Joined: 01-24-2003 Posts: 30,817
|
A Memorial Day quote from the book, "Attack Transport: The Story Of The U.S.S. Doyen" by Lawrence A. Marsden. It takes place just after the assault on Tarawa during WWII. The ship had delivered men and supplies during the actual invasion and subsequent days. This excerpt is days later as they steamed away with nearly 400 wounded Marines. Quote:It is difficult to describe the emotions we experienced. Youngsters, grown old, stood uncovered on the afterdeck. A steady rain splattered down upon us. In the stillness the soft voice of Chaplain Ingvoldstad was clearly heard:
“I am the Resurrection and the Life, saith the Lord: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live; and whosoever liveth and believeth in me, shall never die. . . . “Unto Almighty God we commend the soul of our brother departed, and we commit his body to the deep; in sure and certain hope of the Resurrection unto eternal life, through our Lord Jesus Christ; at whose coming in glorious majesty to judge the world, the sea shall give up her dead; and the corruptible bodies of those who sleep in him shall be changed, and made like unto his glorious body; according to the mighty working whereby he is able to subdue all things unto himself.”
A volley was fired, and the canvas-bound bodies slid gently into the sea. The service itself was a form of action, a picture that moved steadily before us—the flag at half-mast, the prayer, the committal...
|