Today, I Miss Him

To: Victoria Delsoul

Victoria,

As I was going through an old LIFE magazine this morning, (June 12, 1944) I came across this prayer on the second page. I thought of our men and women overseas, including those who have given the Last Full Measure, and it seemed to fit today.

The Prayer is not credited that I could see, and was sponsored by Nash automobiles, and Kelvinator Refridgerators.

Here it is:

I'm going up front now.

And if you don't mind, before I go I'd like to talk to you.

I won't ask you to intercede for me on the battlefield. I won't ask you to make things soft for me when the going gets tough. I won't ask you to carry me. I'll take the bitter and the rough with the rest.

I ask only this...

If we must die, let us be worthy to die...

If we must fall, let out fall be not unnoticed and alone.

We know you understand...

And we know Joe's father and Pete's wife and Jack's brother and Bill's kids and Fred's girl and my mother understand...

But help the others back home understand, too.

Help them to understand how much devotion to their jobs mean to us...

Help them know that their thoughts, and prayers, and notes of encouragement allow us to move forward, when it would be easier to fall back.

Help them to understand that here in this hell the enemy is not a man but a devil... that if you sleep you sleep with your finger on the filed-down trigger of a tommy gun... that a sudden sound and the earth quakes and forests topple and hills fall and all of us live and walk in the fear of death...

Help them to understand that in a world where all we see and touch and hear is strange, a man must cling to his changeless things... his home... his country...his God...

Help them to understand we will never change our hearts and souls and minds about the things we are fighting for.

No. Out here we fight for the right to come back to our homes, our America, our way of life... for the right of all men to live and grow in a world where every man may keep forever free from hatred, greed and tyranny - his home ... and his country ... and his God.

Amen.

101 posted on 05/01/2004 7:11:05 PM PDT by Northern Yankee (Freedom Needs A Soldier!)

To: kristinn; GunsareOK; BufordP; Taxman; leadpenny; Angelwood; tgslTakoma; Trueblackman

ping

Very powerful story here about some of our best and bravest!

102 posted on 05/01/2004 10:08:15 PM PDT by L_Von_Mises

103 posted on 05/01/2004 11:02:11 PM PDT by sarasmom (Watching mainstream liberal media "news reports" will cause brain atrophy.)

I believe the photo was removed/replaced due to copyright complaints.

104 posted on 05/02/2004 9:10:10 AM PDT by A.A. Cunningham

Thank you for posting this.

105 posted on 05/02/2004 9:24:14 AM PDT by auboy

To: A.A. Cunningham

Thank you, that is a photograph I'm sure I'll see again.

106 posted on 05/02/2004 11:21:11 AM PDT by leadpenny

Thank you for the ping, L_Von_Mises.

A powerful story that will never appear in the Lamestream Press. This monograph deserves much wider coverage than it will receive.

God Bless all those who are serving America in our time of need.

God Bless America!

107 posted on 05/03/2004 3:08:19 AM PDT by Taxman (So that the beautiful pressure does not diminish!)

Apparently frontimage.jpg is replaced with a new photo of the same name on the site every day.

108 posted on 05/03/2004 3:46:53 AM PDT by UnbelievingScumOnTheOtherSide (Rumble Thee Forth...)

To: chesty_puller; Jim Robinson; Eastbound; Taxman; GRRRRR; Eagle9; A Navy Vet

109 posted on 05/04/2004 2:21:16 PM PDT by dixie sass ( Claws are sharp and ready for use!)

Thank you for posting this.

110 posted on 05/04/2004 2:21:56 PM PDT by dixie sass ( Claws are sharp and ready for use!)

To: NicknamedBob

111 posted on 05/10/2004 9:24:27 AM PDT by MEG33 (John Kerry's been AWOL for two decades on issues of National Security!)

To: NicknamedBob; The Mayor

#101 is a wonderful post

112 posted on 05/10/2004 9:29:46 AM PDT by MEG33 (John Kerry's been AWOL for two decades on issues of National Security!)

My poem, and Billie's graphic, have an obvious connection to this story.

113 posted on 05/10/2004 11:18:04 AM PDT by NicknamedBob (When life hands me lemons, I say "Cool! ... Free lemons!")

Bump to the top...day before yesterday, a new Twentynine Palms chow hall was named after Chance Phelps.

114 posted on 05/06/2006 1:42:16 PM PDT by ErnBatavia (Meep Meep)

I just reread all and the links and have tears streaming down my face again.

~Freedom Isn't Free~ >

I have fought the good fight
I have finished my course
I have kept the faith
2 Timothy 4:7

~Remember Our Fallen Warriors~

Picture and verse courtesy of MsBehavin
~May God Comfort Those Who Mourn~

115 posted on 05/06/2006 7:37:56 PM PDT by MEG33 (GOD BLESS OUR ARMED FORCES)

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