Today is Memorial Day.
Most people get the day off and enjoy a wonderful weekend camping, surfing, or any number of things vacationing. Most people can tell you today is about remembering those from our military who sacrificed everything for our freedom. Those who've fallen gave their entire being because they believed we deserved the right to lay on the beach, play catch, and sip some iced tea. They believed in our right to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. They believed in the vision that is the United States of America.
Memorial Day was started around the time of the Civil War to honor all of the Americans that had fallen. Since then, many others have fallen in many different places. Just to name a few: Guadalcanal, Korea, Vietnam, Tripoli, Germany, Italy, Japan, France, Iraq, and Bosnia. Millions have died for this idea of freedom, so it must be worth something, right? Please take a moment sometime today and silently thank all those people you never knew that put the preservation of your freedom ahead of everything in their life.
As a Marine today, I stand prepared to give my life as countless before me so you, your brother, and your sister, whom I don't even know, may enjoy the same freedom given to me. There are millions of other service men and women prepared to do the same thing. None of us agree on everything, but we all agree on the importance of our freedom.
Please, go out and use your freedom to enjoy this wonderful holiday.
I leave you with the words of the Marine Hymn:
From the Halls of Montezuma
To the shores of Tripoli
We fight our country's battles
In the air, on land and sea
First to fight for right and freedom
And to keep our honor clean;
We are proud to claim the title
Of United States Marine.
Our flag's unfurled to every breeze
From dawn to setting sun;
We have fought in every clime and place
Where we could take a gun.
In the snow of far-off Northern lands
And in sunny tropic scenes;
You will find us always on the job --
The United States Marines.
Here's health to you and to our Corps
Which we are proud to serve;
In many a strife we've fought for life
And never lost our nerve.
If the Army and the Navy
Ever look on Heaven's scenes,
They will find the streets are guarded
By United States Marines.
Shawn Snyder is currently enlisted in the finest fighting force alive: the United States Marine Corps. He has served two combat tours in Iraq and will be doing another one shortly.
Most people get the day off and enjoy a wonderful weekend camping, surfing, or any number of things vacationing. Most people can tell you today is about remembering those from our military who sacrificed everything for our freedom. Those who've fallen gave their entire being because they believed we deserved the right to lay on the beach, play catch, and sip some iced tea. They believed in our right to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. They believed in the vision that is the United States of America.
Memorial Day was started around the time of the Civil War to honor all of the Americans that had fallen. Since then, many others have fallen in many different places. Just to name a few: Guadalcanal, Korea, Vietnam, Tripoli, Germany, Italy, Japan, France, Iraq, and Bosnia. Millions have died for this idea of freedom, so it must be worth something, right? Please take a moment sometime today and silently thank all those people you never knew that put the preservation of your freedom ahead of everything in their life.
As a Marine today, I stand prepared to give my life as countless before me so you, your brother, and your sister, whom I don't even know, may enjoy the same freedom given to me. There are millions of other service men and women prepared to do the same thing. None of us agree on everything, but we all agree on the importance of our freedom.
Please, go out and use your freedom to enjoy this wonderful holiday.
I leave you with the words of the Marine Hymn:
From the Halls of Montezuma
To the shores of Tripoli
We fight our country's battles
In the air, on land and sea
First to fight for right and freedom
And to keep our honor clean;
We are proud to claim the title
Of United States Marine.
Our flag's unfurled to every breeze
From dawn to setting sun;
We have fought in every clime and place
Where we could take a gun.
In the snow of far-off Northern lands
And in sunny tropic scenes;
You will find us always on the job --
The United States Marines.
Here's health to you and to our Corps
Which we are proud to serve;
In many a strife we've fought for life
And never lost our nerve.
If the Army and the Navy
Ever look on Heaven's scenes,
They will find the streets are guarded
By United States Marines.
Shawn Snyder is currently enlisted in the finest fighting force alive: the United States Marine Corps. He has served two combat tours in Iraq and will be doing another one shortly.
