Posted by Bob Peters on April 04, 2006 at 11:28:53:
I have a sad story to be told about our National Anthem to the Americans who don't know it. The short version of the story is I was a prisoner of war with the Chinese in Korea for 2 1/2 yrs.
During the war, from 4/23/51 to 8/16/53, while I was a prisoner, we were required to learn and sing the Chinese National Anthem at every gathering (lectures, formations, classes, and every meal). I went in the army in 1950 not knowing my National Anthem, and I came out of the army and P.O.W. camp knowing the Chinese anthem by heart.
This is the real point of embarrassment--when I was released in august of 1953. (First I must explain, a "progressive" is a turncoat who attended Chinese classes to learn communism. As a reward for participating, they were not required to do any work and were given better food and larger quantity. I am proud to say there were only 23 of these people who were progressives out of over 3,000 P.O.W.'s.) When we were released at the 38th parallel at Pamonjon, some of these turncoats not returning home, stood on the communist side of the 38th parallel singing the Chinese national anthem by heart, loud and proud they sang their song. We, us proud Americans tried to sing our national anthem, but we could not--NOBODY knew it! We walked away in shame, listening to the Chinese and turncoats singing the Chinese national anthem. Oh. How I wished I knew my national anthem at that time.
I still know the Chinese national anthem, but not "The Star Spangled Banner." Shameful . But I am going to memorize it.
This a story that needs to be told to our younger and older generation.
-Bob Peters