The SAR MAGAZINE is the official quarterly publication of the National Society of the Sons of the American Revolution published quarterly.
Issue link: http://sar.epubxp.com/i/79692
Winners honored during the Youth Award Luncheon included, top left, Hanna Thompson (not present) of Ohio (Americanism Poster Contest); top right, Air Force JROTC Cadet Major Jared Reese of Cypress Ridge High School in Houston, Texas (Outstanding JROTC Cadet Award); above left, Katie Lavender of Virginia for her essay "Lynda Dodd and the Quakers" (Knight Essay Contest); and above right, Abram Matthew Weeks of Utah (Eagle Scout Scholarship Award). A photo of Rumbaugh Oration Contest winner Phillip Paul Cozzi of Illinois appears on page 20, along with the text of his speech. Of note, Matthew Samuel Waldrep of Tennessee was the third-place winner for both the Eagle Scout Scholarship Award and the Knight Essay Contest. American Legion Continued from previous page our country. We constantly remind the public what an exceptional nation that we live in and that America's heritage is a source of pride, not shame. It was a source of pride for Lt. Mike Christian. Lt. Christian was 27 when his fighter jet was shot down over Vietnam in 1967. He was imprisoned at the infamous Hanoi Hilton. As his captivity dragged on into months … and then years, Christian found himself needing a visual reminder of the country he served. To that end, he began gathering bits of twine … and cotton … and string and paper … from around the compound. He kept any berries or roots he could use to color his scraps. He fashioned a sewing needle out of a piece of bamboo and began the tedious job of sewing an American flag inside his prison tunic, where it would be close to his heart, but hidden from the enemy. When it was finished, Christian would remove his tunic and display the flag sewed inside so he and his fellow prisoners could pledge their allegiance. Fellow POW and Medal of Honor recipient Bud Day recalled that this was the happiest time of each day because it reminded them of home and renewed their hopes. Early one morning a Vietnamese guard caught a glimpse of Christian's flag. Christian was dragged away and interrogated. 6800(5 Throughout the day, they could hear his screams as he was tortured without mercy. Finally, he was dragged back to his cell and dumped there … unconscious … bloody … and beaten beyond recognition. Bud Day said they nursed him as best they could, but they had no medicines and no pain relievers. There was little they could do to ease his suffering. Yet, a few days later … late in the night with only the moon for a candle, there sat Lt. Mike Christian, now 29 years old … huddled in a corner … eyes still swollen nearly shut … pulling tiny pieces of twine through his tunic … with a bamboo needle. Piece-by-piece, and stitch-by-stitch, he was turning his black pajama shirt red, white and blue. Mike Christian paid the price for his patriotism … over and over. He was released after six years but came home an old man at 33. He died a few years later, yet another real face of war. We remember him and what he stood for. Courage … patriotism … integrity … freedom … sacrifice. These are the values that America has long produced and cherished. And with the help of our two organizations, we always will. God bless America and the Sons of the American Revolution.