Our Seals, God Rest Their Souls

Since the days of the Continental Navy and John Paul Jones, the U.S. Navy has played a key part in keeping this nation safe, secure and free of tyranny. In times of jest, there are moments that have raised the blood pressure of the sailors, such as when the are referred to as taxis for the Marines; however, the soldiers and the Marines full well understand the importance of the navy.

Nevertheless, when the navy loses any of its team, such as the tragic loss of our Seals recently in Afghanistan, an aura of deep sadness hovers over all of the armed forces. However, those who remain behind to grieve never falter from their responsibilities. They grieve; however, the loss only more firmly galvanizes them for the future tasks that must be handled in order to assure our posterity that despite some sorrowful losses as American warriors toil tirelessly to rid the world of terrorists, the American fighting men will prevail. They will be instilled with an even deeper desire to permanently rid the world of those terrorists who desire to eliminate the United States from the world map. Nonetheless, others have tried to destroy America and failed and it is inevitable that the Islamist terrorists will suffer the same fate.

The United States has not grown to become the free world’s protector by timidity and luckily for the terrorists, the U. S. has refrained from using its full power. Nonetheless, American patience is running thin and after sustaining this latest loss, maybe the powers to be in Washington will finally allow our warriors to get the job done. If parents, spouses and children are to continue losing their loved ones, they should at least know that the government in Washington is reverting to the classic American rule of war, fight only to win.

Americans can and do accept losses; however, they must know their losses have not been suffered in vain. Other Seals will pick up the slack, while the airmen, soldiers and Marines continue to serve selflessly in the name of freedom. Eulogies are necessary and useful to help soothe the loss, but the losses will be more properly honored by providing our military with everything they need to finish the job, including as many troops as are required. This is war and despite some in Washington who fail to realize exactly who we are engaged against, or if they know, fail to acknowledge that the enemy foot soldiers are Islamic terrorists, they are more of a threat than the enemy.

These American warriors, in the air, on land and sea all proudly rally round the Flag whenever danger emerges and now is one of those times in which once again, it is time to remind the world that the Stars and Stripes can be wounded, but never fatally.

The tribute to the flag, The Eternal Flag, was written during 1979 A.D. during the Iranian Crisis by Bud Hannings Seniram Publishing and revised subsequent to the terrorist attack against the U.S. in New York, Pennsylvania and Virginia on September 11, 2001. It is a reminder to all Americans that tragedy only makes us stronger.

May our gallant Seals and other troops who have given the ultimate sacrifice always be honored and remembered as true courageous sentinels of the Stars and Stripes and the Liberty she represents.

                           THE ETERNAL FLAG

Flags have come and Flags have gone, but the American Flag is here to stay. As each crisis evolves, Our Flag always waves a little prouder in the wind. Just as a new wave in the ocean appears to take the place of the one that disappeared on the beach, a new American Flag will blow in the breeze more proudly than the one that some tyrant will burn or tear.

Our Flag has always flown as a Beacon of Freedom in the wind for all the World to see, and even as they saw it burning in Tehran, they must have seen the majestic beauty of its disappearance in the wind, only to be reappearing a few feet to the left or right to be burned again. Their barbaric burning of the greatest Flag of them all sent sparks flying that have welded the American people into one, almost as if the smoke from their fires traveled across the ocean and reassembled the Flags to fly higher and prouder than ever before.

During 1983, terrorists struck the U. S. Embassy and the Marine Barracks in Beirut and this dastardly act was followed during 1987 by the deaths of American servicemen aboard the USS Stark when it was hit, supposedly accidentally, by an Iraqi missile. Other atrocities occurred during 1988, including the torture-death of Marine Lt. Colonel Rich Higgins while on UN duty in Lebanon and the downing of the Pan-Am Plane over Lockerbie Scotland.

The Flag again was tested during 1993 when terrorists struck the World Towers in New York, killing civilians. And now during 2001 on a bright September day, terrorists have struck again, savagely hijacking civilian planes and causing massive loss of life. The terrorists intended to destroy the American will, but instead resurrected the American Spirit and unleashed unimaginable determination that the world has never seen.

The New York skyline has fallen, planes with civilians aboard and thousands of unsuspecting workers and rescuers have been lost and the Pentagon has sustained grave losses, but the stamina of America can be seen on the grieving faces of every volunteer. Old Glory rests in a wounded position atop the debris near the harbor and she respectfully drapes the scarred wall in Virginia, but the smoldering smoke and fire is unable to cloak her brilliant illumination that continues to beam signals of hope to all parts of the globe.

It is time to stop trying to please everyone in the world. Americans have helped at one time or another almost every country in the world, and did so because they wanted to help, not because they needed any glory. Many Americans have literally given their lives to liberate thousands upon thousands of imprisoned people throughout our history. We have not only helped people, but entire nations. And how quickly they forget.

We can be assured of a much greater love of country, freedom, and the foresight to realize that the terrorists and anyone else who have not learned from history what great things America has done unselfishly for the rest of the World, are no longer important, but that it is important that we as Americans be aware of it.

Maybe now, the people in the rest of the world will realize that the American Flag can be wounded, but never fatally. Neither burning or tearing will ever eradicate the Eternal Flag of the United States of America or the unequaled acts of valor and bravery of its countless deeds in defense of Freedom throughout the world. The American Flag is an indelible mark, for us and our posterity, that possesses the unique ability to shine brighter under stress and the durability to withstand intimidation by adversaries anywhere in the world. She is the symbol of freedom and the invincible spine of the American Spirit. She is the velvet threads of glory, the blood of our ancestors and the oxygen for our posterity.

The Stars and Stripes in her majestic beauty shall always sail the seas, blanket the stars and trumpet the advance of her endless line of heroes, the vanguard of Liberty, who will march in noble cadence to safeguard the dignity, character and honor of the United States.