Fortunately, it is also possible that we can survive unscathed, and we are blessed to know that this outcome is not just a matter of sheer luck. The apostle Paul encouraged us to put on the “full armor of God” and place our spiritual safety in the hands of the one who guaranteed it through his own mortal wounds: our Savior, Jesus Christ.
For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground.
June 20
Paul Curtis was a soldier on the deadly beaches of Anzio. In May 1944 he wrote to his brother, Mitchell, back home in Oak Ridge, Tennessee. Mitchell had asked him to describe his feelings about being in combat, and Paul did his best:
I have seen some action a few hard, hard days in which I saw more than I imagined I ever would. I don’t think any man can exactly explain combat. It’s beyond words. Take a combination of fear, anger, hunger, thirst, exhaustion, disgust, loneliness, homesickness, and wrap that all up in one reaction and you might approach the feelings a fellow has. It makes you feel mighty small, helpless, and alone… Without faith, I don’t see how anyone could stand this.243
I am struck by two words in Paul Curtis’ letter: fear and loneliness. Everyone in combat experiences fear. This is a natural reaction whenever death or injury is a possibility. I don’t know if everyone experiences loneliness in combat, but I know that I found myself in this state frequently. As an officer, I never felt free to share my deeper thoughts with the men in my unit or with superior officers, and there were rarely fellow company commanders nearby. This left me alone on most occasions with my own fears and uncertainties.
Like Curtis, I now find it hard to see how anyone could stand combat or any other crisis of life without faith. With faith, fear of dying may still exist, but death itself is no threat when you have confidence in the reality of God’s eternal kingdom. Loneliness also becomes a non-issue when you have a relationship with God and are able to lift up your concerns to him in prayer. I regret that I did not have such faith while in combat. I would have been a more confident human being and a more effective leader.
Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see.
June 21
Felix Sparks couldn’t stay in the rear. Wounded on Sicily and classified noncombat, he nevertheless hitched a ride on a B-17 bomber to Italy and rejoined his unit. After a period on the stalemated Gustav Line, he led his rifle company in the amphibious assault on Anzio. His unit bore the brunt of a savage German counterattack on February 16, 1944, and suffered severe casualties. He saw more than his share of action and was very emotional about the performance of his soldiers:
I was always amazed at how the American soldier responded in combat because it was a terrible, dirty business. The weather was awful. When you’re outside in December, and only have a foxhole to sleep in, and it fills up with water all the time it’s miserable and depressing. But our soldiers learned very fast how to adapt. I loved the rifle company because that’s where the action was. We were the ones who went first in any attack. But it always amazed me why do men do that? Every attack we made, my men knew some of their buddies would be wounded or killed. Yet, when I gave the word, they moved forward without hesitation. They were very good, brave men and I was very proud of them.244
There has been a lot of speculation about the motivation of soldiers in combat. Do they perform heroically from a sense of a higher calling or patriotic duty? Or is there a fear of being seen as cowardly? Most of those with combat experience agree that the predominant urge among soldiers is to support their own comrades. No one wants to let a buddy down or endanger him by not being at his side when it counts.
Our fellow Christians need the same kind of support. As we do God’s work we all face hard times when we need an understanding shoulder or a helping hand. At those times our brothers and sisters in Christ should not feel alone. We need to be there for them when it counts.
Be devoted to one another in brotherly love. Honor one another above yourselves.
June 22
The 2ndBattalion fought desperately to hold Mount Battaglia from fierce German counterattacks. Sgt. Harold Flechter had to order his squad to fall back against the enemy onslaught as small arms and artillery fire blanketed his position. To cover the withdrawal of his men, Flechter jumped into a foxhole and began firing a machine gun. As his squad moved down the hill, some of them saw an artillery shell land almost on top of their leader’s foxhole.
Later, a search was conducted for Flechter’s body, but nothing was ever found. He was listed as missing in action, bringing uncertainty and grief to a family in Kansas. Over time his parents and siblings simply had to accept the fact that he wasn’t coming home, and a funeral service was held with an empty casket.
Closure for the Flechter family came in 2005, when a group of Italian civilians found human remains on Mount Battaglia. They also found shoe fragments, pieces of a watch, C-ration cans, and a Catholic prayer card. The card was made of fabric with an image of Jesus Christ left on a protective plastic sheet. DNA and the prayer card identified Harold Flechter. Of all the men missing in his unit, he was the only Catholic. “We thought it was a miracle,” his brother said of the discovery and identification.245
Peace came to this heroic soldier’s family on several levels. They finally knew exactly what happened to Flechter and were able to bury his remains at the foot of his headstone. More importantly, they were comforted by the fact that he did not die alone. His Savior was close at hand with the comfort that only he can give: assurance of a place at his side with God throughout eternity.
Then he said, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.” Jesus answered him, “I tell you the truth, today you will be with me in paradise.”
