Proud to be an American...this is my history anyone who tries to tell me that everyone comes from somewhere else and that strength is in our diversity can...strength is in our unity. This is the United not the Diversified states of America. Pride is sitting in the barracks in San Diego listening to the Mayauez story unfold. Sadness is watching President Nixon's helicopter fly over your barracks in Bethesda when he had to resign. Anger is watching the Marines evacuating as Viet Nam fell and feeling betrayed as the SVA collasped without so much as a stand expecting our sudden return. I was twenty-two in 1975. I was a Naval Corpsman. One day as colors were sounding and I stood at the door of Bethesda hospital watching the CNO Admiral Zumwalt walked out the door and stood next to me watching. Yes therein is pride I'll always remember the high and low watching the scene as our flag was lowered.