The Price of Freedom

Statistics from the American War Library list the following American casualties in wars during the past 236 years [NOTE: wounded in this case means permanently wounded]:







Revolutionary War – 25,324 killed & 8445 wounded
Indian Wars – 6125 killed & 2126 wounded
War of 1812 – 2260 killed & 4505 wounded
Texas War of Independence – 704 killed & 138 wounded
Mexican War – 13, 283 killed & 32 wounded
Civil War – 562,130 killed & 418,206 wounded
Spanish American War – 2893 killed & 1637 wounded
Philippines War – 4273 killed & 2840 wounded
World War I – 116,708 killed & 204,002 wounded
World War II – 408,306 killed & 670,846 wounded
Korean War – 54,246 killed & 103, 284 wounded
Vietnam War – 58,219 killed & 153,356 wounded
Persian Gulf War/Dessert Storm – 511 killed & 824 wounded
Operation Endure Freedom – 1985 killed & 15,322 wounded
Operation Iraqi Freedom – 4486 killed & 32,227 wounded

In the 75 incursions (wars in which the United States participated or acts of terrorism against the United States) over 1,285,000 Americans have been killed and 1,650,000 have been wounded. More than 600,000 of these deaths happened right here in America.

Add to this the millions of wives, children, and parents who were affected by the loss of their husband, father, son, or daughter. Even those who survived these wars returned to families who did not know them, jobs that were no longer available, and nightmares that would not go away.

As we express our freedom today, let’s not forget those patriots who lost their lives, their limbs, and their families so that we could be free.

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