To Honor A Military Hero

I received this story in an email the other day. The story is a story that should be told about a hero, Mike Monsoor - Navy Petty Officer 2nd class.

Mike Monsoor
was awarded "The Congressional Medal of Honor" last week,
For giving his life in Iraq, as he jumped on, and covered with his body, a live hand grenade,
That was accidentally dropped by a Navy Seal,
Saving the lives of a large group of Navy Seals that was passing by.

During Mike Monsoor's Funeral,
At Ft. Rosecrans National Cemetery, In San Diego, California,
The six pallbearers removed the rosewood casket from the hearse,
and lined up on each side of Mike Monsoor's casket,
were his family members, friends, fellow sailors, and well-wishers.
The column of people continued from the hearse,
all the way to the grave site.
What the group did not know at the time was,
Every Navy Seal (45 to be exact)
That Mike Monsoor saved that day was scattered
through out the column....
As the pallbearers carried the rosewood casket
down the column of people to the grave side.
The column would collapse.
Which formed a group of people that followed behind.
Every time the rosewood casket passed a Navy Seal,
He would remove his Gold Trident Pin from his uniform,
and slap it down hard,
causing the Gold Trident Pin to embed itself
into the top of the wooden casket!
Then the Navy Seal would step back from the column,
and salute.
What is a Navy Seal Trident Pin?
After one completes the basic Navy Seals program which lasts for three weeks, and is followed by Seal qualification training, which is 15 more weeks of training, Necessary to continue improving basic skills and to learn new tactics and techniques,
required for an assignment to a Navy Seal Platoon.
After successful completion, the Seal is awarded
The Navy Seal Trident Pin -
With this pin they are officially Navy Seal's.
It was said,
That you could hear each of the 45 Slaps
From Across the Cemetery...
By the time the Rosewood Casket Reached The Grave Site,
It looked as thought it had a gold inlay from the
45 Trident Pins That Lined the top!

God Bless Mike Monsoor and every man and woman defending this Great Nation!

God Bless Our Soldiers.. Past and Present

I love this song and every time I hear it - I cry. I know I am lucky to be an American and thankful to live in the land of the free. We must not forget the soldiers who fought to maintain our right to Liberty, Justice, and the Pursuit of Happiness... The American Way.

It Is The Soldier

It is the soldier, not the reporter,
Who has given us freedom of the press.

It is the soldier, not the poet,
Who has given us the freedom of speech.

It is the soldier, not the campus organizer,
Who has given us the freedom to demonstrate.

It is the soldier,
Who salutes the flag,
Who serves beneath the flag,
And whose coffin is draped by the flag,
Who allows the protester to burn the flag.

Father Denis Edward O'Brien, USMC

I dedicate this post to all American Soldiers - Past and Present.. Thank you and God Bless You!