A Father's Message

A soldier remembers his father before going to battle

He stood on the edge of the deck looking out over the vast Pacific. Pfc. Thompson was not comfortable aboard big ships as this was. He had only been in the Marines for a few months and after he graduated Marine boot camp, they sent him and his entire squad to an unknown island somewhere in the south Pacific.

America had been in the war now for six months and Private Thompson was definitely feeling homesick. He stood there looking out at the open ocean and dreaming of his times fishing with his younger brother on the lake back in Alabama. He could close his eyes and hear the ducks and imagine the smell of the morning fog. But then, the smell of the salt air would stir him awake from his daydream and remind him of where he was.

“Private Thompson! Why are you not in your sack sleeping like I ordered?” Yelled his company commander, Sgt. Leslie Owens.

Private Thompson quickly stood at attention and replied to the Sgt. “Sir, sorry sir. I couln't sleep. I was thinking about our destination sir.”

“Well, you let me worry about our destination Private! Now you get down below to your rack and sleep. That's an order Private!”

“Sir, yes sir.” Replied Private Thompson as he quickly turned and ran to the down ladder.

Sgt Owens watched his as he made his way to his rack. Smiling, the Sgt said to himself, “Damn, I hate it when they send us these young kids. Lord, let this kid survive the war.”

Sgt Owens was a hard man, but he had a compassionate soft side when it came to his men.

At 0400 on board the transport ship, the quartermaster sounded the battle station claxon, awakening with a start every Marine on board the transport. As each one clambered out of their racks, all had readied themselves for whatever danger awakened them. They all scrambled to the upper decks to their battle debark stations when another voice over the ship loudspeakers announced.

“Men of the transport ship 'Harris', we are approaching your debark station. The crew of the Harris wish you all the best and God speed.” With that said, the Captain spoke once more.

“Debark stations, ready your landing craft.” The speaker went silent and the ship claxon sounded once more telling the Marines that it was time to stand by the cargo nets to board the landing craft.

Private Thompson became very nervous as he stood in line with all of his fellow Marines preparing to climb down the cargo nets into their boats.

Then it was his turn to climb down the net. He slung the sling of his M-1 over his shoulder and moved over the edge of the ships rail and onto ropes of the cargo net. Feeling the rough cargo net rope gave Private Thompson a calming feeling. He had felt rope like this only in boot camp. And that reminded him of home.

A voice sounded in his head. “Son, I always told you not to be afraid of the unknown.” Private Randy Thompson was hearing his father.

“Son, I will be by your side all the way. You will be safe, you will come back home. I will see you through this unknown. Trust your father son.”

Private Thompson made it to the island, he had the good fight and he was awarded medals and safely made it back home.

He listened to his father.