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Herb Strader of Greensboro was among three in his family who served in World War II.

"All three of us are, thankfully, still living," said Strader, who served the U.S. Navy in Amphibious Forces during the war. He was part of the Okinawa Campaign in 1945.

Brother Frank served in the 5th U.S. Army in Italian Campaign, commanded by Gen. Mark Clark.

His other brother, Jack, served in the U.S. Navy in the Pacific Theater. He was in a P. T. Boat squadron, working as a chief petty officer under Commander John Bulkeley. "He was on one of the PT Boats in the convoy that took the general (Douglas MacArthur) and his family from Corregidor to Mindanao, where they boarded planes for the flight to Australia," Strader said. He lives in Plymouth, N.C. Strader, president of Yancey Investment Company, said everything he experienced during the war was special to him.

"We survived campaign-devastating typhoons," he said. "We were poised to invade Japan. Harry Truman's decision to drop (the atom) bombs saved my life and tens of thousands more."

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The United States Marine Corps was established Nov. 10, 1775, and my congratulations to the Corps for 233 years of dedicated service to the country.

In January, 1945, 63 years ago, First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt said, "The Marines I have seen around the world have the cleanest bodies, the filthiest minds, the highest morale and the lowest morals of any group of animals I have ever seen. Thank God for the United States Marine Corps!"

As a veteran, I say, "Amen, Mrs. Roosevelt."

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One of our most miserable wars was the one we fought in Korea from 1950 to 1953. We went into the war unprepared for combat with under-trained, under-equipped troops. Their performance during the early stages of that war was heroic -- and inept. Those who were thrown into combat early were forced to fight a delaying action until the United States understood that this was a real war and that the North Korean Army was a highly professional fighting force.

How we regained the initiative is a story of its own. David Halberstam' final book, "The Coldest Winter -- America and the Korean War," is biting in its criticism of the American high command, especially MacArthur.

When Chinese forces entered the Korean War, a stalemate ensued, and our losses mounted. A terrible situation all around.

Becky Farrington of High Point sent in a poem about service in Korea -- I won't quote the entire poem, but a couple of lines should bring back memories to all the veterans who were there. Farrington wrote about Korea:

Just below the Manchurian border

Korea is the spot.

Where we are doomed to spend our lives

In a land that God forgot.

We sweat, we freeze, we shiver,

It's more than a man can stand

We're not convicts,

We're defenders of our land.

When we get to heaven

St. Peter will jump and yell --

"There's the boys from Korea, Lord --

"They've served their hitch in Hell."

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This is the first column for the new year, and I want to wish you all a wonderful year in 2009.

I am glad to see 2008 gone -- it was not a good year for me, and we continue to see a terrible attrition in the ranks of veterans. Nothing can be done about this; it is something that happens after every war, when we lose those who defended the nation in wars long gone -- and time replaces those who served with those who are now serving.

This country is blessed. We are defended by some of the finest young men and women who understand that freedom is not free and have accepted the responsibility of protecting our shores.

They are in far-off places -- and those of us from earlier wars who thought that hell-holes like Kwajalein and Naktong and Cam Ranh Bay had odd names can only look at where our men and women are stationed now: Baghdad and Kandahar, to name just two.

They man our ramparts with professionalism and dedication and devotion to God and country. May the God protect this year.

Contact Ned Harrison at vetspeak@earthlink.net