Thanksgiving 2025 Marks 80th Anniversary of Historic Prayer

In November, 1945, General Jonathan Mayhew Wainwright IV, hero of Corregidor, American Ex-Prisoner of War, and recipient of the Congressional Medal of Honor, toured his native State of Washington in the interest of the World War II Victory Loan drive. He issued a prayer to the people of America on Thursday, November 22, the first post-war Thanksgiving:

"O God, our Father, today we give Thee thanks for the things we take for granted, for freedom, for security of life, for food and shelter and the presence of loved ones. We thank Thee that men long denied these blessings have through sacrifice and pain once more attained them.

"We thank Thee that once again men may have hope, opportunity to work and plan for a better future, a chance to secure peace and an ampler life for themselves and their children.

"Keep us humble in the day of victory, make us wise in the presence of great problems, strong and brave in face of any danger, and sympathetic and generous as we face the appalling need of a war-torn world.

"In gratitude for all those who paid the price of victory we now ask Thy guidance as we dedicate ourselves to that cause for which they gave their last whole measure of devotion. ‘Lord God of Hosts, be with us yet, lest we forget!’ Amen."

General Wainwright is a subject of Jonathan Horn's new volume, "The Fate of the Generals: MacArthur, Wainwright, and the Epic Battle for the Philippines."