July 4, 2022
This is my country
By William Campenni
Growing up in World War II in northeastern Pennsylvania, we had a local pride for a nearby popular singing group, Fred Waring and his Pennsylvanians, working out of a resort at the Delaware Water Gap.
They were very popular on the radio and concert tours. After America entered the war in late 1941 (you know, Pearl Harbor and all that, but who studies history anymore when wokeness is more important?), they recorded this song, written only a year earlier by lyricist Don Raye with music by Al Jacobs. It became popular as America's Greatest Generation went off to war in faraway lands. We wore out the grooves on the old '78s, playing it over and over on my cousin's record player.
There are many patriotic songs, and each has its special place. But this one for me was always extra-special, maybe because of my own memories, but also because of the message of both pride and gratitude. It is a paean of appreciation by both those born in the USA (land of my birth) and those from other lands who chose to come here (land of my choice), like my wife, and my dad, who nearly lost his life fighting for it in the Argonne Forest, and whose second view of the Statue of Liberty was from a hospital ship cot.
On this Fourth of July, more accurately Independence Day, take a moment to hear it, and pay special attention to its words, for they have so much meaning. Probably a best version is that by the Mormon Tabernacle Choir.
more
https://www.americanthinker.com/blog/2022/06/this_is_my_country.html
