Memorial Day And The Cost Of Freedom

Welcome And Memorial Day Setting

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Hello friend, Chaplin Terry Warner here. This is Memorial Day event Bohemian Cemetery, Timkin, Kansas, may twenty fifth, twenty twenty six.

Origins Of Memorial Day

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Memorial Day was originally called Decoration Day. It began in the years following the Civil War. To recognize the fallen soldiers in our Civil War where the death toll reached approximately six hundred twenty thousand soldiers. About two thirds of those were from disease four hundred thirteen thousand. Some early gatherings Charleston, may eighteen sixty five freed African Americans gathers to honor, rebury, and decorate the graves of Union soldiers who died in a Confederate prison. Waterloo That be May eighteen sixty six. The village began an annual community where wide event wise businesses closed and residents decorated the veterans grave. In nineteen sixty six, Congress officially recognized Waterloo as the birthplace to the American baby of the month of the Memorial Day. Columbus, Georgia, eighteenth, eighth of eighteen sixty six, the Ladies Memorial Association began an annual to be annual local tradition of decorating the graves of both Confederate and Union soldiers. General Order number eleven, may fifth, eighteen sixty eight. General John A. Logan, leader of a Union veterans organization called the Grand Army of the Republic, established a nationwide declaration day, decoration day. He selected may thirtieth, eighteen sixty eight because it wasn't the anniversary of any Pacific Civil War battles and was an ideal time for spring flowers blossom. Arlington National Cemetery, the first major official observance was held at Arlington on may thirtieth, eighteen sixty eight.

War Death Toll And Fear

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Historians and demographers estimate that between one hundred and fifty million and one billion soldiers and civilians have died in the wars throughout history. It is also said that the fear of death is mankind's number one fear. I have dealt with the fear of death several times. My number one fear of facing death was early in Vietnam. Before I arrived in that experience, I repented of my sin, asked Jesus to come into my heart, he did it, and although I did not change my ways of life until sometime years later, I gave my heart to Jesus when I was twelve years old, but continued to live in disobedience. Salvation in a lot of ways is more than just being a good person. True salvation will result in a different life blessed and close fellowship fellowship with the family of God.

Vietnam Night Attack And Survival

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It was around nine PM and everything was dark. I don't remember if the moon was shining that night or not. I don't think it was. And then out of the darkness came a sound as the parachute flare went up. This was not a good sign because the flares were activated by some patrol seeing enemy activities. Then immediately about twenty plus flares were shot into the dark sky, and our area was immediately turned into a faintly lit sky and Granum. The machine guns shooting at the enemy, who were only about fifty yards away, the Claymore mines being tripped and setting off in the mines. I could see the enemy soldier drawing down his aim to shoot at me. I ducked down into the foxhole for protection. At the same time, a personnel carrier pulled up behind me and my fellow soldier, and then that was to give us cover fares, and they right behind me is in the fax in the foxhole. The personnel carrier had a fifty coward machine gun, which provided cover for us so we could find and engage the enemy. I remember to this day, the buttons on the enemy's military shirt, his rifle pointed right at me, and his eyes behind the rifle, searching for a good spot on me to shoot. Then a whooshing sound came over my head directly over my head, and slammed in with a deep sounding thud, and then fell to the ground. The bazooka Tanek shell, after hitting the personnel carrier, did not go off, but just laid down a mere six inches from the back of my head. Personnel carrier started the engine, pulled back and headed for another foxhole and to get away from the unexploded shell. My foxhole buddy jumped out of the foxhole and I did the same. However, when I jumped out, because of the hole being shoulder high deep, I had to make a partial jump to get my shoulders above ground and then on my feet. When I made the first initial jump, the two hand grenades in my flag vest came out and fell back into the foxhole. That was when I was only partially out, and I didn't think I could get out of the foxhole before they exploded. I quickly found I I jumped back down in the foxhole, found the grenades, and I checked the pins, and they were fine. They had just slipped out of the holder. I stuck them in my pocket and made a mental note not to put them back in the holders. I don't care if that was what it was made for. I made it out of the foxhole and found another foxhole that only had one soldier in, and I joined him. My buddy in the foxhole with me was not as fortunate as I and was shot and killed.

Faith, Freedom, And Remembrance

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There's not a day that goes by that I don't stop and reflect upon this incident, and I stand in amazement and bewilderment that the God of the universe would have respect for me and save my life several times. It is because of this incident that I realize that God saved me several times a day, and I am alive and prosperous and kept safe in his love. That my physical life, whether I live or die, Jesus is Lord and still has my best interest in mind. My buddy wasn't as fortunate, but I'm certain he was in was saved and was in heaven, isn't it is in heaven. Now it's all the soldiers who gave their all. We wish and bless God speed on this memorial day and our confederate and blessing upon our American forces. Jesus is Lord. Keep that in mind in this memorial day. And don't go back to celebrating and forget. Freedom is not free. We it is paid for by the lives of others. Freedom from eternal death is not free. Well it is to us, but only because Jesus paid it all for us. A debt we couldn't pay. He paid a debt we didn't know. He he didn't know. He died for you. You have a blessing day. In Jesus' name. Amen.