A letter from a WWII soldier to his parents. Very touching.

quote:

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The Barnes Award was instituted to perpetuate the memory of John B. Barnes Jr., Gonzaga College High School, Class of ‘43. John was killed in action in Germany in November 1944. The award is presented each year to students distinguished for honor, humility, reliability and deportment.

Dear Mother & Father,

This letter will concern itself with a few of the things I have in mind and which I wish you to know about.

Since I possess nothing of really great value I am not concerned with a will or anything of that sort. But what I am concerned with and I must say a little worried about is the great debt which I owe you. You will immediately say, “What debt? He doesn’t owe us anything.” I know you will say that because you are such good people and don’t expect anything in return for all of the things you have done for me. But just the same, the fact remains that everything I was, am now, or ever will be is due to your efforts. From my beginning, through all these years, you have been everything a Mother and Father could possibly be and more. That is, besides being parents and son we were more than that, we were “friends” and “pals.” Being a son and daughter yourselves, you realize how much this means. To be able to seek and obtain advice from you as one “grown up” to another is something every son doesn’t enjoy. All those good times we had together will never be forgotten by me. To be on such friendly terms with you was truly a wonderful thing and one of my fondest remembrances - In every direction my childish whims carried me, you were there to guide and direct me and to secure them for me if they were for my good. In your eagerness to make me happy, I was almost spoiled. But always your better judgement came to the front and I was saved this calamity. My education was one of your chief concerns. I was to have a good education whereas you were not so fortunate. Nevertheless, I would consider myself well educated if I learned to be one half as good as you. Your example is indeed a monument to all parents. Never was I misguided by any of your words or actions. But on the contrary I was shown how life could and should be lived. I was so very proud of you in everything that you did.

I have brought out just a few of the things that you have done for me. To be sure there are many, many more, but I think I have gained my point. I do owe you a debt, one that is not possible to repay.

Now I come to the purpose of this letter. With mere words it is an impossible task. Thank you. That’s the word for it. All it takes is one small breath, just two syllables, eight letters of the alphabet. No - that doesn’t even things up at all. It doesn’t even scratch the surface. My gratitude goes much deeper than that. But at the present time with things as they are, it’s my only alternative. There is however another alternative, if God with all his goodness grants me life, through this hellish nightmare, I will strive for the rest of my life to try to partially repay you. I say partially repay you, because to fully repay you as I said before is humanly impossible. But I do not doubt that you will be fully repaid in full, not in this life but in the next. All in all the many blessings which I enjoy from you as my parents, will be repaid to you many fold times from God, the parent of us all.

I know it will only be natural for you to grieve my death. But remember there is a far greater life beyond. And I have every reason to believe that with God’s grace I will obtain life everlasting with him and you in heaven. So you see I am not actually afraid of death.

I am instructing Mrs. Smith to keep this letter for me and to give it to you only if I am killed or missing. Otherwise I will get it from her myself when I return.

I hope you never get this letter, but just the same I feel a lot better, knowing you know how I feel.

Of course everything I have said pertains to my dearest grandmother as well.

I remain always your loving and forever grateful son,
Jack

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