sacrifice themselves on the basic principle that we should live free. while the cause is the same everyone has a different reason for serving. maybe they are following in their father's footsteps or felt a calling after the terrorists tore down the twin towers. for me it was a patriotic parade or a series of them in a small town. motherly day and fourth of july parades in a tiny town in southern minnesota where my parents grew up. the whole town lined up on the tree sign side of the main street waiting for the veterans to walk by and when they came older vets and younger vets, crowd clapped and saluted. the reverence that town had for the veterans made me say, wow, those men really did something special. something bigger than this town. something bigger than themselves. these men were willing to put on a uniform and face danger for me, a kid they never met. it was just a handful of veterans, from one town. but every town in america gave men like that. out of sheer patriotism and when you add up all of those small towns it gives you a glimpse of the sheer wait of the cost of freedom. for generations families field with filled and love for their country sent their own to battle in trenches, beaches, jungles and deserts. and not everyone made it back. in guatanamo bay, cuba, i served with a guy who was a real salt of the earth guy. smart, committed, and really hard-working. back home he was a police officer. service was in his blood. we both later deployed to afghanistan. we were in different units at that point and different parts of the country and that's when i got word that he had been killed in combat. it hit me like a ton of bricks. it's a feeling almost everyone who served knows. you realize how fragile life really is. just one bullet, one ied, one rpg can change everything. none of us knew exactly what we were signing up for when we raised our right hand. sure, we saw the movies and heard the stories but you don't really understand it until you're there. being away from your family and away from your country, for months, even years. your life can go from sheer boredom in seconds to fear and danger. you form a brotherhood with americans from all walks of life because you have the same goal. you all feel america is worth the fight. and you'll put your life on the line to defend it. but heroes walk with us every day. not just veterans. police officers, who run headlong into danger. firefighters who rush into burning buildings. doctors, nurses, and paramedics who work around the clock to save lives. parents, who teach the next generation to love our country, and pastors, who lead their flocks and keep the faith. those are america's heroes. later in this show i'll be talking to two people who personally make me proud to be an american. i wouldn't be the same person without them. but first, some of my friends here at fox are going to talk to their heroes. joey jones talked to two veterans from his new book "unbroken bonds of battle." >> there are so many men and women who make me proud to be an american but today i have the honor of speaking to two inspiring veterans that i get to call my friends and brothers. nate lives by motto, anything is possible. he joined the army in 2005. then just a year later he earned his green beret and served in the special forces. once he left the army at the ripe old age of 29 he enrolled at the university of texas and decided he was going to play college football without ever playing a down in his life. but nothing could stop him. he even earned a spot on the seattle seahawks without being drafted and most recently he started a nonprofit joining retired professional athletes and veterans to learn from one another. aptly named mvp, or merging vets and players. he also wrote and starred in a feature film by the same name. and then there is aaron hill. we went to eod school together. after a successful career as a navy chef, he wanted to be closer to the front lines and joined the army to take bombs apart. then he was severely injured in afghanistan, when an improvised explosive device detonated in his presence. but his injuries haven't slowed him down. he's about to run 135 miles across death valley. it's the hardest foot race in the world. he'll be the first 100% blind and deaf person to ever complete it. nate and aaron join me now. gentlemen, thank you for being here. we just pulled -- we just did our book together called "unbroken bonds of battle." you guys are two of the most important chapters in the book, i saying that knowing all 10 are important but you two inspire me so much. aaron, i want to go to you first. tell me about this 135-mile race and why you want to do it. >> 135 starts at the valley, and it goes 135 miles to the mount whitney portal. just the trail head, to the tallest point in the contiguous 48. and it's 48 hours, more or less, of -- some hot temperatures and, you know, some altitude changes as well. it will be grueling, but it's for a good cause, and, i like a challenge. >> sean: you lost your sight. you also lost your hearing after the injury but due to complications with the injury. what does that do for running or even going up an altitude? >> when i lost my hearing not only di lose the ability to communicate, all of my visual accessibility aids were muted. rendered inoperable. i also lost my inner ear sense of balance. so just getting on the treadmill was dangerous enough, but it took a long time to recover my sense of balance and start running again. >> amazing. nate, i don't think you're going to run 135 miles but i know you do a trip to africa almost every year, to raise money for people to get clean water. >> yes. >> and the stuff that you do even here in the states with professional athletes and service members, why do you keep wanting to give? because of people like aaron, honestly and people like you, joey. first of all, i feel very soft. i'm doing a hundred miles in august and i thought that was cool but this is unbelievable hearing this about aaron. it speaks to the resiliency of so many of our men and win. you two are great examples of that, and yet, we became people of service, you know. when we put that uniform on and took that oath, for the rest of our lives that's part of us. a big reason why i joined the military was to fight for those who can't fight for themselves. even when i left the military and i lost that uniform i still needed to do that to feel connected to that person, you know what i mean? to that soldier. so, you know, every year, an organization called water boys started by chris long, we climb kilimanjaro and raise money for clean water wells in africa. we have this incredible challenge. we push ourselves to the limit, but also we're serving those who just don't have what we do have here in the united states, which is, you know, access to clean water and so many other things, that we're very fortunate to have. >> aaron, nate said something we have here in the states, access to clean water, seems pretty simple. how amazing is this country and why is it on this independence day it's so important to remain patriotic? >> it's pretty easy to be grateful for what we've got. we have a strong community. strong moral values, and we've got these defenders. like you guys. protect our nation. extremely grateful, and there are plenty of us around. i know i've gotten so much support since my injury, and i'm looking forward to celebrating a pretty warm fourth of july. >> nate, that's your message on this fourth of july? >> you mentioned it, in the intro, with the emerging vets. it's important to always have each others' back, and i think it's important message for not just the country but the world. of course, we're not perfect. of course, we're always, i think, most of us striving to be better and do better but we do -- we do have is to be grateful for the opportunity to have those freedoms, to express ourselves any way we want to express ourselves. and it's not like that everywhere. so i think, having a good time is important, you know. enjoying the day, but remember what you're celebrating and why you're celebrating it, and that you are fortunate to even have the opportunity to celebrate an independence day. not everybody gets that. and so, yes, and then the next day on the fifth, you know, you look at what you can do better to continue to move things forward and bring your community together, and be a better human being. >> you know, guys, i'm proud to call you friends. i've gotten to know both of you over the last decade. aaron knew me when i looked a little prettier and still had legs. listen, we sat here and talked today and we didn't even talk about the stories in the book. we talked about your gratitude. we talked about how you want to keep helping others, and as exceptional as the two of you are, that's a common thread among american veterans, and you guys just represent it absolutely well. thank you both for coming here and talking with me and happy independence day. >> i appreciate it. that's what the book is all about. great job. >> thanks, aaron. >> coming up, how a powerful friendship helped benjamin hall survive his greatest challenge. ♪ - [speaker] at first, just leaving the house was hard. - [speaker] but wounded warrior project helps you realize it's possible to get out there - [speaker] to feel sense of camaraderie again. - [speaker] to find the tools to live life better. - [narrator] through generous community support, we've connected warriors and their families with no cost physical and mental health services, legislative advocacy, career assistance, and life skill training for 20 years, and we are just getting started. ♪ >> there is an old proverb that says if you want to go fast go alone but if you want to go fargo together. as countless brave americans have shown us throughout history, when we stand together, we can accomplish anything. our fox family experienced that first hand last year. after foreign correspondent hall was gravely injured in the ukraine war. but through the powerful friendship with jennifer griffin and a little help from god, benjamin came out on top. take a look. >> -- while covering the war in ukraine i've met so many people who make me immensely proud to be an american. without the bravery of service men, doctors, and nurses i would not be here today but on this independence day i would like to take the time to thank my colleague, my dear friend jeffrey griefen for saving my life that day. >> hearing your voice makes me get a little emotional think about to a year and a half ago and looking back in terms of what you've done in your recovery and positive attitude, you're the run who inspires all of us and make me and all the others part of that incredible team proud to be an american. thank you. >> that's very kind of you, but i know for a fact i would not be sitting here if it were not for the actions that you took that very second when you heard that we had been hit. you reached out to kirby and silverado. i wonder what you thought the second you heard and how you knew to act so quickly and who you knew to reach out to? >> the amazing thing about being in this job at the pentagon and i've been here 15 years and also in the field and unfortunately been with colleagues who were kidnapped who were close to being injured or killed, so my reaction, i think, like many people who have done this for many years, my reactions, i didn't really think. i went right into action, and what i found in this business over the years, is that it's all about relationships, and these relationships all came back and paid back in spades. at that very crucial moment when you were missing and sasha was missing, there was a bit of fate involved. john kirby was sitting here in the pentagon booth with me and i turned to him and asked immediately for help from the defense secretary and they didn't hesitate knowing how good our military medicine is and how we needed to get you to landstoll. we weren't sure how we would because we were told the u.s. military could not go into ukraine and at that moment we didn't know where you were so that's when i thought who do i know who has done this kind of work or has a network of people who could help, and that's when i call sarah of the independence fund of save our allies. i had seen the incredible work that her team had done on the ground in afghanistan getting 12,000 afghans out during that very messy withdrawal and those private individuals just happened to be in poland ready to launch, but again it was an act of fate at that point, that that incredible team, and people like sarah, bo white, rich, they are just incredible americans. >> absolutely. they also make me incredibly proud to be an american. if it weren't for them i wouldn't be here either. you also knew who to call because of your involvement over the years in some of these wounded warrior projects. i know you've hosted the injured warrior experience, which allows them to speak. you work closely with the independence fund. you host the heroes of military awards which i'm grateful as well, because military medicine brought me back walking again. you did all of these things before my attack happened. what drew you to that? what inspired you to go and help so many people, so many wounded veterans out there. >> when i started here at the pentagon it was 15 years ago. it was the start of the surge, and there were so many young americans who were losing their limbs, facing traumatic brain injuries, who were filling the ward at walter reed and 62 in particular, so as a reporter i couldn't sit by and watch and not try at least help and go tell their stories. there were different ways i got involved. one of the things that i'm able to do is to emcee and give my time for those kind of events. so i started emceeing fundraisers and got more and more involved and that's how i met sarah and her husband, sergeant mike virardo, who had 120 surgeries up at walter reed. that's what got me involved and allowed me to know these incredible americans who ran into the fire, didn't ask where you were, they just went to find you, and they got you out and we're so grateful that they did, and that you're thriving today and back with your family. >> yes, absolutely. i think i speak for so many of them as well. they mean a huge amount to me and i understand what they have gone through and it will be a big part of my future as well, and you talk about what i got through. i know you've managed to get through in your life, i know you had stage three triple negative breast cancer, you fought through that and you raised a lot of awareness for that as well. i've been to the cancer gala as well. you were helping on every different front. i have never met someone who is so inspirational, kind, and intelligent and goes out and gets things done when they have to be done. jen, as i sit here today talking to you i wouldn't be here, wouldn't be with my family, and many people out there wouldn't be doing so well who have been battling through what they have been battling through if it weren't for your help and people wouldn't know nearly as much if it wasn't for the truth you shared and jen it's a great honor to be a friend of yours and thank you for what you've done for me and for all the others. >> thank you, jen. i'm humbled, thank you. >> up next, decades after risking it all to defend freedom, we honor the courage and sacrifice of one world war ii veteran. >> welcome to fox news live. russia is signaling it's open to talks over potential prisoner swap involving "wall street journal" reporter. a spokesperson saying "there have been certain contacts on the subject but we don't want them to be discussed in public." the u.s. ambassador to russia met with the journalist yesterday saying he's in good health and remains strong. a random attack, that's how police are describing monday's mass shooting that killed five people in philadelphia, according to the city's politician commissioner the 40-year-old suspected gunman had no prior connection to the victims. he was dressed in a bulletproof vest and carried a rifle, pistol and police scanner. a motive for the attack remains unknown. i'm marianne rafferty, now back to our special, "home of the brave." ♪ >> here in america we're lucky enough to live in the greatest country on god's green earth but that greatness didn't just happen. it was earned through decades of sacrifice, from the generations that came before us. like the men and women of world war ii, who stood up to fight for what's right. and their honor and sacrifice should never be forgotten. martha mccallum sat down with one of those proud americans, world war ii veteran pat rudd. >> we celebrate the united states as the home of the brave, thanks to americans like pat rudd. at 101 years old, she's a remarkable member of our greatest generation. during world war ii, she missed her deployed brother so much that she wanted to follow him into the service. when she was told that she could not do that, her response was, oh, yes, i can. she went on to make history, becoming one of the first women deployed overseas during the war through the volunteer program. she served in hawaii after pearl harbor teaching sailors reading and writing and working at the hospital there and decades later she still helps our soldiers doing needle work for patients at v. a apartment hospitals. we're honored now to be joined by pat rudd. hi, pat. thank you so much for being with us today. it's great to talk to you. >> thank you. >> so, pat, i want to put that picture back up because it's just darling, of you, as a teenager, wanting to get involved in what was going on in world war ii. tell me a little bit about how you pursued this driver of yours to be part of the effort to win world war ii. >> well, when i was in boot camp at hunter college, i left there and was signed to my service in d.c., and while i was there i would go out on my day off and go to visit everything that i could, and one day i was in the senate, i happened to be there the day they passed the bill for us to go overseas. and i was so excited, i went back straight to quarters and signed up for volunteering to go, and i was chosen, of one of them to be in the first 200 to go, and so that was a thrill, to begin with. >> that's fantastic. so you joined the waves, which is the women accepted for volunteer emergency service, and there were a lot of young women actually who wanted to be part of that first wave, if i can put it that way and you were chosen. you're one of 10 children. as i mentioned in the introduction, one of the things that you wanted was to just follow in your brother's footsteps, right? >> yes. i wanted to do that. thank you. >> so tell me about your brother and tell me about wanting to serve as he was serving. >> well, he was a gunner's mate and was at sea most of the time, and i never did get to see him when i was in hawaii. he came right after i left, so, but we worked in a factory together before we ever went in the service, so after he left, i kind of wanted to go, that's why i joined. >> so what was it like for you when you got to pearl harbor, and tell me a little bit about what you remember about working in the hospital there. >> well, the main thing is, our trip to start with was very, very rough, going over from oakland, california, and we went to seattle and picked up 2,000 soldiers, and then we left and went to hawaii. and we had a great greeting there with all the people having leis ready for us when we got there. as far as my duty was concerned, i was assigned to the education office where i taught illiterates to where they could read and write, and what a joy it was to have a boy come and say i got a letter from my mom and i could read it. >> oh. >> that's amazing. >> it's hard to tell. when you relive this. >> i'm sure you remember that young man very clearly, don't you. >> and that was my duty, actually, as an education office, but when we were off-duty and they had other things that had to be done we all broke in and helped because we had lost so many men. >> so, you know, talk to me about some of the patients at the hospital and what they had been through, and were you able to talk to them and comfort them? do you remember any of them, specifically, pat? >> yes, i do. i had met one man dancing at seattle when we stopped there, and we were only allowed to tell our name and i just called my nickname, which was pat. and then when we got over there, i had an office right near the captain's office, and i would watch them haul for him when he was at lunch and i found the man walking in the hall outside, so i got up to question, and here it was the young man that i had met in seattle. and so, we had chow together, and then he had to go because he was a pilot. and so then, it was about three months later, and i got a call from the hospital, that somebody wanted to see me, and i walked the halls to see if i could find him because that's what you had to do. it was just rolls of beds of injured. and -- rosews of beds of injure. i found two stumps exercising, that was my friend, and he said, don't cry, i'll be in california shortly playing golf and that was the end of my sight for him, and i heard from him later, but that was it. so that was the worst thing i went through. >> i'm sure he was comforted to see you. and to hear your familiar voice. >> yes, ma'am. >> yes, ma'am. >> what a service that was. i'm sure you warmed his heart in that difficult moment for him. so tell me a little bit, pat. >> it was very hard. >> i can imagine, and i think it's an incredible service that you did, just to comfort, to help some of these young men read and write and then to be with them during a difficult moment like that. it's just an enormous service to your country. thank you so much. all good wishes to you and god bless you, and we'll all be praying for you for your big birthday in august. that you have continued health and happiness. >> thank you for your service. >> and i thank you so much. thank you so much for the interview and i appreciate it very much. >> up next, we talked to one brave pastor who is using his faith to try to save chicago. >> america is only as strong as its weakest link and our big cities can use some help. that's where pastor cory brooks comes in. through his selfless acts and the power of faith he's helping to build a better society for all. lawrence jones joined the pastor on his quest to save the community. >> few have inspired change in the community like pastor -- he spent nearly a year on the rooftop raising money to build a community center that will help transform this crime-ridden neighborhood and allow children to build a brighter future. i spent some time on the roof with the pastor. take a look. >> the violence and the crime sometimes desensitizes people but we have to make sure that people know this is not normal. we should not become desensitized. we should continually keep our efforts going to get rid of the violence, to change the neighborhood, and we have to all continue to do that. >> tell us a little bit about what life is up here. >> it's tough but we've got to do it. we've got to get this center built and there is no other way. >> so the pastor went from zero dollars to over $28.5 million in fundraising, a man that mix me proud to be an american, pastor cory brooks. >> there are a lot of people that talk about issues facing our community but a lot of people aren't willing to roll up their sleeves and do something about it. why did it brick your heart in a way to say, i'm going to stay on this roof until i get the money that's needed for these kids. >> first of all, i just feel called. i believe that god has put me in that neighborhood for a reason. for far too long we've depended on the government to change our situation and we only end up with nothing ever happening, that results in something positive for the community. so i decided instead of waiting to go ahead and do whatever i could do, to possibly change the narrative to make life better for a lot of people who are growing up in a very rough environment. at the end of the day it's all about making america better and so i think so many people related that, and as a result we had help from all across the country, and i'm so appreciative. >> this is the fourth of july weekend. and, we're bracing ourselves for one of the worst because historically, i mean, i get the numbers every week, but on the holiday weekends, especially the fourth of july and memorial day, it gets bad in chicago. what would you tell the people of chicago? >> you know, i still have hope, in the midst of so much stuff going on in the city, with so many people who are losing their lives and so much violence, i still have hope, in the fact that we can change the narrative, that we can make life better for so many people. not only die still have hope but i'm going to continue to work and pray and put my hand to the plow and give my best effort to just make this weekend and all the other weekends a better one for the people who live in chicago, especially the children. >> my grandmother has a say, much prayer, much power. no prayer, no power. little prayer, little power. so we'll be praying for the city of chicago. thank you for making me proud to be an american pastor. >> likewise, i feel the same about you. >> coming up, law enforcement risk their lives every day to keep us safe. so this fourth of july, we take a moment to share our appreciation. scout is protected by simparica trio, and he's in it to win it. simparica trio is the first and only chew with triple protection. oh, fleas and ticks ♪ intestinal worms... wow heartworm disease, no problem with simarica trio. this drug class has been associated with neurologic adverse reactions including seizures. use with caution in dogs with a history of these disorders. for winning protection. go with simparica trio. ♪ >> america is the lands of the free because of the brave. and no one better exemplifies that belief than the heroic men and women of law enforcement. every day they put their life on the line to keep us safe. asking for nothing in return. emily caught up with one such officer and shared some appreciation. >> blue wives matter nyc, it's the nonprofit that supports america's finest when they need it most. raising money and awareness when officers are killed in the line of duty or for those officers facing life-threatening illnesses. the founder says that these past few years have been some of the hardest to be an officer in this country. but that hasn't stopped anyone from putting on their uniforms of pride and doing the job to the best of their ability every day. sergeant, it's such an honor to have you here with me and it's a deep honor to be your friend. i have witnessed so many of the incredible works that they do and it's so varied. share with us a few of the examples of the leaves you have impacted, blue lives and other lives. >> this past year you attended the gala and you honored detectives mora and rivera. in the amount of 30 days we raised $60,000 which goes a long way. recently, a detective has a three-month-old son with heart surgeries. and we along the organization -- we surprised them with another check which helps them when they n needs it the most. >> what does it mean to dedicate so much of your time to blue lives matter to see the impact you make in uniform and out? >> when you first start the first thing you think about is i'm a cop and i have to make arrests and answer summons. but you realize as you mature on the job it's the relationships that you build with the people in the community that makes a difference. when people come up to you, whether under their breath or shake your hand and say, thank you so much for being here, you tune out the noise, sometimes the media, and you realize we're appreciated ant wanted. >> and blue lives matter nyc has had an impact on those outside the uniform. can you share one. >> a year ago, michael from houston, texas, we flew he and his mother and sister in, put them up in a hotel, goes to school dressed as career day, in a time where police officers are already under fire, he dresses as a police officer, gets bullied and gets almost thrown out of his wheelchair. we wanted to show, when it came to our attention, how much little boys like michael and little girls mean to us, they are the reasons why we, we remember every single day why we suit up. that one day of perceptions changes. >> wearing a uniform from his hometown in texas, being given the most amazing tour of new york city and of all of nypd, a mounted unit in the harbor, thanks to nyc blue lives matter. you showed him support for showing you support. >> we started off at st. patrick's cathedral. we had the port authority and state troopers, officers from all over who wanted to show them how great this profession is because of little kids like michael. >> because of officers like you, sergeant, thank you for your service day in and day out. >> coming up, i sit down with two very special guests to share what makes me proud to be an american. ♪ >> welcome back, i'm honored to speak to two people who make me proud to be an american. mark, i knew him as corporal tally, he's now a sergeant for the department of corrections and continues to serve, and our pastor at the community church, he also officiated at the wedding for me and my wife, jen, as well. it's great to be with you on the fourth of july. we served together. you continue to continue to serve. you find ways to rally patriotism in your community. talk to me about why you love america. >> it's the greatest country on earth. there are so many opportunities, so many great people, so many people willing to help others, and get involved and it's just the greatest country on earth. >> chris, you've spent a lot of time in the pulpit preaching the word of god but there is a connection between what you preach and this country. >> i always think of the words that jesus said in the sermon on the mount. we're called to be salt in the decay and light in the darkness, so our faith is a real actual faith lived out in real-time, so what does it mean for us to reflect our hope in christ wherever we are? not just a church but in the marketplace, at capitol hill, wherever it may be, so for me, i'm truly grateful for this land, and most of all i'm truly grateful that the gospel continues to spread and find root in so many hearts and homes in this country. >> the fourth of july, our independence, never happens without pastors. from the pulpit. preaching about independence. and fidelity to the word of god but also living free. our founders understood that. >> right. i love the quote that john adams said. he said our constitution was made for moral and religious people, and without that, it is not equipped to govern at all. so there is a certain sense that we should, as the church, continue to live as free people, and as we do, and this is why we have to be cautious about putting the church to the periphery of society, that in the end, there is faith, there is freedom, in jesus christ, eternal life, abundant life to all who believe. this is the freedom that truly enables us to love our neighbors and be good citizens when we know we have citizenship in heaven. >> we spent a year together at guatanamo bay guarding terrorists, and we reflect on that year a lot because you host a reunion at your house every year for the guys we served with. why is that service so impactful? what is it about standing shoulder to shoulder with your brother in arms that makes a day like today so much more meaningful? >> that's what it's all about, especially if you serve. that bomb, you know, it never goes away. that's why we do the reunion every year. we have people to come from all over the country just to be there because that bonds is so strong and it started with serving the country. >> what do you say to people today, mark, who are dispirited about patriotism or dispirited about the state of our country right now? >> i try to talk a little sense into them. everybody will have their own opinion but i try to ooze patriotism and let them feel it also, and some people come around. >> ooze patriotism. what's the name of the bar at your house if you would share it for us? >> bar america. >> the only beer they don serve these days is bud light, i would assume. >> it's been banned. >> it's been banned from bar america. chris, as families gather watching us tonight, maybe there is fireworks to come, what's your message for hope for this country, because you look to politicians or you look to media, and you see disaster after disaster after disaster. what's your hope tonight? >> we could look at our founding fathers, but you know my heart. i want to point people to our heavenly father. we could look at quotes from john adams and know how far we've trade but in the end i want to point people to jesus christ. in the end what i'm hoping that people will remember is how blessed this country has been, economically, national security, and liberty, that's a gift from god. that's a gift from god, so what does it mean for us to understand god's greatest gift is forgiveness and freedom in jesus christ, and from that faith, then we truly can love one another. we can remember what matters the most. that puts everything in perspective. not just god and government, but even our marriages, our kids, our workplaces, our talents. >> here's what i know. i wouldn't be here right now without you two and without people like you impacting my life. and i know that our country wouldn't have made it this far without men and women willing to put on a uniform and fight for it and people speaking freely about their religious beliefs and putting that at the center. so for all of you out there who have been watching, i know you know a mark and a chris in your own life. think of them, reach out to them, love them, and stand beside them because ultimately the greatness of our country comes down to the people that inhabit it, and what we pass to the next generation. i want to thank you both for everything that you've done and continue to do. thank you, guys. >> that's all we have tonight. we hope you've had a great independence day. god bless our country. ♪ ** ♪ >> on this day our founding fathers pledged their lives, their fortunes and their sacred honor. >> a small band of patriots declared we were a people created equal. >> a wonderful country was born and a revolutionary idea sent forth to all mankind. >> we dare