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America's Armed Forces
Freedom Is Not Free

Last Updated Friday June 04, 2010 11:21 PM -0400

Home of the Free because of the Brave

To those warriors who have passed on since, and to those who gave their youth, their health, and their peace of mind in the fight for freedom, particularly the freedom of speech, these Eternal writings are also for you.

"It is impossible for the man of pious reflection not to perceive in it [the Constitution] a finger of that Almighty hand which has been so frequently and signally extended to our relief in the critical stages of the revolution." --James Madison, Federalist No. 37

"A universal peace ... is in the catalogue of events, which will never exist but in the imaginations of visionary philosophers, or in the breasts of benevolent enthusiasts." --James Madison

"It is, in a way, an odd thing to honor those who died in defense of our country ... in wars far away. The imagination plays a trick. We see these soldiers in our mind as old and wise. We see them as something like the Founding Fathers, grave and gray-haired. But most of them were boys when they died, and they gave up two lives -- the one they were living and the one they would have lived. When they died, they gave up their chance to be husbands and fathers and grandfathers. They gave up their chance to be revered old men. They gave up everything for their country, for us. All we can do is remember." --Ronald Reagan

See Did You Know? for "From the Pulpit to the Battlefield" and more...

"There is a time for all things, a time to preach and a time to pray, but those times have passed away. There is a time to fight, and that time has now come." --Peter Muhlenberg, from a Lutheran sermon read at Woodstock, Virginia, 1776

In the beginning of the Contest with G. Britain, when we were sensible of danger we had daily prayer in this room for the divine protection. - Our prayers, Sir, were heard, and they were graciously answered.ť Benjamin Franklin

"The right of resisting oppression is a natural right."
President Andrew Jackson (1767-1845)

"It is important also to consider, that the surest means of avoiding war is to be prepared for it in peace." -- Joseph Story (Commentaries on the Constitution, 1833) Reference: Story, Commentaries on the Constitution, 415. The Patriot Post Founders' Quote Daily

Mark Twain: "It is a worthy thing to fight for one's freedom; it is another sight finer to fight for another man's."

"It is the soldier, not the reporter,
Who has given us freedom of the press.

"It is the soldier, not the poet,
Who has given us freedom of speech.

"It is the soldier, not the campus organizer,
Who has given us the freedom to demonstrate.

"It is the soldier, who salutes the flag,
Who serves beneath the flag,
And whose coffin is draped by the flag,
Who allows the protester to burn the flag."

Charles M. Province

Military Stories 
(Reader's Digest)
Read true stories about America's military heroes at home and abroad.

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The Navajos' Unbreakable Code
Medal of Honor: Profiles in Valor

American Minute for December 19th: Driven into Pennsylvania by the British, the Continental Army set up camp at Valley Forge, DECEMBER 19, 1777, just 25 miles from British occupied Philadelphia. Lacking food and supplies, soldiers died at the rate of twelve per day. Of 11,000 soldiers, 2,500 died of cold, hunger and disease. A Committee from Congress reported "feet and legs froze till they became black, and it was often necessary to amputate them." Soldiers were there from every State in the new union, some as young as 12, others as old as 60, and though most were white, some were African American and American Indians. Quaker farmer Isaac Potts observed General Washington kneeling in prayer in the snow. Hessian Major Carl Leopold Baurmeister noted the only thing that kept the American army from disintegrating was their "spirit of liberty." In a letter written to John Banister, Washington recorded: "To see men without clothes to cover their nakedness, without blankets to lay on, without shoes, by which their marches might be traced by the blood from their feet...and at Christmas taking up their...quarters within a day's march of the enemy...is a mark of patience and obedience which in my opinion can scarce be paralleled."

ur military strength is a prerequisite to peace, but let it be clear we maintain this strength in the hope it will never be used, for the ultimate determinant in the struggle that™s now going on in the world will not be bombs and rockets but a test of wills and ideas, a trial of spiritual resolve, the values we hold, the beliefs we cherish, the ideals to which we are dedicated. Ronald Reagan

"It is foolish and wrong to mourn the men who died. Rather we should thank God that such men lived." General George S. Patton

Heroes aren't athletes who set new sports records, or Hollywood actors who make daring films or politicians who make bold promises. Heroes are people who place themselves at risk for the benefit of others. Oliver North

"[L]et us solemnly remember the sacrifices of all those who fought so valiantly, on the seas, in the air, and on foreign shores, to preserve our heritage of freedom, and let us re-consecrate ourselves to the task of promoting an enduring peace so that their efforts shall not have been in vain." Dwight Eisenhower

"The soldier, above all other people, prays for peace, for he must suffer and bear the deepest wounds and scars of war." Douglas MacArthur

" I wish to have no connection with any ship that does not sail fast; for I intend to go in harm's way." John Paul Jones

â€śIt is the madness of folly, to expect mercy from those who have refused to do justice; and even mercy, where conquest is the object, is only a trick of war; the cunning of the fox is as murderous as the violence of the wolf.â€ť Thomas Paine

A Nation of Marksmen by Clayton E. Cramer - We think of James Madison, the father of the Bill of Rights, including the Second Amendment, as an intellectual, not a man of the field or of action. However, Madison wrote a letter in 177 5 to William Bradford in Philadelphia that shows a different side: "The strength of this Colony will lie chiefly in the rifle-men of the Upland Counties, of whom we shall have great numbers. You would be astonished at the perfection this art is brought to. The most inexpert hands rec(k]on it an indifferent shot to miss the bigness of a man's face at the distance of 100 Yards. I al!" far from being among the best Be should not often miss it on a fair trial at that distance. If we corne into an engagement, I make no doubt but the officers of the enemy will fall at the distance before they get (within] 150 or 200 Yards. Indeed I believe 'we have men that would very often hit such a mark 250 Yds."

...An eyewitness, J. Thomas Scharf, in History of Western Maryland, described a demonstration by Captain Michael Cresap's rifle company of "upwards of 130 men": "(To] show the gentlemen of the town their dexterity at shooting. A clapboard, with a mark the size of a dollar, was put up; they began to fire off-hand, and the bystanders were surprised, so few shots being made that were not close to or in the paper. "When they had shot for a time in this way, some lay on their backs, some on their breast or side, others ran twenty or thirty steps, and, firing, appeared to be equally certain of the mark. With this performance the company was more than satisfied, when a young man took up the board in his hand, not by the end, but by the side, and holding it up, his brother walked to the distance, and very coolly shot into the white; laying down his rifle, he took up the board, and, . holding it as was held before, the second brother shot as the former had done. "By this exercise I was more astonished than pleased. But will you believe me, when I tell you, that one of the men took the board, and placing it between his legs, stood with his back to the tree, while another drove the center?"

...Other eyewitness accounts of Cresap's company, published in The Virginia Gazette, also report on their marksmanship, suggesting that they were capable of one to two minutes of arc accuracy: ",W]e mention a fact which can be fully attested by several of the reputable persons who were eyewitnesses of it. Two brothers in the company took a piece of board five inches broad and seven inches long, with a bit of white paper, about the size of a dollar, nailed in the centre; and while one of them supported this board perpendicularly between his knees, the other, at the distance of upwards of sixty yards, and without any kind of rest, shot eight bullets through it successively, and spared a brother's thigh! "Another of the company held a barrel stave perpendicularly in his hands with one edge close to his side, while one of his comrades, at the same distance, and in the manner before mentioned, shot several bullets through it, without any apprehension of danger on either side. "The spectators appearing to be amazed at these feats, were told that there were upwards of fifty persons in the same company who could do the same thing; that there was not one who could not plug nineteen bullets out of twenty, as they termed it, within an inch of the head of a tenpenny nail.

...John Harrower recorded a similar account of how a rifle company commander in Virginia sought to identify the best marksmen out of an overflow crowd of volunteers. The colonel's solution was a shooting contest: "Col. Washington ... made a demand of 500 Riflemen from the frontiers. But those that insisted on going far exceeded the number wanted when in order to avoid giving offence, the commanding officer chose his company by the following method, viz. He took a board of a foot square and with chalk drew the shape of a moderate nose in the center and nailed it up to a tree at 150 yards distance and those who came nighest the mark with a single ball was to go. But by the first 40 or 50 that fired the nose was all blown out of the board, and by the time his company was [filled] up, the board shared the same fate."

American Minute for November 13th: The Vietnam War Memorial was dedicated NOVEMBER 13, 1982, honoring 58,000 American troops who died. U.S. forces inflicted over a million enemy fatalities, yet politicians did not allow a victory. A former Communist North Vietnamese colonel, Bui Tin, called the American "peace movement" essential: "Every day our leadership would listen to the world news over the radio to follow the growth of the American anti-war movement. Visits to Hanoi by people like Jane Fonda and former Attorney General Ramsey Clark gave us confidence that we should hold on in the face of battlefield reverses." On October 12, 1967, during Operation Medina, Marine Sergeant George Hutchings of Charlie Company, 1st Battalion, 1st Marine Division, had a dozen men killed around him when ambushed by North Vietnamese in the Hai Lang jungle. Months later, after numerous battles, George was shot three times, bayoneted and left for dead. He survived and was later awarded the Purple Heart. Of the Vietnam Memorial, George Hutchings said: "On that wall is the name of Corporal Quinton Bice, who was hit in the chest with a rocket running a patrol in my place. A Christian, he had shared the Gospel with me, but I didn't understand it till he gave his life in my place."

SOON TO BE GONE By a Military Doctor - This should be required reading in every school and college in our country. This Captain, an Army doctor, deserves a medal himself for putting this together. If you choose not to pass it on, fine, but I think you will want to, after you read it. ..I am a doctor specializing in Emergency Medicine in the Emergency Departments of the only two military Level One trauma centers. They are both in San Antonio, TX and they care for civilian emergencies as well as military personnel. San Antonio has the largest military retiree population in the world living here because of the location of these two large military medical centers. ...Situation permitting I now try to ask my patients about their experiences. They would never bring up the subject without the inquiry. I have been privileged to an amazing array of experiences recounted in the brief minutes allowed in an Emergency Dept encounter. These experiences have revealed the incredible individuals I have had the honor of serving in a medical capacity, many on their last admission to the hospital.

REMEMBERING THE ALAMO By Chuck Baldwin - Early in the siege, Travis wrote these words to the people of Texas: "Fellow Citizens & Compatriots: I am besieged by a thousand or more of the Mexicans under Santa Anna. . . . The enemy has demanded a surrender at discretion, otherwise the garrison are to be put to the sword . . . I have answered the demand with a cannon shot & our flag still waves proudly from the walls. I shall never surrender or retreat. . . . VICTORY OR DEATH! P.S. The Lord is on our side. . . ."

...Please try to remember the heroes of the Alamo as you watch our gutless political and religious leaders surrender to compromise and political correctness. Try to recall the time in this country when ordinary men and women had the courage of their convictions and were willing to sacrifice their lives for freedom and independence.

One thing is certain: those courageous champions at the Alamo did not die for a political party or for some "lesser of two evils" mantra. They fought and died for a principle, and that principle was liberty and independence. So did the men at Lexington and Concord. That is our heritage.

...Today, however, our national leaders are in the process of turning America over to the very forces that the Alamo defenders gave their lives resisting. On second thought, do they look foolish, or do we?

Veterans Day, we encourage teachers to visit the official Veterans Affairs website for instruction and learning aids on the history and significance of Veterans Day.

The Special Operations Warrior Foundation was founded 29 years ago to provide support and assistance to the U. S. military's special operations community, which consists of Army Special Forces (Green Berets), the Army's 75th Ranger Regiment, the 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment, Navy Small Boat Teams, Navy SEALs, Air Force Combat Controllers, Air Force rotary and fixed wing squadrons, and Marine Corps special operations personnel.

A Tale of Two Americas - Bill Whittle of PJTV (Video 16min) - We're Going To Be Okay - Ordinary Men & Extraordinary Heroes: Serving those who serve America. Like Walt Fricke, VeteransAirlift.org, uniting soldiers and their loved ones.

The Veterans Airlift Command provides free air transportation to wounded warriors, veterans and their families for medical and other compassionate purposes through a national network of volunteer aircraft owners and pilots. Our priority is on the veterans of Iraqi Freedom and Enduring Freedom (Afghanistan). As capacity allows, our mission will expand to serve veterans of other conflicts.

Operation Komanda - A way to show your support for our troops overseas? With Operation Komando, we can all do our part in helping the troops serving our country. Show your support for the troops working to protect our freedoms. They need everyday items that are difficult to come by in the war zone. Every donation makes a difference!

HOW YOU CAN HELP - Just follow these steps:
1. Get the military kit from the U.S. Postal Service
2. Package the items carefully
3. Address it correctly and send via USPS!

Doing the work of... (See patches)

Wounded Warrior Project At WWP, we’re committed to supporting not only our wounded warriors, but also the individuals who sustain them on their path to recovery. In the spring of 2008, we launched our Caregiver Retreats to support this unique, devoted group of family members who are helping their wounded loved ones face a range of physical and mental challenges.

Freedom Alliance Scholarship Fund
Honoring the Sons and Daughters of America's Heroes

At Campus Crusade Military Ministry, our privilege and responsibility is to assist chaplains and commanders with caring for the spiritual well-being of troops and their families. We do this in many ways, but all focus on the gospel because faith comes by hearing, and hearing comes by the Word of God.

The International War Veterans' Poetry Archives (IWVPA) website is a living and growing memorial, dedicated to all warriors who paid the supreme sacrifice for their Country during all occasions where, whilst wearing the uniform of their country, they were placed in harm's way.

The Vietnam Veterans Memorial Wall in Washington DC honors the fallen of the Vietnam War. Relatives and friends leave letters, poems, and photographs there and on this web site named The Virtual Wall ®. We bring the Vietnam Veterans Memorial to your home.

PatriotPost.us is proud to be one of the nation's leading advocates for our Armed Forces and their mission -- not only by providing countless Americans with the right perspective on that mission and the demanding tasks our military personnel have carried out with unfailing courage and professionalism, but also through efforts such as our Profiles of Valor, Support and Defend pages, Operation Shield of Strength and the Patriot Shop, which carries an extensive collection of products bearing official military insignia, the proceeds of which support our mission of service to our Armed Forces.

"Our enemies may be irrational, even outright insane, driven by nationalism, religion, ethnicity, or ideology. They do not fear the United States for its diplomatic skills or the number of automobiles and software programs it produces. They respect only the firepower of our tanks, planes, and helicopter gunships." Ronald Reagan

"The willingness with which our young people are likely to serve in any war, no matter how justified, shall be directly proportional as to how they perceive the veterans of earlier wars were treated and appreciated by their Nation." George Washington

Distinguishing between Patriots and cowards, our favorite Founder, Samuel Adams, said: "Contemplate the mangled bodies of your countrymen, and then say, 'What should be the reward of such sacrifices?' ... If ye love wealth better than liberty, the tranquility of servitude than the animating contest of freedom...crouch down and lick the hands, which feed you. May your chains sit lightly upon you, and may posterity forget that ye were our countrymen!" The Federalist

Honoring those who risked, sacrificed, and paid the ultimate sacrifice, so that we may enjoy life, liberty, freedom, the pursuit of happiness and MTV. More than 41 million men and women have served in the Armed Forces of this country and over a million have died defending it. Learn the difference between cowards and patriots.

"Those who celebrate America's 228th Independence Day on lonely outposts in Afghanistan and Iraq are a magnificent reflection of who we are as a people. Our soldiers, sailors, airmen, guardsmen and Marines who have placed themselves between us and the terrorists who would kill us if they had the chance are the best proof of all that America remains 'the home of the brave and the land of the free'." Oliver North

Click here to see how American Military resources disappeared during the Clinton/Gore Administration

"[Rene] Gonzalez, a grad student and vehement opponent to the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan...would do well to remember that he eats, sleeps, and writes, under the very blanket of freedom that soldiers like Pat Tillman provide." Sarah Longwell, Collegiate Network

Oath Keepers is a non-partisan association of currently serving military, reserves, National Guard, veterans, Peace Officers, and Fire Fighters who will fulfill the Oath we swore, with the support of like minded citizens who take an Oath to stand with us, to support and defend the Constitution against all enemies, foreign and domestic, so help us God. Our Oath is to the Constitution. Our motto is "Not on our watch!" (read complete description here)

Move America Forward is a non-partisan, not-for-profit organization committed to supporting America's efforts to defeat terrorism and supporting the brave men and women of our Armed Forces.

Medal of Honor Citations Since 1861 Hero is a word which gets applied to just about anyone in any kind of uniform these days. If you have a doubt as to what a hero really is, read a few of the 3,400 Medal of Honor recipient citations.

"To be prepared for war is one of the most effectual means of preserving peace." George Washington

"Let every nation know, whether it wishes us well or ill, that we shall pay any price, bear any burden, meet any hardship, support any friend, oppose any foe to assure the survival and the success of liberty." John F. Kennedy