Cemetery South Pacific - US Navy

The battlefields shift as the turmoil of war moves forward, but for some the fighting is over... 

This letter was written by Major Richard T Brice, USMC to his mother about a grandson of a friend; who now rest under green grass and one of the white stone markers... 

 His mother said" The letter was written is an effort to bring some degree of solace to the family of the Marine mentioned - who like so many other families were beset by the fear that their loved ones had not received a decent burial, if any on those far battle fields... It has fulfilled this purpose and I hope it will bring similar comfort to those thousands of others who suffer the same doubt...  Signed H.E.Brice "

 "Dear Mother:

I have just returned from a tour around the area, during which I stopped at Guadalcanal and succeeded in visiting the grave of your friend's grandson...

I went out to the cemetery on one of  those crystal-clear mornings that come only after GOD has spent the night washing His world with rain... A slight breeze off the ocean moved the cemetery flag ever so little, and raindrops still clung like jewels to the Zinnias and Phlox that seemed to have sprung up from nowhere...

The chapel itself is fitting for the place, small but ample, built of native materials, but Christian in design, with a little steeple and cross..

Inside, there  is an alter with rail, a pulpit and a much better organ than I expected to find here... Everything seemed so natural, peaceful and reverent that I knelt to said a prayer before leaving...

Each grave has a white marker set in concrete, and each man's dog tag which he wore is tucked in the center of the cross... There is no air of tragedy or even sadness here, just peace, rest and Quiteness...

The same sun that watched these boys grow up shines upon them here and warms their graves... At night, the stars they saw at home come out to prove that GOD is everywhere and that He gives; His special blessing to places where the dead sleep no matter where they may be...

And so I came away to go on about my business and carry on the task that these dead began, but could not finish... If it should come my turn while I am here, I could not ask any better place in which to lie...    Signed  Your Loving Son Dick "

This says it all friend...  Thank a veteran, and pray for those in harms way...

Amen...

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