Andy Barr: “54 years ago, in 1942, the security of liberty was not as certain as it is today. The flame of freedom was in danger of…”

“54 years ago, in 1942, the security of liberty was not as certain as it is today. The flame of freedom was in danger of being completely snuffed out by those who sought to enslave the world. Thankfully, freedom was preserved for us by a generation of patriotic benefactors who left the safety of their homes and traveled thousands of miles to rid the world of the despots who started World War II. One of those patriots was Charles Cook. Cookie, as his friends knew him, passed away earlier this month, a half century after he was freed from a Japanese POW camp. You see, Charles Cook was a survivor of the infamous 1942 Bataan death march. Those who survived the Bataan death march and remained prisoners of the Japanese imperial army suffered more than most people living today could even imagine. But Charles Cook did not suffer in vain. He gave us a priceless legacy. Along with others of that great generation, he left the legacy of freedom for America and the rest of the world. It is for us now to preserve that gift. We must recognize our inherited obligation, and be zealous custodians of Charles Cook's gift of liberty, which he purchased so dearly.”