When speaking of war former General and President George Washington wrote in a 1785 letter to Col. David Humphrey:
‘My first wish is to see this plague to mankind banished from off the earth, and the sons and daughters of this world employed in more pleasing and innocent amusements, than in preparing implements and excercising them for the destruction of mankind.?
This weekend is Memorial day and I would urge each of you if you’re sticking around for the weekend to head on over to the Orion Veterans Memorial on Mon May 28 at 1 p.m. for the memorial service.
It’s going to be something special, not only are they honoring veterans past and present, but they’re also dedicating the final monmument to be placed in the center of the memorial.
I’ve had the pleasure of meeting several of the local vets that are apart of the Orion memorial and I have to say they are an interesting group of men. Many of them watched their brothers and sisters fall dead around them and lived to tell the story. Others took a shot or a blast of a grenade which cost them a limb, but still lived to tell the story. Finally there are those who sacrificed their lives, so others could tell their story. Jesus called this the greatest testament of love in John 15:13 ‘No greater love has no man than to lay down this life for his friend.?
I know there are many more citizens out there with similar stories or have veteran family members. Both of my Grandfathers served, one in the Navy and the other in the Army. For those who have served and are currently serving I want to say God bless you and thank you for your dedication to fighting and protecting the many blessed freedoms we have in this country.
‘As a soldier prays for peace he must be prepared to cope with the hardships of war and to bear its scars.? ~Gen. William C. Westmoreland, 1976.