That liberty shall live
Posted by Richard on May 30, 2016
“Flags In” for Memorial Day, Arlington National Cemetary. Photo from Isaac Wankerl (www.iwankerl.com).
The grave of his father, Maj. Max W. Wankerl, is in the foreground.
The grave of his father, Maj. Max W. Wankerl, is in the foreground.
Memorial Dayby Edgar A. Guest (1881-1959) |
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The finest tribute we can pay
Unto our hero dead to-day, Is not a rose wreath, white and red, In memory of the blood they shed; It is to stand beside each mound, Each couch of consecrated ground, And pledge ourselves as warriors true Unto the work they died to do. Into God’s valleys where they lie
At rest, beneath the open sky, Triumphant now o’er every foe, As living tributes let us go. No wreath of rose or immortelles Or spoken word or tolling bells Will do to-day, unless we give Our pledge that liberty shall live. |
Our hearts must be the roses red
We place above our hero dead; To-day beside their graves we must Renew allegiance to their trust; Must bare our heads and humbly say We hold the Flag as dear as they, And stand, as once they stood, to die To keep the Stars and Stripes on high. The finest tribute we can pay
Unto our hero dead to-day Is not of speech or roses red, But living, throbbing hearts instead, That shall renew the pledge they sealed With death upon the battlefield: That freedom’s flag shall bear no stain And free men wear no tyrant’s chain. |
Today, please remember those who died “that liberty shall live.” I’m remembering my dad, Col. Samuel R. Combs — who, in the memorable words of Robert Denerstein, “answered his country’s call even before the phone rang.” I miss you, Papa.
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Rick Shultz said
Hey Richard. As you no doubt know, my father served in the US Air Force and Air National Guard and retired a Master Sergeant. He wanted to be a pilot in the absolute worst way but, because of his diabetes and high blood pressure, both of which I inherited, he was unable to obtain a license despite the fact that was an accomplished pilot. Like you I miss him quite a lot and hope you don’t mind my including the following as a tribute to him.
High Flight
Oh! I have slipped the surly bonds of Earth
And danced the skies on laughter-silvered wings;
Sunward I’ve climbed, and joined the tumbling mirth
Of sun-split clouds, — and done a hundred things
You have not dreamed of — wheeled and soared and swung
High in the sunlit silence. Hov’ring there,
I’ve chased the shouting wind along, and flung
My eager craft through footless halls of air… .
Up, up the long, delirious burning blue
I’ve topped the wind-swept heights with easy grace
Where never lark, or ever eagle flew —
And, while with silent, lifting mind I’ve trod
The high untrespassed sanctity of space,
Put out my hand, and touched the face of God.
— John Gillespie Magee, Jr