As we observe Memorial Day, we honor those who died while serving in one of the branches of our nation’s military. More than a million have now given the ultimate sacrifice for our country in the conflicts that have occurred since the Revolutionary War.
Also, in a few days June 6th of this year will mark the 80th anniversary of the famous D-Day invasion on the beaches of Normandy in World War II. This incredible military operation involved many thousands of Allied personnel, all doing their part. Recently, I read a reprint of a 1994 Peanuts newspaper strip in which Charles Schultz commemorated the 50th anniversary of D-Day. Appearing in the June 6th edition of newspapers across America in 1994, Schultz used Snoopy, who adopted his persona of a “World Famous G.I.” charging through the surf at Omaha Beach, in order to pay tribute for this special observance. The Peanuts newspaper strips for the next four days continued the tribute, concluding with the “World Famous G.I.” writing a letter to his Mom in which he expressed his hopes for a quick end to the war following the successful invasion.
I have long known of the critical role played by the “Higgins boats” in the landing of some 100,000 soldiers on D-Day. However, I only recently became aware of the Andrew Jackson Higgins National Memorial in Nebraska. Praised by General Eisenhower as “the man who won the war for us,” Higgins was the man who designed and built the LCVPs – long, flat boats with doors on the front that fold down – that made it possible to land soldiers on an open beach. This memorial includes a full-size steel replica of a LCVP boat and a Memorial Walk featuring brass stars holding sand samples from the D-Day beaches on which these boats landed in 1944. As we mark the 80th anniversary of D-Day on June 6th, we again remember the contributions of unlikely war heroes such as Higgins, a boat-builder from Nebraska!
Charles Schultz, himself a veteran of World War II, is no longer around to mark this 80th anniversary with us. For those of us whose parent(s) served in the war, it seems impossible that battle is already 80 years old. Time marches on, but we gratefully pause to remember those who served and those who gave their all for the rest of us.
Patriotism
As we in the United States celebrate another July Fourth, our patriotism will be on display and many of us will again hear or speak the familiar line from our Declaration of Independence: “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.” As Americans, we have been blessed with a rich heritage that embraces these ideas of freedom and opportunity for all, ideals that were first worked out in the room pictured above (Independence Hall).
As our nation recently observed the 75th anniversary of D-Day, a day on which many Americans gave their lives for the cause of liberty, we had an opportunity to again reflect on the values for which our country stands. Just before the attack on Pearl Harbor, the first issue of the comic book title, “Man of War”, was published. With a cover date of November, 1941, it included an offer for young readers to join the “Liberty Guards” (led by fictional characters Strut, Smokey, and Skip) by “pledging to preserve our freedom of speech, religion and press and to help guard our liberty”. The membership certificate read: “I hereby promise to be a good American – to do everything in my power to preserve our freedom of speech, freedom of religion, freedom of press and freedom of assembly – and to help guard our liberty.” A few weeks later, America entered the war and millions of young Americans were called upon to put their personal lives on hold, and at risk, for this purpose of guarding our liberty.
In the immediate post-War years, following all of the sacrifices made by the nation to win the war, millions of children were reminded via the creeds and codes of some of their favorite cowboy heroes of what kind of behavior makes one a good citizen and of the privilege to be an American. Here is a sample of the patriotic sentiments included in their codes.
- Always respect our flag and our country. (Roy Rogers Riders Club Rules and Creed)
- The Cowboy is a patriot. (Gene Autry’s Cowboy Code of Honor)
- Children in many foreign lands are less fortunate than you. Be glad and proud you are an American. (Hopalong Cassidy’s Creed for American Boys and Girls)
- I will respect my flag and my country. (The Wild Bill Hickok Deputy Marshal’s Code of Conduct)
- I pledge…To be loyal to my Country and my Flag. (Bobby Benson Rider’s Pledge)
- I believe… That all men are created equal and that everyone has within himself the power to make this a better world; …That “this government, of the people, by the people, and for the people,” shall live always; I believe in my Creator, my country, my fellow man. (The Lone Ranger Creed)
In the new book, The John Wayne Code, Patrick Wayne said of his father, “What my father loved best about America was the opportunity. He’s the paradigm for the American Dream – available to everyone driven to succeed.” Ethan Wayne added that their dad appreciated the chance to be successful through hard work. The book includes some patriotic quotes from John Wayne, including: “I do think we have a pretty wonderful country, and I thank God that He chose me to live here;” and, “My hope and prayer is that everyone know and love our country for what she really is and what she stands for.”
Have a safe and happy Fourth!
Matt
MATTHEW McKENZIE 