The Greatest "Memorial" Ever Known!

The Greatest “Memorial” ever known!

Tomorrow is “Memorial Day”. For most people it is just some much needed time off from the busy work schedule,

For others, it’s being able to attend or watch the greatest spectacle in motor racing, known as the Indy. 500

It is a day, that the true meaning of, is mostly overlooked and sometimes forgotten.

It’s the day once a year we set aside, to remember those who gave their lives, so we can enjoy all the freedoms they fought so hard for.

In the Civil War, 365,000 Northern soldiers were killed, and 133,000 soldiers from the South died.

The most American lives ever killed in one war. Over the word called Freedom.

In World War One, 116,000 American soldiers died. In World War Two, 407,000 American soldiers died.

54,000 American soldiers died in Korea, 58,000 died in Vietnam, 148 died during Desert Storm.

In Iraq, the Results & Statistics as of: april 26, 2011 \ 4,452 US Soldiers Killed, 32,074 Seriously Wounded

And the death toll, continues to rise in the Afghanistan ongoing conflict, almost on a daily basis.

Over a million Americans have died in wars fighting for the freedom that we enjoy.

Over 42,348,000 both men and women of all ages, have served our country during the time of war. (42 million, 348 thousand people fought for our freedom)

While we remember and honor the fallen soldiers, I would like to say thank you to all who have served to make this land Free!

They were all hero’s, because they were all willing to lay it on the line for the cause, for the love of their country and fellow man.

TBS. there is no greater love than this!

John 15:13 NKJ.

13. Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one’s life for his friends.

As a kid, I can remember watching movies of a WWII war hero, named Audie Murphy

Audie Leon Murphy (June 20, 1924 – May 28, 1971)

He was a fifth grade dropout from an extremely poor family who became the most decorated American soldier of World War II.

He wanted to join the cause so much so, he lied about his age and joined at just 17 yrs. Old, although the Army thought He was 18 at the time.

During the twenty-seven months he saw in action in the European Theatre, he received the Medal of Honor, the U.S. military's highest award for valor,

along with 32 additional U.S. and foreign medals and citations, including five from France and one from Belgium

On Jan. 25 1945 at the age of 19, he was promoted to company commander, the next day, his unit participated in the battle at Holtzwihr, France.

After fighting for some time, Murphy's unit was reduced to an effective strength of 19 out of 128.

Murphy sent all of the remaining men to the rear while he shot at the Germans until he ran out of ammunition.

He then climbed aboard an abandoned, burning tank and used its .50 caliber machine gun to cut down the German infantry,

including one full squad of German infantry who crawled in a ditch to within 100 feet of his position.

Although he was wounded in the leg, he nonetheless continued his nearly single-handed battle for almost an hour.

He only stopped fighting when his communications to the artillery fire direction center were cut off by enemy artillery.

As his remaining men moved forward, he quickly organized them into a counter-attack which ultimately drove the enemy from Holtzwihr.

For these actions, Murphy was awarded the Medal of Honor.

When asked after the war why he had seized the machine gun and taken on an entire company of German infantry, he replied simply,

"They were killing my friends."

He was a true hero, as noted in our history books on WWII.

He went on to be a writer, composer and famous actor in over 44 movies.

While he had an amazing life by any ones standards, his life fails to compare with some of the hero’s listed in the Bibles hall of fame

Just like for our freedom a high price was paid, our spiritual freedom came at a great cost too.

Many men and women willingly gave their all so we could enjoy the goodness of God and all the benefits He gives us today.

The common denominator they all possessed was their faith in God!

Heb.11:1-3 MSG.

1-2.The fundamental fact of existence is that this trust in God, this faith, is the firm foundation under everything that makes life worth living. It's our handle on what we can't see. The act of faith is what distinguished our ancestors, set them above the crowd.

3. By faith, we see the world called into existence by God's word, what we see created by what we don't see.