A burly father of three girls, who writes young-adult mystery novels and turned 40 on this mission, Massey charms the villagers with his running verbal gags. But just now, he strikes a serious note, acknowledging that the jungle is their home. Then Massey talks about these Americans they've come so far to find. We have almost 80,000 men who have never come home. And so on behalf of the family members of these eight boys, I want to tell you how much I appreciate your work.
Some villagers make the connection and nod.
For others, it' s lost in the translation. But Massey's sentiments are frequently echoed by other team members, who see their jobs as among the best in the military. What they find when they get here stays with them, some say. To find a piece of jewelry they were wearing really brings it home to you. Because when you hold it in your hand, you know that it was something important to them, that it was meaningful.