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Originally Posted by KCWolfman
Dearest Cindy,
War is ugly on many levels, some never foreseen. The terrible action is nothing like the Errol Flynn movies we have seen, the carnage is horrible and the circumstances much more dire. I watched a boy die as he was struck directly in the face with enemy fire, there was nothing that could be done. Then I lied to his parents so that their lasting memories would be one of pride and honor in their family name.
The planes that come at you come from all angles, usually from above and out of the sun. You see and hear nothing until the last moment. The bullets go through our frame like a Ted Williams bat through a wet paper towel. If a bullet happens to stay in the plane, it is still hot enough to scorch the metal it lays upon. Our radio operator almost went up in a hailstorm that struck his equipment. Had he not had the equipment there, I would have authored two letters instead of one.
Don't get me wrong, Cindy, I don't fear death. As Pastor Michaels says, we can't stop the inevitable. But I fear for my men and keeping up their morale. We must stop the cursed Huns before the amass enough power to come overseas and continue their heartless carnage. We will never be able to do so if we don't have the heart and resolve to continue on in the face of extreme adversity.
The kid who died was the bug-eyed one on the bombadier rack, Slayer Diablo. He never was nothing, but a simple farm hand with a taste for Nehi soda and playing Go Fish. The boys razzed him all the time about not gambling, not drinking, and not girl chasin', but it didn't seem to bother him at all. His loss has greatly affected our crew, regardless of what they say.
I told his parents he completed his mission and wreaked havoc on the enemy. That was a blatant lie, our mission was a failure in all senses of the word save the fact that we came back home safe. I felt the lie was necessary, but I prayed the Lord forgive my decision and look upon my lies with mitigation I served his parents. God forgive me, it was the lesser of two evils.
Cindy, forget me not, and pray for me daily. My love for you, my family, and my country keep me going and give me the strength I need to complete this horrid action in Europe.
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