Stories of Faith and Courage From World War II (78 page)

Quotes: Jan. 3 (blood, sweat, tears), 15 (never surrender), 25 (the face of God), 31 (the few), Mar. 6 (sighted sub), Aug. 31 (pass the ammunition), Sept. 7 (no atheists in a foxhole), 17 (definition of courage), Oct. 29 (OK, we’ll go), Dec. Intro (uncommon valor)

Race Relations: Dec. 12

Responsibility: Apr. 3, May 19, Oct. 30

Rumors: Feb. 6, 7

Submission: Jan. 19, Apr. 1, 13

Suicide: Feb. 24, Sept. Intro, Nov. 15, Dec. Intro, Dec. 8

Thankfulness: Jan. 20, Mar. 28, May 14, 20, 28, July 15, 21, Aug. 3, 28, Sept. 26, Nov. 23, 30, Dec. 3, 23

Time/Eternity: Jan. 12, 22, Mar. 15, Apr. 24

Treasures in Heaven: Nov. 29, Dec. 27

Trusting God: Jan. 13, 18, 29, 30, 31, Feb. 1, 7, 8, 25, Mar. 3, 8, 23, 26, 31, Apr. 4, 13, May 5, 11, 29, June 15, 18, July 11, 13, 17, 18, 20, 25, 29, Aug. 1, 2, 8, 9, 11, 20, 27, Sept. 15, 17, 21, 29, Oct. 1, 2, 6, 19, 23, Nov. 15, 18, Dec. 10, 16

Understanding Others: June 12, 16, July 6, Oct. 20

Value of Life: Dec. 8

Vision: Sept. 2

War: Mar. 2, Apr. 21, July 31, Aug. 2, 3, Aug. 5, 15, 26, 30, Oct. 12, 13, Dec. 13

War and America: Feb. 2, 24, Apr. 7, 17, 30, June 3, July 2, Aug. 15, 19, 22, 26, 29, 30, Sept. 1, Oct. 13, 27, 31, Nov. 6, Dec.1, 2, 8, 12, 18, 21, 25, 27, 29

Worship: Apr. 28, May 18, 24, June 7, 25, Oct. 24, Nov. 11, 17, Dec. 22

Worry: Jan. 1, Mar. 30, Aug. 14, Oct. 1, 8

Table of Contents

Title Page

Copyright

List of Maps

Acknowledgments

Introduction

January—Blitzkrieg in Europe

Intro: Blitzkrieg in Europe

January 1: New Year’s Day

January 2: Into Darkness

January 3: Tears and Sweat

January 4: Men of Valor

January 5: Unit Integrity

January 6: Close-Order Drill

January 7: Surf Conditions

January 8: Cloud Cover

January 9: To Volunteer

January 10: Unexpected Inspiration

January 11: Luck of the Draw

January 12: Leave It Behind

January 13: One More Kick

January 14: Nerve Tonic

January 15: Never Surrender

January 16: A New Spirit

January 17: We Had Winnie

January 18: Prayer on the Beach

January 19: Calm in the Storm

January 20: Instinct

January 21: Trust Your Instruments

January 22: Superstition

January 23: Teamwork

January 24: Thoughts of Death

January 25: The Face of God

January 26: Miraculous Escape

January 27: New Value System

January 28: Children

January 29: A Nation Prays

January 30: Faith of a Child

January 31: The Few

February—Turning the Tide in the Pacific

Intro: Turning the Tide in the Pacific

February 1: The President Speaks

February 2: Public Reaction

February 3: I Joined to See the World

February 4: Readiness

February 5: Attacking the Hinges

February 6: Rumors

February 7: More Rumors

February 8: Tapping on the Hull

February 9: Saved from Drowning

February 10: Will Whiskey Do?

February 11: Encouraging a Mother

February 12: Thanatopsis

February 13: Prisoner of War

February 14: Evangelist

February 15: Fuchida

February 16: Forgiveness

February 17: The Second Day to Remember

February 18: The Miracle before the Battle

February 19: This War Is Over

February 20: Jack Waldron

February 21: Torpedo 8

February 22: Apparent Futility

February 23: Ensign Gay

February 24: Suicide

February 25: Prepare to Abandon Ship

February 26: Wade McClusky

February 27: Another Stroke of Luck

February 28: Spruance

March—Battle of the Atlantic

Intro: Battle of the Atlantic

March 1: Sink the Bismarck

March 2: At Sea on a Corvette

March 3: The Old Sailing Rule

March 4: A Child’s Perspective

March 5: Armed Guard

March 6: Sighted Sub

March 7: Attack of the Minesweepers

March 8: Murmansk Run

March 9: New Life

March 10: Hard Choices

March 11: The Four Chaplains

March 12: Reading the Bible

March 13: Where to Sleep

March 14: Hope to Go On

March 15: Navy Shower

March 16: I Couldn’t Die

March 17: One More Round

March 18: Staring at a Bomb

March 19: Evacuated to America

March 20: Nearer to Thee

March 21: Picking Friends

March 22: Eric’s Knife

March 23: Quarter Inch of Steel

March 24: A Sharp Tongue

March 25: The Gear That Saved His Life

March 26: Prolonged Suffering

March 27: A Jubilant Mood

March 28: Was God There?

March 29: The Arctic Is Neutral

March 30: The Best Solvent

March 31: An Act of Faith

April—War in the Desert

Intro: War in the Desert

April 1: Submitting to the Desert

April 2: To Shave

April 3: Responsibility

April 4: A Strong Bulkhead

April 5: Monty’s Prayer

April 6: The Führer

April 7: God of the Free

April 8: Ike

April 9: An Orgy of Disorder

April 10: Grand Entrance

April 11: Vital Lessons

April 12: An Old Ally

April 13: The Hand of God

April 14: A Prayer

April 15: Father, Forgive Them

April 16: He’s Our Guy

April 17: Innovations

April 18: Unconditional Surrender

April 19: Lost Friends

April 20: Purple Heart Box

April 21: Red Oak

April 22: Rite of Purification

April 23: May I Fulfill My Duty

April 24: Seventeen Minutes

April 25: It Might Have Come Off

April 26: Straightforward Job

April 27: The Desert

April 28: Greatest Cathedrals

April 29: Ernie Pyle

April 30: Down to Bed Rock

May—Advance in the Western Pacific

Intro: Advance in the Western Pacific

May 1: Hearing God

May 2: 106 Miles through the Valley

May 3: The Fighting Chaplain

May 4: Boot Camp

May 5: The Code

May 6: White Linen

May 7: Inbeat

May 8: Hearing the Call

May 9: Chesty

May 10: Chaplain Controversy

May 11: Manila John

May 12: Munro

May 13: Why?

May 14: Looking for a Divine Hand

May 15: Tokyo Rose

May 16: Jungle Fighting

May 17: Savo Island

May 18: The Parson

May 19: Personal Responsibility

May 20: Thanksgiving

May 21: Love Your Enemy

May 22: Nails in a Sure Place

May 23: To Die Is Gain

May 24: Shipboard Communion

May 25: Up to God

May 26: I Looked Up

May 27: Another Kind of Race

May 28: Patsy Li

May 29: Miracle Child

May 30: An Act of Love

May 31: Moral Power

June—The Fight for Sicily and Italy

Intro: The Fight for Sicily and Italy

June 1: The Mosta Dome

June 2: Do What You Can

June 3: Every Private Was a General

June 4: Memorial

June 5: To Stay and Fight

June 6: Frontline Service

June 7: A Greater Fellowship

June 8: Abide with Me

June 9: Family Roots

June 10: For Soldiers and Sailors

June 11: Hanging Upside Down

June 12: How Would They Handle This?

June 13: I’ve Been Blessed

June 14: They Did It without Complaining

June 15: My Mule

June 16: Mother’s Son

June 17: Ignorance Is Bliss

June 18: Hidden Danger

June 19: One of Three Results

June 20: Without Faith

June 21: Why Do Men Do That?

June 22: He Was Not Alone

June 23: Still Small Voice

June 24: Shaken but Grateful

June 25: Three Hymn Books

June 26: We Need to Care

June 27: He Knew No Enemy

June 28: God Bless America

June 29: The Slapping Incident

June 30: Beat VMI

July—The Air War

Intro: The Air War

July 1: We Pay You

July 2: We Won’t Do Much Talking

July 3: A View from a New Angle

July 4: A Fifty-Cent Item

July 5: A Triumphant Conscience

July 6: A Different View of the War

July 7: A Greater Hand Than Mine

July 8: Better Off Angry

July 9: Hogie and Wac

July 10: The Weaver

July 11: Holes in the Fuselage

July 12: Brownie’s Faith