The Sidney herald., 1955-08-04
Letter From A
Soldiers Mother
Visiting Fl. Bragg

Visiting TT. Bragg
Mote - The following letter is
published at the request of SIC
Lawrence T. House, U. S. Army
Recruiting Station Commander
at Miles City, who writes: 81
know this is a lot of space, but
if you ever have a chance to use
it 1 think it might help us, and
some Of the mothers, in a great
way. So much of our publicity is
adverse that we all feel good to
see something like this in print"
Office Of the Commanding
General, Fort Bragg,
North Carolina
Sir:
I have just returned home
from a three-day visit to Fort
Bragg and it occurs to me that
we mothers who have sons in the
army, and certainly we who
have son at Fort Bragg, should
express our appreciation for
many things. Most of us cannot
say these things because we are
afraid to be impertinent in both
ering busy people who are doing
a necessary job; or we are afraid
that if we speak what is on u
minds, we might be accused of
apple-polishing in behalf of u
personal soldiers. But I know
that so many mothers feel as I
do, and / am simply an anony-
nous mother - my son and I
do not even have the same namel
Fort Bragg is an experience 1
wish more civilians might have.
1t has taught me a great deal that
1 did not know. It is a beautiful
place and I had every courtesy
any woman could possibly ask for.
Every soldier or MP was courte-
Gus and helpful and cheerful: nv
room at Guest House Number
Two was Immaculate and more
comfortable than I had any right
to expect and the hostesses were
delightful, helpful and cordial
I wondered if it was a stroke of
genius or an accident that one
was southern and one northern?
Anyhow, it was ideal.
I saw fledgling jumpers make
their first terrifying jumps and
met some of them afterwards and
saw and heard their glorious pride
that they had earned; I drove the
miles of splendid streets and dus-
ty roads and watched men work.
ing, carrying on the business at
hand; 1 got a feeling of esprit that
is lncomprehensible to a woman
and that leaves her very humble
and very proud that her son is
a man.
Like every mother and wife in
the world, I hate and dread and
fear war with all my heart. MY
son IS a volunteer, however, and
with my full blessing; I believed
then that our hope for peace was
through the courage of men who
would fight for it; and fighting
for 1t means us, and not just the
people next door. After seeing the
SD Airborne Division, I feel still
more deeply that our safety and
our future is in good, strong
hands.
| think all of us mothers who
speak would like to say thank you
those men at Bragg; we have
sent you boys and already you
made men of them. My son
could see more clearly, of
course; but I could also see the
thousands there exactly like him
boys who had gone from home
With a dream of making and keep
ng a good world and only their
oft schoolboy hands to make it. !
Vow. they have the same dream. ;
he knowledge that they are not {
alone in the job they have to do. {
nd good solid muscles and prac- {
ical know-how for doing what t
'ver the job may demand. S
1t is a gallant Division - not J
ust because of its history and I
lonors, but those lads have gal {
antry now. I think it is a hard c
'ost it is lonely and hot and Z
from home, and the tension is
'reat. 1t is also the greatest thing
nave ever seen. I talked to Z
many boys, and every one Of them
vas proud of his division and his i
OBJ In 1t. My own boy is typical: i
le is scared to death every time V
lie jumps, and he is mad and feels f
out when others jump and he c
.oes not, because he wants to be t
where they are. His parachutist y
'adge means more to him than
nything he has ever had; he /
armed it in a mans world, the
ard way
I wish deeply that all civilians 4
ould see what I have seen: we'd +
more useful if we could know /
.etter what our men are doing Z
or us all. At any rate, I do hope l
GU will take kindly my difficult 7
fort to say thank you for myself
nd for SO many other mothers
Ike me. 9
And in all our hearts is the per- n
etual wish and prayer, every day i
nd every night, for all the men /
f the 82d - that all their land =
lgs be successful wherever Y
hey make them. They've earned +
ne RIGHT To Il y