I haven’t done one of these in awhile, but a phone call from a reporter in Arkansas interviewing me about letters written by students at his school reminded me. A few weeks ago, when I started doing this, I realized that many of the letters I was posting were from students in Blytheville, Arkansas. I think it was just the stack that I grabbed out of the box. Anyway, I called the principal of the school there and wanted to thank her and the teachers for teaching the students to be good citizens and writing to soldiers in combat and tell her what it means to us. I think they may have passed on the phone call to the press.

I got the following letter in April after we took Baghdad. The days leading up to the “Thunder Run” were perilous and some of my experiences forced me to question my mortality and invincibility. After all I had gone through in the weeks prior to getting this letter, I couldn’t help but almost cry. Not a cry of “I’m doomed” but one of relief that I was actually able to read it. It’s almost poetic in its style and wording.

Dear Soldier, Mon Feb 24, 2003

We are glade that you helping our country and I believe you will need pratcion [protection] with you because if you get hurt you will probably die because some body might jump you and you will have no help and then you will have to die if you do not die god bless you.

Love,
Tonish [last name deleted]
Central School
Blytheville, AR