy makers.
Erling Landsverk
Leland, Please give our regards to Orvin when you talk to him. I need to call him one of these days too, that is if I can catch up with him. Orvin has a milestone birthday, 90, coming up in July too. We will have to shower him with cards. Gary
Gagner-Tagestad, John Ihla’s wife-Joan Smesrude?sp, ?, Donnie Kittlson, Buddy Amsbaugh. Second row,
? ,?, Marilyn Johnson Anderson, ?, Loretta Sieber, Bonny or Maragret Thomas, Ronnie Beckman. Third
row, Stan Ceglowski ?sp, Dwight Coleman, ?,?,?,?,?. Thanks also for all of your work and dedication
for keeping this blog going. We enjoy being updated.
Monte, It is always a pleasure hearing from you. I remember you so well from our 4-H days. There were two 7th grade classes in Bottineau that year with Mrs. Renick being the teacher of the other class. Neola has provide that picture too, that I will be posting in the next day or two. I believe your wife, Bonnie Berg Espe, has a relative or two in that class? Gary
Since the Pledge of Allegiance and The Lord’s Prayer are not allowed in most public schools anymore because the word ‘God’ is mentioned…..A kid in Arizona wrote the attached NEW school prayer:
“New Pledge of Allegiance” (by a 15-yr. old kid who got an A+ for this entry)
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Now I sit me down in school
Where praying is against the rule
For this great nation under God
Finds mention of Him very odd.
If scripture now the class recites,
It violates the Bill of Rights.
And anytime my head I bow
Becomes a Federal matter now.
Our hair can be purple, orange or green,
That’s no offense; it’s a freedom scene.
The law is specific, the law is precise.
Prayers spoken aloud are a serious vice.
For praying in a public hall
Might offend someone with no faith at all.
In silence alone we must meditate,
God’s name is prohibited by the state.
We’re allowed to cuss and dress like freaks,
And pierce our noses, tongues and cheeks…
They’ve outlawed guns, but FIRST the Bible.
To quote the Good Book makes me liable.
We can elect a pregnant Senior Queen,
And the ‘unwed daddy,’ our Senior King.
It’s ‘inappropriate’ to teach right from wrong,
We’re taught that such ‘judgments’ do not belong.
We can get our condoms and birth controls,
Study witchcraft, vampires and totem poles.
But the Ten Commandments are not allowed,
No word of God must reach this crowd.
It’s scary here I must confess,
When chaos reigns the school’s a mess.
So, Lord, this silent plea I make:
Should I be shot, my soul please take!
Amen
If you aren’t ashamed to do this, please pass this on.
Jesus said, ‘If you are ashamed of me, I will be ashamed of you before my Father.’