Dear #10 GI,
Your friend knew the pain of War, and it indeed was a war and not a conflict. Millions of young men and women served in Southeast Asia and over 53,000+ never returned home again. I was one of the lucky ones. Vietnam was like no other war in history and your friend knew that from the first day he arrived yet served with Courage, Honor, and Distinction. In War we follow orders, we don't question them and that means often we are charged to do things that are beyond human comprehension. Your friend took an innocent life but that was never his intent. I have no doubt that he was scared to death as we all were but those things happen in war and we carry the pain of that with us to our last day. Often like your friend we don't forgive ourselves but we forget that God has forgiven has already forgiven us because he knows what's in our heart when these terrible things happen. Your friend is finally at peace now and he has been welcomed into the arms of our Lord. His pain and guilt no longer exist and they have been replaced with unending love and everlasting life. Your angry also will pass. When someone we love leaves this life and goes on to the next the immediate response is often anger simply because we will miss them and can't understand why others don't feel the same way. The fact is he really hasn't left you as long as you remember him in your heart which you clearly do. Celebrate his life and give thanks for it, and remember him especially on Memorial Day and Veterans Day because he will be standing right next to you. He has now received his true "Welcome Home".
If you need to talk contact me.
gkadow@aol.com
Father Gary Kadow, OSL
St. Patrick's Episcopal Church
Project SOS-Support Our Soldiers, Inc.