A Wish

                        A Wish
    Charlie served in the South Pacific during World War II. After he retired, he shared his experiences from the war with me and helped me to write down some of his stories. He told me about a lost platoon that failed to make radio contact with headquarters.    Just before supplies ran out, a young officer suggested that the platoon climb to the highest point on the island and try the radio again. The suggestion worked and the platoon was saved.
    I later learned that he was the young officer that made the suggestion and saved the platoon, but that typified Charlie. He never boasted of his actions or brought others down just to make himself feel important.
    Most people from the WWII generation hate the Japanese race with a passion, but he admired its courage. He told of a Japanese soldier that danced before the American guns and drew their fire in order to let Japanese artillery zero in on the American’s position. The Japanese soldier gave his life, but Charlie’s platoon lost half its fighting strength.
      Charlie died last Friday and I already miss him. I can’t claim to have known him all my life, but I can say that I never heard him speak ill of anyone. We need more men with such lofty principles. I wish everyone had his principles.