Posted: 11/2/2008 12:18:20 PM EDT
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Army Sgt. Timothy J. Jacobsen was laid to rest on 4 Octobe 2008 in the small Northern California town of Ferndale, his remains placed in the empty grave that has been marked by his tombstone since May 17, 1972. In May of 1971 he was on a Huey inserting a team of ARVN and his aircraft was struck by heavy fire, it then hit a tree and exploded. SAR never recovered his body.
His brother and 6 sisters waited until early this year to learn of his fate. His body was located in 2006 and identified by dental records only this year. The families of the other 3 Americans on board his helicopter still await word of the fait of their loved ones. Here we see the wives of 3 Marines in Febuary of 1973. Their husbands were 3 of 26 Marine POWs that were captured during the Vietnam war. I cannot begin to fathom the horror they felt at night knowing their husbands were in POW camps. 
Approximately twenty five thousand Americans died in the revolutionary war. Think about that for a second. 25,000 people with families that all gave up their loved ones. They died so that those after them could live in freedom. They gave their lives so that we, people they could never know that would exist. The did not know if they would win or not, but they knew it would be worth it to die trying. They succeeded with the grace of God. (and the help of the French   )
Throughout the years there have been countless wars and conflicts and fights. I'd not want to attempt to remember them all or count them all. In almost everyone of these, Americans have sacrificed. Some have died, some have given their loved ones. Others were captured and tortured. Others had to live with the fear of what was happening to their loved ones in places like the Hanoi Hilton and the Japanese prisoner camps. One of these people that sacrificed is Senator John S McCain. At the age of 17, he entered the Naval acadamy. He graduated at age 21 and went into the Navy. In October of 1967 he was shot down over Vietnam. He ejected and broke both arms and one of his legs. He landed in water, and with the use of only one leg, was able to surface and survive. He was captured, and the North Vietnamese never set his broken bones correctly. He was tortured repeatedly. At one point the North Vietnamese told him that he could leave if he wanted. They'd discovered who he was and told him he could leave ahead of other POWs that were captured before him. He told his captors no. In his mind, he should not have recieved special treatment because his father was an Admiral. So he stuck to the simple code of the POWs. First in, First out. He did so knowing that his torture would continue until the end of the war. Little did he know it would be almost 6 more years. Upon his release he stayed in the navy until 1981 when he retired as a Captain. Since then, he's now in his 6th term in Congress. First as a representative, now as a Senator. From day one, this man has spent his life serving his country. He has made choices we don't all agree with, but he has stuck to conservative, constitutional issues the vast majority of the time. He is now running against a man that has the most liberal voting record in the United States government. The fact that this man isn't blown out of the water by McCain is proof that Americans have forgotten their roots. They don't know what it took to give them what they have. The don't know what sacrifice is. John McCain has earned his spot in the White House. He has sacrificed for his country. Win or lose Tuesday, he's the man I'll respect and appreciate. The next time you have a problem helping out a friend or family for a few hours, or think you're being put out working overtime to help your family make it, keep in mind what others have sacrificed before you to give you the option to work a little overtime or do a favor for a friend without having to have permission from the government. They sacrificed for you. And they don't even know you. |
