Evening star., 1942-05-04

only for the ''
ewes of the David Lawrence.
mother and father of the young Of
1icer who gave his life to his country.
The mother and father-Mr. and
Mrs. John H. Drummond of Los
Angeles, and formerly of Princeton,
N. J.-had been writing for several
weeks to their son, unaware Of his
death. March 20 they learned he
had been killed in action in the
Philippines December 81, 1941. Such
have been the difficulties of COM
munication that word of the death
came in delayed letter, dated jan
uary 4, 1912, from Capt John M.
Loupe, who wrote as follows:
my dear Mrs. Drummond:
John has gone. You have lost
q son to your country. We have lost
. true friend and an excellent Of
ficer. We cannot help him for he
was not the type to seek help, rather,
as you well know, he was just the
opposite-ever doing more than his
share. II we are to find a reason
for such things as covered by the
definition fate we then would have
the answer to all questions. Why
John was taken is not ours to ask
nor attempt to reason. A power
greater than all man controls our
lives. God willed 1t so.
Killed While Aiding Men.
John left us during an air raid
outside a small town in Northern
Luson at noon December 81, 1941
He was hit iii the chest by a shell
fragment and died instantly while
attempting to get his men under
cover. There are many howery
words written of the passing of men,
needless and ineffective words. Col.
searight and I have placed above
his soldiers plot the inscription, AS
An officer would, protecting his men
for his country
"You may ask to what avail all
this strife, this greed, this warning
yet we know the answer-to de-
fend those principles that without
there is no living. That is the al
truistic side, yet we up front must
he practical. John died doing his
duty and no one recognized and re-
spectsd his duty more.
Il hate to mention this but feel it
tustifiable to tell you how he thought
of home. He was writing letter
home and had put it aside to attend
to q matter when the raid occurred
I very much would like to have sent
1t to you but in the excitement 1t
was misplaced and now, I am afraid,
gone. You may have received a
wire from him that same day-it
was sent via Red Cross Just a few
hours previous.
II should like TO tell you more OF
cur duty together, but as it is *
recent I am sure it would be subject
to censorship. Our friendship or
the boat en- route here, and as lucl
would have it we were assigned to
the same unit. Then the fun began
Col Searight, John and 1; three
amongst 1000 natives, leading them
pleading with them, and swearing al
them. We had our troubles, yet as
men will, we had our laughs. But
it was John who pointed out the
humor in every situation, it was he
who bouyed our spirits when thing.
were darkest. We miss him. He
can not be replaced nor a good sub.
stitute be found, for they are no
making men like John anymore.
Looked on Task As Mission
But we are living and must full
I'LL whatever destiny has for us. He
would not have stood for mourning
nor grief. Often he had spoken tc
me and had expressed a strong wish
to be considered as gone on a mis-
sion-to return soon.
When all this is over and mar
may seek his destination unharmed
! shall return to California, my
home, too. 1 should then like yer,
much to call upon and meet you, tt
tell you all those things mothe.
wants to know. I shall send unde,
separate cover some of those per.
sonal effects still in our possession
they may be delayed due to tn,
shipping situation.
Permit me TO express the sym
pathy OF Col. Searight, his fellow
officers and all of his men as well a
my own.
Until we meet,
Sincerely,
JOHN M. LOUPE, Captain
Censored, 4 Jan. 42)
1t. Drummond was 27 year
old. He had not been in the Arm
long, yet he was battalion moral
oficer in his regiment on the Yves
Coast before embarking for tn
Philippines. Years ago when h
was just a rollicking boy of IL thi
correspondent first knew hin
Throughout the years he has bee
. fine speciman of American you'll
There must be thousands like hir
In the American Army, out there
the faraway places, whilst the re.
of us sit back home little realizin
perhaps that as we bicker and de
bate over material things, yout
every day offers the supreme sacr
fice unhesitating, uncomplainir
and unafraid,