[ WP ] Trees are the resting place of a soul .

________________________________________________________________ 
 My Dearest Shirley, 
 
 It is June 23rd 1944, my battalion has been in the thick of it for close to if not 17 days. I write you this letter in fear i may not make it home alive. This battle is violent, i have watched men at their cruelest, i have watched men suffer, i have watched men die. But i must tell you this in case i die. It is not advised that we tell you the condition that we are in, but seeing as this may be my last letter i owe you that at least. I'm scared. My battalion survived the landing on foreign soil but at the cost of 85 % of our men. I've seen young men die fighting for something they do n't understand. I have not eaten in days and we have been pinned in the Tree line by German forces while awaiting for backup with no end to the battle in sight. In the dead of night i hear voices, i thought i was crazy. Maybe i am crazy. Shirley, at night when the gun fire comes to a halt and the troops start to daze off in the face of death i am convinced i hear whispers. Not the whispers of soldiers but the whispers of something greater. I feel as if while i'm in this foxhole i can hear the voices of people filled with wisdom, truth and sanity pouring in over my head. I've heard the end is near to this battle but i fear as i also have been told that it is not my mission to survive. Am i crazy? I cant be crazy. I even told the fellow solider in my foxhole to see if he heard them too, he said i was crazy. Told me to shrug off what i heard as war makes even the soundest of people question their sanity. But i know Shirley. I know what i heard. 
 
 With Love, 
 
 -Charlie 
 ________________________________________________________________ 
 
 
 ________________________________________________________________ 
 Dear Shirley Edwards, 
 
 We regret to inform you of the news that Charlie Edwards has been killed in action. The letter we have attached was found on his body in Normandy on June 24th 1944 on the final day of what is now to be known as the Battle Of Normandy. You're Husband fought valiantly and with honor. He was a role model to the men and maintained his stature till the end. 
 
 Our deepest condolences, 
 
 -U.S 1st Infantry Division 
 
 ________________________________________________________________ 

