Mrs. Thompson stood there staring at the package.

All that remained of her son

was right there before her very eyes. She gazed through the open window at the two
departing men who had informed her of her sons death.
Her attention turned back to the package lying on her kitchen table. Solemnly
taking the parcel in her arms she sat on her sofa and with trembling hands opened it.
!nside she found her sons "ournal along with his wristwatch and a letter. The letter
contained several pictures of the carrier and read as follows#
Dear Mrs. Thompson:
It is with extreme regret and sympathy that we inform you that your son, Lt.
Michael Thompson, has laid down his life for the cause he has so bravely
defended on May , !"#. $e died a good and brave soldier. $is final wish was
for me to deliver his %ournal to you. It is a great honor for me to present this
pac&age to you.
'incerely yours,
Sgt. T. Tucker
Mrs. Thompson sat there sorrowfully. $%h my dear son& she whispered. $!
always knew that 'od had special plans for you.& After a long moment of silence she
picked up the "ournal and recognized it as the one she had given him as a departing gift.
(iping away her brimming tears she tenderly opened the small book and began reading
the first entry)
(anuary )!, !"*
I have %ust been re+commissioned as a navy fighter pilot. I am scheduled to depart in
about a wee&. I am not yet sure how to brea& the news to my mother.
,ebruary , !"#
I can-t believe my good luc&. I am to be sent to the pride of the /.'. 0avy, the /.'.'.
1tlantis. 1lthough I will miss my family dearly, I cannot wait to go aboard.
,ebruary 2, !"#
3e have %ust received orders to leave port. I noticed that one of the spectators on the
doc& was my mother. ,or some reason, I have a feeling that I will never see her again.
Mrs. Thompson paused a moment to wipe her eyes. Then she continued to read
the ne*t entries)
,ebruary 4, !"#
I am ama5ed by the si5e of the carrier. It has a huge mess hall, thousands of small rooms
with triple dec& bun&s, large loc&er rooms and gyms. The hanger and top dec& are 6out
of this world.7 3e have two main runways and four elevators that lead to the hangers.
There is a small crew in the hangers that repair, refuel and re+arm the renowned aircraft
,+)" Dar& 'tri&er II among other famous fighter %ets.
,ebruary !, !"#

Training has been drastically increased. 3e are wor&ed day and night until we are
burned out. 8ur hours of rest are meager. 1ll this extra training ma&es me tense. 1ll I
was told was that we have to be prepared for what was coming.
March 9), !"#
3e have finally been called to the briefing room where we were informed of what was
happening. :1; was holding two of our men hostage on a small island in the 1tlantic.
8ur mission was to get to that sector and await further orders. I-m still overwhelmed
with the amount of training and wor&.
1pril 92, !"#
It is hard to write often. 3e are nearly at the assigned position and have received new
orders. The military has %ust launched 8peration Liberator. 1 force of stri&e Marines is
mounting a rescue effort. 3e are to provide aerial cover. 8h. There goes the alarm. I-d
better get to my plane.
1pril 9", !"#
1bout yesterday:
I hardly climbed into the coc&pit, and said a short prayer, when mission command began
shouting over the radio< 6The Marines have started their assault early. 3e are
scrambling two of our s=uadrons to assist.7 63e-ll obliterate them.7 I responded, 7or
I-m not >The ?lade.-7 3ithin what seemed li&e record time, eight Dar& 'tri&ers too& off
from the flight dec&.
3hen my s=uadron reached the area, the marines were already starting the attac&.
@lancing =uic&ly at my 1A' Badvanced radar systemC, I became aware of a large force of
enemy aircraft approaching. I made sure the other pilots were informed of what was
coming. 3hen they were in within visual range I yelled, 6?rea& formation and engage
the enemy.7 3e bro&e up, loc&ed on, and fired volley after volley of missals. Two of my
missiles struc& their targets. I &new they were &ills because I saw two fireballs in the
distance.
6'witch to short range twisters.7 I shouted into the radio. The fight was increasing in
intensity. 'uddenly, an enemy plane strea&ed across my canopy. I reali5ed I was in a
perfect position for a gun &ill. I aimed and opened fire with my DM2+plasma canon. The
blast shattered the fuel tan&, which ignited and sent the plane hurdling toward the sea.
(ust then, I reali5ed that my buddy, Darl (ohnson, was getting peppered by a do5en
enemy planes.
6$elp, ?lade.7 he shrie&ed. 6They-re all over me.7
6$ang on Darl.7 I called bac&.
Aeali5ing that we were greatly outnumbered, my only hope of relieving my buddy was to
divert the enemy. I flew directly into their path while firing machine guns and managed
to hit two planes, one of which burst into flames. This wor&ed well until they all turned
on me. (ust then I heard an earsplitting warning alarm in the coc&pit. It was the missile
alert. I ban&ed right while releasing chaff and flares to avoid the missile. ?ut I &new I
was stalling the inevitable. 1 missile finally hit my fuselage and sent my plane spiraling.
'omehow, I managed to pull the cord, which e%ected me from the aircraft. My parachute
opened safely and luc&ily I landed on the island-s beach instead of the sea. 'o here I am
alone, not &nowing if I will ever see my home or countrymen again.
1pril 9*, !"#
I than& the @ood Lord I-m safe. ,ortunately, I landed near the Marines position and they
caught sight of my parachute. Their sergeant had sent some men to assist me bac& to
their camp. I had received only minor in%uries so they gave me a gun and told me I-d be
fighting soon. ?y the way, I met the 'ergeant and he calls me >&id-.
1pril 2, !"#
3ow. 3hat a fight. 3e were advancing warily, wondering why we were meeting no
resistance, when suddenly :1; soldiers emerged from the trees, shouting savage war
cries and opening fire with their assault rifles. 3e immediately too& cover and repealed
the enemy. During the fight, one of our men attempted to throw a frag grenade but was
shot down in the act. The fuse was already activated. I-m not sure if the sergeant thought
I was stupid or brave, but I dove for it and threw it at the enemy. It exploded before it hit
the ground and at that moment the :1; troopers fled into the trees.

LaterE
The sergeant called me by my last name. I guess that means he admires what I did. 3e
have set up camp here in the forest. I am thoroughly exhausted right now. I-ll try to
write tomorrow.
May , !"#
It is early and the sun is %ust coming up over the hori5on. I &now I have a long day ahead
of me. I don-t &now if I-ll come out of this daring mission alive or dead. I only hope that
@od helps me accomplish itE 8h. I-d better go. The sergeant-s calling me by my ,IA'T
name. I-ll finish this laterE
Turning the page Mrs. Thompson was surprised as she read#
,ollowing the death of your son, I too& the liberty to finish the story for him.
'incerely,
Sgt. Tucker.
Michael, the other marines, and I were slowly advancing through the trees. 3hile doing
so, we came across a small attac& car. 1t that time, we had only until tomorrow to
rescue the hostages and we were a bit nervous. 3e thought the car was booby trapped
by :1; operatives. 3e &new that they had done this before but we also &new that we
would not reach the :1; base in time if we did not have some means of transportation.
3hile we were debating whether or not to use it, Michael, without hesitation, hopped in
and drove away. 3e were shoc&ed. $e did not want to %eopardi5e our lives in the ris& of
his own.
The following is based off of the hostages- account of the events#
Michael raced down the road in his vehicle towards the enemy base. Two sentries
guarded the gate, which fortunately was open. Michael targeted two gas tan&s nearby
and opened fire with his mounted machine gun. They exploded %ust as Michael sped by.
The sentries fled in separate directions.
$e screeched to a halt before the holding facility. $e dauntlessly charged through the
door, &noc&ed out the guards, and rushed up the stairs to the hostages- cell. The prison
guard was pacing in front of the iron door, taunting the captives. Michael lunged at him,
tied him up, and snatched the &eys in a matter of seconds. Fuic&ly, he opened the door
and the stench of the foreboding dar& cell nearly cho&ed him. Ma&ing out the two men in
the blac&ness, he motioned for the haggard men to follow him to safety. 8ne of them was
too wea& from ill treatment to ma&e the escape. Michael promptly lifted the man onto his
shoulders and made the arduous descent down the stairs and out the door with the other
hostage following. 8nly now did he reali5e that the vehicle hardly held two people. There
was no time to loose. :1; soldiers were already pouring out of the barrac&s. ?ullets
whi55ed past their heads. Michael ordered the stronger escapee into the driver-s seat and
laid the in%ured one into the other. 3ith horror, he reali5ed that the gate was closing.
(ust as Michael grabbed on to ride on the outside of the vehicle, a bullet ripped through
his left shoulder. $e fell to the ground in pain. @rasping his shoulder, he got up slowly,
but he &new he couldn-t ma&e it.
6@o.7 $e yelled. The escapees had no choice but to obey. They whi55ed through the
gate, clearing it by inches. Loo&ing bac&, they witnessed the dreadful but heroic scene.
Michael folded his hands in final prayer, then fell under a hail of bullets.
6@reater love hath no man, than to lay down his life for his friends.7
3hen my troop and I arrived at the enemy base we stormed the building and eliminated
all enemy troops. 3hen we recovered your son, he was barely holding on to life. $e
as&ed me, as his last wish, to ma&e sure that this diary arrives safely in your hands. This
I have gladly done.
Gour son, Michael Thompson, has been posthumously awarded the Medal of $onor, as
well as being promoted to Marshal.
Mrs. Thompson dropped to her knees and visualized her son whispering his final
prayer.