The 75th Anniversary of the Battle of Gettysburg

156 years ago, the greatest and costliest battle ever fought on American Soil broke out in and around the crossroads town of Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, and continued for three terrible days. 75 years later, the Peace Light Memorial was dedicated by FDR, and was attended by hundreds of veterans of both sides—along with 300,000 other spectators.

Today, 81 years later, our collective memory and understanding of the Battle of Gettysburg and the Civil War is waning. Fading with it are the searing lessons learned and even an elementary understanding of the enormous sacrifices that those veterans all hoped would endure.

Look at these photos, and you’ll realize the Battle of Gettysburg was not that long ago. There are youngsters who attended the 75th Anniversary of Gettysburg still alive today. So, when you think about it, we’re really only two handshakes removed from that extraordinary event in our nation’s history.