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- A POINT OF PRIDE: The University of Portland Story
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A POINT OF PRIDE: The University of Portland Story
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118 A POINT OF PRIDE
Eddie McChrystal of the class of '43.
coming along all right.” In chat note he enclosed a special letter to his parents
asking the priest that it be given to them in the event of his death. On
Christmas Day 1944, Corporal Eddie McChrystal was killed in France on a
special mission for the intelligence department. The following letter to his
parents was written in Italy, and deserves to be quoted in its entirety:
Dear Mom and Dad:
Right now it is a warm clear Sunday morning. A bit earlier I went to Mass and
Holy Communion and now I’m sitting on the hillside with some free minutes in
which to write to you. This letter is partly a thank-you note. It's to thank you for a
life-time of good things you have given me. Ever since basic training I intended to
write you these lines some day. On our hikes way back in Texas, then in other
parts of the States, at night-whenever a soldier can keep awake long enough to
take a quick 'thought visit’ home, and now over here, these are the thoughts
which have been tumbling around in my mind.
I hope you won’t think me sentimental, but when you begin to face the very
basic things in life, you don’t mind speaking your heart. Over here we must
necessarily concern ourselves with many things we formerly accepted practically
unconsciously. Keeping clean, eating, sleeping-all these are major events now.
But-most of all-praying, keeping close to God. and Home are the ‘precious
thoughts’ when we are able to have them. Well, one thing I’m particularly grateful
for is the advantage of a Catholic college education. Those years at the University
of Portland you gave me were happy ones. They helped-I’m sure-to provide lor
me a fuller view of life and to instill an appreciation of the good and noble. They
gave me true friends, too.
Then, I want to thank you for all those thousands and thousands of little things
which really make up life-when you. Dad, used to wait for us in the morning to
take us to school: and when you, Mom, would sit up at night until all ofus were in
bed . We thought you were strict, all right, but we would have been disappointed if
you had gone to bed.
You see, these are the nice little things you were doing for us right along. Well,
though I would never be capable of full payment, 1 was hoping to do something
for you some day. I had hoped to come back and do it at home, but God has other
plans, you sec. I have always looked at the matter this way: all ofus have two
homes-that very dear one back in America and that never-ending one in Heaven .
Wcll-perhaps I’m being a bit vain-but now that I didn’t get back to my U. S.
home, I hope to be on the way, at least, to the home in Heaven. So, when I arrive
there and if you are still on earth, I want you to know that I'll be praying and
waiting for you, and for Sarah Helen and Bill and for the rest at home and
elsewhere.
Please don’t have any regrets, for, as someone has said, ‘this war is bigger than
any one person.’ Despite the grumbling, mistakes, and disappointments, we
know that we’re fighting for what is right and noble-we’re fighting for a good
America, for home. Everyone must do his part. For many of us, that part may
seem insignificant, but the fact that we’re doing all we can makes it a lofty effort. I
want to believe that because I did my bit, America is a better land, home is still
home back there, and people are happier.
God bless you and goodbye for now.
Your loving son, Edward
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