Gold Stars

   Now I was only 5 years old when WWII began and 9 when it ended, so a lot of things went on that I did not understand, or maybe partially understood.

   Scrap drives, ration stamps, blackouts, these were things that we lived with. There was a large contingent of soldiers at Fort Oglethorpe, just south of Chattanooga in Georgia, and we saw them everywhere. I remember when some of the guys would come into town on Sunday in uniform and attend our church services, families would invite them to Sunday lunch. I remember the times, but not much of the details.

   I also remember seeing the little flags in windows of homes around us. The blue stars represented homes that had boys in uniform during the war, and...

   Those gold stars represented those who did not come back alive.

   I do not know how it feels to be inside the house, looking out from the back side of that little flag with the gold star, but I know it must be very hard.

   I salute those men and women who go in harms way to protect our country and our way of life, and I do not like to see the politics of the land intruding into what is a sacred time and event, and the memorial of a life given in service.

   Let's not use a families tragedy to push our agenda, regardless of what it is.

   Let's respect the service, the death and the life, the courage and the bravery, and the willingness to serve, regardless of the outcome.

   God bless, strengthen and comfort all those hurting tonight.

   and God Bless America

   and Help All of Us do our part to somewhat deserve that Blessing.