We often talk about great leaders of our Country, and granted some are, but the greatest leaders are our Veterans. The ones in the Fox Holes in WWII. The Korean Conflict, The Jungles of Vietnam, Desert Storm and the men and women of our armed forces who today are battling a different kind of war. Nothing like our nation has ever seen. Today we celebrate our Veterans as we do every Memorial Day. We should as a Nation celebrate every day as a memorial to our Men and Women who fight to keep our Nation free.

As an American citizen having never seved in our Armed Forces, I would like to give my definition of real Hero's. I would like for you to listen to a touching moment in my life and then I realized more than ever how we as americans have forgotten our Veterans. Both living and deceased who gave up their jobs, left families behind to defend and serve this great nation of ours. I had the honor of being a pallbearer for a dear friend of mine who had served our nation in the Navy during WWII. After the burial, my wife and I attended the funeral dinner. While seated at our table unknown to us, were several gentlemen who had served in our armed Forces during the same time period as the deceased. They began to reminise about their experiences in the branches of service they had served. One Gentleman in particular stands out among them in my mind. He told of his ship being bombed. How he tried to stay afloat and heard the screams of his fellow shipmates who were wounded and crying out for help and he was not able to help them. He sat with tears streaming down his face at the memories of his ordeal even though it had been several decades since he served our country. We could not help but feel his pain and we too sat with tears in our eyes knowing what this man had done to serve our wounderful Country.

So to our Veterans who lost their lives, and the ones who are still living and the ones who are on the Battle Fields now fighting teriosm, to those who are living with physical and emotional scars, we Thank you from the bottom of our hearts.

Our FLAG has been burned but it still flies. I would like to share my perosonal feelings about our beautiful FLAG..... The Red of our FLAG stands for the Blood shed by our past and present veterans.... White stands for the Robe of Christ who on the CROSS gave his life so we may be free. BLUE stands for the body of water around a great LADY we know as the Statue of Liberty. As long as we never forget what the color of white stands for the Blue Water surrounding this great lady will never run Red.

Our LIBERZTY BELL has a crack in it and our enemies have often tried to break this symbol of our freedom. Because of our VETERAns, who have fought long and hard in many battles. OUr enemies have not succeeded in destroying this great symbol of fredom. Myyself and other Americans who have not had the priviledge of serving our nation are also Veterans of Freedom. Had it not been for our armed forces who fought and died , we could not enjoy the freedom we have come to take for granted. Now when I attend a Military funeral and hear the taps, and the Military Gun salute. I know this veteran is on his way to join the greatest veterans of all. spending eternity with his comrades and will never again know the pain of battle. He will forever be able to walk the shores of gold with the one who died for us all, so from the depths of my heart to all the veterans who have fought so that we all can remain free. I will eternally be grateful for the sacrificies they have made for this great nation of ours.

MAY GOD BLESS YOU IN EVERY ENDEAVOR OF YOUR LIFE AND MAY OUR BEAUTIFUL FLAG FOREVER FLY BECAUSE OF THE ULTIMAT SACRIFICIES OUR VETERANS HAVE GIVEN TO THIS GREAT NATION OF OURS. MAY GOD BLESS AMERICA...... ...Glenn Minton Wanatah, Indiana 2003..... Glen wrote this for a friend of his. He gave the speech on Veterans day at a VFW.