As much as we enjoy traveling, "We're always glad to come home to the USA," says Cynthia Neu McCluskey. "In tribute to our soldiers we want to share the words of U. S. General Douglas MacArthur. It is our soldiers, after all, who make it possible for us to travel freely."

The Soldier

"When the Country is in need,
it has always been the Soldier;

It’s the Soldier, not the reporter,
who has given us Freedom of the Press;

It’s the Soldier, not the poet,
who has given us Freedom of Speech;

It’s the Soldier,not the campus organizer,
who gave us Freedom to Demonstrate;

It’s the Soldier who salutes the Flag,
who serves under The Flag;

It’s the Soldier who is called upon
to defend our American way of Life."

Douglas MacArthur
General of the Army

(1880-1964)

Ron McCluskey, Cynthia's late husband, was American Legion Commander in Texas in 1992-93. Having served in the 101st Airborne in Vietnam, he gave Cynthia a brass tablet with General MacArthur's words shown above. Cynthia was a cub reporter at the El Paso Times in Texas when she and Ron met in the 70s. She was assigned to report about MacArthur's one time top military aide in Manila, Dwight Eisenhower, when Ron gave her the tablet as a gift. Ron said it might help her with her writing. Cynthia still displays that brass tablet in her office.