Some years ago or, war reached into the american home. The farewells were everywhere. The farms, the shanty on the tracks, lavish apartments, the uptown flats, the shrubbed estates, the modest houses of the suburban streets. Everywhere, the men were taken for keeps. The youngest, the cleanest, the best. Each man went into battle in his own way, and through his own job. More than half of them saw combat service. A small percentage of these, not nearly as many as you may imagine, where in the front lines. Within shell range of the enemy. For anyone in this latter group, a very special experience. He was at any moment expendable. For him the baseball parks were full of exciting rallies. No for him the peach parties were not as pleasant as they had been a few summers before. For him the rivers ran by. The boating was not so good. For him the flight tax were not as wide as the fields of texas. For the rest, there were 1000 non military jobs, each dependent on the other, each vital to the wi
National world war ii memorial this is half an hour. Were missing my name is alex kerr shaw, im a member of the board of directors of the friends of the National World war ii memorial. I have written several books about world war ii including one called the longest winter, which is about the battle of the bulge and americas most decorated platoon from world war ii. It is my great honor to serve today, as your master ceremonies. Thank you all for joining us on this chilly, Beautiful Day as we mark the 75th anniversary of the battle of the bulge. The largest and bloodiest single battle fought by the United States in world war ii. In fact, the largest fought in the u. S. Of its entire history. Friends of the National World war ii memorial was a small Non Profit Organization Whose Mission is to honor and preserve the National Memory of world war ii and to create the next greatest generation of tomorrow. This morning ceremony is part of the Friends National world war ii memorial fouryear wo
Freedom. We tend to think of religious freedom is a basic fundamental principle of our democracy and when we take very much for granted. The countrys history as steve recounts in his fascinating history was filled with examples of religious persecution. Steve recalled stories of the anglican ministers brutalizing baptist ministers are out of time of the revolution, the american revolution. And later catholics being barred from Holding Office and the banning of the native american spiritual practices tends to exterminate mormons and much more. All of which underscores despite the first amendment, the struggle to ensure religious freedom in the United States has been challenging and the struggle goes on today reflected in the assaults of muslims and the concerns of some American Christians their own faith is being persecuted. Yet through all of this, america has been not only to establish a large measure of freedom, but to pursue an approach to religious freedom that is distinct in the w
Ladies and gentlemen, my is jim byron and i have the honor of being the president and ceo of the Richard Nixon foundation, and i want to welcome you to the Richard Nixon library on this very wet day today. Thank you. Today, 50 years after the end of combat operations by American Forces in vietnam, we recognize Vietnam Veterans and the service that they provide to our country in uniform in the 1960s and seventies. And then after coming home, members of their community who went on to be forces for good and. And additionally we remember and pay tribute today to those who never came home or remain missing in action. Youll see throughout todays program, traditional elements of military ceremony represented by different branches of the United States military. And to begin id like to ask United States Army Chaplain William Williams to the invocation. Chaplain williams served in the army for 27 years in both infantry as enlisted man and as a member of the chaplain corps. He is currently the fa
Thank you. Today, 50 years after the end of combat operations by American Forces in vietnam, we recognize Vietnam Veterans and the service that they provide to our country in uniform in the 1960s and seventies. And then after coming home, members of their community who went on to be forces for good and. And additionally we remember and pay tribute today to those who never came home or remain missing in action. Youll see throughout todays program, traditional elements of military ceremony represented by different branches of the United States military. And to begin id like to ask United States Army Chaplain William Williams to the invocation. Chaplain williams served in the army for 27 years in both infantry as enlisted man and as a member of the chaplain corps. He is currently the family life resource manager, deputy garrison chaplain advisor, low density faith Group Leaders and a director of religious education. He has been deployed on eight combat tours. He served as a battalion brig