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August 11, 2006

Advice from a hero long gone

If you've ever read Stephen Ambrose's Band of Brothers, or watched the compelling HBO series based upon the book, the heroic exploits of the self-effacing men of Easy Company are not soon forgotten.

And if you haven't either read or watched it, then hie thee to the nearest book store -- or NetFlix -- and fix this.

One participant in the pre-dawn jump into Normandy was Lt. Thomas Meehan, of Butte, Montana, whom we briefly glimpse in the first two episodes of the mini-series. As the men of the 506th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 101st Airborne Division's Easy Company struggle to reunite with their comrades in the chaos of June 6, 1944, an oft-asked question is, "Where's Lt. Meehan?" their commanding officer.

1LTThomasMeehan.jpg

It is soon revealed that Thomas Meehan's plane was shot down, killing him, his first sergeant, and the rest of the men aboard; he never set foot on French soil.

Despite his rather brief role in the story of the men of Easy Company, Lt. Thomas Meehan has something profound to tell us today.

According to Ambrose, the young officer penned a letter to his wife the week before he boarded the aircraft to meet his fate.

We’re fortunate in being Americans…. The American is the offspring of the logical European who hated oppression and loved freedom beyond life. But for each of us who wants to live in happiness and give happiness, there’s another different sort of person wanting to take it away.

We know how to win wars. We must learn now to win peace. Here is the dove, and here is the bayonet. If we ever have a son, I don’t want him to go through this again, but I want him powerful enough that no one will be fool enough to touch him. He and America should be strong as hell and kind as Christ.

We never seem to retain the lessons of the past; it was a mere 67 years ago that the world last learned the bloody lesson of the butcher's bill that comes with appeasement, paid with the lives of men who suffer for the foolishness of our peace-addled do-gooder politicians.

America -- and the West -- must be strong, implacable, unstoppable and merciless in war; and generous and kind when the enemy admits defeat, but not unless and until our foe knows, concedes and admits that he is well and truly defeated.

Until then, unimaginable destruction.

Or, in the words of Lt. Thomas Meehan, "America should be strong as hell and kind as Christ."

And we need more men like Meehan.

His last words to his wife, handed to someone on the ground as he boarded his C-47 transport on the night of June 5, are brave and true.

Dearest Anne:

In a few hours I'm going to take the best company of men in the world into France. We'll give the bastards hell.

Strangely I'm not particularly scared, but in my heart is a terrific longing to hold you in my arms.

I love you Sweetheart - forever.

Your Tom

May he -- and all our brave young heroes -- rest in peace, their sacrifice, and the lessons learned therefrom, never forgotten.

UPDATE

I just read Tom Meehan's final letter to his wife again, and I found myself wiping away tears at the courage and love for his wife so simply put, in the hours before his death. I wonder whatever happened to Mrs. Meehan, and if she knew how much her husband's death would mean to strangers in the years to come.

I'm grateful that she chose to share her husband's final words, despite the achingly private nature of the sentiments he expressed.

Posted by Mike Lief at August 11, 2006 08:07 AM | TrackBack

Comments

Good, damn good post.

Posted by: jim at August 11, 2006 10:25 AM

Ditto Jim's comment. Such character, such insight, such courage, such honor. This post is a nice contrast to the one directly above it.

Posted by: Thin Ice at August 11, 2006 11:01 AM

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