Sarah Palin in 2012: sacrifice

Friday, July 3, 2009

Profiles in Courage, Patriotism, and Sacrifice pt. 2

by Janet Crain

Francis Lewis, Signer

Not all of the Revolutionary Patriots were soldiers or commanders of soldiers. Some were statesmen who cast their lot with a new country at considerable risk to their person, families and fortune. Francis Lewis was one of these men.

FRANCIS LEWIS was born in Llandaff, Wales on March 21, 1713. He lost both of his parents at the age of four or five and was raised by a maiden aunt – an intelligent, compassionate woman of more than modest means. He was sent to school in Scotland and later to the prestigious Westminster School in London. Afterward he served an aprentice in the London Mercantile.

Upon reaching age 21, he inherited his father's estate. He then acquired a great deal of merchandise and sailed with it to the Colonies. He was very successful there. He married his partner's sister and begain a family.

But as a uniform supplier, business required him to travel to where the British Army was encamped. The fort of Oswego was captured by the French and the English comander Colonel Mersey was shot dead by Lewis's side. The French then captured him and promised kind treatment. However after the surrender, Lewis was handed over to the Indian allies of the French. He fully expected to be killed immediately but soon found himself able to converse with the Indians, due, he said, to the similarity of the Welsh and Indian language.

The Indians treated him kindly and returned him to Montreal where they asked the French that he be sent home. The French however took him to France as a prisoner. Some time later he was exchanged for a French prisoner and allowed to rejoin his family. He prospered in his business and retired at age 52 as one of the wealthiest men in New York.

He then entered politics and soon became known as a radical. He was among the first to join the "Sons of Liberty". He was also selected as a delegate to the Second Continental congress, as he was known for his independent and patriotic character, his integrity and his intellectual powers.

He became convinced that separation from England was necessary. He moved his family to Long Island. This proved to be an unfortunate step. Soon after the signing of the Declaration of Independence, a party of British light horsemen destroyed his home in Whitestone, New York. His extensive library and valuable papers were destroyed.

Not content with this wanton act, the English took his wife prisoner and confined her in deplorable conditions. Mrs.Lewis was never again a well woman and died a year or two after her release.

Francis Lewis's daughter turned against him, whether for political or personal reasons it is not known. His latter days were spent in greatly reduced circumstances having lost his fortune in the Revolutionary War. Lewis died in New York City on December 31, 1802 at the age of eighty-nine.

Saturday, June 6, 2009

After 65 years, hero talks about D-Day assault

By Susan Lisovicz
CNN Correspondent

CNN's Susan Lisovicz sat down with her uncle Lenny Lisovicz, a decorated D-Day veteran, to talk about his experiences at war.

CNN's Susan Lisovicz spoke to her Uncle Lenny about his D-Day and war experiences.

HOUSTON, Texas (CNN) -- Decorated D-Day veteran Lenny Lisovicz says the whispers are true.

For 65 years my family had heard whispers that he and 220 men stormed Omaha Beach and that he and his captain later went AWOL in Paris, France.

They heard he returned to combat and fought all the way to Germany and his courage was rewarded with the prestigious Silver Star.

Then -- after that sacrifice and loss -- he was committed to a hospital.

On the 65th anniversary of D-Day, Uncle Lenny finally talked at length about everything he had seen and done. And he said it was all true.

Nowadays, Uncle Lenny lives a tranquil life. At 91, he is proud of his garden, where he grows corn, tomatoes and grapefruit. He takes in stray cats, attends Mass and sends money regularly to Catholic missionaries.

But his thoughts are never far away from a sliver of sand thousands of miles away. He turned down my offer to visit Normandy.

"I don't want to see it. I try to rub that out of my mind. It won't go away," he said.

But now, he finally agreed to share his memories. Watch Uncle Lenny describe storming the beach » See below.

It began with The Longest Day: June 6, 1944. My uncle was a 26-year-old lieutenant with the Army 1st Infantry Division, the famed "Big Red One." They had been training in England for something big for months.

Then, over the loudspeakers in the barracks came the famous declaration from Gen. Dwight Eisenhower: "You are about to embark on the Great Crusade."

The Germans were taken by surprise in one of the greatest amphibious invasions of all time, which would mark a turning point of the war in Europe.