I have heard so many complaints over the War on Terrorism that I would have probably twenty bucks if I had a penny for every complaint I've heard. People ask why we are fighting. Why are our men and women are dying everyday in a country that is on the other side of the earth. Well you can stick with regular everyday things, they fight for freedom, democracy, yadda yadda. But why are we fighting? Why are our servicemen dieing? I didn't have a good answer except the old standby's. Until I ran across this letter. A friend of mine found it in a newspaper called The Sword of the Lord. I stay away from religious issues of anything most of the time lest I be accused of being a fundamentalist stubborn idealist, but this letter from a dead serviceman to his wife is not a zealous religious letter saying how all sinners need to be killed and sent to hell. It was to be given to her in the case that he died, to tell her what he died for. I will type the article and letter as it was in the paper.

"Just before Sgt. Jeff Davis of the 101st Airborne went to Vietnam, he wrote a letter and requested that it be opened only in the event he died there. It was written to Miss Janet Hall, to whom he was engaged and whom he later married in Hawaii. It was published after he was killed in the war.

Well, if you are reading this, my short, but full life has ended. However, I'm not sad or hurt; I'm happy where I am now. I am free of the great responsibilities that life puts upon a person. It is too bad I had to die in another country, for the United States is so wonderful. But at least I died for a reason, and a good one.

I may not understand this war, or like it, or want to fight it; nevertheless, I had to do it, and I did.

I died for the people of the United States.

I died really for you; you were my one real happiness.

I died also for your mom and dad so they could go on working at Grant's and Chevrolet...for your brothers that they could play sports in freedom.

I died for my parents that they could enjoy my dad's retirement in freedom, go on vacations and have fun; for Nancy, so she could raise her sons to be morally and physically straight in a free world, or country at least; for Duke whom I admired my whole life; for others also who enjoy this wonderful country and who appreciate what they have and thank God every day for it.

I died for the Guys with long hair and protest signs, the draft card burners, the hippies, the "anti-everything"- people who have nothing better to do, the college kids who think they shouldn't have to serve because they are too good. I died so these people could have a little longer time to try to get straightened out in life. God knows they need it.

Yes, I died for the so called "younger generation," of which I was a part but of which for some unknown reason I never became an active member. I guess I was a "square" or something. I had short hair but no police record. I didn't drink or smoke (pot included) and I volunteered for the service. I died for the parents of these kids also. God forgive them

I died so these members, active members of the "younger generation" could have the right to do what they do- to protest, have long hair, go to college of their own choice, wear weird clothes and run around mixed up with no direction at all.

I died so they [could] protest the war I fought and which I died, Without it, what would they protest? But I also died for the many thousands who died in this war and other wars before for these same reasons, for the men who fought gallantly on the many battlefields of the many wars to keep this country free. I guess that in order to gain freedom there must war. I died for the United States.

Sgt. J. A. Davis
Co. A, 3/187th Airborne Infantry
101st Abn. Div.

PS: Concerning future children, please send them to church. Let them learn of God and how wonderful He is. Teach them to be strong physically, mentally and morally...

My life is over now, and I leave behind a big debt.... Do me a favor. Don't cry over me now. Its too late. It's over/ Forget it and start again. I hope someday that you'll join me here; and if you do, then I'll know my life has been lived according to God's wishes 'cause with you I'll be in Heaven.

Thank you, and good-bye."

Well if that didn't tug at your heartstrings you must be dead. This man knew what he was fighting for, and why he was doing what he was doing. Now yes, this letter was written for Vietnam, but the world is still the same, we have the protester's, we have the supporter's. We have good men like Sgt. Davis, who are willing to do their job, and know why they do it.

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