2004 Soap Box Archives

Veteran's Day 11/08/04

I remember December 7th, 1941. I was 5 years old and it was a cloudy, blustery day in coastal North Carolina and I was sick with some childhood malady or another. Our family was gathered at my maternal grandparent’s house on the Carolina Beach Road in Wilmington, North Carolina.

It was a festive time of year, with Christmas just around the corner. I recall having homemade ice cream and basking in the warmth of a loving family.

Then we were suddenly gathered around the big floor model radio in my grandmother’s living room where the news was coming over the air that Pearl Harbor was being attacked by Japanese bombers. That day was to change the United States of America forever.

I remember an early morning in Valdosta, Georgia in 1944 when my mother got me out of bed early to go to our church and join
many others to pray for our boys who were storming the beaches of Normandy.

The casualty lists were high and many nights the news was bad
but brokenhearted fathers and mothers hung gold stars in their windows and got back to the job at hand, winning the war.

I remember the Korean War which was called a police action at the time, but it was a war, make no mistake about it. The land below the 38th Parallel which separates free South Korea from communist North Korea stands in mute memorial to the men who died there in the cause of freedom.

The Vietnam war, the one our troops fought in political handcuffs should be a testimony to the folly of letting politicians control the fighting of a war. Only the men and women who stand in harm’s way know what needs to be done at any given time and they should be able to carry on their job without interference from self-serving politicians making their uninformed criticisms from the safety of an easy chair in the nation’s capitol.

Thanks to the maniacal rantings of Jane Fonda, the poisonous rumblings of John Kerry and the sheepfold mentality of stoned out hippies these brave men who fought the war in Vietnam were called baby killers and spit on by people who didn’t even deserve to stand on the same street with them.

We now have sons and daughters in imminent danger from an enemy who respects no battlefields and has no honor.
Hate filled monsters who hide among the women and children and strap explosives to their bodies and walk among the innocent and only our military stands between them and us.

Whatever uniform these men and women have worn, no matter what war they fought in or what era of peace they helped to secure they, the ones who have served, the ones who are now serving and the ones who have paid the ultimate price for the defense of their country, we owe each and every one of them a debt we could never pay.

November 11th is a day which has been set aside to remember and honor our service men and women. I sincerely hope that all of you will join me in supporting, honoring, respecting and praying for our troops.

Sleep well tonight America, our military stands guard.

Pray for our troops.

What do you think?

God Bless America

Charlie Daniels

 

©Copyright The Charlie Daniels Band