[Congressional Record Volume 155, Number 172 (Thursday, November 19, 2009)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E2817]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




 THIS THANKSGIVING IN HONOR OF ALL THE ARMED FORCES AND THEIR FAMILIES

                                 ______
                                 

                            HON. JOE WILSON

                           of south carolina

                    in the house of representatives

                      Thursday, November 19, 2009

  Mr. WILSON of South Carolina. Madam Speaker, I submit a heartfelt 
poem penned by Capitol Guide Albert Caswell, entitled ``This 
Thanksgiving'' in honor of all the members of the Armed Forces and 
their families who are separated by war and death this Thanksgiving. 
Our thoughts go out to all of them this Thanksgiving. Bless them all.
  This is a special Thanksgiving as we recognize the success of Cold 
War veterans from Korea to Vietnam and across the world who achieved 
victory on the 20th anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall inspired 
by Ronald Reagan, Margaret Thatcher, and Pope John Paul II working with 
Lech Walesa of Poland and Vaclav Havel of Czechoslovakia.
  The spirit of Ronald Reagan is kept alive by Young America's 
Foundation preservation of the Reagan Ranch, Ranco del Cielo (Ranch of 
the Sky) in California.

                           This Thanksgiving

     This
     Thanksgiving . . .
     Be thankful, when you're at home . . .
     With your family all at peace, remember all of those so all 
           alone . . .
     Who on battlefields can not be home . . .
     Families at dinner tables with tears 
           in eyes . . .
     And all of those who upon battlefields of honor died . . .
     The ones who so live without the ones, they so can not live 
           without . . . who now so cry . . .
     And all of those children, whose daddies and mommies, can't 
           wipe those tears from their eyes . . .
     And not watch their children grow and smell that pumpkin pie 
           . . .
     The ones who but gave, That Last Full Measure!
     One's Life, The Greatest of All Treasures . . .
     The ones without arms and legs . . .
     As their fine eyes they gave . . .
     Showing us all, of what a hero is made!
     So Few, but for so many . . .
     Have carried that load . . .
     Have bore all of the heartache so . . .
     And when you watch that touchdown 
           run . . .
     While, holding your loved ones . . . having all that fun . . 
           .
     But, let your thoughts to them so run . . .
     The ones who died, for what is true . . .
     And all of those out on the front, the face of death must so 
           view . . .
     And the loved ones at home, each day who wait by the door . . 
           . the phone . . .
     Bow down now upon your knees . . .
     And ask our Lord God, so please . . . to bless all of these . 
           . . The Families . . .
     Who with such heartache, and will never see another day of 
           peace . . .
     And as you say grace . . .
     Say a prayer for all of those Heroes of such splendid grace . 
           . .
     Who did not so hesitate . . .
     And all of those families, whose loved ones for them now so 
           wait . . .
     Who sit, with one less spot at the Thanksgiving table set . . 
           .
     Be ever thankful, for what they gave . . . and have to yet . 
           . .
     On this day of days . . .
     Give Thanks, Be Thankful for all of those who gave!
     This Thanksgiving . . .

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