In the 20th century alone, more than 147,00 Americans were captured and becamed prisoners of war. Of that number, more than 15,000 died in captivity. Add to this the 90,000 who are still unaccounted for, and it staggers the mind.

So few Americans realize the price of Freedom. While memorials to the dead remind us of the ultimate sacrifice, how many remember to look past the facades and smiles, to the hidden scars, the memories, the physical pain, that our veterans endure daily?

Last November, we spent time with many returned POWs from the Korean War. We got to meet more than a dozen survivors of the Chosin Reservoir. Proud men. They told stories of frozen limbs and lost friends, remembered still. Why do you care, they asked?

In May, the we had the honor to meet more than 280 of our Vietnam returnees. Special heroes that came home after Vietnam. It was not until placing photos in albums, that the shock of their survival set in.

The pictures of the Hon. Tom Collins were noted with "held 8 years, 4 months." Col. Bob Jeffrey's said "held 7 years 2 months." You would have never known by the handshakes and smiles. We met former POW "Pop" Kiern -- held in WWII and again in Vietnam. Some were WWII heroes. Some fought again in Korea. And they fought again in Vietnam. When we asked BGen Robbie Risner to autograph his book, he apologized to us! - my handwriting is really bad, they broke my hands so many times, he told us.

We met three special men, not realizing till after we came home, they had survived 22 YEARS in North Vietnamese prisons. Trinh Sam, Nguyen Kien and Ha van Son were commandos. How can our government tell us our POWs could not have survived - cannot still be alive ?

Freedom has never had such definition.The stars and stipes will forever more bring visions of dozens of former POWs singing the Star Spangled Banner. The P.O.W. flag -- visions of Monica Storz, talking about her dad, Ron, who died in captivity. Even the children's nursery rhyme, Old MacDonald, will forever carry the sound of Doug Hegdahl repeating the names of more than 200 prisoners, "for show" as he did more than 25 years ago. A Purple Heart pin -- will always recall visions of a room full of proud, proud, men.

The price of freedom is high. A select few have paid that price for all of us. How much more appreciated this 4th of July will be for those of us that did not serve. How much more grateful for all of those that did serve, we should all be.

How much harder we need to work to make sure there is Liberty, and justice, for all.