Nineteen years ago, one of the most vicious crimes of the 21st Century was committed against the United States. Four planes, hijacked by Muslim Terrorists, were flown into the Twin Towers, the Pentagon, and the last crashed into the ground at Shanksburg, Pennsylvania.

This year, Kassie Angle and I brainstormed and decided to get together 11 bloggers who would post about this tragedy in American History.
We Haven’t Forgotten.

I was five years old when 9/11 happened. It traumatized me in a way I still haven’t gotten over. In 2011, I became enamored with researching the topic. I still don’t know all that I want to know, but then again, you can never exhaust a topic. But today, I’m not going to give you a history post. I want to share a story that I wrote in 2016 back about the Pentagon. Is it realistic? No, not really. At the time, I was just getting a story on paper and trying to express patriotism the only way I knew how. I’ve made a couple changes to the story, such as the amount of time that has passed in the story, but it is largely unedited. I hope younger me isn’t too embarrassed 😉

I’m Taking His Place

By Ryana Lynn
“We will not tire, we will not falter, and we will not fail.”
President George W. Bush

It was all a mistake. And a big one at that. I should never have gone to D.C. Everything in my life was just right. Everything. Life was perfect, and I had endless possibilities at my fingertips. After all, wasn’t I an honor roll student? Didn’t I have an academic scholarship to Chapel Hill Medical? But I just had to go to D.C. on that senior trip. And I just had to tour the Pentagon that day.

I had a black 1998 Mustang that I had bought and paid for. It was mine, and I cared for it and filled it with gas. I loved driving it. It was my baby. But on that trip, I realized there are far more important things in life. Of course, I knew living for God was the most important thing. I was a Christian and faithful church worker. I was the junior captain on my church bus route. I worked for our radio station on Saturdays as a volunteer. So I at least had that priority right.

Anyway, back to my Mustang.

I drove it to D.C. myself. Seems the bus had room for all but one person, so I volunteered to drive.

On our third day in D.C., we had to vote on where we wanted to go, the Pentagon, or the White House. Knowing President Bush was out of town, I voted for the Pentagon. That was the tie-breaking vote—mistake number 2. I drove behind the bus and parked in the visitor’s parking area. We got out and entered the building and toured the center of military operations. It was terrific, and I got to talk to serval servicemen while we were there.

We had just walked out the door. I reached into my pocket for my keys. I heard a motor blaring in my ear, and the next thing I knew, I was struggling to pick myself up off of the hood of a Dodge Ram Pickup Truck. My friend Ray was on the ground, screaming. I jumped down and knelt next to him. He was bleeding from his head, and his leg was broken. I’ve always wanted to be a doctor, so my pre-college study came in handy.

When I finished with Ray, I turned around and saw that the Pentagon was on fire, and there were many people with injuries. I did not know at the time that a terrorist had purposely flown a plane into the building. The teachers were doing their best to round up all the students, and I went from person to person doing what I could. An injured soldier was brought to my attention, and I began to work on him. He was in bad shape, and to be honest, I knew as soon as they brought me to him, he wouldn’t make it.

He knew it too. He looked up at me, and my throat went dry. He wasn’t much older than me. “Take my place,” he whispered. “The World Trade Centers were attacked today by Terrorists. I’m pretty sure they did this too. Either way, we’re heading for war. Please, take my place.”

“Alright,” I said, “I will if you let me tell you about Someone else who wants to take your place in another way.” I proceeded to tell him about Jesus Christ taking his place and wanting to forgive him of his sins. I was privileged to hear him ask the Lord to save him.

“Remember,” he coughed. “You promised to take my place.” Mistake 3.

We didn’t get to leave the parking lot until late that evening. It was then I saw what had happened to my Mustang. It had been smashed by flying debris. I was perturbed, but the thought hit me: I had almost gotten into my car before being blown across the parking lot. I would have been killed. God had spared my life. Students were admitted to the hospital, and I was checked over for injuries. All things considered, we were blessed. A police officer deemed me a hero. I just shook my head.

Our bus was in good shape, but there was no way I could fit in there. We had too much stuff, plus crutches and wheelchairs. We weren’t sure how I was to get home. A Lieutenant in the Army found us discussing the problem. “You’re the boy who helped out the day of the trauma,” he said matter-of-factly. When it was confirmed, he said, “My aide and I will drive him home. We’re heading back to Ft. Bragg this afternoon.”

Mistake 4.

On the way home, we talked about the incident and expressed our outrage. The aide was a Corporal, not too much older than me. Of course, they talked about recruitment with me. I listened intently, remembering my promise to the dead soldier. Cpl. Bean talked up the army big. Out of the clear blue sky, the Lieutenant said, “You should be a combat medic. You’ve got guts. I saw you go into the danger zone twice to rescue people.”

I shrugged. “I couldn’t just stand there.”

“Yes, you could have, but you didn’t,” Lt. Michaels reminded me.

Upon reaching home, every Marine in the vicinity tried to recruit me. I steadfastly refused to join them. I’d made a promise. As soon as I graduated that April (I challenged the exams to get out early), I left for basic training. I was the youngest guy there. And who should be my junior drill instructor but Cpl. Bean. He didn’t take it easy on me. Instead, he pushed me harder. By June, I was deployed to Afghanistan.

That was nineteen years ago, and I’m still serving. I have a wonderful Christian wife, five kids, and twins on the way. I’ve been able to make a difference in more ways than one. I’ve been able to save physical lives and see spiritual lives saved by my Savior, Jesus Christ. I’ve even led a few locals to the One Who can give true peace and Joy. At the present time, I have no intention of stopping…I think I’ll be here until this war ends or they kick me out.

I drive a medically equipped convoy through the deserts.

I’m keeping my promise.

I’m taking his place.

I’m serving my country and my Savior.

Looks like those “mistakes” weren’t mistakes after all…

So that’s why I don’t drive a Mustang.

But the attack on September 11th, 2001, wasn’t the only historical event that took place on that day in history. 11 years later, on September 12th, 2012, another heinous crime occurred.
The Benghazi Massacre.
 
I’m not going to go into great detail on this. It hurts too much, knowing we had options at our disposal that would have given this event a vastly different outcome…and they were not used. (We need to pray more for our leaders to make Godly decisions!)
 
On September 11th – 12th, 2012, The U.S. Embassy in Libya was attacked by Muslim Terrorists. U.S. Ambassador Chris Stevens and Diplomat Sean Smith were killed in the attack. Ret. Navy S.E.A.L.s Glen Doherty and Tyrone Woods gave their lives, the only ones who stepped forward to defend them.
 
War was not declared on Libya or on the Islamic group that attacked them. Instead, our then president apologized to the terrorist for a film that offended them, triggering the attack (or so they claim). No action taken. Just an apology from the man currently representing the victims’ country. Another person responsible for sending them help (and didn’t) has thus far been let off the hook.
 
Justice has not been done in the murder of these innocent men. For the most part, they have been forgotten. We all have heard of Benghazi…but did you know the names of the victims?
 
I’ll confess that before I wrote this, I only knew one: Glen Doherty.  In May 2018 at the NCHE Homeschool Book Fair, I met a man selling multiple history/military books. (Anyone surprised?) I bought three from him (for research purposes 😊) and one was a suggestion from the seller: Navy SEAL Sniper (not a recommendation. I haven’t read the whole thing yet.) This was the 2nd, and very special, edition. It hit the press in 2013. One of the co-authors was Glen Doherty. It was through reading the intro pages that I learned about his sacrifice on September 12th, 2012.  I encourage you to read up on Benghazi. We must not forget the 2nd 9/11…and we must not forget the men who gave their lives. I haven’t forgotten.

I’d like to thank all the girls who pitched in to help with this tour! Please stop by their blogs today for more great tributes to the heroes and victims of both 9/11 tragedies.

http://amandatero.com/
https://beautifulthingsbylaura.com/
https://bookslifeandchrist.wordpress.com/
http://therosesheart.blogspot.com/
http://akansasfarmersdaughter.blogspot.com/
http://maidensformodesty.com/
https://photosbyabbyrose.com/
http://fireflysstoryspace.blogspot.com/
http://jessaswhimsicalwritings.blogspot.com/
www.lifeofheritage.com
www.soldiergirlstories.com
 
Have a blessed day… And Never Forget…
Ryana Lynn
Jude 22

Welcome back to Soldier Life! Today, I’m doing a post on the Lieutenant Colonel! I’ve done some advanced research, and I’m gonna go ahead and tell you that information on the Lieutenant Colonel and the full Colonel is not as detailed as the lower ranks. So be prepared for these posts to be shorter 😉

As usual, I will link the last post in this series here. And also, I will give my general disclaimer that I am not a military nor 1860’s expert. These are just things I wished I had known about the era or thought other authors/history buffs would find helpful/interesting. The posts are non-biased and intended for all readers. I hope you enjoy!

Unlike our British counterparts, during the War Between the states, a Lieutenant Colonel was not the commander of a regiment. In fact, there were no duties specified for him at all! It was simply understood that if the full colonel were to be injured, killed, or otherwise absent, he was to take command. So naturally, he would need to understand the duties of regiment commander. When the Lieutenant Colonel was present, he was subject to whatever duties the Colonel required of him. Sometimes these were tasks he could have preformed himself but could be delegated to a subordinate.

According to Kautz’s Customs of Service for Officers of the Army, “The Lieutenant-Colonel, when not the senior officer of the Regiment, has precisely the same kind of duties that the Major is required to perform: Field Officer of the Day, the Command of Detachments, Field Officer’s Court-Martial, etc.  Four companies are sufficient to constitute a Lieutenant-Colonel’s Command, when the Regiment is divided about among several posts.”

So, if you have a Lieutenant Colonel in your story, just make sure you have him giving orders and filling out paperwork and being saluted by those lower-ranking 😊 You should be good to go!
 
That’s it for now! Hope you have a blessed day!
Ryana Lynn
Jude 22

Hello, and welcome back to Life of Heritage Corner! It’s hard to believe we are entering yet another month! Where has the year gone??

Today I am sharing my newest devotional. As we all know, there has been much unrest in our nation of late, and today, I’m going to address one of the root issues. Note, I said one, not all. This devotion was laid on my heart after attending a Back the Blue Rally, and I am excited to share it with you! So without further ado, let’s get into it!

I shouldn’t have to outline who this scripture is referring to. But these days, it seems we have to spell out everything. I want us to look at three things specifically. Who we are to Honor, Who we are NOT to Honor, and What to do when a Dishonorable Person holds an Honorable Office.
 
1| Who We Are to Honor.

The verses above instruct us to honor those in positions of power. Because HE is the One Who put them there! We are not to fear them as long as we are doing right and following God. Who are these people?

-The President. I don’t care who it is or what you think of Him, you are to honor and pray for him. He is your leader, like it or not. And as long as he is making righteous judgments, you are to obey them.

-Members of Congress. The same applies here.

-Military leaders and members, Border Patrol, and Law Enforcement. They are literally risking their lives for you! Be grateful!

-Ministers of the Gospel. A God-called Man. Not a woman, not a wolf in sheep’s clothing. Pastor, Assistant, Missionary, Evangelist, God calls us to honor them.

-Teachers. They are authorities, like it or not. Whether you are Homeschooled, private schooled, or use some other form of education, you are to respect those put over you.

-Parents. This goes without saying. Besides God, these are your ultimate authorities!

-Older Siblings. They are your elders. And if your parents have left them in charge, you are to obey them. And even if they don’t, they still are to be respected.

There are probably more, but I think you get the idea 😊
 
2| Who We are NOT to Honor.

-Those who disregard the word of God.

-Those who seek to hurt others for any reason.

-Those who shed innocent blood.

-Those who are prideful and haughty.

-Those who seek to do evil and take pleasure in the misfortunes of others.

-Those who seek to destroy their nation.

-Those who seek to throw down just government.

-Those who claim to fight for the rights of others while taking rights away from others.

-Those who use their position to abuse others.
 
3| What to do when a Dishonorable Person Holds a Position of Honor.

-Pray for them. (1 Tim. 2:1-4)

-Respect their office, not their character. A few years back, I really struggled with respecting an elected official who did nothing but attempt to destroy ever Biblical thing they could. I prayed for them and remembered that I am not called to respect their immoral behavior, just the position they held.

-Stand against sin. (Isaiah 1:17) Just because someone is in a position of authority does not mean that their actions should not be held accountable. When a politician does something unbiblical and unconstitutional, they should be impeached. When a policeman is found out to be a bad apple, he should be fired. If he committed a crime, he should be punished just like anyone else. When a preacher is disqualified from holding his office, he should be dismissed. When a government acts against God as a whole and seeks to harm the people in general and disregard the Bible and the Constitution, they should be overthrown (Ex. The Patriots and the Confederates).
 
I hope this devotion has been a help to you. I’m by no means calling for us to overthrow the government like some organizations I know. Thank God we haven’t reached that point yet! I’m merely explaining what conditions would merit such actions 😉 Above all, pray for your leaders and our nation!

Until Next Time,
Ryana Lynn
Jude 22

Okay, so I’ve never done a favorite books post, so today, I’m sharing my top 10 favorites! I’m thinking about expanding this into a genre/theme-related post in the future, so if you would like to see that, please drop us a line and let us know!

1| The Holy War by John Bunyan
This book has been at the top of my list ever since I read it. I’ve never read Pilgrim’s Progress all the way through, but I’ve heard the audio version dozens of times, but it just doesn’t compare with The Holy War. The allegory, the symbolism, the deep spiritual truths…this book is way underrated and deserves to be read and loved to pieces.
 
2| Three People by Isabella Alden
My favorite book by my favorite Author! Three People is the story of three young men from three classes of society and how the evils of alcohol have a devastating impact on each of their lives. It shows how birth status doesn’t matter; who you are on the inside is what counts. And when you have a Mighty and Righteous God fighting on your side, there is no way you can lose! An inspiring read for the whole family and one that should be shared with the world!
 
3| Let’s Roll! by Lisa Beamer
I thought I knew 9/11 before reading this book. Let’s Roll! makes it personal. The story of a young mother widowed by terrorism and the husband she loved and adored will rip your heart out. Lisa shares their life stories, showing their faith boldly and their struggles. She paints a devastatingly detailed account of Flight 93 and the heroes onboard as the vilians as well. To anyone who says our fight in the Middle East is unjustified and says they are ashamed to be an American, read this book. To those who love their country and support our troops and want a closer look at the American tragedy, read this book.
 
4| O To Be Like Thee by Kassie Angle
I will not fangirl, I will not fangirl…this book made me cry so hard. I love the military. I love the U.S. Army. And this book deepened that love tenfold…and taught me so much. People…we have no right to disrespect our troops. We have no right to ignore them. We have no right to burn the flag they fight and die for. That is not a right. That is a disgusting crime. Read this book. Wake up.
 
5| Tattered Wings by Kassie Ange
Wow, Kass, you made the list twice! This book broke my heart even more than OTBLT. Service dogs, Rangers, amputees, Law Enforement…missing someone, and not knowing who they are or why…I shouldn’t understand this book as much as I do. I literally have nothing in common with these characters…but maybe in a deeper since I do…Anyway, this book is eye-opening and needs to be read like yesterday.
 
6| Iron Scouts of the Confederacy by Lee McGiffin
A true story of the Fane brothers, novelized for today’s readers, this is a classic favorite of mine! I read this book once a year, usually, and I plan to pull it out soon! If you want to know what the War Between the States was like on a deeper level, plus learn the story of Taps, read this book. It’s from Southern POV, but please, if you support the Union, read it anyway. It really doesn’t talk about the cause of the war as much as it does the soldiers' lives. Just read it, please.
 
7| Worth Dying For by Roarke Denver
This one will need a little editing (language), but it is sooooo worth it. This needs to be read by every high school student as required reading. There are more ways to serve your country than in the military; it’s not a good fit for everyone. But just because you can’t do the military doesn’t give you an excuse not to make a difference. If you are in high school or beyond, read this book, change your ways.
 
8| Wounded Tiger by T. Martin Bennett
This book opened my eyes to a lot of things about WWII Japan. Eastern reasoning and culture is way different than Western and alarmingly so. This book showed me that while Japan was soooo wrong, the FDR administration was part of the problem. I refuse to say America because FDR does NOT represent who we are or what we stand for, thank God! Everyone has their issues, and so many things could have been avoided, but they weren’t. We were right to fight, but they have a story too. It’s essential to look at both sides. Don’t condone their sin, but learn from their mistakes. (This one is 18+, and requires minor edits for language.)
 
9| The Last Day I Remember by Andrew Klavan
This book hit me hard because it was so close to home. I wouldn’t recommend it for everyone; it is super intense, and I don’t agree with everything said in the series. But seeing how a terrorist organization could overtake our great nation from the inside was disturbing and sobering. We need to stand by our Judeo Christian values. We need to fight for our country to remain great and never give in to the evil that would love to swallow us whole. And this book shows that we can still make a difference. 18+ and again, minor edits for content and mild language.
 
10| The South Was Right! By Ron and Don Kennedy
This book just makes me smile so much. And before you get turned off by the title, hear me out. This book does not say we are right because we are the South. We were right because the Founding Fathers were right. This book dives into the incatracies of why the War Between the States happened, exposes the propaganda of the era, and dives deep into the culture of the North and South, using not only Souther documents but mostly official Federal documents. It deals with myths of American Slavery, so things you might not know about Northern and Southern leaders and how all of this impacts us today. There are a couple of things I didn’t fully agree with, but overall, I recommend this book to everyone! Even if you don’t agree with the Confederacy, or even if you take issue with the Colonials, please, just give it a read with an open mind 😉 It will change your life!
 
So that’s it for today! Hope you have a blessed week!
Ryana Lynn
Jude 22

This series has seriously got swept under the rug! It’s time for a new episode, and today’s is on Cold Harbor! I hope you enjoy!

1| Fickle Federals. The command of Col. Elisha Strong Kellogg couldn’t decide what they thought of him. One moment, they would be complaining he was too strict, and the next, they would be pooling their resources to get him a better horse! Col. Kellogg’s first and last fight would be the opening day of Cold Harbor.

2| Bloodiest? Many battles of the War Between the States claim some sort of “Bloodiest” title, and Cold Harbor (May 31st-June 12th, 1864) is no exception. Its claim to fame is in have the bloodiest single hour of the entire war. Nearly 7,000 federal troops fell in that space, most, it is claimed, within 10 minutes! (Source: HistoryNet)

3| A New Weapon. While some might not think of it as such, the spade was the real weapon of the Battle of Cold Harbor. The Confederates spent hours digging trenches that stood chest-deep, with head logs to shield their heads, leaving a slit for them to fire from. The federals never stood a chance.

4| Go Back! My favorite story from Cold Harbor is that of a flag bearer in the Union army. He boldly marched forward, zoned in on the Confederate lines, heedless of the fact that he was the only man left from his company advancing; the others had fallen in the fight. Southern troops ceased fire and shouted for him to turn around, unwilling to knowingly shoot an unarmed man. When he realized he was alone, he calmly stood at attention, saluted smartly to his enemies, did an about-face, and withdrew. The Confederates honored him with a Rebel Yell and thunderous applause.

5| Victory No Matter the Cost. Grant didn’t care about wasting time getting ready. He threw tired, travel-weary men straight into the fight at Cold Harbor and ordered a multitude of deadly charges on their fortified works, reminiscent of the Federals’ foolish charges at Fredericksburg and the Confederates’ at Pickett’s Charge.

6| The Only Union Successes. Grant only had two victories over the battle of Cold Harbor. Confederate troops lost ground the first day, and on the second day of fighting, they lost nearly 200 men prisoner to General Francis Barlow. Confederate losses stood at 788 killed, 3, 376 wounded, and 1,123 missing or captured for a total of 5,287 men. Federal Casualty rates were much higher, with 1,845 killed, 9,077 wounded, and 1,816 missing or captured for a total of 12,738.

7| Wrong Guys! Lines were so tangled during this particular campaign (the Overland Campaign) that multiple times during the fighting, officers of one side could successfully, though unintentionally, give orders to men of the opposite side and be obeyed! And because of several visibility issues, one Confederate officer watered his horse very close to a group of federal soldiers who paid him no heed!

8| What’s in a Name? Cold Harbor was named after a tavern in the area that wouldn’t serve hot meals. It was neither cold nor anywhere near the water.

9| A New Nickname.  Following multiple senseless and fruitless charges, Grant was no longer touted as Unconditional Surrender Grant, but Butcher Grant.

10| Stubborn as a Mule. Grant waited for days to officially admit defeat on the field by calling for an official truce. He didn’t want to accept yet another failure to his superior on the field, Robert E. Lee. His pride cost many disabled wounded their lives.  

And as usual, here is an excerpt from my Series from the Battle of Cold Harbor!

Jordan surveyed the ingenious trenches built during the day of silence. They were deep enough to conceal most of a soldier’s body. Forked branches anchored into the mounds to hold a “head log,” gave the Confederate forces full protection. The Union troops wouldn’t have time to aim between the headspace.

That night it rained cats and dogs. Jordan cramped together with his fellow soldiers in small tents, tried to keep dry. The longer the war lasted, the tinier the replacement tents got. Economizing, some called it.

From the next tent came fiddle music, slow and gentle. Jordan frowned as he drifted back to sleep, hearing the last verse in his mind…
 
We’ve been fighting today on the old campground.
Many are lying near.
 Some are dead, some are dying.
Many are in tears.
Many are the hearts that are weary tonight,
Wishing for the war to cease.
Many are the hearts looking for the right,
To see the dawn of peace.
 
Dying tonight, dying tonight.
Dying on the old campground.
 
««««1864««««
 
June 3rd, 1864
Confederate Encampment
Cold Harbor, Va.
 
June 3rd was hot and muggy. Southern soldiers shed their coats and jackets, opting to fight in their shirt sleeves. Richard checked the line of men. They leaned up against their trenches, rifles ready and fingers on the trigger.

“They’re coming,” Burdy whispered to him.

Richard nodded, squinting at the regimental colors.

“There are enough men here, put your unit farther down the line,” an officer shouted to Richard.

The men in Richard’s rag-tag unit hurried down the line, loading their pistols and checking their sabers as they went.

The flank was the weakest link in the Confederate lines. Union Gen. Francis Barlow[1] knew this and decided this would be the perfect place to advance his military career. He organized his men and ordered the attack.

No sooner had the 32:7 Boys arrived than Federals raced out of the woods. Burdy took a step back, stunned at the sudden appearance of the enemy, shouting like banshees. “Get back!” Titus ordered, pushing the boy behind him.

It was a battle like Burdy had never seen before. He stood rooted to the ground, blinking in disbelief. The Union soldiers seemed like beasts rather than humans to the lad. They beat Confederate soldiers to the ground with their rifles, then using the bayonet to finish the job. Some were taken prisoner.

[1] Overly ambitious, Francis Channing Barlow was young, but eager. He started out as a lieutenant and made his way up to Brevet Major General.

And to find out more, you'll have to buy the book! :)
That’s it for now! God Bless!
Ryana Lynn
Jude 22