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| Photo by Natalija Krznarić |
A Memorial of Words
By Josh Dollaghan, 04.16.07
In 1944, Private First Class Albert Kishler, Jr. was taking cover from Nazi artillery fire.
“There are no atheists in foxholes,” Kishler wrote in a letter.
Over 60 years later, his letter, along with those of many other soldiers, is provoking readers to think about faith, God and war.
The book “Grace under Fire: Letters of Faith in Times of War,” edited by Andrew Carroll, is a fascinating compilation of letters written by U.S. soldiers, their families and friends from the time of the American Revolution to the War on Terrorism.
Insightful commentary by Carroll accompanies most of the letters, providing information on the writers’ backgrounds and eventual destinies. Many of the soldiers drew strength from their faith in God during their wartimes and were able to lead happy lives after. Such facts leave the reader with an upbeat, positive feel after reading what may sound like a cheerless book.
Among the tragedy and terror, there is even some humor. One letter tells the story of a nun in Vire, France during World War II who embodied true faith in action. She calmly went about her business of caring for livestock in the absence of the farmers while German artillery rained around her. A group of hardened soldiers, cowering in their foxholes, looked on incredulously.
“All morning long, as the whine of [German] artillery overhead kept the rest of us in our holes, that nun moved serenely and placidly about the skeleton of the burned-out barn…feeding and watering the chickens, collecting eggs,” wrote one soldier.
Somehow the nun was not harmed. A sketch of her is included in the book. Extras, like the sketch and pictures of the writers, allow readers to draw an emotional connection to the writers and their situations.
In addition, all of the letters are printed exactly as they were written including spelling and grammatical mistakes. A few even depart from the typewritten font and are duplicated displaying their original handwriting.
After reading this book, readers are sure to gain a profound sense of admiration for the men and women of the armed forces, both past and present. The letters it contains show their sacrifices and allow their beliefs and ideals to pass down from one generation to the next.
The following quote from the book seems to sum up a common soldier’s attitude: “What is important is that whatever does happen to me I will play my part…and do absolutely nothing that will shame my character or my God.”
“Grace under Fire” is a source of inspiration, especially when you feel your own problems are overwhelming.
