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May 31, 2021Liked by Steven Beschloss

They lived and died for our freedom and democracy, as well as our liberties! My Uncle Tom Dodson died(mom’s brother)...MIA in the Korea War and my great Uncle, John Bernard Ernest, is in Arlington, who sacrificed his life in France in WW1. And in my family tree, Michael Dodson was the first to die from Blair’s county PA, in the American Revolution...and many many more in my family. It is because of all veterans that we still have democracy and freedom. I hope some day we are all seen as equal with the same freedoms, and humanity and democracy truly valued!

Thank you all for your service now and then! Would like to post the news articles( photos) not sure how to do that? Have a peaceful Memorial Day!

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And the heroes who gave their sweat, tears, and life-energies to keep us all Free in a hostile world. The Dead gave all but the loyal remain to remind us that Freedom is never Free. Treasure it and protect it if you really love it. One Nation, Indivisible 🇺🇸

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This is what I wrote last year on my Facebook post… Check out the link below it will give you an idea of what it was like in the Korean war ...He was OUR uncle, a husband, a father, a son, a brother, a friend...a solider…a sergeant first class in both WW 2 and the Korean War...his name Thomas Vincent Dodson

I envision our Uncle Tom carrying what he could just to survive a little longer in the Korean War like all soldiers do-unwrapping weightless gifts-

“dreaming of a white Christmas, the ones he use to know”...or “Silent Night”

(our mom’s favorites)...And of course recalling memories of love ones…favorite places…pink skies...all that was in his heart and home(Blair County PA).

Then came the month of November 1950, where Uncle Tom was in battle at Chosin reservoir, North Korea... Where the Siberia cold front came in...50 plus degrees below...bone chilling-no, more like beyond frost bite chilling!

Where there was 120K enemy troops to our only 30K. Despite the reality of the situation, General MacArthur promised the troops that they would be home for Christmas…Unfortunately, MacArthur did not heed to the advice he was given, and the enemy strategically trapped our troops like sitting ducks. What happened Nov. 30th regarding my Uncle Tom has been unclear, but he was never seen again. And it wasn’t until several years later that he was officially declared dead. And till this day, no remains have been found.

A devastating loss…Grieving widow left with three young children; my cousins for many years raised by a single mom; it is believed my grandfather died from the final news (from hope gone-heartbreak) and I know my mother (and I’m sure all her siblings)never got over the loss of their brother.

I know generation after generation our relatives both survived and sacrificed their lives in our American history. Wherever they are... Some are buried in Military cemeteries, one or some in Arlington National, and some we will never know.

One thing I do know…we are the sons and daughter’s feet of soldiers!

Our relatives braved the battles even through living hell and fear.

I know we are Warriors because we are Dodsons!

Now from history, Chinese veterans wonder today was it all for nothing... believing the communist propaganda from the Soviet Union and China(yes it appears so)

For us, however, it was not all for nothing …Tom Vincent Dodson made his stand for the free world, like all the United States soldiers before and after him. He is our hero. Today we honor him and all the US veterans, as well the makers of peace! Even though they are not on my FB, I also want to honor today Thomas’s children...(my/our cousins)Tom, Brady, Bonnie and Paul! Love to them all!

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