In Hoc Signo Vinces

In Memoriam

• Capt. William Henry (Bill) Ripley - USAF b. 03 Apr. 1917 - d. 23 Sept. 1946
• Sp.A.X. Clayton Charles (Chuck) Kemp -USN b. 10 Oct. 1947 - d. 12 Jan. 1967
• Capt. Aaron Boggs (Bob) Anthony - USAF b. 23 May 1917 - d. 21 Sept. 2005
• Maj. Wallace Carl (Wally) Lundquist - USMC b. 11 Feb. 1923 - d. 14 Jan. 2007
• Sgt. William D. (Willy) Simmons - USMC b. 13 Aug 1931 - d. 20 May 2007
  

They all served willingly and well.

There is one more addition that need to be added to my list:

Lance Corporal Chance Russell Phelps
b. 14 July 1984 - d. 9 April 2004

Lt. Col. Michael Strobl chose to escort the remains of Corporal Phelps home. He wrote a report for his XO which turned into a published essay and then into an HBO movie. The following is an dramatization of Lt. Col. Strobl's words:


For those who have served and died to preserve this freedom we so casually take for granted, I give thanks. They are blessed, as Christ stated clearly:

"This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. No one has greater love than this, to lay down one's life for one's friends." - John 15:12,13

By the time some of you will read this, we will have celebrated the state defined grand entrance to the Summer season, the Memorial Day holiday. It is a three day weekend for most of us here in Middle America. It is a time for relaxation and celebration. There will be BBQ’s and baseball, swimming and soccer, beer and horseshoes.

Elsewhere on this fractured ol’globe, there are young men and women who will not celebrate. They stand watch in harms way. They are strong Americans who have volunteered and sworn thus:

“ …to support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic; that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same; and that I will obey the orders of the President of the United States and the orders of the officers appointed over me, according to regulations and the Uniform Code of Military Justice. So help me God.”

Some of them never return alive. They have surrendered their future to protect and provide for us, our children and grandchildren a future free from the threat of terrorist attacks and tyrannical world leaders, bent on destroying our freedoms and way of life.

Right now, we are involved in a religious conflict that has been causing death and destruction for over 1,300 years. Basically, it is a war between Judeo/Christians and militant Islam. There are those who would have us believe differently.

Recently, Pentagon spokesman, Bryan Whitman released this statement of policy:

“The Rev. Barry W. Lynn, executive director of Americans United for Separation of Church and State, on Monday said U.S. soldiers ‘are not Christian crusaders, and they ought not be depicted as such.’ ‘Depicting the Iraq conflict as some sort of holy war is completely outrageous,’ Lynn said in a statement. ‘It's contrary to the constitutional separation of religion and government, and it's tremendously damaging to America's reputation in the world. ”

As a practicing Christian, defender of the Constitution and Bill of Rights as the foundation of this Republic, supporter of the sovereign State of Israel, and one who believes that God has ordained this country to be “ That shining city on a hill…” and beacon of personal freedom and responsibility for the rest of this broken ol’ world…

I find the Rev. Lynn’s comments to be reprehensible and heretical. He ought to be on his knees thanking God that he is still free to speak such drivel. I have a question for him:

“ Where would you be, Rev. Lynn, if this country was ruled by Sharia Law? “

Given this indefensible, so-called “ Separation of Church and State ” and the ongoing infanticide as practiced every day under the guise of “ Freedom of Choice “ as defined by the Supreme Court decision in Roe-v-Wade. I live with this growing apprehension that God is now or soon will tip the scales and judge this land for our turning away from His grace, His direction and, in the long run, His protection.

May God have mercy on us all!