Laura Margaret Walker

West Point, 2003

Be Thou At Peace

Posted by Andy Jurcak on May 2, 2006:

Hello Laura, It's been almost a year now since I met your Mom, Dad and Grandmother at the Fourth Division Memorial in Arlington Cemetery. What a beautiful day it was. They told me it was the first time they had visited the Memorial and remarked as to how beautiful it was. They stayed with our small group of veterans from World War II, Vietnam and active duty members and chatted with many of the persons that were there that day. I told my wife what a remarkable family this was. Later on, I emailed your parents the pictures that we had taken of them in front of the Memorial. I'm not sure if you ever got a chance to see them but hope that you did. Service to God, Country and the Fourth Infantry Division. It's something you and I had in common. I keep thinking about a poem that was written during the First World War by Sergeant Joyce Kilmer who served with the famous 69th Irish-American National Guard Regiment out of New York City "The Fighting 69th". His words have always brought me comfort in difficult times: Now over the grave abrupt and clear Three volleys ring; And perhaps their brave young spirits hear The bugle sing: ?Go to sleep! Go to sleep! Slumber well where the shell screamed and fell. Let your rifles rest on the muddy floor, You will not need them any more. Danger?s past; Now at last, Go to sleep...!? And up to Heaven?s doorway floats, From the wood called Rouge Bouquet, A delicate cloud of bugle notes That softly say: "Farewell! Farewell! Comrades true, born anew, peace to you! Your souls shall be where the heroes are And your memory shines like the morning-star. Brave and dear, Shield us here. Farewell!? Our love and thoughts to all, Andy & Lucy Jurcak

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