I never had the privilege of serving in the U.S. military, nevertheless, my schooling and family upbringing was serious enough to instill a strong vein of patriotism for my country and its fallen heroes of days gone by.

Not only do I live in a region made famous by the "Swamp Fox," Gen. Francis Marion of the American Revolution, but there are are military graves and cemeteries dotting the fields and landscape of our beloved Palmetto State. Even Charleston claims credit, I read today, for the very first Memorial Day, as former slaves gathered there in 1865 to remember the brave soldiers who fought to set them free.

Even my native home of Huntington, New York is a place of history in the battles for Long Island. Indeed, a school teacher from Connecticut turned spy during the Revolution - and was hanged at nearby Halesite by the British. A huge square stone monument marks the grave of Nathan Hale, and his final words are my favorites: "I regret that I have but one life to give for my country."

In more recent years, I have had the chance to visit Independence Hall in Philadelphia, "Old Ironsides" in Boston, and the tranquil fields of graves at Arlington National Cemetery in Washington.

I tried to enlist once - hoping for a bright future and career, but the Air Force said my eyesight was too poor. When they tried to draft me just a year later, the man at the registration desk in Charlotte waved me back to the bus as he remembered me from the previous year.

From that day forward, I dedicated myself to documenting pieces of American history right here in the Carolinas as a journalist. I enjoyed meeting virtually every Presidential candidate in the 1976 election, since each one managed to make a stopover in Columbia, South Carolina to woo the votes of our citizens.

I also truly have enjoyed over 30 years of watching representative government in action - from the courthouse to the State House - documenting the functions of the government that great men and women shed blood and gave their lives to protect.

It still gives me shivers to see our national flag go by and ponder some of the patriotic memorial services held in our churches. I still recall serving on the committee to establish the Veterans Memorial Park in St. Stephen, S.C., where a hero who lost an eye and an arm - but not his spirit - gave the first address for the park dedication.

I have one prayer: that modern generations would not forget these sacrifices; that we would keep the words "under God" in our pledge of allegiance; and, that despite diversity of faith -- we would still be deserving that "God Bless America." -- HartKeeper

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