Eighty years ago this week in Belgium's Ardennes Forest wounded American soldiers froze to death during the Battle of the Bulge. Thousands were treated for frostbite and trench foot.

Their equipment and tanks were frozen in ice during during days of blizzard conditions. They did not have enough available resources to keep them warm.

These soldiers were fighting for freedom, American values and ideals. This included the hope of prosperity or at the least, protective shelter, food and warmth for all in our country. It is hard to imagine eight decades later that many in the United States are homeless, cannot afford to heat their homes and some actually freeze to death.