December 13, 2004 13:09
Dear Family:
I am so sorry it has taken me so long to write to you, especially around the holiday season. I am obviously not going to be able to make it to Christmas this year as I had hoped, but what did I expect in the military.
Last night a helicopter got shot down a couple miles from where we have been for the last couple of nights. I know one of the fliers in the chopper. He was fighting side me a little while ago. If I remember right his name was Thomas. He was a good fighter had been in the military five years and now just sent over here. He has a wife and two kids back home; I hope he made from the chopper ok, all my thoughts go out to him. I would hate to see the hell that his family would be going through if he ends up being listed as MIA or KIA. His youngest child was a son of nine months and his oldest was five years old. That's about all I know about his family. I don't believe he even showed anyone a picture of his wife.
The other night atcamp the boys and I got talking about creed. A couple said that believed in Nirvana. Others had said that they were Catholic. I didn't realize that so many soldiers would end up being religious. It seems kind of funny when you are surrounded by men and women of different religion and you aren't really religious that much yourself.
As we were walking through a conurbation, the other day we had to shoot and invade. It made me ill to my abdomen that we had to do something like that…especially shooting innocent people who have nothing to do with this confrontation. A few men had been shot and wounded and I have pretty bad blood stains from it. One man was even shot right in the temple in front of me. I don't distinguish how I was so propitious not to share the slug with him. I just know that I am lucky to be writing this epistle to you. A couple of minutes later I puked up. I swear I had seen some blood in the vomit. It was the first time that something like that had happened.
I will not be home for Christmas, so the best that I can give you, Malcolm and Reese is a couple of things I had while I was living at home. Malcolm; down in the basement, I have a box of Chuck Taylor Converse All-Star's. They are still in their box, untouched. I want you to have them. Reese, my buddy, in my room, or rather, what was my room, I have a box under the bed that says Books mean nothing: There is a book: To Kill a Mockingbird. You may hate it first, but after a while you start to like it. Mom and Dad I am sorry I have nothing to give you. Maybe I will be lucky enough to buy something in the shops over here and send it over to you. The gifts may be late, but at least they are something.
I am going to end here and hope for another day of endurance over here.
I love you and miss you acutely.
You're in my thoughts and prayers.
Your son and brother,
Francis