An all American pumpjack over an oil well in northeastern Wyoming.

I have been fortunate to have lived almost next door to, two World War II veterans. David Hall, my neighbor across the street who left us for happer pastures recently was a bomber pilot and instructor in the service of our country. When he retired he had more than 7,000 hours in a bomber. Can you imagine how much aviation gas he used flying those hours in our defense? The other veteran is Dean Reynolds, who lives about 3 houses down the road. Dean was drafted in WW II and served in the infantry. He waded ashore on the beach 7 day after D-Day. As he says it walked clear across Europe. He was in the battle of the Bulge. He salvage a piece of tubing from German plane that flew low and fired on the soldiers with Dean. The soldiers all fired back and the plane went down killing the pilot in the crash. As he was "hiking" across Europe he made a ring out of this tubing. He has worn that ring all of these years to remind him of things he did and saw. I take my hat off to the men and women who fought so that I, an ordinary citizen, can live and enjoy the freedoms and blessings of the United State of America. May many future generations enjoy these same blessings. I have several uncles and cousins that have served our country. One uncle and a cousin gave their lives in defense of this country.