Hero of the Vietnam War

I found this letter from a U.S. Army Advisor to his parents while reading the profiles in courage of the men and women who died in Vietnam. His name is Captain Gerald Austin Brown, Ft. Worth, Texas. Captain Brown died May 16, 1967. Note the date on the letter - it indicates that he wanted his family to know some things about himself and the war. You can read the link yourself: http://www.vvmf.org/index.cfm?SectionID=110&anClip=203684

"The letter below written by Jerry before his departure for Viet Nam was left with long-time friends in Fort Worth. It was delivered to his parents after his death 16 May, 1967. The FORT WORTH STAR-TELEGRAM carried Jerry's letter on the front page of its'May 27, 1967 edition. Picked up by an Associated Press reporter, it was published nation-wide.

June 1, 1966

Dear Mother & Bud,

These are a few of the things that were always left unsaid for some reason or other. First, I loved you very much, and was always very grateful for the many blessings that you saw that I was provided with. Sometimes we didn't say "I love you" enough, so I just wanted to make sure I didn't take off without making sure you understood how much I cared for you.

Second, do not be bitter or have doubts over the cause of my death. If I go fighting for my country, or for the people in Viet Nam, then I go by my own free will because it is right. It is right because (1) It is God's will that we love all our fellow men -- regardless of RACE, CREED, or COLOR. This I believe, and for this I willingly fought. There is good in every single human, and one needs to look until you find it. (2) I am an American. I believe in our country, and all of the ideals on which it was founded, and I prefer death rather than to be guilty of not defending it or its principles to the maximun. By the same token, if a man asks me or my country for help -- then he should expect to be able to receive it. Not just money but a personal, individual, commitment of an individual American to his problem. It was my turn to fulfill this individual commitment and I could not ignore my duty.
(3) I believe in God, and it is only through personal commitment that His will is accomplished. At least I have tried. Read Hebrews II, that was the source of my strength.

These are my reasons, and whether you understand them or not, I don't know. But I did, and that is sufficient.
Do not be sad, and for Pete's sake don't play a lot of sad songs at my funeral. If you must play music, by all means play "When the Saints Go Marching In"! ( and play a good jazzed up version of it too! ). Also, the beautiful sound of TAPS played on a good bugle was always great -- but end it with a rousing charge. You may rest assured by the time you read this I will be hard at work in God's Angel corps or swapping yarns with Big Daddy while hoeing in his heavenly garden ( watermelons -- what else? ). So don't cry over me, I'll be just as happy as I always was.

Good-bye for awhile. Until we meet again in Heaven, remember --

I love you,
Jerry"