I recently met an old soldier at my mom's nursing home. A kind and gentle man who is completely unassuming and appreciative of all the gifts that life has afforded him; yet bearing the mark of the combat warrior, willing to stand up to the plate, sacrifice, and do right, for all the right reasons.

During the course of several conversations, I discovered that George Bornside had been attached to the 87th Infantry Division as it pushed across Europe in the latter months of 1944 where it fiercely battled the German's counteroffensive at St. Vith, Belgium, in the dead of winter in 1944.

The losses sustained by the defenders of St. Vith must be measured against their accomplishments. They had met an entire German Corps, flushed with easy victory, and halted it in its tracks. They had firmly choked one of the main enemy lines of communication and forced days of delay on the westward movement of troops, guns, tanks, and supplies belonging to two German armies. They had given the XVIII Airborne Corps badly needed time to gather for a coordinated and effective defense. Finally, these units had carried out a successful withdrawal under the most difficult conditions and would return again to the battle. The actions of these revered men-at-arms redefines the meaning of "The Right Stuff."

While doing a fairly extensive web search for historical information and unit photos as a veteran Day surprise for Mr. B, I discovered that one of his fellow warriors, S/Sgt. Curtis F. Shoup had been awarded the Congressional Medal Of Honor.

S/Sgt. Shoup's story, which I assembled as a collage for Mr. B, is short and bitter-sweet. I find it sobering and disconcerting to look upon the face of this young man while imagining the motivation, dedication, and purpose that must have carried him, and his entire generation of fellow warriors, into battles in a far away land under the most dreadful of conditions. They fought for their fellow soldiers, for their countrymen back home, and for America itself. They fought to win; and by God, they succeeded.

This is their story captured on film.

Their story offers us valuable insights the hearts and souls of our greatest generation. May God have mercy on our souls if we continue on our current course of political and societal mediocrity, inertia, and self-satisfaction in this most dangerous ever of worlds.