Patriots (part 6) - World War II from Start to Finish

 

Yalta Conference (Churchill, Roosevelt, Stalin)/wikipedia

The first days of September marked the start and finish of the most deadly war in recorded history:

 World War Two: September 1, 1939 -  September 2, 1945 

Below,  the causalities are shown by country:

(reference: https://youtu.be/7cgRwDkP6vk )

And as of this posting (August 29, 2020) we are near the 75th anniversary of the end the World War II.

Below is a tribute to the patriots who fought against tyranny:

(reference:  https://youtu.be/1svtYOukRp4 )

God bless all those who sacrificed 

to preserve our freedoms 

and kept us safe, 

home and abroad!

On a personal note, my father-in-law was one of those who fought in that war. After his death, his family found a memoir of some of his adventures over there: 

World War Two: Memories of North Africa

In the 21st century, the greatest generation is passing from the scene. 

As King Solomon wrote:

One generation passeth away, 

and another generation cometh:

 but the earth abideth for ever.
Ecclesiastes 1:4 (KJV)

And eventually, there will be Peace on Earth!

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Previous posts in series:

Patriots (part 1) - Taps (2016)

Patriots (part 2) - D-Day Courage  (2016)

Patriots (part 3) - Signers of the Declaration (2016)
  
Patriots (part 4) - Pearl Harbor - 75 years ago (2016)

 

Patriots (part 5) - Private Martin A. Treptow's Pledge  (2017)

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Photo: Yalta Conference (Churchill, Roosevelt, Stalin)/wikipedia

Timeless Truths (part 7) - Fighting for that Inch

NFL gameball/wikipedia.com

I have a confession....

I'm not a sports fan. Especially of football.

In high school, yes. I played in pep band. Attended most of the games. Rooted for the home team. I knew all the players, the cheerleaders, the mascot, the pep club, and my fellow pep band members.

After high school, life got in the way. And I didn't pay much attention to sports.

But while on vacation, going south to the warmer climes, we rendezvoused with friend, who was a sports fan.  In the lounge of the motel room we hunkered down to watch the game:

Super Bowl LI

Patriots vs. Falcons

I enjoy the Super Bowl ads. Usually watch them over and over again on YouTube.  I wondered what Lady Gaga would do for half-time. And she did not disappoint her audience.

First half of the game, the Patriots were getting slaughtered. It looked like it was over.

During half-time, I wondered what was being said the locker room.  All the Falcons had to do was to run out the clock.The Patriots? I thought of Al Pacino's inspirational speech in  Any Given Sunday (1999).

Fighting for that inch.

(caution: language)

( reference: https://youtu.be/WO4tIrjBDkk )

Maybe the Patriots heard a speech like that. 

In the last half of game, a miracle happened. The biggest comeback in Super Bowl history. The game went into over-time. Never happened before.
 
The instant playbacks showed the players catching the ball within a inch of the ground, staying in-bounds by that inch, making the goal by an inch.
  
It was the inches that won the game. A real-time drama that was stranger than fiction. 

Other words....

  
The Best Game Ever!
  
 An inspiration to never give up. And fight for those inches. Even if it's never been done before.

That game was a great life lesson. Even made a football fan out of me. And that was a miracle.

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Previous posts in series:

Timeless Truths (Part 1) - A Cup of Cold Water (2013)

Timeless Truths (part 2) - Love (2013)

Timeless Truths (part 3) - Hakuna Matata - No Worries? (2013)

Timeless Truths (part 4) - A Mother's Advice  (2013)

Timeless Truths (part 5): Always Assume Positive Intent (2014)

Timeless Truths (part 6) - Magna Carta - 800 years and still going strong (2015)


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photo: NFL gameball/wikipedia.com

Patriots (part 4) - Pearl Harbor - 75 years ago

USS Arizona/wikipeida.com

75 years ago...

Yesterday, December 7, 1941—a date which will live in infamy—the United States of America was suddenly and deliberately attacked by naval and air forces of the Empire of Japan.

So began President Franklin Delano Roosevelt's speech to a joint session of congress, asking for a declaration of war, the day of the bombing of Pearl Harbor.
[reference: Pearl Harbor Speech: Day of Infamy ]

And below is a scene from the the movie, aptly titled, Pearl Harbor (2001) :

(reference: https://youtu.be/s7hc0oyEfgE )

So began the United States involvement in World War Two on the fronts: the Atlantic and the Pacific.
[reference: World War Two ]

FDR's speech expresses America's will to triumph grounded in faith of God's help as well as faith in the military and we, the people.

With confidence in our armed forces - with the unbounding determination of our people - we will gain the inevitable triumph - so help us God.

The scene below shows the determination of FDR following Pearl Harbor and his push for a plan to strike back at the heart of Japan:

(reference: https://youtu.be/bjG7s_l04a8 )

That plan came to fruition in April of 1942 as the Doolittle Raid. It was led by Jimmy Doolittle, which became known as Thirty Seconds over Tokyo.  The attack was a psychological blow for the Japanese.
[reference: Jimmy H. Doolittle ]

And three years later came total victory over Japan, known as V.J. Day. And the moment was captured in this iconic picture:

Kissing the War Good-bye/wikipedia.com

But 75 years ago, FDR and the  men and women who served, home and abroad, were determined to win and prevailed during those dark days.

They all were patriots.

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Previous posts in series:

Patriots (part 1) - Taps (2016)

Patriots (part 2) - D-Day Courage  (2016)

Patriots (part 3) - Signers of the Declaration (2016)


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photos: USS Arizona/wikipeida.com
             Kissing the War Good-bye/wikipedia.com

Patriots (part 3) - Signers of the Declaration

Declaration Independence/wikipedia.com

Soon we are approaching the 240th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence, attributed on July 4, 1776.

Much is written about these times. History.com does a great job, such as this: Declaration of Independence

But here is a summary of what happened to the signers, most of them wealthy men, who lost it all for the greater gift, liberty.

( reference: https://youtu.be/Zw6sKtXDCZk )

Today, many politicians will give away our freedoms for their position of power.

But in 1776, these men and their families risked it all, with nothing material to gain for themselves, as they penned these words in the last sentence:

And for the support of this Declaration, 

with a firm reliance
on the protection of divine Providence, 

we mutually pledge to each other 

our Lives,
our Fortunes
and our sacred Honor.

reference: Declaration of Independence transcript

These 56 signers were patriots.

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Previous posts in series:

Patriots (part 1) - Taps (2016)

Patriots (part 2) - D-Day Courage  (2016)

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Photo from: Declaration Independence/wikipedia.com

Patriots (part 2) - D-Day Courage

Eisenhower, D-Day/wikipedia

D-Day, June 6, 1944

That date, D-Day, the invasion of Normandy, also known as Operation Overlord, was a critical day of the allies taking the offensive in Europe during World War Two.   It was also a day wrought with military blunders, causing many causalities.  But soldiers overcame these obstacles with tremendous courage, making due with the hand they were dealt, as noted here:

* D-Day: Mistakes Redeemed by Courage

General Eisenhower gave this message to the allied forces on this day, as shown here:

(reference: https://youtu.be/fQ7IKM-jiJI )

Likewise, FDR offered this prayer to the nation:

(reference: https://youtu.be/IMy1ZLyaSqk )

Most of the "greatest generation" - those raised during the Great Depression, who fought in World War Two, have passed away, including my father-in-law,  Fortunately, he wrote down some of his memories, which I posted here: World War Two: Memories of North Africa

But we owe a debt of gratitude that we can never repay
to these patriots, the greatest generation,
who sacrificed for others. 

God bless our troops!

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Previous post in series:

Patriots (part 1) - Taps (2016)


Similar posts about World War Two:

America's Story (part 20) - Patton's Weather Prayer  (2015)

America's Story (part 18) - VE Day - 70 years ago (2015)

Pray4America (part 3) - FDR's Flag Day prayer - June 14, 1942 (2012)

America's Story (part 4) - Christmas 1944, when we said NUTS to the enemy  (2011)

A kiss immortalized in August 14, 1945 (2010)

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Photo: Eisenhower, D-Day/wikipedia

Patriots (part 1) - Taps

next of kin/everystockphoto.com

As Memorial Day approaches, I started another thread honoring all patriots that sacrificed, home and abroad, to keep us safe. It's a debt none of us can repay.

Words often fail to capture the depth of gratitude for those who have given their all. But John Wayne telling the story behind Taps from the American Civil War followed by Amazing Grace come close, as seen in the clip below:

( reference: https://youtu.be/VDakzCZ3ZdE )

Though there are no "official" words to Taps, here is a popular one:

Day is done,

gone the sun,

From the hills,

from the lake,

From the skies.

All is well,

safely rest,

God is nigh. 

from Taps information

God bless all our patriots, who have given us a great country and the freedoms we enjoy, this Memorial Day!

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Similar posts in the series:

America's Story (part 8) - Memorial Day, Gettysburg, and Amos Humiston (2012)

America's Story (part 13) - The Enola Gay (2013)

Pray4America (part 14) - We are Americans  (2014)

Nostalgia (part 5) - Big Band and World War II  (2015)

Music (part 4) - Armed Forces Medley (2016)


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Photo: next of kin/everystockphoto.com