Amidst all the chaos and blood in Iraq, there are still many inspiring stories. Time magazine journalist Michael Weisskopf, for example, wrote a long piece a few months ago about how he lost his hand covering a grenade while embedded with US troops. Today, Dana Canedy writes in the New York Times a truly moving piece about her husband.
While serving in Iraq and Kuwait, her husband Charles Monroe wrote a 200 page journal to his nine month old son in case he died while in combat. He just died. The journal contains all the life advice he would have imparted as his son grew up, from the trivial (where to hide money while on vacation) to the soulful:
Never be ashamed to cry. No man is too good to get on his knee and humble himself to God. Follow your heart and look for the strength of a woman.
Sgt. Monroe was also a talented artist (educated at the prestigious Art Institute of Chicago) and left his son the below sketch, presumably of himself with wings of an angel. These kinds of stories remind me what true heroism is, and that if I can one day be only half the man Sgt. Monroe was, I have much to be proud of.
(Hat tip: Ramit Sethi)
Ben,
It is just my opinion, but you may want to revise your headline from “killed” to “fallen.” I believe these men and women make the ultimate sacrifice for our nation, and that is a more important fact to convey than the loss of life through enemy action. Again, this isn’t a criticism of your post…just my opinion.
Ben,
Don’t you think Jason’s got a point…? `Fallen’ seems to be a much kinder word while referring to a soldier who makes his ultimate sacrifices with his dear life defending his motherland. They attain Martyrdom that way.