Patriot Pen essay winners and committee members, from left to right, James Stothard, Thomas Trainer, Cassidy Kemp, Richard Bryant, James Givens, Joe Farkus, Connie Stothard and Martha Mann. James and Connie Stothard presented each of the gold winners with a $100 prize. Stothard Engineering, Inc is the corporate sponsor or benefactor for all local first-place winners in the annual Veterans of Foreign Wars writing contest.
Have you honored a veteran lately? Have you even thought about the sacrifice they have made for all Americans and what they have done for our wonderful country? Millions of veterans have fought for our freedom making the United States the strong, safe, independent country it is today.
Veterans, the men and women who were either drafted or willingly chose to serve in the armed force, sacrificed they lives and their health and left their families and friends behind in order to protect our country. Veterans, along with the soldiers who lost their lives while serving, are truly heroes who deserve to be honored.
Men and women in the armed forces have to make the sacrifice of risking their lives and their health when joining the military. Richard W. Wolfe, a recently deceased World War II veteran, shared his story with my family a few years ago. Mr. Wolfe, who was an army medic, vividly remembered going ashore on Omaha Beach on June 6, 1944. He and another medic in his 41st Medical Battalion were the only two out of one hundred medics to make it off the beach alive that day.
Servicemen and servicewomen awake each morning knowing this day could be their last. In World War II alone over 40,000 Americans lost their lives. Whether their pain is physical injury or mental instability, veterans who tell their stories acknowledge that the pain of war deep inside is trapped in their bodies for a lifetime. One of the worst days Mr. Wolfe experienced was his visit to Dachau Concentration Camp in German, where thousands of men, women and children lost their lives.
Another sacrifice related to service in the military is to be separated from family and friends. Mr. Wolfe left his home in 1942, and three years passed before he would see his sick mother and his “sweetheart” again.
Americans today should honor veterans for their sacrifices, including the risk of their life, health and time spent away from loved ones. As of September 30, 2007 there were over 23,532,000 million veterans in the United States today. Many veterans live in our neighborhoods or attend our churches. Find out who they are and ask them to tell their stories. We should never forget to show our deep appreciation to these courageous American heroes whose sacrifices have insured us the freedoms we enjoy each day.
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