[Victoria Delsoul]

Thank you so much for another beautiful tribute, Luis. You are an inspiration and the heart and voice of many.

There's an old, tattered flag waving in the breeze out front; under a clear, true blue dream of an American sky, Jimmy's flag is waving for the country once again; and though its edges are ragged, the colors are strong, and vibrant, just as they were when it waved, framed by a Virginia sky, and waited for a sailor to come home. Old Jimmy would have wanted it this way, Lydia told me.

I raise the colors every morning; then I do a small salute and speak to ears that I know are listening near by.

[Luis Gonzalez]

Thanks Victoria, I love those two pictures side-by-side.

Luis

[real saxophonist]

I have visited the Marine Corps Museum at the Washington Navy Yard. There on display are the first and second flags raised on Iwo Jima. There's a little citation there, signed by I think 4 of the 6 who were in the Rosenthal photo. The feeling, just looking at those flags, and knowing what they meant, in that nice quiet 2nd floor hall, can't be described.