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.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Dirty Feet

Image
“How beautiful on the mountains are the feet of those who bring good news.” Isaiah 52:7 (NIV) I have never been very comfortable in shoes. It really doesn’t matter whether they have great arch support, ultra extreme amounts of cushioning, or how much they cost. The first thing I do when I arrive home is take off my shoes and stretch my once imprisoned feet by bending them at the arches and wiggling my toes. I then remove my socks and begin to feel my feet relax as the fresh air washes over my tingling, sometimes sweaty, toes. Pretty picture, I know. It must be the right thing to do. A billion Chinese could not be wrong. My mother could not be wrong. After all, she was the one who always told me to, “Take off your dirty shoes before you come in here. I just finished mopping this floor and I don’t want mud tracked all over my clean house.” It became a normal ritual around our house to put the dozen or so shoes away before company was expected. My mother didn’t want dirty f
Read more

Pampered and Pacified

Author J.M. Barrie created the character that never wanted to grow up. Peter Pan, also the title of his famous book, did not want to become an adult and be forced to deal with all of the stress and struggles that came with the transformation. So Peter found his way to Neverland where, along with his lost boys, he could remain a carefree child forever. But those who know the story also know that carefree was not all that it promised for villainous Captain Hook constantly lurked around the corners, and then there was that tantalizing Wendy who stole Peter’s heart before he even knew what hit him. Millions of Americans have seemed to follow in the footsteps of Peter Pan. We have become a nation that no longer values the virtues of adulthood: especially responsibility, strong work ethic, self-dependence, selflessness, and community awareness. You don’t have far to look in our American society before you see lost boys, and girls, running around everywhere. Grown men and women who want
Read more

Silent Lord's Supper

Image
I planned this service in 1995. ====== Please enter into tonight’s service humbly in silence and meditation. There will be no words spoken, so you need to follow the bulletin closely. We pray that this service will be a meaningful one for you. Come in …be seated …be still for a season …pray …and reflect with us upon the matchless love and grace of our Savior, Jesus Christ. Not a word will be spoken during this entire service. The only sound will be that of the piano as some familiar hymns of Christmas and Calvary are played. “Be silent, O all flesh, before the Lord.” (Zechariah 2:13 KJV) Prelude “Kings of Orient” Removal of the Cloth “What Child Is This” Scripture Meditation “When Jesus spoke again to the people, he said, ‘I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.’” (John 8:12 NIV) “You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people li
Read more