The Old Breed

Chapter 18

Pavuvu

June 20th, 1944

6/2/1943

Dear Maxwell,

It feels like forever since we sat together at Yellowstone. Remember telling me that you'd be home by Christmas? Well I guess the schedule's changed a bit. Uncle Sam must want you a little bit longer. Hopefully not for too much longer. Unfortunately, we cannot hide from reality though. Though I know you would never approve of this, I have been watching the newsreels more and more lately, hoping for a sign of you or your group. I guess it's not a good thing if you guys get on the news, because that's where usually the bad things are happening, but I still hope for any signs at all of you. We pray for you as a family every night, and then Father Pattegal always says a special prayer for you and Bill Hensley (He joined the Navy a month after you left) and all the soldiers on either front. I've followed both the Guadalcanal and New Britain campaigns, and I figure you were likely part of the latter. It seems a lot of our USMC boys were out there, and I prayed especially hard then.

We received quite a terrible fright last week when a uniformed man came to our door. As many mothers of this year know, a man in military dress does not usually carry glad tidings with them. And it was only a week before this fright that Mrs. Isaborne also had an officer come up to her door. And with that man was that God-awful pink card. The one that says that your son died a hero and all that, the same card that's printed for every soldier and Marine it seems, the military's way of saying "Sorry, he was a good man, but we've got to keep going". But, unfortunately, yes, Eugene Isaborne has died. Somewhere in Africa fighting the Nazis, he was killed. He was a tank driver for the Army, the poor lad. The boys over in Europe and Africa have it no less rougher than you do. Well, I hope you don't have it rough.

Back to my original point, guess who the man in uniform was? None other than your fellow Marine Don Smith. He says he's now a drill instructor at Parris Island. Said he's got a week's leave, so he came home. He said that you two were in boot camp together. Why didn't you tell me that? He says you're doing fine and that the Marines will be better with you in their ranks. That makes me happy to hear. Smith told us that he wouldn't sugarcoat it; the war was brutal and unforgiving. That part was scarier, and he told us a little about his campaign on the open ocean, but he didn't dwell on it for long. None of these boys want to dwell on the war over here. I don't know if that's better or scarier for me. Smith has a lot of praise for you though, says you were always one at the front of the pack at boot camp, and he was wondering how you were doing. He said he felt the need to come over and talk to us because he knew how worried his own parents were when he went off to fight, and that he wanted to give us a few truthful, calming words from a Marine beside you. What a sweet gesture.

I want you to know, Max, that you can always say whatever you want to me. You don't have to hide anything from me. I'm your mother. I deserve to know. I do not pretend that you are perfectly safe and out of harm's way. But I do trust that you are keeping your head down, and not doing anything stupid. And let's keep it that way. Remember your promise to me. Come home in one piece. We miss you.

Do you need anything? I'll find a way to get you anything you need. I love you so much.

With all the family's love,

Helen

6/1/1943

Dear son,

My good buddy Richard Prowler always used to say, "If you wake up, and people ain't fighting, you're probably dead." I used to only think of that as a joke, a funny saying during the war that I'll always remember him by. That's when I was still a youthful teen. Now, in my older age, I have come to realize, he is not joking around. Fighting never goes away. It was in my great grandfather's time, it was in my grandfather's time, my father's time, my time, your time, and it will continue down the generations. It has become a simple way of life, hasn't it? Now, no one wants this of course, but it almost seems like it can't be changed anymore, just another simple fact in human life.