The Men and Woman we honor on the 4th of July

Bruno · Jul 2, 2010

As most of us get ready to enjoy the 4th of July holiday. We should thank the men and woman who helped fight for the freedom we have today. Coming from a family full of truck drivers, I wanted to share with everyone on EO about my great unlce Melvin Mayfield who was also a driver.

Here is the post I found about him posted on the website "Medal of Honor"

MAYFIELD, MELVIN

Rank and organization: Corporal, U.S. Army, Company D, 20th Infantry, 6th Infantry Division. Place and date: Cordillera Mountains, Luzon, Philippine Islands, 29 July 1945. Entered service at: Nashport, Ohio. Birth: Salem, W. Va. G.O. No.: 49, 31 May 1946. Citation: He displayed conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity above and beyond the call of duty while fighting in the Cordillera Mountains of Luzon, Philippine Islands. When 2 Filipino companies were pinned down under a torrent of enemy fire that converged on them from a circular ridge commanding their position, Cpl. Mayfield, in a gallant single-handed effort to aid them, rushed from shell hole to shell hole until he reached 4 enemy caves atop the barren fire-swept hill. With grenades and his carbine, he assaulted each of the caves while enemy fire pounded about him. However, before he annihilated the last hostile redoubt, a machinegun bullet destroyed his weapon and slashed his left hand. Disregarding his wound, he secured more grenades and dauntlessly charged again into the face of pointblank fire to help destroy a hostile observation post. By his gallant determination and heroic leadership, Cpl. Mayfield inspired the men to eliminate all remaining pockets of resistance in the area and to press the advance against the enemy.

If you have someone that was in the service or is still in the service, thank them for helping and keeping the freedom we enjoy today.

Turtle · Jul 2, 2010

That's great, and while we should at every opportunity thank those who have served and are serving in the armed forces for the freedoms we have today, the 4th of July holiday is officially called Independence Day for a reason. It is the national holiday commemorating the signing and adoption of the Declaration of Independence, declaring our independence from Great Britain, a day for the declaration of freedom. Independence Day is for the celebrating of us, we as a people, us as a nation. It is for celebrating... We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.

And while there's nothing wrong with doing so, it is not specifically for those who have fought for our independence or our freedoms. We have other holidays for that.

Memorial Day is the day that was set aside initially to remember those who had lost their lives in the American Civil War, but has since become the day to remember those who have lost their lives in while in the armed service of the nation.

Veterans Day is the day that has been set aside specifically to honor all veterans of the armed forces, whether or not they have served in conflict, but it especially honors the surviving veterans of WWI, WWII, the Korean War, and the Vietnam War, with survivors of Desert Shield and Desert Storm increasingly seeing special honors on that day.

All of these holidays were set aside for something very specific and very important, and they should remain as such and should not be confused with each other.

Bruno · Jul 2, 2010

Turtle said:
That's great, and while we should at every opportunity thank those who have served and are serving in the armed forces for the freedoms we have today, the 4th of July holiday is officially called Independence Day for a reason. It is the national holiday commemorating the signing and adoption of the Declaration of Independence, declaring our independence from Great Britain, a day for the declaration of freedom. Independence Day is for the celebrating of us, we as a people, us as a nation. It is for celebrating... We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.

And while there's nothing wrong with doing so, it is not specifically for those who have fought for our independence or our freedoms. We have other holidays for that.

Memorial Day is the day that was set aside initially to remember those who had lost their lives in the American Civil War, but has since become the day to remember those who have lost their lives in while in the armed service of the nation.

Veterans Day is the day that has been set aside specifically to honor all veterans of the armed forces, whether or not they have served in conflict, but it especially honors the surviving veterans of WWI, WWII, the Korean War, and the Vietnam War, with survivors of Desert Shield and Desert Storm increasingly seeing special honors on that day.

All of these holidays were set aside for something very specific and very important, and they should remain as such and should not be confused with each other.

Good post and I understand what your saying. Here is something for ya. Who was the 1st President of USA? Most people get this wrong.

Ragman · Jul 2, 2010

Bruno said:
Good post and I understand what your saying. Here is something for ya. Who was the 1st President of USA? Most people get this wrong.

John Hanson

Turtle · Jul 2, 2010

It can be (rightly) argued that the United States of America weren't actually united until all of the states had ratified the US Constitution, which happened March 4, 1789. Hanson and six other presidents were elected under the Articles of Confederation, which really didn't unite the states at all. Far from it. Each state had too much power on its own and none of them could agree on much of anything.

Saying that Hanson was the first president of the USA is not all that unlike saying Nathan Stubblefield invented radio, which his descendants and half the crazy people in his home town are hangin' tough on.

Let it go people. Let it go.

layoutshooter · Jul 3, 2010

I DO honor those who fought and died for our freedoms on this day AND all the other days we set aside for them. Without their sacrifices, starting at Lexington and Concord and continuing today, we would NOT be independent. Those who stood on that wall and faced evil gave us what we have today.

copdsux · Jul 3, 2010

Kinda off topic, but did anyone read about Thomas Jefferson's"corrections" to the draft copy of the Dec. of Indep.? He, still being new to this "independence" thing, originally wrote the word "subjects" instead of "citizens". You can find it on the Library of Congress website.

skyraider · Jul 3, 2010

My friends that died in Viet Nam, Lonnie, Harold,Lee,Bill,and Ski, plus 13 of another group I did not know personally who died in a aircraft crash at sea.

letzrockexpress · Jul 4, 2010

Ragman said:
John Hanson

DO you know Nick Payhs?

letzrockexpress · Jul 4, 2010

layoutshooter said:
I DO honor those who fought and died for our freedoms on this day AND all the other days we set aside for them. Without their sacrifices, starting at Lexington and Concord and continuing today, we would NOT be independent. Those who stood on that wall and faced evil gave us what we have today.

I think of them everyday...

Ragman · Jul 4, 2010

letzrockexpress said:
DO you know Nick Payhs?

Can't say that i do. Who is he?

letzrockexpress · Jul 4, 2010

Ragman said:
Can't say that i do. Who is he?

He is the curator of the John Hanson museum in Hartsgrove, Ohio. He loves to talk about John Hanson. Few people know about him. Whenever I hear someone mention John Hanson, it is usually because they have run across Nick. he's a real Character...

Ragman · Jul 4, 2010

letzrockexpress said:
He is the curator of the John Hanson museum in Hartsgrove, Ohio. He loves to talk about John Hanson. Few people know about him. Whenever I hear someone mention John Hanson, it is usually because they have run across Nick. he's a real Character...

Never been there. I cheated and used google to find the answer.