combat writing badge

The War Prayer

by Mark Twain [Samuel Langhorne Clemens]
[ca1904-5; Complete Essays of Mark Twain ed by Charles Neider (1963)]


O Lord our God, help us to tear their soldiers to bloody shreds with our shells; help us to cover their smiling fields with the pale forms of their patriotic dead; help us to drown the thunder of the guns with the shrieks of their wounded, writhing in pain; help us to lay waste their humble homes with a hurricane of fire; help us to wring the hearts of their unoffending widows with unavailing grief ... for our sakes who adore Thee, O Lord, blast their hopes, blight their lives, protract their bitter pilgrimage, make heavy their steps, water their way with their tears: stain the white snow with the blood of their wounded feet! We ask it, in the spirit of love, of Him Who is the Source of Love, and Who is the ever-faithful refuge and friend of all that are sore beset and seek His aid with humble and contrite hearts. Amen.






Prayer before the Ia Drang Battle

by LTC Harold G. Moore
[ca1965 We Were Soldiers Once, And Young: Ia Drang, The Battle That Changed The War In Vietnam by H.G. Moore & J.L. Galloway (1992)]


Our Father in Heaven, before we go into battle, every soldier among us will approach You each in his own way. Our enemies too, according to their own understanding, will ask for protection and for victory. And so, we bow before Your infinite wisdom. We offer our prayers as best we can. I pray You watch over these young troopers that I lead into battle. I pray You use me as Your instrument in this awful hell of war to watch over them, especially if they're men deserving of a future in Your blessing and goodwill. ... oh, yes, and one more thing, dear Lord, about our enemies, ignore their heathen prayers and help us blow those little bastards straight to Hell. Amen.






S-1:
ADMIN
S-2:
INTEL
S-3:
OPNS
S-4:
QM
S-5:
CA
S-6:
COMMO
Site
Map
Home
Page





C O M B A T