Dear Lord, we lift Brian's family up to you so you will give them rest.
Make us worthy of such painful sacrifice. And may God continue to
bless the United States of America. In Jesus' precious name, Amen.
Posted on 07/02/2004 1:29:58 PM PDT by BriansDad
Brian;
I finished talking to you last Saturday, long distance from Germany, where you were helping load up your unit for movement to the Middle East. I didn’t get to tell you everything I wanted to say, partly because I am not very good at expressing myself on the spur of the moment, and partly because I wanted the conversation to be as upbeat as I could manage.
You are, it appears, heading off to war. Unfortunately, volunteering to join the Army, and putting yourself in jeopardy for the sake of your country does not generate the open admiration that it has in times past. I want you to know that I am very proud of you, though. You continue a family tradition of service to country that passed from my father’s service in Japan at the end of World War II, through my enlistment and that of my three brothers in our generation. I was the one who suggested that you enlist, but you were the one with the dedication and love of country to make the decision. I saw you go off to basic training right after graduation from high school…a gawky, typically unfocused teenage boy. You returned from basic and advanced training not gawky but solid and strong, not scatterbrained but with a calmness and maturity that was very surprising after three short months. You came back a man. A man that was all I ever hoped and dreamed you would be. I admire what you have become.
Your choice of combat engineers was a bit frightening…early into harm’s way is not what fathers dream of for their sons. And now, you are preparing to go fight, to follow the orders of those above you, and I am scared. Scared for your safety, and for the safety of all your fellow soldiers, sailors, airmen and Marines.
You may have heard of some of the dissenting voices back in the United States. As with all wars, there are those who believe we should not fight, or that the cause is not just, or that the whole thing just isn’t necessary. You will note that many of the voices raised in dissent are the same voices that we have heard many times… the appeasers, the weak minded, those with agendas we can only guess at, and, unfortunately also those who just plain hate this country. Oh, they are here…count on it. You could hear them throughout the years constantly finding fault with everything America does, belittling what we stand for and what we are. Unfortunately, those in the entertainment industry tend to be over-represented in these voices of dissent. What was it that John Adams said in “1776”? “Those cool men” (and women, of course)….who speak out loudly and with feeling, but stand back and let others do the dangerous and frightening work that must be done to protect the country and the people. You never see them volunteering to place themselves in danger. They are never the police officers, the firefighters, or the military men whose daily lives are service to country. Sarandon, Sheen, Penn, and the others….always the same names. They cry the same platitudes, “Peace, always peace”, “There is no proof”, “Why should we get involved?” Strangely, or perhaps not so, these were many of the same cries made in the late 1930’s, and by the time they were stilled, whole nations and peoples had been destroyed. No one expects Saddam Hussein to conquer countries as Adolf Hitler did (not that he hasn’t tried, though), but he is a man of intense evil, and a man who has proven to have no hesitation at using chemical and biological weapons against those he dislikes. And, my son, we are on that list. All it takes is to remember the pictures you have seen of the victims of these heinous weapons. The caustic burns, children’s chests heaving to take a breath, or, worst of all, the mounds of lifeless bodies. You and your fellow military men and women are gearing up to prevent these same pictures from appearing on our T.V. screens yet again, but with the locations being L.A., or Akron, or Washington, D.C.; and the people in the pictures being Americans, not some unknown tribe’s people from a far off land.
So, go forth with the knowledge that our cause is just, and the battle is necessary. And pay no heed to the dissenters, they are not the majority or even a significant minority of the people in this country. That majority of good people stand behind you and the rest of the servicemen. Those people know that to have a safe world, to have a safe America, we must protect ourselves against our enemies.
Go and do what you must do. Know that with all of my heart I love you, I respect you, and I am so very proud of you. The other fathers of America and I place our country, our safety and our future in your hands. I pray that God watches over all of you.
All my love
Dad
Thank you for everything. May the peace of G-d go with you.
Dear Lord, we lift Brian's family up to you so you will give them rest.
Make us worthy of such painful sacrifice. And may God continue to
bless the United States of America. In Jesus' precious name, Amen.
Occasionally we FReepers get a glimpse of each others' hearts. This is one of those times. This is sacred and I want to thank you from the bottom of my heart.
I have a Brian too. He's not in the war but if he was, I'd hope he would perform as bravely and with as much character and honor as your Brian.
God bless you.
Millions of Iraqi's are free now and the world is a much safer place because your son was brave.
May God comfort you BriansDad.
I thank God for your son and for you! May He always bless and protect your family, all those Brian loves and this country.
Bump
Very, very sorry. Thank you for being such a good dad and raising such a fine son.
"Thank you" hardly seems enough, but your sharing this with us lets us feel a sense of pride for ourselves, although we did not personally know Brian.
You have my prayers and my gratitude. I am honored to read your wonderful letter to your son. May you rejoice again on that day you embrace Brian in Heaven.
Heads up! Do not miss this one!! (But bring your Kleenex...)
Brian's Dad, thank you ever so much for sharing this with us -- and please accept our heartfelt prayers for you and your family!
May God bless you and your family and Brain rest in peace. I just want you know that I pray daily for all our TROOPS and there families who give so much for all of us. I like you am proud of all our TROOPS (and Families). As someone here once said are the all perfect no, but they are the best of America. Most American will take our worse Troop to any of those who protest our Country. God Bless America. our Commander-in-Chief, our Troops and there families.
Jhn 15:13 Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.
God bless you and your family ... That is a beautiful letter you gave to your son.
I am sorry to hear of your loss and I will keep Brian in my prayers
I am so sorry for the loss of Brian. Prayers for you and your family and thank you for your sacrifice.
You conveyed your feelings to your son. That is something some parents don't think of doing until the opportunity is gone. Brian went into harm's way knowing the love and respect you had for him.
Those who honor and appreciate the heroes who serve our country far outnumber the ones who don't.
This is a beautiful heartfelt letter. Your son made a difference in this world. As do you. God bless and keep you. Thank you for your family's service.
Ping.
Can't think of anything else to say through the tears.
May God grant you peace. I too lost a son. Not in combat, but he was lost.
Its a long road my brother.
I will pray for you and your boy tonight
Your son Brian has carried on his family's legacy and we are all the better for it.
You gave your son much more than this loving letter (and loving home to grow up in). You gave him the freedom to choose his own life. Many American parents are far too selfish to ever consider such a gift.
Thank you for your sacrifice, dedication and the spirit you instilled in your son which you have now so generously shared with all of us.
You, and your family, will be in my prayers often.
With tearful gratitude and humble respect knowing that a stranger's words can never replace he who is so dear to you,
The Shrew
Semper Fi,
TS
wonderful letter.
Thanks for pinging me, HG.
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