What the 4th of July means to us!

My wonderful husband received the opportunity to write how he felt about the fourth of July for his deparments news letter. I am very proud of him that as a former member of the Army he cares so much. I would like to thank him for serving to keep our country free. We would also like to thank many of our friends and family who have served or are serving. Thank you. And thank your families. We love you so much and pray for you everyday. I hope you enjoy and remember to always say thank you to our family, friends, men, and women who are serving to keep us free to be on this beautiful land. Happy fourth of JULY!!!!!
What does the 4th of July mean to me?
A Special Day. The Fourth of July is the most special of days to
me. As a former soldier it stands for the loss of life for something more powerful than anything else any man ever invented...Freedom. When I think of the Fourth of July I often do not think of the countless parades, or camping, or anything of that nature; I am thinking of the countless soldiers who have stood guard over the thing that they value more than life itself, the right to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. I think of countless men in the area of Valley Forge,
freezing to death, to protect their young freedom. I think of the people looking down a barrel at someof their neighbors and loved ones in Gettysburg, to give others in this great nation that same freedom. Of men dying in the trenches of the Great War, and landing on Omaha beach near the town of Normandy to a hail of machine gun fire; all to preserve freedom. I think of the history of my own battalion that I was a part of and their heroics in Korea. Not a man was lost, as they killed or captured 2000 Chinese; then in Vietnam as men exited a helicopter to never see anything but jungle again. These are the ones that I think of during this time of year, along with my own comrades in arms who have been and are fighting to preserve our freedom, by ending tyranny on the other side of the world, and who have brought freedom to a people that have never known it. These are they that I think of as I stand as 'Old Glory', the Red, White, and Blue passes in a parade somewhere, and my eyes fill with tears during the Star-Spangled Banner, I think of my friends who have laid down their life, to protect what I love, this
country, and freedom. ~~ by Aaron Sorenson, Roosevelt/Vernal