Veteran’s Day
Like many of you, my thoughts have dwelt on our veterans this weekend. Two stories in particular have touched my heart. These men may not have crossed your mind, but to me – they are the perfect representation of a Veteran of this great land.
The first soldier is a man of fearless dedication to his country. As a soldier and leader in his part of the military, he fought and prayed many days for the freedom and liberty of those who stood beside him and their family and friends back home.
At a particular low point, his group of soldiers were nearly destitute. They had been fighting for weeks, had marched mile after mile and were cut off from supplies and relief troops. The site before him was full of ragged men – hungry, exhausted and quickly loosing hope.
In a moment of desperation and anger this soldier rose and presented the flag. He talked of home, family, freedom and the God who made it all possible.
His determination to protect freedom at any cost saved his men, encouraged others to join them and eventually defeated the enemy.
What was the flag he raised? We know it as the Title of Liberty.
The second story is from desertlocalnews.com (click here for the original article).
“You might remember a news story several months ago about a crotchety old man who defied his homeowners association and refused to take down the flagpole on his property and the large flag that flew on it. Now you can find out who, exactly, that old man was.
On June 15, 1919, Van T. Barfoot was born in Edinburg — probably didn’t make much news back then. Twenty-five years later, on May 23, 1944, near Carano, Italy, Van T. Barfoot, who had enlisted in the US Army in 1940, set out to flank German machine gun positions from which fire was coming down on his fellow soldiers. He advanced through a minefield, took out three enemy machine gun positions and returned with 17 prisoners of war.
If that wasn’t enough for a day’s work, he later took on and destroyed three German tanks sent to retake the machine gun positions.
That probably didn’t make much news either, given the scope of the war, but it did earn Van T. Barfoot, who retired as a colonel after also serving in Korea and Vietnam, a Congressional Medal of Honor.
What did make news was a neighborhood association’s quibble with how the 90-year-old veteran chose to fly the American flag outside his suburban Virginia home. Seems the rules said a flag could be flown on a house-mounted bracket, but, for decorum, items such as Barfoot’s 21-foot flagpole were unsuitable.
He had been denied a permit for the pole, erected it anyway and was facing court action if he didn’t take it down. Since the story made national TV, the neighborhood association has rethought its position and agreed to indulge this old hero who dwells among them.
“In the time I have left I plan to continue to fly the American flag without interference,” Barfoot told The Associated Press. As well he should. And if any of his neighbors still takes a notion to contest him, they might want to read his Medal of Honor citation. It indicates he’s not real good at backing down.
Van T. Barfoot’s Medal of Honor citation:
This 1944 Medal of Honor citation, listed with the National Medal of Honor Society, is for Second Lieutenant Van T. Barfoot, 157th Infantry, 45th Infantry:
A Real Hero Has Died….
VanT. Barfoot died at the age of 92 on 2 March 2012.”
Both Moroni and Mr. Barfoot used a flag to inspire patriotism. Symbolism is a powerful way to remind us to continually align our lives with the Lord and righteousness.
All history tells us that valiant people have defended their homelands and their freedoms. Are we doing our part?
Alma 46:12-13: “And it came to pass that he rent his coat; and he took a piece thereof, and wrote upon it – In memory of our God, our religion, , and freedom, and our peace, our wives, and our children – and he fastened it upon the end of a pole. . . and he bowed himself to the earth, and he prayed mightily unto his God for the blessings of liberty to rest upon his brethren, so long as there should a band of Christians remain to possess the land”
~ Sister Tiffany Birrell
