The Patriot
My G-G-G-Grandfather, Aaron Thomas, a farmer, was a soldier in the Revolutionary War. He was 16 years old in 1776 when the Declaration of Independence was made. Then the fighting began and for the next 7 years he served the United States as a Minuteman. His bag was always packed and his rifle always loaded.
In 1781 he marched against General Cornwallace in Yorktown, Virginia with General George Washington and helped win a great victory. This was the site where the Americans finally won the Revolutionary War.
Other Great Uncles on Mom’s side served as officers in the Revolutionary War. Still others fought in the Civil War.
In the 1800’s, an uncle on my Mother’s side became a great soldier during the Indian and Mexican Wars, and was given the name “Old Rough & Ready”. He also became the 12th President of the United States. He was Zachary Taylor.
My Dad served our country in WWII, as did Mom’s 3 brothers. All 5 boys in my family served in the Military. Three of us were in Vietnam for part of the same time.
For us, the American Flag carries a different meaning. We hold our flag in high respect and honor. It is discouraging to see her publicly dishonored as we have given so much to making her proud.
Johnny Cash wrote a song that I have enjoyed hearing for a number of years. Since Desert Storm, there seemed to be a piece missing. I have taken the liberty to add my words into his song to help make the story complete.
Here is that song:
Ragged Old Flag
I walked through a county courthouse square.
On a park bench, an old man was sittin’ there.
I said, “Your old court house is kinda run down”.
He said, “Naw, it’ll do for our little town”.
I said, “Your old flag pole is leaned a little bit,
And that’s a ragged old flag you got hangin’ on it”.
He said, “Have a seat”, and I sat down;
“Is this the first time you’ve been to our little town?”
I said, “I think it is”.
He said, “I don’t like to brag, but we’re kinda proud
Of that Ragged Old Flag”.
“You see, we got a little hole in that flag there,
When Washington took it across the Delaware.
“And it got power burned the night Francis Scott Key
sat watching it, writing, ‘Say Can You See’.
It got a bad rip in New Orleans, with Packingham and Jackson
Tugging at its seams.
And it almost fell at the Alamo beside the Texas flag,
But she waved on, though.
“She got cut with a sword at Chancellorsville
And she got cut again at Shiloh Hill.
There was Robert E. Lee and Beauregard and Bragg,
And the south wind blew hard on
That Ragged Old Flag.
“On Flanders Field in WW I
She got a big hole from a Bertha Gun.
She turned blood red in WW II
She hung limp, and low, a time or two.
She was in Korea and Vietnam; she went where she was sent
By her Uncle Sam.
(Added: “She flew high across Desert Storm
When 9-11 hit, she carried a new form.
Across Afghanistan, in a whirlwind of fire
She waved on for freedom
As we held her up higher.
“Now it’s Iraq that’s taking it’s toll
With the terrorists’ struggle,
But she calls, ‘Let’s roll’.)
“She waved from our ships upon the briny foam
And now they’ve about quit wavin’ her back here at home.
In her own good land here she’s been abused,
She’s been burned, dishonored, denied and refused,
And the government, for which she stands, is scandalized across the land.
“And she’s getting thread bare, and she’s wearin’ thin
But she’s in good shape, for the shape she’s in.
‘Cause she’s been through the fire before
And I believe she can take a whole lot more.
So we raise her up every morning
And we take her down every night.
We don’t let her touch the ground
And we fold her up right.
“On second thought, I do like to brag;
‘Cause I’m mighty proud of that
Ragged Old Flag.
********************************
The great thing about this country is that we can all enjoy the liberties won by the thousands who fought in wars to make it great. I am reminded by the Scripture in the New Testament that says God “makes His sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the just and the unjust”, (Matt 5:45). In other words, the blessing of freedom is extended to even those who desecrate our flag.
In 1781 he marched against General Cornwallace in Yorktown, Virginia with General George Washington and helped win a great victory. This was the site where the Americans finally won the Revolutionary War.
Other Great Uncles on Mom’s side served as officers in the Revolutionary War. Still others fought in the Civil War.
In the 1800’s, an uncle on my Mother’s side became a great soldier during the Indian and Mexican Wars, and was given the name “Old Rough & Ready”. He also became the 12th President of the United States. He was Zachary Taylor.
My Dad served our country in WWII, as did Mom’s 3 brothers. All 5 boys in my family served in the Military. Three of us were in Vietnam for part of the same time.
For us, the American Flag carries a different meaning. We hold our flag in high respect and honor. It is discouraging to see her publicly dishonored as we have given so much to making her proud.
Johnny Cash wrote a song that I have enjoyed hearing for a number of years. Since Desert Storm, there seemed to be a piece missing. I have taken the liberty to add my words into his song to help make the story complete.
Here is that song:
Ragged Old Flag
I walked through a county courthouse square.
On a park bench, an old man was sittin’ there.
I said, “Your old court house is kinda run down”.
He said, “Naw, it’ll do for our little town”.
I said, “Your old flag pole is leaned a little bit,
And that’s a ragged old flag you got hangin’ on it”.
He said, “Have a seat”, and I sat down;
“Is this the first time you’ve been to our little town?”
I said, “I think it is”.
He said, “I don’t like to brag, but we’re kinda proud
Of that Ragged Old Flag”.
“You see, we got a little hole in that flag there,
When Washington took it across the Delaware.
“And it got power burned the night Francis Scott Key
sat watching it, writing, ‘Say Can You See’.
It got a bad rip in New Orleans, with Packingham and Jackson
Tugging at its seams.
And it almost fell at the Alamo beside the Texas flag,
But she waved on, though.
“She got cut with a sword at Chancellorsville
And she got cut again at Shiloh Hill.
There was Robert E. Lee and Beauregard and Bragg,
And the south wind blew hard on
That Ragged Old Flag.
“On Flanders Field in WW I
She got a big hole from a Bertha Gun.
She turned blood red in WW II
She hung limp, and low, a time or two.
She was in Korea and Vietnam; she went where she was sent
By her Uncle Sam.
(Added: “She flew high across Desert Storm
When 9-11 hit, she carried a new form.
Across Afghanistan, in a whirlwind of fire
She waved on for freedom
As we held her up higher.
“Now it’s Iraq that’s taking it’s toll
With the terrorists’ struggle,
But she calls, ‘Let’s roll’.)
“She waved from our ships upon the briny foam
And now they’ve about quit wavin’ her back here at home.
In her own good land here she’s been abused,
She’s been burned, dishonored, denied and refused,
And the government, for which she stands, is scandalized across the land.
“And she’s getting thread bare, and she’s wearin’ thin
But she’s in good shape, for the shape she’s in.
‘Cause she’s been through the fire before
And I believe she can take a whole lot more.
So we raise her up every morning
And we take her down every night.
We don’t let her touch the ground
And we fold her up right.
“On second thought, I do like to brag;
‘Cause I’m mighty proud of that
Ragged Old Flag.
********************************
The great thing about this country is that we can all enjoy the liberties won by the thousands who fought in wars to make it great. I am reminded by the Scripture in the New Testament that says God “makes His sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the just and the unjust”, (Matt 5:45). In other words, the blessing of freedom is extended to even those who desecrate our flag.
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