AMERICANPATRIOTOPERATIONGRATITUDETHANKING THE TROOPS

AMERICAN CARQUALITY ON THE RISE

PATRIOTIC TRIPSBOSTONFREEDOMTRAIL

AMERICANPATRIOT

OPERATIONGRATITUDETHANKING THE TROOPS4

6

AMERICAN CARQUALITY ON THE RISE

8 PATRIOTIC TRIPSBOSTON FREEDOM TRAIL

14

STAMP HONORSGARY COOPERAS AMERICAN ICON

10

12

FORGOTTEN HEROGEORGE HALAS

NEW HISTORYBOOKSIN THE STORES

OPERATIONGRATITUDETHANKING THE TROOPS

4 AMERICAN PATRIOT

Rarely has an organization been so perfectly named Operation Gratitude is a purelyvolunteer organization funded entirely by private donations which seeks to lift moraleand put smiles on faces by sending care packages addressed to individual SoldiersSailors Airmen and Marines deployed overseas Operation Gratitude care packagescontain food and snacks hygiene products entertainment items and personal lettersof appreciation all wrapped with good wishes of love and support The group annuallysends 100000+ packages addressed to individually to named US Service Membersdeployed in hostile regions such as Iraq and Afghanistan and on military ships at sea

The organization is the brainchild of Carolyn

Blashek Motivated by the events of 911 to

do something concrete to help the troops and

express respect and appreciation for them

Ms Blashek began the work in her own living

room collecting goodies writing letters and

sending packages to every soldier whose

name she could find That was March 2003

Now a few years later the organization she

founded has successfully shipped hundreds

of thousands of packages to American military

deployed overseas And the feedback from

the troops is frequent and positive Operation

Gratitude raises the funds for this effort through

collection drives letter writing campaigns and

donations for shipping expenses There are

also opportunities to volunteer time and effort

The Directors Executive Director and key

personnel all forego any payment to ensure

that the donorsrsquo intent as well as the needs

of the troops are paramount

At last Januaryrsquos ldquoDay of Service for Our

Militaryrdquo at Robert F Kennedy Memorial

Stadium in Washington DC mdash a partnership

between Operation Gratitude Target and

Serve DC mdash Michelle Obama and Malia

Obama Jill Biden and several Senators

Governors Congressmen Cabinet officials

and military commanders showed up to help

assemble Operation Gratitude care kits In

all 85000 kits were prepared At the closing

ceremony an enthusiastic crowd of 12000

were thanked by Staff Sergeant Ericka Castro

who recently served in Iraq I know that these

care packages are extremely meaningful

particularly when you are serving overseas

and are thousands of miles from home Care

packages made me feel better physically and

emotionally when I was in Iraq because it was

a reminder that my service was valued and that

people back home thought of me Carolyn

Blashek summed it all up ldquoWhen our recipients

open their Operation Gratitude packages they

will not only see great items but also feel the

love respect and appreciation of the American

people That is what Operation Gratitude and

lsquoA Day of Service for Our Militaryrsquo is all about

AMERICAN PATRIOT 5

LEARN MORE OR DONATE TOOPERATION GRATITUDE gt

VOLUNTEER FOROPERATION GRATITUDE gt

SEE A PHOTO GALLERY OF THETROOPS THE PACKAGES + MORE gt

AMERICANPATRIOT

OPERATIONGRATITUDETHANKING THE TROOPS4

6

AMERICAN CARQUALITY ON THE RISE

8 PATRIOTIC TRIPSBOSTON FREEDOM TRAIL

14

STAMP HONORSGARY COOPERAS AMERICAN ICON

10

12

FORGOTTEN HEROGEORGE HALAS

NEW HISTORYBOOKSIN THE STORES

OPERATIONGRATITUDETHANKING THE TROOPS

4 AMERICAN PATRIOT

Rarely has an organization been so perfectly named Operation Gratitude is a purelyvolunteer organization funded entirely by private donations which seeks to lift moraleand put smiles on faces by sending care packages addressed to individual SoldiersSailors Airmen and Marines deployed overseas Operation Gratitude care packagescontain food and snacks hygiene products entertainment items and personal lettersof appreciation all wrapped with good wishes of love and support The group annuallysends 100000+ packages addressed to individually to named US Service Membersdeployed in hostile regions such as Iraq and Afghanistan and on military ships at sea

The organization is the brainchild of Carolyn

Blashek Motivated by the events of 911 to

do something concrete to help the troops and

express respect and appreciation for them

Ms Blashek began the work in her own living

room collecting goodies writing letters and

sending packages to every soldier whose

name she could find That was March 2003

Now a few years later the organization she

founded has successfully shipped hundreds

of thousands of packages to American military

deployed overseas And the feedback from

the troops is frequent and positive Operation

Gratitude raises the funds for this effort through

collection drives letter writing campaigns and

donations for shipping expenses There are

also opportunities to volunteer time and effort

The Directors Executive Director and key

personnel all forego any payment to ensure

that the donorsrsquo intent as well as the needs

of the troops are paramount

At last Januaryrsquos ldquoDay of Service for Our

Militaryrdquo at Robert F Kennedy Memorial

Stadium in Washington DC mdash a partnership

between Operation Gratitude Target and

Serve DC mdash Michelle Obama and Malia

Obama Jill Biden and several Senators

Governors Congressmen Cabinet officials

and military commanders showed up to help

assemble Operation Gratitude care kits In

all 85000 kits were prepared At the closing

ceremony an enthusiastic crowd of 12000

were thanked by Staff Sergeant Ericka Castro

who recently served in Iraq I know that these

care packages are extremely meaningful

particularly when you are serving overseas

and are thousands of miles from home Care

packages made me feel better physically and

emotionally when I was in Iraq because it was

a reminder that my service was valued and that

people back home thought of me Carolyn

Blashek summed it all up ldquoWhen our recipients

open their Operation Gratitude packages they

will not only see great items but also feel the

love respect and appreciation of the American

people That is what Operation Gratitude and

lsquoA Day of Service for Our Militaryrsquo is all about

AMERICAN PATRIOT 5

LEARN MORE OR DONATE TOOPERATION GRATITUDE gt

VOLUNTEER FOROPERATION GRATITUDE gt

SEE A PHOTO GALLERY OF THETROOPS THE PACKAGES + MORE gt

14

STAMP HONORSGARY COOPERAS AMERICAN ICON

10

12

FORGOTTEN HEROGEORGE HALAS

NEW HISTORYBOOKSIN THE STORES

OPERATIONGRATITUDETHANKING THE TROOPS

4 AMERICAN PATRIOT

Rarely has an organization been so perfectly named Operation Gratitude is a purelyvolunteer organization funded entirely by private donations which seeks to lift moraleand put smiles on faces by sending care packages addressed to individual SoldiersSailors Airmen and Marines deployed overseas Operation Gratitude care packagescontain food and snacks hygiene products entertainment items and personal lettersof appreciation all wrapped with good wishes of love and support The group annuallysends 100000+ packages addressed to individually to named US Service Membersdeployed in hostile regions such as Iraq and Afghanistan and on military ships at sea

The organization is the brainchild of Carolyn

Blashek Motivated by the events of 911 to

do something concrete to help the troops and

express respect and appreciation for them

Ms Blashek began the work in her own living

room collecting goodies writing letters and

sending packages to every soldier whose

name she could find That was March 2003

Now a few years later the organization she

founded has successfully shipped hundreds

of thousands of packages to American military

deployed overseas And the feedback from

the troops is frequent and positive Operation

Gratitude raises the funds for this effort through

collection drives letter writing campaigns and

donations for shipping expenses There are

also opportunities to volunteer time and effort

The Directors Executive Director and key

personnel all forego any payment to ensure

that the donorsrsquo intent as well as the needs

of the troops are paramount

At last Januaryrsquos ldquoDay of Service for Our

Militaryrdquo at Robert F Kennedy Memorial

Stadium in Washington DC mdash a partnership

between Operation Gratitude Target and

Serve DC mdash Michelle Obama and Malia

Obama Jill Biden and several Senators

Governors Congressmen Cabinet officials

and military commanders showed up to help

assemble Operation Gratitude care kits In

all 85000 kits were prepared At the closing

ceremony an enthusiastic crowd of 12000

were thanked by Staff Sergeant Ericka Castro

who recently served in Iraq I know that these

care packages are extremely meaningful

particularly when you are serving overseas

and are thousands of miles from home Care

packages made me feel better physically and

emotionally when I was in Iraq because it was

a reminder that my service was valued and that

people back home thought of me Carolyn

Blashek summed it all up ldquoWhen our recipients

open their Operation Gratitude packages they

will not only see great items but also feel the

love respect and appreciation of the American

people That is what Operation Gratitude and

lsquoA Day of Service for Our Militaryrsquo is all about

AMERICAN PATRIOT 5

LEARN MORE OR DONATE TOOPERATION GRATITUDE gt

VOLUNTEER FOROPERATION GRATITUDE gt

SEE A PHOTO GALLERY OF THETROOPS THE PACKAGES + MORE gt

OPERATIONGRATITUDETHANKING THE TROOPS

4 AMERICAN PATRIOT

Rarely has an organization been so perfectly named Operation Gratitude is a purelyvolunteer organization funded entirely by private donations which seeks to lift moraleand put smiles on faces by sending care packages addressed to individual SoldiersSailors Airmen and Marines deployed overseas Operation Gratitude care packagescontain food and snacks hygiene products entertainment items and personal lettersof appreciation all wrapped with good wishes of love and support The group annuallysends 100000+ packages addressed to individually to named US Service Membersdeployed in hostile regions such as Iraq and Afghanistan and on military ships at sea

The organization is the brainchild of Carolyn

Blashek Motivated by the events of 911 to

do something concrete to help the troops and

express respect and appreciation for them

Ms Blashek began the work in her own living

room collecting goodies writing letters and

sending packages to every soldier whose

name she could find That was March 2003

Now a few years later the organization she

founded has successfully shipped hundreds

of thousands of packages to American military

deployed overseas And the feedback from

the troops is frequent and positive Operation

Gratitude raises the funds for this effort through

collection drives letter writing campaigns and

donations for shipping expenses There are

also opportunities to volunteer time and effort

The Directors Executive Director and key

personnel all forego any payment to ensure

that the donorsrsquo intent as well as the needs

of the troops are paramount

At last Januaryrsquos ldquoDay of Service for Our

Militaryrdquo at Robert F Kennedy Memorial

Stadium in Washington DC mdash a partnership

between Operation Gratitude Target and

Serve DC mdash Michelle Obama and Malia

Obama Jill Biden and several Senators

Governors Congressmen Cabinet officials

and military commanders showed up to help

assemble Operation Gratitude care kits In

all 85000 kits were prepared At the closing

ceremony an enthusiastic crowd of 12000

were thanked by Staff Sergeant Ericka Castro

who recently served in Iraq I know that these

care packages are extremely meaningful

particularly when you are serving overseas

and are thousands of miles from home Care

packages made me feel better physically and

emotionally when I was in Iraq because it was

a reminder that my service was valued and that

people back home thought of me Carolyn

Blashek summed it all up ldquoWhen our recipients

open their Operation Gratitude packages they

will not only see great items but also feel the

love respect and appreciation of the American

people That is what Operation Gratitude and

lsquoA Day of Service for Our Militaryrsquo is all about

AMERICAN PATRIOT 5

LEARN MORE OR DONATE TOOPERATION GRATITUDE gt

VOLUNTEER FOROPERATION GRATITUDE gt

SEE A PHOTO GALLERY OF THETROOPS THE PACKAGES + MORE gt

Rarely has an organization been so perfectly named Operation Gratitude is a purelyvolunteer organization funded entirely by private donations which seeks to lift moraleand put smiles on faces by sending care packages addressed to individual SoldiersSailors Airmen and Marines deployed overseas Operation Gratitude care packagescontain food and snacks hygiene products entertainment items and personal lettersof appreciation all wrapped with good wishes of love and support The group annuallysends 100000+ packages addressed to individually to named US Service Membersdeployed in hostile regions such as Iraq and Afghanistan and on military ships at sea

The organization is the brainchild of Carolyn

Blashek Motivated by the events of 911 to

do something concrete to help the troops and

express respect and appreciation for them

Ms Blashek began the work in her own living

room collecting goodies writing letters and

sending packages to every soldier whose

name she could find That was March 2003

Now a few years later the organization she

founded has successfully shipped hundreds

of thousands of packages to American military

deployed overseas And the feedback from

the troops is frequent and positive Operation

Gratitude raises the funds for this effort through

collection drives letter writing campaigns and

donations for shipping expenses There are

also opportunities to volunteer time and effort

The Directors Executive Director and key

personnel all forego any payment to ensure

that the donorsrsquo intent as well as the needs

of the troops are paramount

At last Januaryrsquos ldquoDay of Service for Our

Militaryrdquo at Robert F Kennedy Memorial

Stadium in Washington DC mdash a partnership

between Operation Gratitude Target and

Serve DC mdash Michelle Obama and Malia

Obama Jill Biden and several Senators

Governors Congressmen Cabinet officials

and military commanders showed up to help

assemble Operation Gratitude care kits In

all 85000 kits were prepared At the closing

ceremony an enthusiastic crowd of 12000

were thanked by Staff Sergeant Ericka Castro

who recently served in Iraq I know that these

care packages are extremely meaningful

particularly when you are serving overseas

and are thousands of miles from home Care

packages made me feel better physically and

emotionally when I was in Iraq because it was

a reminder that my service was valued and that

people back home thought of me Carolyn

Blashek summed it all up ldquoWhen our recipients

open their Operation Gratitude packages they

will not only see great items but also feel the

love respect and appreciation of the American

people That is what Operation Gratitude and

lsquoA Day of Service for Our Militaryrsquo is all about

AMERICAN PATRIOT 5

LEARN MORE OR DONATE TOOPERATION GRATITUDE gt

VOLUNTEER FOROPERATION GRATITUDE gt

SEE A PHOTO GALLERY OF THETROOPS THE PACKAGES + MORE gt

Americarsquos carmakers are on the comeback trail Even in a

difficult economic year the Big Three Detroit companies out-

paced the industry in quality gains According to a new JD

Power and Associates society the initial quality of Chrysler

Ford and General Motors 2009 brands increased 10 over

2008 beating the overall industry rate of improvement The

initial quality study polls new car buyers 90 days after theyve

purchased their vehicles and asks them to grade their cars

on repair problemsmdash things that have brokenmdash and design

issues mdash such as whether the radio is easy to use

6 AMERICAN PATRIOT

AMERICAN CARQUALITY ON THE RISE

ldquoEven in the face of unprecedentedchallenges the Detroit automakers arekeeping their focus on designing andbuilding high-quality vehicles which isa precondition for long-term successrdquosaid David Sargent vice president ofautomotive research at JD Power andAssociates ldquoHigh quality generallytranslates into reduced re-engineeringcosts and lower warranty expenses duringa vehiclersquos life cycle High quality alsoenhances an automakerrsquos reputation forreliability which is a critical purchaseconsideration for many consumersrdquo

The findings are part of a trend whichhas seen American cars improving inreliability over the past few yearsAnother example over the summer theRDA Group another respected autoresearch organization found Ford tobe the number one carmaker in qualitytopping even Toyota and Honda forthe first time

Experts say that in addition to therecession the challenge for Americarsquoscar companies are still two-fold toremain consistently good at qualitycontrol and to convince consumerswho perceive Japanese and Germanautomakers as producing higher qualityvehicles that the tide has turned

AMERICAN PATRIOT 7

Historic New England crystallizes at the Boston Freedom Trail a red brick track through

downtown Boston that stops at sixteen points of significance in the history of freedom

The Trail is made up of 16 distinct original historic sites related to the establishment

of the country Established in 1958 the Freedom Trail is a national icon and draws more

than three million tourists residents of Massachusetts and school children each year

From the protests of Samuel Adams and James Otis to the Boston Massacre and the

Boston Tea Party to the liberation of Boston in 1776 by General Washington and his

army to the site of the first public school in America this historic walks takes in sites and

tells stories crucial to Americarsquos independence The most sensible place to start is the

Visitor Information Center in Boston Common where free maps are available as well as

audio and GPS tours A kids favorite is the 90-minute ldquoWalk into Historyrdquo tour by guides

PATRIOTIC TRIPSBOSTON FREEDOM TRAIL

8 AMERICAN PATRIOT

Boston CommonThe 50-acre central public part ofthe city established in 1634

MASSACHUSETTS STATE HOUSEThe state capitol located in the historic BeaconHill neighborhood

PARK STREET CHURCHFounded in 1809 its steeple can be seenthroughout Boston

GRANARY BURYING GROUNDNext to the Park Street Church it is the finalresting place of several notable RevolutionaryWar heroes and three signers of the Declarationof Independence

KINGrsquoS CHAPELThe current stone structure was begun in 1749as the first Anglican church in New England

KINGrsquoS CHAPEL BURYING GROUNDThe first cemetery in Boston and its only onefor a 30 year period in the 17th century

AMERICAN PATRIOT 9

SEE A MAP OF THE FREDOM TRAIL gt

BENJAMIN FRANKLIN STATUEThe statue honoring one of the FoundingFathers is also on the site of the first publicschool in the city Boston Latin School

OLD CORNER BOOKSTOREAn historic bookstore and the former home ofAnne Hutchinson who was expelled from thecolony in 1634 for religious heresy

OLD SOUTH MEETING PLACEThe largest building in Boston in the 1770s andthe organizing point for the Boston Tea Party

OLD STATE HOUSEThe oldest surviving public building in thecity and seat of the first elected legislature inthe New World

BOSTON MASSACRE SITEThe place where five civilians died at thehands of British troops helping to spark theAmerican Revolution

FANEUIL HALLQUINCY MARKETLocated near the waterfront and the currentfederal government center the restored sitehas been a marketplace and meeting hallsince 1742

PAUL REVERE HOUSEThe colonial home of American Patriot PaulRevere built circa 1680 and now a nonprofitmuseum

OLD NORTH CHURCHAt the North End of Boston it is location ofthe ldquoOne if by land two if by seardquo signal wassent to warn the locals of a British invasion

COPPrsquoS BURIAL GROUNDAn elevation in the North End and the secondoldest cemetery in Boston

USS ConstitutionA woodenmdashhulled three masted heavyfrigate named by George Washingtonlaunched in 1797 and best known forits victories in the War of 1812

Bunker Hill MonumentThis site commemorates the Battle ofBunker Hill the first major engagementbetween the British + Patriot forces inthe Revolutionary War

ldquoEven in the face of unprecedentedchallenges the Detroit automakers arekeeping their focus on designing andbuilding high-quality vehicles which isa precondition for long-term successrdquosaid David Sargent vice president ofautomotive research at JD Power andAssociates ldquoHigh quality generallytranslates into reduced re-engineeringcosts and lower warranty expenses duringa vehiclersquos life cycle High quality alsoenhances an automakerrsquos reputation forreliability which is a critical purchaseconsideration for many consumersrdquo

The findings are part of a trend whichhas seen American cars improving inreliability over the past few yearsAnother example over the summer theRDA Group another respected autoresearch organization found Ford tobe the number one carmaker in qualitytopping even Toyota and Honda forthe first time

Experts say that in addition to therecession the challenge for Americarsquoscar companies are still two-fold toremain consistently good at qualitycontrol and to convince consumerswho perceive Japanese and Germanautomakers as producing higher qualityvehicles that the tide has turned

AMERICAN PATRIOT 7

Historic New England crystallizes at the Boston Freedom Trail a red brick track through

downtown Boston that stops at sixteen points of significance in the history of freedom

The Trail is made up of 16 distinct original historic sites related to the establishment

of the country Established in 1958 the Freedom Trail is a national icon and draws more

than three million tourists residents of Massachusetts and school children each year

From the protests of Samuel Adams and James Otis to the Boston Massacre and the

Boston Tea Party to the liberation of Boston in 1776 by General Washington and his

army to the site of the first public school in America this historic walks takes in sites and

tells stories crucial to Americarsquos independence The most sensible place to start is the

Visitor Information Center in Boston Common where free maps are available as well as

audio and GPS tours A kids favorite is the 90-minute ldquoWalk into Historyrdquo tour by guides

PATRIOTIC TRIPSBOSTON FREEDOM TRAIL

8 AMERICAN PATRIOT

Boston CommonThe 50-acre central public part ofthe city established in 1634

MASSACHUSETTS STATE HOUSEThe state capitol located in the historic BeaconHill neighborhood

PARK STREET CHURCHFounded in 1809 its steeple can be seenthroughout Boston

GRANARY BURYING GROUNDNext to the Park Street Church it is the finalresting place of several notable RevolutionaryWar heroes and three signers of the Declarationof Independence

KINGrsquoS CHAPELThe current stone structure was begun in 1749as the first Anglican church in New England

KINGrsquoS CHAPEL BURYING GROUNDThe first cemetery in Boston and its only onefor a 30 year period in the 17th century

AMERICAN PATRIOT 9

SEE A MAP OF THE FREDOM TRAIL gt

BENJAMIN FRANKLIN STATUEThe statue honoring one of the FoundingFathers is also on the site of the first publicschool in the city Boston Latin School

OLD CORNER BOOKSTOREAn historic bookstore and the former home ofAnne Hutchinson who was expelled from thecolony in 1634 for religious heresy

OLD SOUTH MEETING PLACEThe largest building in Boston in the 1770s andthe organizing point for the Boston Tea Party

OLD STATE HOUSEThe oldest surviving public building in thecity and seat of the first elected legislature inthe New World

BOSTON MASSACRE SITEThe place where five civilians died at thehands of British troops helping to spark theAmerican Revolution

FANEUIL HALLQUINCY MARKETLocated near the waterfront and the currentfederal government center the restored sitehas been a marketplace and meeting hallsince 1742

PAUL REVERE HOUSEThe colonial home of American Patriot PaulRevere built circa 1680 and now a nonprofitmuseum

OLD NORTH CHURCHAt the North End of Boston it is location ofthe ldquoOne if by land two if by seardquo signal wassent to warn the locals of a British invasion

COPPrsquoS BURIAL GROUNDAn elevation in the North End and the secondoldest cemetery in Boston

USS ConstitutionA woodenmdashhulled three masted heavyfrigate named by George Washingtonlaunched in 1797 and best known forits victories in the War of 1812

Bunker Hill MonumentThis site commemorates the Battle ofBunker Hill the first major engagementbetween the British + Patriot forces inthe Revolutionary War

Historic New England crystallizes at the Boston Freedom Trail a red brick track through

downtown Boston that stops at sixteen points of significance in the history of freedom

The Trail is made up of 16 distinct original historic sites related to the establishment

of the country Established in 1958 the Freedom Trail is a national icon and draws more

than three million tourists residents of Massachusetts and school children each year

From the protests of Samuel Adams and James Otis to the Boston Massacre and the

Boston Tea Party to the liberation of Boston in 1776 by General Washington and his

army to the site of the first public school in America this historic walks takes in sites and

tells stories crucial to Americarsquos independence The most sensible place to start is the

Visitor Information Center in Boston Common where free maps are available as well as

audio and GPS tours A kids favorite is the 90-minute ldquoWalk into Historyrdquo tour by guides

PATRIOTIC TRIPSBOSTON FREEDOM TRAIL

8 AMERICAN PATRIOT

Boston CommonThe 50-acre central public part ofthe city established in 1634

MASSACHUSETTS STATE HOUSEThe state capitol located in the historic BeaconHill neighborhood

PARK STREET CHURCHFounded in 1809 its steeple can be seenthroughout Boston

GRANARY BURYING GROUNDNext to the Park Street Church it is the finalresting place of several notable RevolutionaryWar heroes and three signers of the Declarationof Independence

KINGrsquoS CHAPELThe current stone structure was begun in 1749as the first Anglican church in New England

KINGrsquoS CHAPEL BURYING GROUNDThe first cemetery in Boston and its only onefor a 30 year period in the 17th century

AMERICAN PATRIOT 9

SEE A MAP OF THE FREDOM TRAIL gt

BENJAMIN FRANKLIN STATUEThe statue honoring one of the FoundingFathers is also on the site of the first publicschool in the city Boston Latin School

OLD CORNER BOOKSTOREAn historic bookstore and the former home ofAnne Hutchinson who was expelled from thecolony in 1634 for religious heresy

OLD SOUTH MEETING PLACEThe largest building in Boston in the 1770s andthe organizing point for the Boston Tea Party

OLD STATE HOUSEThe oldest surviving public building in thecity and seat of the first elected legislature inthe New World

BOSTON MASSACRE SITEThe place where five civilians died at thehands of British troops helping to spark theAmerican Revolution

FANEUIL HALLQUINCY MARKETLocated near the waterfront and the currentfederal government center the restored sitehas been a marketplace and meeting hallsince 1742

PAUL REVERE HOUSEThe colonial home of American Patriot PaulRevere built circa 1680 and now a nonprofitmuseum

OLD NORTH CHURCHAt the North End of Boston it is location ofthe ldquoOne if by land two if by seardquo signal wassent to warn the locals of a British invasion

COPPrsquoS BURIAL GROUNDAn elevation in the North End and the secondoldest cemetery in Boston

USS ConstitutionA woodenmdashhulled three masted heavyfrigate named by George Washingtonlaunched in 1797 and best known forits victories in the War of 1812

Bunker Hill MonumentThis site commemorates the Battle ofBunker Hill the first major engagementbetween the British + Patriot forces inthe Revolutionary War

AMERICAN PATRIOT 9

SEE A MAP OF THE FREDOM TRAIL gt

BENJAMIN FRANKLIN STATUEThe statue honoring one of the FoundingFathers is also on the site of the first publicschool in the city Boston Latin School

OLD CORNER BOOKSTOREAn historic bookstore and the former home ofAnne Hutchinson who was expelled from thecolony in 1634 for religious heresy

OLD SOUTH MEETING PLACEThe largest building in Boston in the 1770s andthe organizing point for the Boston Tea Party

OLD STATE HOUSEThe oldest surviving public building in thecity and seat of the first elected legislature inthe New World

BOSTON MASSACRE SITEThe place where five civilians died at thehands of British troops helping to spark theAmerican Revolution

FANEUIL HALLQUINCY MARKETLocated near the waterfront and the currentfederal government center the restored sitehas been a marketplace and meeting hallsince 1742

PAUL REVERE HOUSEThe colonial home of American Patriot PaulRevere built circa 1680 and now a nonprofitmuseum

OLD NORTH CHURCHAt the North End of Boston it is location ofthe ldquoOne if by land two if by seardquo signal wassent to warn the locals of a British invasion

COPPrsquoS BURIAL GROUNDAn elevation in the North End and the secondoldest cemetery in Boston

USS ConstitutionA woodenmdashhulled three masted heavyfrigate named by George Washingtonlaunched in 1797 and best known forits victories in the War of 1812

Bunker Hill MonumentThis site commemorates the Battle ofBunker Hill the first major engagementbetween the British + Patriot forces inthe Revolutionary War

10 AMERICAN PATRIOT

STAMP HONORS

GARY COOPERAS AMERICAN ICON

A cowboy from Helena MT Cooperstarted in the movies as a stuntmanfalling off horses during HollywoodrsquosldquoGolden Agerdquo For decades he wasthe all-American hero whose believableperformances and strong silent ap-peal brought him a lifetime of fame

Using the skills he acquired on thatMontana ranch said US PostalService Board of Governor memberAlan C Kessler in dedicating thestamp Cooper entered the filmindustry as an extra and stunt dou-ble He eventually traded the starsfrom Big Sky Country to one on theHollywood walk of fame as he rodeeffortlessly into the starring roles ofmovies like High Noon The Plains-man and The Westerner Cooperrsquosroles varied dramatically in actionand war standouts like A Farewellto Arms Sergeant York andYoure In The Navy Now

During World War II he was a tirelessvisitor to the troops overseas oftenmesmerizing them with the dramaticfarewell speech by Lou Gehrig thatCooper performed in the movieldquoPride of the Yankeesrdquo

Joining Kessler in dedicating thestamp was Coopers daughter MariaCooper Janis My father would havebeen very flattered by this honor buthe was always very self deprecatingsaid Coopers daughter If he werehere today hed probably say Seelook what you get for falling off ahorse Janis added that her fatherhad a strong commitment to natureand Native Americans She recentlycreated the The Gary Cooper Schol-arship which is awarded to a NativeAmerican students enrolled in thestudy of film and television at theUniversity of Southern California

Art director Phil Jordan of FallsChurch VA designed the GaryCooper stamp using a portrait byartist Kazuhiko Sano The image isbased on a black-and-white circa1940 George Hurrell photograph

Iconic actor Gary Cooper was honored as the 15th inductee intothe Legends of Hollywood collectible stamp series The dedicationceremony took center stage in Los Angeles at the Autry NationalCenter of the American West where the Oscar for his role in HighNoon and Cooper movie posters were on display Forty million44-cent first class stamps are now available nationwide

AMERICAN PATRIOT 11

SEE GARY COOOPER AS THESHERIFF IN HIGH NOON gt

MORE INFORMATION ON THEGARY COOOPER STAMP gt

STAMP HONORS

GARY COOPERAS AMERICAN ICON

A cowboy from Helena MT Cooperstarted in the movies as a stuntmanfalling off horses during HollywoodrsquosldquoGolden Agerdquo For decades he wasthe all-American hero whose believableperformances and strong silent ap-peal brought him a lifetime of fame

Using the skills he acquired on thatMontana ranch said US PostalService Board of Governor memberAlan C Kessler in dedicating thestamp Cooper entered the filmindustry as an extra and stunt dou-ble He eventually traded the starsfrom Big Sky Country to one on theHollywood walk of fame as he rodeeffortlessly into the starring roles ofmovies like High Noon The Plains-man and The Westerner Cooperrsquosroles varied dramatically in actionand war standouts like A Farewellto Arms Sergeant York andYoure In The Navy Now

During World War II he was a tirelessvisitor to the troops overseas oftenmesmerizing them with the dramaticfarewell speech by Lou Gehrig thatCooper performed in the movieldquoPride of the Yankeesrdquo

Joining Kessler in dedicating thestamp was Coopers daughter MariaCooper Janis My father would havebeen very flattered by this honor buthe was always very self deprecatingsaid Coopers daughter If he werehere today hed probably say Seelook what you get for falling off ahorse Janis added that her fatherhad a strong commitment to natureand Native Americans She recentlycreated the The Gary Cooper Schol-arship which is awarded to a NativeAmerican students enrolled in thestudy of film and television at theUniversity of Southern California

Art director Phil Jordan of FallsChurch VA designed the GaryCooper stamp using a portrait byartist Kazuhiko Sano The image isbased on a black-and-white circa1940 George Hurrell photograph

Iconic actor Gary Cooper was honored as the 15th inductee intothe Legends of Hollywood collectible stamp series The dedicationceremony took center stage in Los Angeles at the Autry NationalCenter of the American West where the Oscar for his role in HighNoon and Cooper movie posters were on display Forty million44-cent first class stamps are now available nationwide

AMERICAN PATRIOT 11

SEE GARY COOOPER AS THESHERIFF IN HIGH NOON gt

MORE INFORMATION ON THEGARY COOOPER STAMP gt

With the National Football League seasonin full swing around the country andfootball challenging baseball as theldquoNational Pastimerdquo it is hard to imaginethat professional football struggled tostay afloat in its early years That ithas survived mdash and thrives beyondimagination mdash is due in no small partto a name little known among todayrsquosgeneration of sports fans

GEORGE HALAS

12 AMERICAN PATRIOT

FORGOTTENHERO

George Halas was a founding fatherof professional football back in thebeginning of the 1900s He wasplayercoach when the ChicagoBears were still playing as theDecatur (IL) Staleys He was thereto move them to Chicago and henamed them the Bears He wasat the first meeting located ata car dealership lot in Canton Ohiowhere a group of owners formedthe American Professional FootballConference which became theNational Football League

Understanding the need to find awayto steal attention away from more estab-lished sports mdash Major League Baseballcollege football and boxing held sway inthose days mdash Halas discovered and mar-keted the first true professional footballstar in Harold Red Grange He then tookthe Bears and Grange on a coast-to-coasttour to promote professional football asa game of speed and strength He hadhis Bears play the New York Giants atthe Polo Grounds in front of more than65000 spectators the largest crowd tosee a professional football game at thetime Although the tour took less than threeweeks it included eight games in 12 daysand went from New York to California

Among other Halas contributions to foot-ball he was the first to hold daily practicesessions to utilize films of opponentsgames to have his games broadcast onradio During the 1930s he lobbied suc-cessfully for league rules that enhancedscoring capabilities which enhanced thepopularity of the game He was instrumen-tal in creating the T-Formation which ledto the Bears dominating the 1940s Hedrafted the first African-American playerand had the first African-American quar-terback in the league And when WorldWar II threatened to close the league downhe was instrumental in keeping it goingAt the same time he served in the SouthPacific with the Navy from 1943-45

Halas remained in the game he loved onand off through 1981 As a coachowner manager and player his belovedBears teams won six NFL titles threeother divisional titles and finished second15 times Only six of Halasrsquo 40 teamsfinished below the 500 mark The ProFootball Hall of Fame located poignantlyin Canton Ohio is located on a streetrenamed George Halas drive Halaspassed away in 1983 but unlike so manyvisionaries he lived to see his vision ofprofessional football become the centerof American sporting life

AMERICAN PATRIOT 13

LEARN MORE ABOUT GEORGE HALAS gt

George Halas was a founding fatherof professional football back in thebeginning of the 1900s He wasplayercoach when the ChicagoBears were still playing as theDecatur (IL) Staleys He was thereto move them to Chicago and henamed them the Bears He wasat the first meeting located ata car dealership lot in Canton Ohiowhere a group of owners formedthe American Professional FootballConference which became theNational Football League

Understanding the need to find awayto steal attention away from more estab-lished sports mdash Major League Baseballcollege football and boxing held sway inthose days mdash Halas discovered and mar-keted the first true professional footballstar in Harold Red Grange He then tookthe Bears and Grange on a coast-to-coasttour to promote professional football asa game of speed and strength He hadhis Bears play the New York Giants atthe Polo Grounds in front of more than65000 spectators the largest crowd tosee a professional football game at thetime Although the tour took less than threeweeks it included eight games in 12 daysand went from New York to California

Among other Halas contributions to foot-ball he was the first to hold daily practicesessions to utilize films of opponentsgames to have his games broadcast onradio During the 1930s he lobbied suc-cessfully for league rules that enhancedscoring capabilities which enhanced thepopularity of the game He was instrumen-tal in creating the T-Formation which ledto the Bears dominating the 1940s Hedrafted the first African-American playerand had the first African-American quar-terback in the league And when WorldWar II threatened to close the league downhe was instrumental in keeping it goingAt the same time he served in the SouthPacific with the Navy from 1943-45

Halas remained in the game he loved onand off through 1981 As a coachowner manager and player his belovedBears teams won six NFL titles threeother divisional titles and finished second15 times Only six of Halasrsquo 40 teamsfinished below the 500 mark The ProFootball Hall of Fame located poignantlyin Canton Ohio is located on a streetrenamed George Halas drive Halaspassed away in 1983 but unlike so manyvisionaries he lived to see his vision ofprofessional football become the centerof American sporting life

AMERICAN PATRIOT 13

LEARN MORE ABOUT GEORGE HALAS gt

DANCING IN THE DARKA Cultural History of the Great DepressionBY MORRIS DICKSTEIN

This book is a comprehensive overview of American culture during the period

of the Great Depression Dicksteinrsquos ldquoreader-friendlyrdquo book offers information

about the books movies plays and poems mdash from Fred Astaire to F Scott

Fitzgerald mdashHe argues that the popular culture of the period allowed people

to feel a bit of ldquolife saving grace unity and style against the darknessrdquo

NEW HISTORY BOOKS IN THE STORESTHE LAST FOUNDING FATHERJames Monroe and a Nationrsquos Call to GreatnessBY HARLOW GILES UNGER

James Monroe was the last of the Virginia Dynasty that controlledthe presidency for 32 of the Constitutionrsquos first 36 years of existenceAmong two-termpresidents hemay be the least known yet he ran forreelection unopposed the only person besides GeorgeWashingtonto do so Ungerrsquos book argues that Monroe was a transformativepresidentwho expandedAmericanmilitarymight extendedAmericarsquosborders and promoted its economic development Hemakes it clearwhy Monroersquos biography belongs up there with the likes of Washing-ton Adams Jefferson Madison Franklin Hamilton and Marshall

CIVIL WAR WIVESBY CAROL BERKIN

Civil War Wives tells the stories of three 19th-century women Her first subject

Angelina GrimkeacuteWeld was a successful abolitionist orator before she married

fellow abolitionist Theodore Weld The next two Varina Howell Davis the wife

of Confederate President Jefferson Davis and Julia Dent Grant wife of Civil War

general and President Ulysses S Grant were more completely defined by their

marriages These three marriages provide unique perspectives on the turbulent

times they lived through and on the lives of womenduring theCivilWar in general

14 AMERICAN PATRIOT

THE NATIONAL PARKS Americarsquos Best IdeaBY KEN BURNS

This is the companion volume to the PBS series and DVD of the

same name The project seeks to provide a comprehensive history

of the American national parks system that Itrsquos a system that began

from a radical notion that our nationrsquos spectacular landscape and

natural resources should be preserved for their own sake set aside

not just for kings or noblemen or the very rich but for everyone

The Complete Illustrated History of World War IIBY DONALD SOMMERVILLE

In this single volume Donald Sommerville takes the reader from the

aftermath of World War I through the defeat of Germany and Japan

He presents 500 evocative photographs that bring World War II pow-

erfully to life The text covers the factors leading up to the conflict

the key turning points of the war and the impact of new technologies

Color campaign maps and battle plans complement descriptions of

every major engagement Special features are dedicated to weaponry

and fact boxes offer close-up views of the warrsquos most important po-

litical and military leaders like Hitler Roosevelt and Churchill

EAGLES AND EMPIREThe United States Mexicoand the Struggle for a ContinentBY DAVID A CLARY

The Mexican-American War of the 1840s is the topic of this bookIt takes a wide angled lens to the conflict covering both nationsrsquowar effort as well as the events leading up to the war and post-wardevelopments Americarsquos annexation of large parts of the South-west into the present era Clary also assesses the performance ofPresident Polk Generals Taylor and Scott and other military leadersincluding Mexicorsquos leader Santa Ann

AMERICAN PATRIOT 15

BUY THIS BOOK NOWgt

THE NATIONAL PARKS Americarsquos Best IdeaBY KEN BURNS

This is the companion volume to the PBS series and DVD of the

same name The project seeks to provide a comprehensive history

of the American national parks system that Itrsquos a system that began

from a radical notion that our nationrsquos spectacular landscape and

natural resources should be preserved for their own sake set aside

not just for kings or noblemen or the very rich but for everyone

The Complete Illustrated History of World War IIBY DONALD SOMMERVILLE

In this single volume Donald Sommerville takes the reader from the

aftermath of World War I through the defeat of Germany and Japan

He presents 500 evocative photographs that bring World War II pow-

erfully to life The text covers the factors leading up to the conflict

the key turning points of the war and the impact of new technologies

Color campaign maps and battle plans complement descriptions of

every major engagement Special features are dedicated to weaponry

and fact boxes offer close-up views of the warrsquos most important po-

litical and military leaders like Hitler Roosevelt and Churchill

EAGLES AND EMPIREThe United States Mexicoand the Struggle for a ContinentBY DAVID A CLARY

The Mexican-American War of the 1840s is the topic of this bookIt takes a wide angled lens to the conflict covering both nationsrsquowar effort as well as the events leading up to the war and post-wardevelopments Americarsquos annexation of large parts of the South-west into the present era Clary also assesses the performance ofPresident Polk Generals Taylor and Scott and other military leadersincluding Mexicorsquos leader Santa Ann

AMERICAN PATRIOT 15

BUY THIS BOOK NOWgt