The War in His Home

by BaileyFPeriod6

The Vietnam War was the first televised war and the average age men were drafted at was nineteen. Margaret Carter finds her husband and her brother-in-law on the screen in her house in Washington in the US. Margaret prays for her family while they are in combat and Robert prays to get back to his wife while Robert and Jack's parents pray that Jack will be the one to come home.

4. Chapter Four

Robert Carter, age 26

A few people, just over one hundred, were US troops that were killed in action. Charles was one of them. Operation Swift started on September 4th and ended eleven days later. They say almost four hundred Vietnamese were killed.

I was shot in the shoulder and am lucky enough to still be here. The medics are busy, no surprise there. It felt like an eternity waiting for any medical attention I could get.

We were gone for twelve days. The first thing I do when I can is check to see if I have any mail waiting. Did Margaret write back?

My strides are long, tiring, and painful when I make my way over to John who is looking at the mail.

"Here you go, Robert," he says. John has a knack for reading people. He knows when they're hurt or upset or need someone to talk to. And besides Jack, he is the only one who calls me by my first name.

"Thanks John." He nods silently and depressingly as he hands me the letter. I sit a few feet away from him on the ground, and I open my letter.

Dear Robert,

I hope you are fine. I see 'Operation Swift' has been a success for you, at least.

Our family is doing just fine and we miss you and Jack dearly. We pray every morning and every night. Tell me, how Edmund, Charles, and John are doing. What are you up to? Take that in as many meanings as you may.

Sorry this letter is short, I don't know what to write. Ask me questions and I will answer them. I love you,

Margaret

I fold the letter the way she had and guide it back into its envelope. I walk over to the bag where I store all of her letters and gently place it with the others and wait for the next letter in a couple of weeks.