What follows is a copy of a letter that was written by a young Marine to his mother when he was hospitalized after being wounded on a Korean battlefield in 1950. It came into the hands of a Navy chaplain, who read the letter before 5,000 Marines at a San Diego Naval Base in 1951.
The Navy chaplain had talked to the boy, to the boy's mother, and to the sergeant in charge of the patrol. This navy chaplain, Father Walter Muldy, would always assure anyone who asked that this was a true story.
This letter had been read once a year in the I960 's over a Midwestern radio station at Christmas time. Since the feast of St. Michael the Archangel is in the Month of September, we thought our readers would find it of interest. We present this letter and let it stand on its own merits.
Dear Mom,
I wouldn't dare write this letter to anyone but you because no one else would believe it. Maybe even you will find it hard, but I have to tell somebody.
First off, I am in a hospital. Now don't worry, you hear me, don't worry. I was wounded but I am okay, you understand. Okay. The doctor says I will be up and around in a month.
But that is not what I wanted to tell you.
Remember when I joined the Marines last year; remember when I left, how you told me to say a prayer to St. Michael everyday? You didn't really have to tell me that. Ever since I can remember you always told me to pray to St. Michael the Archangel. You even named me after him. Well, I always have.
When I got to Korea I prayed even harder. Remember that prayer you taught me?
"Michael, Michael of the morning, fresh corps of Heaven adorning," you know the rest of it. Well, I said it every day. Sometimes when I was marching or sometimes resting. But always before I went to sleep. I even got some of the other fellahs to say it.
Well, one day I was with an advance detail way up over the front lines. We were scouting for the Commies. I was plodding along in the bitter cold, my breath was like cigar smoke.
I thought I knew every guy in the patrol, when alongside of me comes another Marine I never met before. He was bigger than any other Marine I'd ever seen. He must have been over six feet four inches, and built in proportion. It gave me such a feeling of security to have such a body near.
Anyway, there we were, trudging along. The rest of the patrol spread out. Just to start a conversation I said, "Cold, ain't it." And then I laughed. Here I was with a good chance of getting killed any minute and I am talking about the weather.
My companion seemed to understand. I heard him laugh softly.
I looked at him. "I have never seen you before. I thought I knew every man in the outfit."
"I just joined at the last minute," he replied. 'The name's Michael."
"Is that so," I said surprised. "That is my name too."
"I know," he said and then went on, "Michael, Michael of the morning..."
I was too amazed to say anything for a minute. How did he know my name, and a prayer that you had taught me? Then I smiled to myself, every guy in the outfit knew about me. Hadn't I taught that prayer to anybody who would listen? Why, now and then they even referred to me as St. Michael.
Neither of us spoke for a time and then he broke the silence. "We are going to have some trouble up ahead."
He must have been in fine physical shape or he was breathing so lightly I couldn't see his breath. Mine poured out in great clouds. There was no smile on his face now. Trouble ahead, I thought to myself, well with the Commies all around us, that is no great revelation.
Snow had begun to fall in great thick globs. In a brief moment the whole countryside was blotted out. And I was a white fog of wet sticky particles. My companion disappeared.
"Michael," I shouted in sudden alarm.
I felt his hand on my arm, his voice was rich and strong, "This will stop shortly."
His prophecy proved to be correct. In a few minutes the snow had stopped as sharply as it had begun. The sun was a hard shining disc.
I looked back for the rest of the patrol, there was no one in sight. We lost them in that heavy fall of snow. I looked ahead as we came over a little rise.
Mom, my heart stopped. There were seven of them. Seven Commies in their padded pants and jackets and their funny hats. Only there wasn't anything funny about them now. Seven rifles were aimed at us.
"Down, Michael," I screamed and hit the frozen earth.
I heard those rifles fire almost as one, I heard the bullets. There was Michael still standing.
Mom, those guys couldn't have missed, not at that range. I expected to see him literally blown to bits.
But there he stood, making no effort to fire himself. He was paralysed with fear. It happens sometimes, Mom, even to the bravest. He was like a bird fascinated by a snake.
At least, that was what I thought then. I jumped up to pull him down and that was when I got mine. I felt a sudden flame in my chest. I often wondered what it felt like to be hit, now I know.
I remember feeling strong arms about me, arms that laid me ever so gently on a pillow of snow. I opened my eyes for one last look. I was dying. Maybe I was even dead, I remember thinking, well, this is not so bad.
Maybe I was looking into the sun. Maybe I was in shock. But it seemed I saw Michael standing erect again, only this time his face was shining with a terrible splendour.
As I say, maybe it was the sun in my eyes, but he seemed to change as I watched him. He grew bigger, his arms stretched out wide, maybe it was the snow falling again, but there was a brightness around him like the wings of an angel. In his hand was a sword. A sword that flashed with a million lights.
Well, that is the last thing I remember until the rest of the fellahs came up and found me. I do not know how much time had passed. Now and then I had but a moment's rest from the pain and the fever. I remember telling them of the enemy just ahead.
"Where is Michael?" I asked.
I saw them look at one another. "Where's who?" asked one.
"Michael, Michael, that big Marine I was walking with just before the snow squall hit us."
"Kid," said the sergeant, "you weren't walking with anyone. I had my eyes on you the whole time. You were getting too far out. I was just going to call you when you disappeared into the snow."
He looked at me curiously. "How did you do it, kid?"
"How'd I do what?" I asked, half angry despite my wound. "This Marine named Michael and I were just..."
"Son," said the sergeant kindly, "I picked this outfit out myself and there just ain't another Michael in it. You are the only Mike in it."
He paused for a minute. "Just how did you do it, kid? We heard shots. There hasn't been a shot fired from your rifle. And there isn't a bit of lead in them seven bodies over the hill there."
I didn't say anything, what could I say. I could only look open-mouthed with amazement.
It was then the sergeant spoke again. "Kid," he said gently, "every one of those seven Commies was killed by a sword stroke."
That is all I can say, Mom. As I say, it may have been the sun in my eyes, it may have been the cold or the pain. But that is what happened.
Love,
Michael