Unit6TheDiaryoftheUnknownSoldierThisstoryisdedicatedtoalloftheunknownsoldierswhodiedwhiletryingtoprotectthelivesoftheinnocent.NOVEMBER24,19431IthasbeenalmostsixmonthssinceIlastsawAmericansoil,myfamily,ormyhome.MyheartacheseverymomentbecauseeverywhereIlookIseepilesofrubblewherehousesusedtostandandlifelessbodiesthatoncemovedaroundwiththejoyoflifeinsidethem.ItisasifIhavestaredintodeath'seyesandseenitshatred,itscoldness.Ifitwouldhavebeensomestrangers'corpsesthatIhadseenImighthavetakenitlighter.Buttheselifelessheapsare,orusedtobe,myfriendsandcolleagues.Theyallcameherewithanairofconfidenceandeagerness,readytowin.Whatfools1theywere!Couldn'tthosemenseethatwhattheyreceivedwasaone-waytickettodeath,couldn'ttheyhaveopenedtheireyes!Ofcourse,Iwaslikethem,butIhavechangedmyviewssincethelastD-Day,whenourregimentwasassignedtoprotectLondon.2Todaywasrainyandcold,justlikeanyother,when,outoftheblue,Germanfighterplanesbombardedoursmall,makeshiftcamp.AllIcouldhearwerethesoundsof2bombsexploding,cripplingthosepeopleintheirway.Iwassuddenlyknockedintoatrenchandabletobeundetectedbytheplanescirclingoverhead.Iwaslucky.33WhenIcameto,theAxisplaneshadgoneandthefewsurvivorsthatwereleftbeganscoopingupbodies.Isufferedminorheadinjuries,buttherestofmyplatoonwasn'tsofortunate.AllIcansaytodescribetheaftermathoftheexplosionsisthatitwasaseaofblood.Rightaboutthistimethoughtsofsuicideenteredmyhead,butIdecidedthatImustgoon.Imustgoonlivingthisnightmare,ifnotformyselformycountry,thenformyfamilybackhome.Iwantmychildrentohaveafather.Myfamilyhasbeensendingmemail,butIhavereceivedonlyafewletterssofar.Oh,howIwishIcouldseemydarlingdaughters!Theyareexperiencingtoughtimestoo,withthefoodshortageproblemsandall.Ihopethegardenthattheyplantedisgrowing.Mythoughtsdrifttomywifenow.SheissodeartomethatIcan'tstopthinking4abouther.4Myjobnowisplanespotting.Itisacivilian'stask,buttherearenomorecivilianslefttodoit.ImustendthisentrynowbecauseIamtootiredtogoonwriting.AllIaskisthatIbealivewhenthisends.AlthoughI'mnotsosureI'llgetmywish.5NOVEMBER29,19431IdonotrememberwhyIevercamehere.Whydoeswarhavetobethewayproblemsaresolved?Warjustcreatesmoreproblems;somethingeverysensiblepersonknows.IguessthatmeanspeoplelikeHitleraren'tsensible.NowmyK-rationsarerunninglow.Myjointsarefrozenstiffandmyammunitionhasbeenusedup.WordhasitthattheAxispowersaresendingtroopstoourlocationwithinthemonth.Mysituationisgrimandtheoddsofwinning,orevensurviving,seem6unlikely.Morebloodhasbeenshedandmybodysimplycannottakeit.WhenIeat,7sleep,andfightIhavetostareatcold,lifelesssoldiersthatlookliketheywereneveralive.IfIreturnhomeIvowtokeepthesesoldiers'memoriesalivebytellingtheirfamiliestheydiedbravelyinanefforttosavetheircountryfromturmoil.Whilethatmightnotprovidemuchtohelpthemcopewiththeirloss,itwillmakethechildrenfeelliketheirfathersmadeadifference.82AfewdaysagomyragtaggroupofsoldiersjourneyedtoasmallEuropeantownthathadbeenuntouchedbywarfare.Still,thetownspeopletookalloftheproperwar-timeprecautions.Onenight,asIperformedmyroutinewatch,Ipassedayounggirlofnomorethantwelveorthirteen,whowaswalkinghome.Icouldn'thelpthinkingaboutmytwodaughterswhenIsawher.Ifellapartinsideandbrokeintotears,wonderingyetagainifIwouldeverseemyfamily.Iwouldgiveanythingto9seethem,evenifitwasforfiveminutes!Iamnotamanmadeforwar,noramIanadventurousperson.Idonotevenremembermyreasonforjoininginthismadness!IguessIthou...