What is the price of freedom? It has been said freedom is not free. On this Memorial Day, look around any
cemetery, look carefully at the ones which have flags waving. Those who are resting in our nation’s
cemeteries bought the freedoms we enjoy today, with their blood and their lives. That is the price of
freedom!
In February, 1943, four men were standing together on the deck of a ship which had been hit by torpedoes.
These men of different faiths had given their life jackets to four others so they might live to fight
the war and help bring peace to the world. These men – known later as the Four Chaplains – were last
seen standing together, praying, as their ship the Dorchester sank in the cold dark waters of the North
Atlantic. That is the price of freedom!
There was a young Marine who had almost completed his tour of duty in Southeast Asia, when he decided to
extend his tour. This Marine had been due to return home on Jan. 28, 1968. But on Jan. 31, 1968, just
three days after he extended, the North Vietnamese and Viet Cong launched what became known as the Tet
Offensive. That Marine, went the extra mile, gave his life on Feb. 8. That is the price of freedom!
From the tenements of New York City, came a small skinny kid. On Aug. 6, 1950, his infantry unit was near
Pusan, Korea. The enemy attacked, trapping his unit. Intense fighting followed, then came the order to
withdraw. But this skinny kid held firm, he continued to fire his machine gun, slowing the enemy
advance, enabling his unit to withdraw. Then his gun fell silent. Pvt. William Thompson went above and
beyond the call of duty and received the Congressional Medal of Honor, posthumously. That is the price
of freedom!
These are but three examples of what the price of our freedom is. As we enjoy the beginning of summer,
let us all remember what the cost is for our freedoms. What the price was and how many men and women
paid that price by giving their lives so we could live in the greatest country in the world.
Herb Dettmer
U.S. Army, Veteran
Bowling Green