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01:29 EST
One Marine’s spectacular tribute to our nation’s veterans. Semper Fi Lee Winters! You done good Marine. This is beautiful. God Bless America!
~Cpl. Beddoe
THE MUSIC ON THIS VIDEO, “AMAZING GRACE” IS BY CELTIC WOMAN FROM THEIR ALBUM, “SONGS FROM THE HEART”. THEY ARE THE VOICES OF ANGELS.
I’M A MARINE, (ACTIVE, 1959-1963) AND A NYC TRANSIT POLICE DETECTIVE ( ACTIVE, 1966-1992)
ONCE A MARINE ALWAYS A MARINE. AND YES, NEW YORK CITY TRANSIT POLICE ARE A UNIQUE BAND OF BROTHERS AS WELL, SO, ONCE A TRANSIT COP, ALWAYS A TRANSIT COP.
ABOUT MY VIDEO:
I DIDN’T EXPECT WHAT HAPPENED.
I TOOK PHOTOS OF THE VETERANS DAY PARADE, NOV. 11, 2010 AND I WORKED HARD PUTTING THE PHOTOS INTO A VIDEO. BUT WHEN I FINISHED AND VIEWED IT MY EYES BEGAN TO BURN AND SOMEHOW THE SCREEN BECAME BLURRY.
THEN I SENT AN EMAIL TO MY FAMILY, THE TRANSIT POLICE SITE OF ACTIVE AND RETIRED OFFICERS, FRIENDS AND ACQUAINTANCES. BASICALLY ALL THE PEOPLE I HAD EVER EMAILED BEFORE.
I DID THIS BECAUSE I WITNESSED ON THAT SUNNY NOVEMBER DAY IN MANHATTAN SOMETHING VERY SPECIAL AND I WAS LUCKY ENOUGH TO HAVE RECORDED IT.
IT WAS MY FIRST YOUTUBE VIDEO BUT WHEN THE PHOTOS AND GREAT MUSIC WERE PUT TOGETHER I FELT I HAD SOMETHING THAT HAD TO BE SHARED.
I SAW THE FACES OF OUR MILITARY’S SURVIVING FAMILIES WITH THE UNBEARABLE PAIN OF LOSS WRITTEN ACROSS THEM.
I SAW CREASED FACES OF VETERANS SO GLAD TO BE ALIVE BUT SOME WHOSE EYES BORE VIVID EVIDENCE OF THE HORRORS THEY HAD WITNESSED.
BUT I ALSO SAW A RADIANCE ON THE FACES OF MARCHERS AND PARADE VIEWERS, A JOY SEEN ONLY ON FACES OF FREE PEOPLE, FROM OLD SALTS TO TINY TOTS, FROM THOSE WHO WERE HONORED TO THOSE WHO HONORED. IT WAS SIMPLY AMAZING AND I WAS IN ABSOLUTE AWE.
SO WITH THIS VIDEO, I ALONG WITH NEW YORK CITY AND AMERICA, SALUTE THE MEN AND WOMEN WHO HAVE SERVED OUR COUNTRY; MOST ESPECIALLY THE MEN AND WOMEN WHO HAVE DIED FOR US AND THE FAMILIES THEY LEFT BEHIND.
TO ALL MY FELLOW MARINES, “SEMPER FIDELIS”, ALWAYS FAITHFUL.
AND TO ALL OF OUR ARMED FORCES, PAST AND PRESENT, LIVING AND DEAD, “SEMPER GRATUS”, ALWAYS GRATEFUL.
A GRATITUDE ALL AMERICANS NEED TO SHARE, NOT ONLY IN OUR HEARTS BUT DEMONSTRATED CONCRETELY IN THE DEMAND FOR SUPPORT OF THE SURVIVORS AND THEIR FAMILIES, MEDICALLY, PSYCHOLOGICALLY AND FINANCIALLY. THOSE BRAVE WARRIORS EARNED IT AND MOST CERTAINLY DESERVE IT.
GOD BLESS THOSE SOULS WHO HAVE RAISED THEIR HANDS TO SERVE EARTH’S FLAGSHIP OF FREEDOM.
GOD BLESS THAT FLAGSHIP, AMERICA.
GOD BLESS ALL PEACE SEEKING CITIZENS OF THE WORLD.
GOD BLESS ALL OF EARTH’S FREEDOM STARVED CITIZENS WHO RAISE THEIR VOICES AND THEIR FISTS IN REVOLUTION, AS OUR ANCESTRAL COLONISTS DID TO GIVE BIRTH TO OUR FREE AMERICAN NATION.
MAY ALL OF THE ABOVE PERSEVERE AND WITH AMAZING GRACE, PREVAIL.
LEE WINTERS
USMC NYCTPD
