MEMORIAL DAY
This is the time of year when I really like to get out the old true war movies and remind myself of just how great the veterans who served this country are. Last night I was watching Wake Island and those brave Marines right after Pearl Harbor, with little equipment and practically no resupply, resisted Jap attack after attack, finally being beaten and killed by overwhelming odds. They knew their fate, but fought their best to the end. They knew what was at stake. Another old great is Bataan. Those brave men held the Japs off with nothing coming in for an incredible amount of time. They were killed off one by one until only one was left and he fought to the end. They too knew what was at stake. The soldiers in the Philippines who were pushed back but fought like tigers finally ended up at Corregidor. General Wainright did the best he could with what he had. Many a brave Pilipino died trying to sneak them food and any help they could give. Finally General Wainright had to surrender as they had nothing left. No ammunition, no food, no medical supplies and no resupply. The Japanese were astounded by the huge amount of men that surrendered and were not prepared for it. Then came the infamous Bataan death march. How they treated the men was beyond inhumane. Many died or were killed on the way to the internment camp and hundreds were killed or died there. All through the South Pacific people in the military suffered unbelievable hardships but they knew what was at stake.
In Europe Americans fought in every way imaginable. We supplied uncountable amounts of military equipment, food, medical supplies, etc. to England, Russia, France and other countries. There is no doubt that without us, they most likely would have lost the war. Countless numbers of Merchant Marines lost their lives trying to get the ships full of supplies across the oceans, and so many were sunk by the U-boats who ruled the waves, for a while. We had men who endured things that today chill the blood. Ones like the 101st in Bastone who again, with very little to no resupply because of weather, fought off a huge German Panzer division. The Germans threw everything they had at them but they stood their ground, even having the walking wounded fight. Finally, when help could get to them, they defeated the enemy. They knew what was at stake. Men fought in the extreme heat of the African desert, the freezing climates of many areas of Europe, the mountainous country of Sicily on into Italy, very often low on supplies of every kind. They used what they had. Air Force pilots and crews flew mission after mission on extremely dangerous bombing runs, hundreds never returning. Paratroopers parachuted into Normandy, Holland and many other very hostile areas, lots of them dying in the attempt. On they fought. Country after country. Sailors on the oceans. So many paying the supreme sacrifice to stop and defeat the enemy. Men under the sea in submarines and men in ships from battleships and carriers to P.T. boats, doing not only their duty but going way above and beyond. They knew what was at stake.
We never forget the women of time as well. Ones here at home going into the factories making and supplying arms and ammunition, bombs, planes, food, medical supplies, clothing and about anything else one can name. The marvelous nurses who attended to the wounded and dying. Such an incredible job they did. Ones that flew the planes from base to base to get them ready to be delivered overseas. The extremely brave Nuns, school teachers and caring ones taking care of children who many times led them through unbelievable harsh jungles to get them to safety. They knew what was at stake.
Then America showed her might. Yamamoto said after the attack on Pearl Harbor, and especially with the carriers not being there, that “I am afraid we have done no more than awaken a sleeping giant and filled him with a great resolve”. How right he was. Thousands upon thousands flooded the recruiting stations, volunteering to serve. Factories switched from commercial products to making war time materials. Ships that were sunk at Pearl Harbor were raised and refitted. General Doolittle, after being requested by F.D.R., put together a squadron of men and did the unbelievable, never before done job of training pilots to take army bombers off of Navy carriers. Their mission was to bomb Tokyo. Admiral Halsey was to lead the task force into as close as they could get and launch the planes. 250 miles short of their selected site, a Jap patrol boat spotted them. Halsey told Dolittle it is now or never as I cannot risk losing these carriers and must return to Pearl. Dolittle made the decision to go. The pilots knew they most likely would not have enough fuel to make it to a safe landing in the Chinese friendly area but they went anyway. They did their duty and above and beyond. They bombed Tokyo. Now the damage was not huge but, the psychological effect was devastating. The Japanese thought they were invincible from an air attack by us as we had no air bases anywhere near close enough. They knew what was at stake.
Things began to change. We fought the Japanese at the battle of the Coral sea and it was horrendous. Then we fought them at Midway and thanks to brilliant strategy from Admiral Nimitz and a few of his staff and top officers, we beat the dickens out of them and they never recovered from it. On through the Pacific, island after island, sea battle after sea battle, Soldiers, Marines, Sailors, Pilots and Seamen fought the brave fight. Usually under some of the harshest conditions on the planet. So many are buried in graves and oceans never to return home. With all of their great sacrifices and service victory was finally achieved. They knew what was at stake.
In Europe things began to change as well. One of the most daring military maneuvers in history was made when the allies invaded Normandy. The largest armada the world had ever known. One of the most dangerous too. Thousands died. So many more crippled for life. Unreal German resistance but, they gave it all they had and achieved victory, making it inland. From there the fighting continued. Field after field, village after village, town after town. So many battles, so much suffering. The allies took and moved through Italy, Africa, Holland, county by country, until they achieved victory. They finally pushed on into Germany and even Berlin itself. The great (???) leader Hitler hid like the coward he was in a bunker finally taking his own life. The allied forces won. They knew what was at stake.
So many fought in battles and places that we would be afraid to enter today. Jungles, coral beaches, extreme cold, excruciating heat, snakes, fevers, illnesses of all types. So many times when there was little to no medicine available. People like the ones in Merrils’s Marauders who sneaked through the jungles into Burma. Coast watchers in the Islands funneling vital information to the allies. Ones brave enough to sneak in close to Japanese held islands by submarine, and go ashore at night to gather intelligence. Same kinds that went into the islands in small patrols to get invasion information. So many died in lonely almost forgotten places, sacrificing their very lives because they knew what was at stake.
From Valley Forge, New Orleans, Gettysburg, Flanders. Field, Midway, Bastogne, Inchon, Vietnam, Iraq, Afghanistan, etc., untold hundreds of thousands have fought the good fight and so many have paid the supreme sacrifice, because they knew what was at stake. What has happened here at home? We have a government that seems to care more for illegal immigrants and criminals than they do for the people that fought for and worked so hard for to build this great country. Shame on them. Same for so many people. Electing a sworn enemy into Congress and other leadership positions. Voting for extreme radical left wing nut jobs that are out to tear down and destroy the very basics of what made America great. Voting for rino Republicans who do more to damage the party than help. Swallowing lie after lie that the fake news media puts out every day. Twisting and distorting the facts to get people to believe whatever they want, no matter what the truth. Kids involved in drug dealing and violent gangs. Mental patients walking the streets killing and harming innocent people at will, while so many in the liberal government want to disarm legal citizens. Inflation spiraling out of control and food prices getting so high many are doing without necessities just to purchase enough to eat. Churches sitting or almost empty. People openly opposing, attacking and killing police officers. Abortion killing millions of innocent babies. Homosexuality and perversion being taught to even the very young. Yes, there is much good here. A whole lot of good. The thing is, many are out to destroy it. When are WE going to wake up and realize what is at stake? We must not let the many brave and giving people that sacrificed so much ,have done it in vain.
Cole Thornton, Imperial Wizard
United Northern and Southern Knights
of the Ku Klux Klan
Courage is being scared to death to do what is right but going ahead and doing it anyway.
TAKE A STAND, JOIN THE KLAN!