On April 18, 1951, General Douglas McArthur, having been recalled from Korea by President Harry Truman, addressed a Joint Session of Congress. In his message he made a statement that speaks volumes about the man who lived two houses down from me when I was growing up. I always wondered why he was called “old solider.” At the time, he was probably in his late 30s maybe early 40s. It seemed like he was never afraid of anything. His confidence impacted those who he graced with his presence. If “old soldier” was around there was nothing to fear.  When others were afraid he would stand up and take the lead. I remember one particular day we spotted a rattlesnake in a pecan tree, immediately pandemonium broke out. Everyone panicked, except for “old soldier.” Without hesitation, he climbed the tree to get the snake.

After killing the snake and climbing down, he looked at us who watched in fear and said, “It’s only a snake!”  Having an “old soldier” two houses down from me has helped me to understand the words of General McArthur to the Joint Session of Congress. He candidly stated, “Old soldiers never die, they just fade away.”

As a nation, we have become who we are because “old soldiers never die.” Our position, our prestige, our power has been etched into the minds of many to a place of unquestioned dominance. We continue to remain the most powerful nation on earth because we still have the number one military power to be reckoned with.

Every day that a soldier straps up his boots, we as a country benefit from the miles that are walked, ran, rode, flown, sailed, and even crawled in those boots. America is only as good as the men and women who proudly wear uniforms.

Today I salute all soldiers, but especially my friend and neighbor, Sgt. Benjamin O. Davis, better known to the neighborhood as “old soldier” who stated, “If you are standing under a tree and something heavy falls on you, it is me. If you are walking down the street and something jumps out of the bush on you, it is me. If it is pit black dark outside and you feel something around your neck, it is me, the cave man.” Although he is no longer here on earth, Ben will never die and I refuse to just let him fade away.

We must carry on the memories and history of our veterans and to never allow them to simply fade away.