We almost never sing my favorite verse of the Star-Spangled Banner, so I was especially pleased that we did so at the regular Friday-night-pizza-and-hymn-sing when we were recently visiting our New Hampshire family. (The hymnal we used has two verses of the National Anthem: the first, and this one.
Oh! thus be it ever, when free men shall stand
Between their loved home and the war's desolation!
Blest with vict'ry and peace, may the heav'n-rescued land
Praise the Pow'r that hath made and preserved us a nation.
Then conquer we must, when our cause it is just,
And this be our motto: "In God is our trust."
And the star-spangled banner in triumph shall wave
O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave!
As I said two years ago, the best way we can honor those who stood bravely "between their lov'd home and the war's desolation" is to stop taking for granted the freedom they gave their lives to protect. Let's not defile their sacrifices by treating lightly the present-day assaults on our sacred liberty and Constitutional rights, but work to preserve what was gained at so great a cost.
Today I want to honor those who sacrificed, not their lives, but their lineage: the Gold Star Mothers (and Fathers) who have lost a child in service to their country. Here are those nearest in our family line who gave this "last full measure of devotion." Each of their soldier sons died in World War I, serving in the 101st Machine Gun Batallion.
★ Wallace and Florence Gesner (Wells) Porter ★ parents of Hezekiah Scovil Porter
★ Olaf Frederick and Hilma Justina (Reuterberg) Faulk ★ parents of Harry Gilbert Faulk
