- Two hundred, twenty-eight years
- That, we have been going to war
- Eleven times we said, "For freedom!"
- Was, what we were fighting for.
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- We've spent two point six trillion,
- But that was just a petty cost
- Compared to all of the spent lives
- Of those loved ones, who were lost.
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- Thirty-two hundred plus, a month
- For more than thirty-two years
- The total time fighting our enemies
- And more time, shedding our tears.
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- One and one quarter million dead
- That's more than fifteen every day
- Since we went to war, "For freedom!"
- In our Revolutionary way.
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- One and one half million wounded
- For this Country of the Free
- Although some of these losses
- Were the Union's and Confederacy.
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- But, all of them are Veterans
- Who fought for what they believed
- In their own way, doing battle
- For those Freedoms, they perceived.
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- As of late, a Veteran's definition
- Has come from a different kind of War
- For which we all, are conscripted
- To help guard, our Freedom's door.
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- Let's Honor, each and every one
- And though we may not know each name
- They were so much more than numbers
- In every Wartime's deadly "game".
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- And, this November eleventh
- In the year, Two Thousand Three
- Let's hope someday, all People
- Live in a land, where they are Free.
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- Let's make Veterans Day a memory
- And a part of days gone past
- Learn to live with our Fellowman
- In a Free World at Peace, at last.
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- 10-24-2003
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- NOVEMBER 11TH
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- There are so many little towns
- That make up this great nation
- And the heroes from them
- Boggle the imagination.
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- Those who answer the call
- In peace and wartimes strife
- Who give of themselves
- So, we can live this life.
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- Some go and fight those wars
- Some die, some hurt, survive
- But all that they believe in
- Is what keeps freedom alive.
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- It is all those little towns
- And people who live there
- Who stand and fight for freedom
- For people, everywhere.
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- Somebody's dad or brother
- Husband, daughter or son
- Mother, sister, cousins
- We all, know someone
-
- Who, when freedom was threatened
- Here at home, around the world
- Were determined to insure
- Freedoms flag remained unfurled.
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- They believe and fight for
- The things this world needs
- They might not always win
- But they will have planted seeds.
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- In time of peace or conflict
- There is always a price to pay
- And today, we pay them tribute
- On this Veterans Day.
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- 11-6-2000
-
-
- VETERANS ALL (after 9/11)
-
- Well! We're in a different world
- Than, what, we ever knew
- It will never, be the same
- As it was, for me and you.
-
- I think that, since 9/11
- Some words forever changed
- Like the meaning of "Veteran"
- Has been, re-arranged.
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- Now, we all are fighters
- For our "freedoms' cause"
- If we don't stand, be counted
- We'll have lost, "the cause, that was!"
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- On this Veterans' Day
- In this "land of the free"
- We honor those, who gave all
- Those with us, and those, yet to be.
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- We honor those who perished
- In attacks upon our shore
- And those hunting evildoers
- Who came through our "open door".
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- We honor all Americans
- And freedom lovers of the world
- Where flags like, "The Stars And Stripes"
- Fly in the breeze, unfurled.
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- I think from this day forth
- All patriotic celebrations
- Will always give us pause
- To these new, realizations.
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- We must rid this Earth
- Of those "Devils" and their goals
- With terror on their minds
- Within their hateful souls.
-
- So, here's to all the Veterans
- Who have made "Freedom Ring"
- And, those around the world
- Who know! We have a "special" thing.
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- Veteran's Day 2001
-
-
- GOLD STAR MOTHERS
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- Started with a group of twenty-five
- In the year of twenty-eight
- By those who'd lost a Son or Daughter
- From the wartime's cruel fate.
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- When the Blue Star on the Service Flag
- Was replaced with one of Gold
- Everybody knew a Mother grieved
- With a loss from that household.
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- "Out of tragedy, we were formed"
- And, "Out of love we continue."
- This legacy of Gold Star Mothers
- With the heartache, that they knew.
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- They use the memories and love
- Of those who gave their all
- To help those other Veterans
- Who answered our Nation's call
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- It's so sad, they still exist
- And most likely always will
- As long as, we go to war
- There's a need they must fulfill.
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- 10-04-2003
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- The following is etched on the Ellis County Veterans
Memorial in
- Waxahachie, Texas along with "POW/MIA"
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- AND, THEY WERE THERE, TOO
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- Not enough credit given, to mothers, sisters, daughters,
wives,
- Some too, who gave their all, the best years of their
lives.
- There's some, wore a uniform, of one of the military
"branches"
- And like all of those men, taken some deadly chances.
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- Some were in the U.S.O., brought a little taste of
home,
- With smalltalk, donuts, coffee, where'er the troops
would roam.
- There was "Rosie the Riveter," who fought
her own war here.
- And the nurses that eased the pain, and tried to ease
the fear.
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- There were women pilots, who put their lives on the
line,
- Said, "Send me where you will. That suits me,
just fine!"
- Those who stayed at home, to raise their families,
- Who gave all, went without, realizing harsh realities.
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- So many of those women, who gave so much more
- Than they were asked to, during each and every war.
- We honor those, upon this stone, and give our humble
"Thanks"
- To those who served with honor, in our country's wartime
ranks.
-
- TIME TO GO
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- I could see the flash of cannon
- Over the ridge of the hill
- Could hear the shots over my head
- As I lay deathly still.
-
- I looked up at the twinkling stars
- Through the haze of the gunsmoke
- And I could hear my comrades
- Whispering as they spoke.
-
- There was a quaking in their voice
- That betrayed their mortal fear
- And as I gazed into the sky
- I asked, "What am I doing here?"
-
- I thought of all those buddies
- Killed on this foreign shore
- And of loved ones back home
- And then, I knew, "What for!"
-
- To fight for God and Country
- Is a calling, most will heed
- To keep freedom safe from those
- Who would plant an evil seed.
-
- I lay there in my foxhole
- Gripped by the numbing cold
- But then, felt a warmth, from inside
- Like I was held in the "fold".
-
- I felt my best friend touch me
- And couldn't believe he said,
- "No need to call the corpsman,
- 'Cause he's already dead!"
-
- And then my head felt light
- As I looked down below,
- Whispered, "I'll see ya', Bros
- Because it's time for me to go!"
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- 6-11-01
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