Don’t forget to remember our brave men and women on Memorial Day

FROM MY FRONT PORCH

Sam Houston is the publisher of the Hood County News. He is also an actor, author, playwright, performer and entertainment producer/promoter.

In just a few shorts days, Memorial Day will be upon us. By the end of May, most schools are out, the kids are hitting the neighborhood pool, and families are beginning to partake in their summer vacation. Maybe it is not unreasonable to think of Memorial Day as a three-day weekend which serves as the official kickoff of summer, but while summer activities are noble pursuits, I do hope we all stop for at least a few moments over Memorial weekend and thank the men and women who have given their lives in defense of our nation. Celebrating those brave souls is the true reason for the holiday.

As a reader of history, it is easy for me to become engrossed in an account about Valley Forge, the Alamo, or Iwo Jima, and picture myself being a part of the battle. Straining to imagine what it was like to be there, I struggle to sense the weather conditions, the sounds of battle, and the devastation which surrounds me. I question myself wondering how I would measure up under the pressure of battle? Would I feel fear, anger, or would there be no feeling at all? No matter how well the author writes the passages or how vivid my imagination is, I sense they can never accurately depict the horror of the battlefield and the experiences of each individual soldier. Surely battle must be personally experienced to be truly understood.

I frequently find myself thanking the good Lord that I never had to experience the horror or war.

When “Band of Brothers”, the story of Easy Company, 506^th Parachute Regiment of the 101^st Airborne made its debut on HBO, I watched every episode with keep anticipation. Easy Company was engaged at D-day, the Battle of the Bulge, and the invasion of Germany. I loved the very realistic depiction of their exploits, but particularly enjoyed the interviews of the actual Easy Company survivors and listening to them share their memories.

Bastogne was the primary location of the Battle of the Bulge. American troops were surrounded by Germans while experiencing freezing temperatures with little winter clothing or food, and dwindling ammunition. I recall “Bull”, a sergeant in Easy Company, telling how years after the war when there would be a particularly cold night at his home in Texarkana, his wife would frequently complain about the weather conditions. Bull said he would look at his wife, shake his head and say, “It is not near as cold as Bastogne”. His comments hit me so very hard because I could feel “Bull’s” words. I knew the frozen deadly experience of Bastogne was never far from his mind. He had survived but the sights and sounds of battle were never far away.

When I visited Gettysburg, tears came to my eyes while standing on the ground where Pickett’s Charge took place. The emotion I experienced was overwhelming as if I could hear the screams of dying and wounded men and sense the firing of artillery. The thought of the 50,000 casualties in a single engagement over three days made me look for stains of red in the ground where I walked. No matter which side they fought, I could feel each soldier’s devotion to duty, their love of home, and the loss their families experienced when they learned of the death of their “citizen soldier”.

I wish not another American, man or woman, would die in battle, but I am not naïve enough to believe my wish will be granted. Freedom has a price, and the bill comes due for some young man or woman on a regular basis. I fear such will continue long past my life. All we can do is offer our thanks and respect. We must never forget their sacrifice.

God bless the souls of those who have fallen and God Bless these United States.

Thought for the day: It is the soldier, not the reporter, who has given us freedom of the press.

Until next time…I will keep ridin’ the storm out.

sam@hcnews.com