“Lord, these men don’t deserve to be here. Who am I to command these souls? They’re not robots, not mindless efficient killing machines. They’re fathers. Brothers. Sons. Why can’t I just send them home, Lord? An’ I know that’s what you told me to do, an’ I know it’s what I aught to do, but how?

I seen these men look a ‘kraut dead in the eyes and stutter to pull that trigger. Hell, them ’krauts stuttered too. Locked in some type of unspoken agreement. They just gone and looked the other way, for another man to fire on, Lord. But not them, no, no. They promised. In that eye lock, Lord, they made a promise. More than any promise I ever made to anyone. More than any promise I ever gone an’ made to you.

Why do they got more courage than me, Lord? I’m standing at the bases rollin’ the dice and they’re out there making sure no fathers come home to them ’kraut little babies. They;re just doing what they were told to do, Lord.

They’re just listenin’ to me."