In Memory...(Memorial Day 2007)

~~~~ FREEDOM is NOT free ~~~~~~~~~

The beauty of the American Flag waving in the air... and singing of our national anthem brings a special joy and chill to me, sometimes to my very soul.... as I know it does to many of you that read my blog.

Today, I wanted to write IN MEMORY of the past...of All who have given but especially those in my own family.

First, my own Daddy. World War One....serving as Chief Petty Officer (he gave out pay checks that made him the most loved guy on this ship. ha ha...his words not mine) He was nick named "Chief WHITIE'' during his service years because of his snow white, cotton colored hair and red Irish color (the rest of his life he was simply 'DUTCH'. ) He served in the Atlantic on the USS SUBMARINE DESTROYER NO. 154 under Captain Wm. M Crase. He was very proud of his years of service, trained in the Great Lakes and ported out of Norfolk, Va.

WORLD WAR TWO... my oldest brother, Dr. Dallas G. (Doc) Prause served first in US Army for two years, then 2 more years in the United States Marines Coast Guard, serving in Alaska, Alusian Islands, Japan. He was 'missing in action' for 6 months and finally....found in a US burn hospital ship off the coast of Anchorage, Alaska. He later got his law degree from the University of Texas, became the personal attorney for Governor Lyndon Johnson, followed him to Wash. DC as US Vice President...and to Pres. John F. Kennedy where he served as his personal attorney until his death, Nov. 22, 1963. He returned to complete term of then promoted President Johnson and at his tenure, he was assigned to Executive Director of the United States Oil and Mineral Rights working out of the US Pentegon. To God be the glory for all the above. (a lifetime of work for our freedoms)

Also, World War two...my sister, Naida, and brother Danny, in the US Air Force.
Korean confict/War, my 3 brothers, James, David and Sammy in the US Army and Air Force. Between all of these....our nation was served by these serving in: Korea, Europe; England, Germany, France, Poland, Italy, Japan, Okiniawa, India, Vietnam, North Africa, Morroco.

Plus three brother in laws, who also served in the above various points. One brother in law and his father lived and served in the Queen of England's ROYAL AIRFORCE as Executive Officers. My brother in law had the honor of representing his county of England and participating the WORLD AERO-ACROBATICS OLYMPICS in Budapest, Hungry where he Won second place in the World Olympics and a trip to the United States where he met and married my sister. He became an aero Engineering College Professor here in Central Texas and retired recently after nearly 30 years. My other brother in law that had a lifetime career in the US Airforce as an Aircraft Designing engineer. He also completed his first 20 years of career service and was asked by the Federal Government to re-up for another 10 years with great pay because of the need of his experience in teaching and aircraft design. He helped designed the largest airplane, B-36 for the US Airforce...for the Korean conflict and Vietnam War--for hauling tanks, large bulldozers, etc.

My Father-in-Law...World War II, two years as the HONOR GUARD for GENERAL DOUGLAS McARTHUR, chosen out of 500 based on IQ, dependability and physical stamina. He served in Manila, the Philipine Islands and after the H bomb in Japan.

Then back to the CIVIL WAR....my GREAT GRANDFATHER's--death...and my 7 great Uncles, and many cousins served---one count showed over 100.

TEXAS INDEPENDENCE Battle, Goliad, Texas...my paternal grandparents, great uncles, cousins. Listed in Texas Historial archives along with stories of their leadership--some funny even.

AMERICAN REVOLUTION... 1776....Battle of Culp Hill (Gettesburg)....father and son, John Culp....according to historical records...prior to the ending of the 8 year War ..(& book). " Women of the AMERICAN REVOLUTION" ...our cousin, Barbara Culp...wife of John Culp, Senior, was captured at their pioneer home and SCALPED by the Cherokee Indians while she was 6 months pregnant and lived to be nearly 60 years old...and had other children after her's were killed.

She was dragged by Indians on a horse for a distance from her home (while neighbors were shooting at the Indians) She was then beaten with tomahawks and she remembered asking God to 'let her die quickly....so she wouldn't have to suffer because she already knew of the tortures of the renown Cherokees.

She blacked out when they hit her and later woke up, naked and scalped and bleeding horribly. She started to raise up and heard the Indians talking in the cornfield nearby where they were 'gathering corn for their supper. She lay back down on the hard rock where they'd left her... because she knew they thought she was already dead... and would come back and kill her...or torture her even more.

After the Indians left the cornfield and darkness came Barbara Culp dragged herself back to her home where her neighbors waited with guns inside her house and toilet. (they had killed a number of the warriors and knew the others would be coming back to attack them again.

They said Barbara had huge holes in her skull and bone fragments that fell, along with a large gash in her back from the tomahawks. They felt sure she would die from the loss of blood and the pain. They couldn't stop her vast bleeding.

Her husband, John, at the time was fighting in Camden as a soldier in the War for Independence from England. He was told of the attacked and returned home to find her almost dead on blood soaked sheets. He reported that she looked more dead than alive. No one thought she would or could live because the injuries were so deep.

Their children had already been slaughtered by the Indians. (However, Barbara later told that at one point...in one of the Indian attacks... that one morning a bunch of Indian women...came running from the woods and her garden.... to her home. They forced themselves NSIDE of her house...pushed her door closed and her and her children down on the ground and HELPED protect her.... from some wild Cherokee warriors who were trying to kill her and her children at that time---but the Indian women for whatever reason....had actually saved her life. She felt that they felt an identity or sorry for her living alone out in the wilderness with the little children. She said that she couldn't talk to them but they obviously fought to save her life.

So why do I share the above story? Because....we ALL need to treasure OUR FREEDOMS. We all need to reflect, remember and realize HOW MANY horrors OTHERS have gone through and made so that ..today....we can enjoy the awesome GOD GIVEN freedoms that we have been so graciously been given...without much of a sacrifice. Certainly not what these dear ones did above.

As the history book so aply states....Barbara's suffering did not stop with her scalping. Her husband and a group of men gathered on horses, chased down the renegade warriors...killing the one who scalped her....found her scalp IN HIS mop sack ??? on the side of his horse.

But she and her husband and son John... spent the next 5 years....fighting first handedly in the American Revolution and War of Independence, July 4, 1776... that came on Culp Hill...Gettesburg ...(their farm). Historically the final battle.

****Today....according to the National Cemetery System....2.2 Million soldiers have died for America's Freedom. Unknown others. World War II alone, took 400,000, over 8,000 Jews tortured and killed, innocent women and children. Freedom came to these only through death.


Finally: to my beloved husband, Jim...I honor him also on this day of honoring past services of my family's contribution to FREEDOM. He served 8 long hard years in the Texas National Guard, as a Chaplain Assistant; usually with meetings at Ft. Hood every weekend and two full weeks in the summer. However... To the world today...many do not realize that...back in 1962....for 3 of the WORLD'S most horrible days....AMERICA ....and the whole World..... stood still. Nuclear War heads were set up from CUBA by Fidel Castro...to 'blow America and the whole world OFF THE MAP!''.

My husband and ALL of the UNITED STATES NATIONAL GUARDS were IMMEDIATELY sent to WAR. (Historically in our nation....the National Guard is Always the first to go to War..they were the first to be slaughtered in WW II. Thousands upon thousands)

In 1962.. For 3 days....America STOPPED! The WORLD STOPPED!
I was pregnant with our first child, our son. I, along with the whole world were FROZEN in FEAR.

Our new...Young.... President John F. Kennedy faced the greatest War ever known to man----Nuclear attack. (to which would REQUIRE us....as nation just coming out of World War II.... to use OUR OWN even greater nuclear warheads)

Russian and Cuban...ENEMY Ships were set and aimed at every military site in our nation.

Every human KNEW ...that in one mega second...could mean FIRE...DEATH AND the END of the this planet. and virtually every LIVING THING......if this idiot Castro was not stopped. RUSSIA was the real enemy. Castro the puppet. Only those that lived through the 'CUBAN CRISIS' can possible know the horror of those 3 days.

Unlike todays wars....a large part of the rest of the world didn't even KNOW the meaning of nuclear warheads...they thought the H bomb was the worst that it could get. My JOB at the time was 'Civil Defense Coordinator' for our County with the State of Texas. I had been trained and knew that one war head on Ft. Hood would wipe out a 100 mile radius. (plus I had been told in training that Russia already had posted '12th AIRFORCE COMMAND Center in Waco and Connally Airfield as their main targets to take out.

My job was to be the last to close the door of the bomb shelter where I worked. (I had already told my boss---that ain't gonna happen...I have no desire to live without my family...or to be crammed for 6 weeks underground with dung/wo food/restricted water/crazy .) I did promise to handle my Civil Defense national alert training via radio technology communications tho...but I'd go above the ground not in it.

As stated, my husband and 'father to be' ....was in the Texas National Guard 149th Division as the Chaplains Assistant and he was immediately called up to 'go to war against Fidel Castro, Russia and Cuba.

Obediently....he tearfully and quickly put on his uniform, packed his bags and left out the door for Louisana, Ft. Polk...(ships/soldiers were to head for Cuba as deemed necessary). Tears/fear....everywhere....

Again, I ...like all of our world was scared to death. Today and forever...I will give praise to GOD ALMIGHTY for answered Christians prayers....and for an awesome young...President who got caught in a Russian Roulette wheel of horror, that used nuclear war heads for world destruction. This brave President, with terror written over every portion of his face and body, STOOD STRONG....BLUFFED...TALKED AND SENT WAR SHIPS.... SUBMARINES AND Super sonic jets...to finally 'buffalo' a 'power crazed terrorist into submission & withdrawal of his warheads. But those three days will forever be imbedded in my heart, mind and soul....of BRAVERY! Bravery of a young president, and young men like my beloved...who knew the consequences and all depended on bravery that you DO NOT FEEL....but MUST give! and most certainly....................FREEDOM IS NOT FREE.

Please treasure it.... everyday.... Remember all those dear ones who have given the ultimate sacrifice..their families....especially....all those wounded, lost limbs, mentally disturbed (of which no one comes back from battle without mental wounds, no one!). Remember the Veterans in hosptials, in homes and the homeless.... those that no one gives credit to for their 'giving'....but who came home...different...unable to 'have a sound mind...or were injured by chemical orange....and the government often does not help. Pray for all those effected. We often say, 'God Bless America..." when He already Has!

PRAISE GOD for HIS BLESSING of this great nation...from it's beginning to the present and it's FUTURE.

Thank you for caring. On this Memorial Day 2007....REMEMBER them...and remember WHEN !