"To a number of us, this is a first and hence a solemn and a momentous occasion, and yet, on the broad page of state and national history, what is taking place here is almost a commonplace routine. We are participating in the orderly transfer of administrative authority by direction of the people. And this is the simple magic of the commonplace routine, which makes it a near miracle to many of the world's inhabitants. This continuing fact that the people, by democratic process, can delegate power, and yet retain the custody of it. Perhaps you and I have lived too long with this miracle to properly be appreciative. Freedom is a fragile thing and it's never more than one generation away from extinction. It is not ours by way of inheritance; it must be fought for and defended constantly by each generation, for it comes only once to a people. And those in world history who have known freedom and then lost it have never known it again."
-- Gov. Ronald Reagan, Inaugural Address, Jan. 5, 1967
Or you may prefer this version from his 'Freedom Speech' at the 1964 RNC Convention:
"Freedom is never more than one generation away from extinction. We didn’t pass it to our children in the bloodstream. It must be fought for, protected and handed on for them to do the same, or one day we will spend our sunset years telling our children and our children’s children what it was once like in the United States where men were free."
Wow!! I needed this today! What an addition to Badlands Media. I was just reading the comments on another substack where patriots are slinging the I’m right and you’re wrong arrows. We are all WRONG. We let this happen. We should all be ashamed and afterward we should join together and make a pact, this will never happen again. We need to gather our mops and buckets and begin to clean up the muck of laziness and complacency spilled over the land of America. We need each other, with God’s help we shall win, winning blood runs in our veins. I love this substack.
And This Piece, SHOULD, be read in The United States 118th House of Representatives.
Maybe, Rep. James Comer and/or Rep. Jim Jordan, could start one of their People's televised hearings, to share the histories, insights & the inspirational thoughts therein, with this intro...
"We're here to investigate the matter of...
...but let US pause first, for a moment, & let us all call to memory Our Beloved Republic & its Treasured Ideals, & To Those, who sacrificed so much, for us, & the ideals, that drew, their sacrifice."
One 21-year-old West Virginia boy kept the role of the USS West Virginia in WWII alive. As WVU Student Body President in 1959, Jack learned that the ship was to be dismantled and sold for scrap. He contacted the Navy and asked if WVU could have something "significant" from the ship. They said the school could have the mast, but they had to get it from Bremerton, WA to Morgantown, WV. With many phone calls, the B&O RR agreed to ship it for free. After it was hoisted off the ship, it was transported to Morgantown and arrived on the campus in early1961. It took 2 more years for the plaza to be readied and the mast erected and dedicated in May, 1963 a month before West Virginia's 100th birthday (and the end of my freshman year at WVU). A ceremony is held at the mast every Pearl Harbor Day and receives statewide radio mention. The USS West Virginia was sunk at Pearl Harbor; raised and patched there; refurbished in Washington and sent back, July 4, 1944. She was one of the battleships guarding the Surigao Strait during the Battle for Leyte Gulf. Due to the advanced radar installed during the refurbishing, she "saw" the Japanese fleet sneaking up the Strait in the middle of the night October 25, 1944 and opened up on the lead taking it out. She then gave coordinates to the other US ships and they decimated the Japanese ships. The "Mountaineer Battlewagon" then went to Iwo Jima to provide cover and soften up for the landing and to Okinawa. She was the only survivor of Pearl Harbor to be in Tokyo Bay on September 2, 1945 for the surrender. She then made 3 trips across the Pacific during "Operation Magic Carpet" to bring more than 7500 battle weary troops home.
Jack took a lot of heat from both the campus newspaper, the school yearbook and even his fraternity when the mast did not arrive in a couple of months. He was in law school when it arrived. He served as a JAG officer in the US Army and later taught law at WVU. My Woodburn Chapter, NSDAR nominated him for the NSDAR Historic Preservation Award/Medal. He won the award. I said in remarks at the WVDAR State Conference in May that Jack not only gave the mast to WVU, but the memory of the ship to all of WV. The NSDAR President General, a guest at the conference, said the award should be presented at "National". On June 28, opening night for the NSDAR 132nd Continental Congress, Jack will be presented the award on the stage of Constitution Hall (we own it; we built it) by President General Wright. The week prior, West Virginia Day June 20, my chapter is hosting a "celebration" of the award on campus....or the "scene of the crime" as I like to put it. That effort by a 21-year-old in 1959 has come full circle.
As a note: on the 75th Anniversary of the Pearl Harbor attack, each state with a ship there that Dec. 7th day was invited to send a band. My Morgantown High School band (I was a member so long ago) represented the USS West Virginia. The MHS Foundation provided money for the band members to go to the Arizona Memorial...a true learning experience.
Keep this up guys! I want to hear more stories from the past! We should all take an active role in preserving our heritage and knowledge of it.
I don't want to give too much away, as far as my future plans with this series, but there is some real opportunity for Jack to make an appearance-- certainly for the Mountaineer Battlewagon, or even Morgantown, itself. (Morgantown is a special place, for many reasons, which you have to see to believe.)
I love that this concept is clicking with yall. Please share Jack's full name, and I'll make a note of it, so I can keep an eye out for him for future research. Thank you, again, for sharing. Great write-up.
Not certain I feel comfortable giving out his name. However, he is listed as 1959-1960 Student Body President. They misspelled his first name (only ONE "r" not 2). Middle name is "Jackson" from whence we get "Jack". https://sga.wvu.edu/about/history-of-student-body-presidents
Thank you so much GhostOfBasedPatrickHenry! I am very grateful and have sent your excellent article on to many friends. Badlands is blessed to have you join the team. I look forward to reading/learning more from you. God bless you!
William Tyrrell came to Jamestown, Virginia an English Colony in 1654 and later became a commonwealth. William and his son Joel Tyrrell did not stay in Jamestown long. They set out for Pole Cat County which later became Albemarle County (established in 1744 and the city of Charlottesville in 1762.) William died at the age of 98 and his son remained in what became Albemarle County.
Joel bought the tallest hill west of downtown and started to move his family there when he died suddenly of an illness. His son, also named Joel Terrell became the head of the house hold and built an Inn on 4th Street in downtown Charlottesville. Thomas Jefferson stayed at his Inn until Monticello was complete enough to live there instead.
Joel married Ann Lewis. Her father was Col. Lewis and occupied a house on the tall hill farther west of Terrell's hill. It is still called Lewis Hill or Mountain to this day. Joel and Ann had a son named Joel Terrell, Jr . When old enough to fight the British, he joined and served in the North Carolina militia as a volunteer from Virginia. Joel Terrell Jr # S14664 was wounded in the Battle of Guildford County Courthouse in 1779. The British under Cornwallis did a prisoner swap with the Patriots after the Brits had won the battle. Joel was wounded close to the heart. The surgeons did not try to remove the bullet because it was so close to his heart, it would have possibly killed him.
Even though they lost the battle, it was very significant to the Patriots causing Cornwallis to need provisions and men that had been depleted. The Brits marched to Yorktown on the Potomac expecting to be resupplied. Benjamin Franklin had negotiated the French to barricade the British Fleet so they could not resupply the minute the Brits arrived. Gen Washington and his men won the battle and a complete unconditional surrender of the entire British Empire.
Joel Terrell Jr married Martha Williams in 1799. They settled down in Rutherfordton, NC where he was doing work as a carpenter. All the Tyrrells (terrells) from William onward until me were all carpenters.
Joel and Martha had many children before he died in 1815. She remarried and took the Terrell family to Waynesville, NC where most of the children are buried.
Joel Terrell, Jr's grandson, John Lynch Terrell was wounded in the Civil War. So, when John healed up from his wound in the hip, he and his wife Laura along with his son William Hamilton and daughter, Sara moved to Fort Worth, TX sometime in the 1890s. The men were all carpenters by trade through to my Dad - excellent carpenters. My son and I are in Telecommunications. We both have degrees and have found high tech to be most interesting.
I know you have written an excellent article about these malefactors called men. It is really too bad these misguided fools did such a good job with struggling for that anti-American Dream. We all have it too cushy for our own good. We don't reach deep from within to bring out the good like these men of the past did. I'm there now a true Patriot by the grace of God. But the journey was not easy. I'm very much like that Patriot Joel Terrell, Jr and I'm very sad to see what is happening to America. We are going to lose this country and its greatness. Then these wimps are going to grow a few but too late. They will weep over being brainwashed into what they helped destroy instead of continuing to make it a better place.
It says in the Bible in Esdras 2 that 2/3 rds of His people will not come through this battle. Five/Sixth of His enemies will not come through. The one-sixth left of His enemies will build His Kingdom. It is Predestined and will happen according to what He says. So, go ahead and destroy His blessing He gave us. At least, I know I fought against you and the devil satan.
Love this, and thank you for sharing. I am not familiar with William Tyrell, or his kin, but always love learning new things. The real spirit behind this series is to be a catalyst for these types of anecdotes. While I aim to be a good storyteller, with an ambitious list of people to highlight, what I really hope comes of this is the proliferation of an oral mythology of our heritage. Thank you for sharing-- I have saved this story. Maybe one day the Terrells will make a cameo on the Patriot Chronicles, or even have their own chapter.
Great article, looking forward to the series. America is obsessed with hero's, they want to have people to put up on pedestals to worship. It's a daunting weight to carry. Having been a firefighter, I have first hand experience with people trying to make me a hero. I was just doing what I was trained to do. There are many others who have done far beyond what I achieved, and saved more lives than I did. Had they walked in my shoes, had my education and training they would have done the same thing I did. Everyone is a hero! That's the better way to look at it.
History is very important, for if we don't pay attention to what our forefathers had to endure, we may end up enduring the same fate. I like how you used my favorite document and quoted it in your article. Now that everyone has read the first paragraph of The Declaration of Independence, What Law does the Declaration of Independence require for We The People... Re Read the article and see if you can figure it out... Most Law Enforcement people I ask can't answer that question... And it's their job to enforce the Laws or is it??? Peace... Grow Wizzard..
The Swamp Fox from SC. Colonel Marion and his men excelled in guerrilla warfare- or what we call today irregular warfare. Think Mel Gibson in “The Patriot”
Wonderfully written article. True patriotism is what the founding fathers had, when rebuffing the British. Unfortunately it has been mischaracterized by those who want to destroy America.
I am reading this a day late, and scrolled through the comments. I see that there was a long back and forth with someone who doesn't get it. Yes, "patriotism" has been used as a means of propagandizing the people, as in Vietnam or 9/11. Obviously we here are embracing love of our country and its intrinsic founding principles, and are opposed to those forces that seek to enslave us again.
This IS war, a 5GUW. A Revolutionary war, but with different weapons. We shall win.
The Patriot Chronicles is a personal passion of mine-- I was doing short write-ups on Instagram for friends/family way back during Trump's first term (I stopped using Instagram long ago)-- but it is not my only passion. There are other concepts in the works, and what you have touched on here will be addressed, particularly 9/11 and the perverted weaponization of patriotism by malevolent forces. (I have family/friends who served in the ME, so it is personal for me.)
I'm all about untangling Gordian Knots, and that one is high on my list. Thank you all for your commentary and support. I'm excited and grateful to be here.
I’m embarrassed about my lack of knowledge of US history roughly 1750-1850. Looking forward to you filling in the gap.
I’m really looking forward to your writings my friend! I’m a lover of history and very grateful for your coming subject matter.
Welcome aboard!!
I will tell you what... it he future stories are half as compelling and inspiring as this introduction then you have gained a Fan for Life!!!
I am anxiously looking forward to your next and all future articles.
Thanks!
God Wins!
God Bless!!!
Glenn Beck is building something similar in Southwest Utah:
https://www.stgeorgeutah.com/news/archive/2022/07/04/ggg-let-this-be-the-eye-of-the-hurricane-ground-broken-for-liberty-village-in-hurricane/
And let us not forget these immortal words:
"To a number of us, this is a first and hence a solemn and a momentous occasion, and yet, on the broad page of state and national history, what is taking place here is almost a commonplace routine. We are participating in the orderly transfer of administrative authority by direction of the people. And this is the simple magic of the commonplace routine, which makes it a near miracle to many of the world's inhabitants. This continuing fact that the people, by democratic process, can delegate power, and yet retain the custody of it. Perhaps you and I have lived too long with this miracle to properly be appreciative. Freedom is a fragile thing and it's never more than one generation away from extinction. It is not ours by way of inheritance; it must be fought for and defended constantly by each generation, for it comes only once to a people. And those in world history who have known freedom and then lost it have never known it again."
-- Gov. Ronald Reagan, Inaugural Address, Jan. 5, 1967
Or you may prefer this version from his 'Freedom Speech' at the 1964 RNC Convention:
"Freedom is never more than one generation away from extinction. We didn’t pass it to our children in the bloodstream. It must be fought for, protected and handed on for them to do the same, or one day we will spend our sunset years telling our children and our children’s children what it was once like in the United States where men were free."
Wow!! I needed this today! What an addition to Badlands Media. I was just reading the comments on another substack where patriots are slinging the I’m right and you’re wrong arrows. We are all WRONG. We let this happen. We should all be ashamed and afterward we should join together and make a pact, this will never happen again. We need to gather our mops and buckets and begin to clean up the muck of laziness and complacency spilled over the land of America. We need each other, with God’s help we shall win, winning blood runs in our veins. I love this substack.
THAT !
Was/IS SUPERLATIVE !
And This Piece, SHOULD, be read in The United States 118th House of Representatives.
Maybe, Rep. James Comer and/or Rep. Jim Jordan, could start one of their People's televised hearings, to share the histories, insights & the inspirational thoughts therein, with this intro...
"We're here to investigate the matter of...
...but let US pause first, for a moment, & let us all call to memory Our Beloved Republic & its Treasured Ideals, & To Those, who sacrificed so much, for us, & the ideals, that drew, their sacrifice."
(And then the Rep's read Your Piece).
*
"NO MAN IS AN ISLAND."
~ John Donne
One 21-year-old West Virginia boy kept the role of the USS West Virginia in WWII alive. As WVU Student Body President in 1959, Jack learned that the ship was to be dismantled and sold for scrap. He contacted the Navy and asked if WVU could have something "significant" from the ship. They said the school could have the mast, but they had to get it from Bremerton, WA to Morgantown, WV. With many phone calls, the B&O RR agreed to ship it for free. After it was hoisted off the ship, it was transported to Morgantown and arrived on the campus in early1961. It took 2 more years for the plaza to be readied and the mast erected and dedicated in May, 1963 a month before West Virginia's 100th birthday (and the end of my freshman year at WVU). A ceremony is held at the mast every Pearl Harbor Day and receives statewide radio mention. The USS West Virginia was sunk at Pearl Harbor; raised and patched there; refurbished in Washington and sent back, July 4, 1944. She was one of the battleships guarding the Surigao Strait during the Battle for Leyte Gulf. Due to the advanced radar installed during the refurbishing, she "saw" the Japanese fleet sneaking up the Strait in the middle of the night October 25, 1944 and opened up on the lead taking it out. She then gave coordinates to the other US ships and they decimated the Japanese ships. The "Mountaineer Battlewagon" then went to Iwo Jima to provide cover and soften up for the landing and to Okinawa. She was the only survivor of Pearl Harbor to be in Tokyo Bay on September 2, 1945 for the surrender. She then made 3 trips across the Pacific during "Operation Magic Carpet" to bring more than 7500 battle weary troops home.
Jack took a lot of heat from both the campus newspaper, the school yearbook and even his fraternity when the mast did not arrive in a couple of months. He was in law school when it arrived. He served as a JAG officer in the US Army and later taught law at WVU. My Woodburn Chapter, NSDAR nominated him for the NSDAR Historic Preservation Award/Medal. He won the award. I said in remarks at the WVDAR State Conference in May that Jack not only gave the mast to WVU, but the memory of the ship to all of WV. The NSDAR President General, a guest at the conference, said the award should be presented at "National". On June 28, opening night for the NSDAR 132nd Continental Congress, Jack will be presented the award on the stage of Constitution Hall (we own it; we built it) by President General Wright. The week prior, West Virginia Day June 20, my chapter is hosting a "celebration" of the award on campus....or the "scene of the crime" as I like to put it. That effort by a 21-year-old in 1959 has come full circle.
As a note: on the 75th Anniversary of the Pearl Harbor attack, each state with a ship there that Dec. 7th day was invited to send a band. My Morgantown High School band (I was a member so long ago) represented the USS West Virginia. The MHS Foundation provided money for the band members to go to the Arizona Memorial...a true learning experience.
Keep this up guys! I want to hear more stories from the past! We should all take an active role in preserving our heritage and knowledge of it.
I don't want to give too much away, as far as my future plans with this series, but there is some real opportunity for Jack to make an appearance-- certainly for the Mountaineer Battlewagon, or even Morgantown, itself. (Morgantown is a special place, for many reasons, which you have to see to believe.)
I love that this concept is clicking with yall. Please share Jack's full name, and I'll make a note of it, so I can keep an eye out for him for future research. Thank you, again, for sharing. Great write-up.
Not certain I feel comfortable giving out his name. However, he is listed as 1959-1960 Student Body President. They misspelled his first name (only ONE "r" not 2). Middle name is "Jackson" from whence we get "Jack". https://sga.wvu.edu/about/history-of-student-body-presidents
Thank you so much GhostOfBasedPatrickHenry! I am very grateful and have sent your excellent article on to many friends. Badlands is blessed to have you join the team. I look forward to reading/learning more from you. God bless you!
William Tyrrell came to Jamestown, Virginia an English Colony in 1654 and later became a commonwealth. William and his son Joel Tyrrell did not stay in Jamestown long. They set out for Pole Cat County which later became Albemarle County (established in 1744 and the city of Charlottesville in 1762.) William died at the age of 98 and his son remained in what became Albemarle County.
Joel bought the tallest hill west of downtown and started to move his family there when he died suddenly of an illness. His son, also named Joel Terrell became the head of the house hold and built an Inn on 4th Street in downtown Charlottesville. Thomas Jefferson stayed at his Inn until Monticello was complete enough to live there instead.
Joel married Ann Lewis. Her father was Col. Lewis and occupied a house on the tall hill farther west of Terrell's hill. It is still called Lewis Hill or Mountain to this day. Joel and Ann had a son named Joel Terrell, Jr . When old enough to fight the British, he joined and served in the North Carolina militia as a volunteer from Virginia. Joel Terrell Jr # S14664 was wounded in the Battle of Guildford County Courthouse in 1779. The British under Cornwallis did a prisoner swap with the Patriots after the Brits had won the battle. Joel was wounded close to the heart. The surgeons did not try to remove the bullet because it was so close to his heart, it would have possibly killed him.
Even though they lost the battle, it was very significant to the Patriots causing Cornwallis to need provisions and men that had been depleted. The Brits marched to Yorktown on the Potomac expecting to be resupplied. Benjamin Franklin had negotiated the French to barricade the British Fleet so they could not resupply the minute the Brits arrived. Gen Washington and his men won the battle and a complete unconditional surrender of the entire British Empire.
Joel Terrell Jr married Martha Williams in 1799. They settled down in Rutherfordton, NC where he was doing work as a carpenter. All the Tyrrells (terrells) from William onward until me were all carpenters.
Joel and Martha had many children before he died in 1815. She remarried and took the Terrell family to Waynesville, NC where most of the children are buried.
Joel Terrell, Jr's grandson, John Lynch Terrell was wounded in the Civil War. So, when John healed up from his wound in the hip, he and his wife Laura along with his son William Hamilton and daughter, Sara moved to Fort Worth, TX sometime in the 1890s. The men were all carpenters by trade through to my Dad - excellent carpenters. My son and I are in Telecommunications. We both have degrees and have found high tech to be most interesting.
I know you have written an excellent article about these malefactors called men. It is really too bad these misguided fools did such a good job with struggling for that anti-American Dream. We all have it too cushy for our own good. We don't reach deep from within to bring out the good like these men of the past did. I'm there now a true Patriot by the grace of God. But the journey was not easy. I'm very much like that Patriot Joel Terrell, Jr and I'm very sad to see what is happening to America. We are going to lose this country and its greatness. Then these wimps are going to grow a few but too late. They will weep over being brainwashed into what they helped destroy instead of continuing to make it a better place.
It says in the Bible in Esdras 2 that 2/3 rds of His people will not come through this battle. Five/Sixth of His enemies will not come through. The one-sixth left of His enemies will build His Kingdom. It is Predestined and will happen according to what He says. So, go ahead and destroy His blessing He gave us. At least, I know I fought against you and the devil satan.
Love this, and thank you for sharing. I am not familiar with William Tyrell, or his kin, but always love learning new things. The real spirit behind this series is to be a catalyst for these types of anecdotes. While I aim to be a good storyteller, with an ambitious list of people to highlight, what I really hope comes of this is the proliferation of an oral mythology of our heritage. Thank you for sharing-- I have saved this story. Maybe one day the Terrells will make a cameo on the Patriot Chronicles, or even have their own chapter.
Thanks again, friend. You are most welcome, here.
Great article, looking forward to the series. America is obsessed with hero's, they want to have people to put up on pedestals to worship. It's a daunting weight to carry. Having been a firefighter, I have first hand experience with people trying to make me a hero. I was just doing what I was trained to do. There are many others who have done far beyond what I achieved, and saved more lives than I did. Had they walked in my shoes, had my education and training they would have done the same thing I did. Everyone is a hero! That's the better way to look at it.
History is very important, for if we don't pay attention to what our forefathers had to endure, we may end up enduring the same fate. I like how you used my favorite document and quoted it in your article. Now that everyone has read the first paragraph of The Declaration of Independence, What Law does the Declaration of Independence require for We The People... Re Read the article and see if you can figure it out... Most Law Enforcement people I ask can't answer that question... And it's their job to enforce the Laws or is it??? Peace... Grow Wizzard..
The swamp fox, the legend is strong.
Excellent, looking forward to the next chapter in your series.
The Swamp Fox from SC. Colonel Marion and his men excelled in guerrilla warfare- or what we call today irregular warfare. Think Mel Gibson in “The Patriot”
Awesome job GoBPH!!!!
Excellent essay and idea. Looking forward to it.
Wonderfully written article. True patriotism is what the founding fathers had, when rebuffing the British. Unfortunately it has been mischaracterized by those who want to destroy America.
I am reading this a day late, and scrolled through the comments. I see that there was a long back and forth with someone who doesn't get it. Yes, "patriotism" has been used as a means of propagandizing the people, as in Vietnam or 9/11. Obviously we here are embracing love of our country and its intrinsic founding principles, and are opposed to those forces that seek to enslave us again.
This IS war, a 5GUW. A Revolutionary war, but with different weapons. We shall win.
Thank you, and well said.
The Patriot Chronicles is a personal passion of mine-- I was doing short write-ups on Instagram for friends/family way back during Trump's first term (I stopped using Instagram long ago)-- but it is not my only passion. There are other concepts in the works, and what you have touched on here will be addressed, particularly 9/11 and the perverted weaponization of patriotism by malevolent forces. (I have family/friends who served in the ME, so it is personal for me.)
I'm all about untangling Gordian Knots, and that one is high on my list. Thank you all for your commentary and support. I'm excited and grateful to be here.