A Warrior’s Wisdom

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Greetings, ST, and All!

I encountered a bit of a rough patch recently; so, I took a break from my reality by immersing myself in someone else’s.  While working my way through James Mattis’s new book (I’m about I third of the way done. And, yes, I’ll post impressions when I’ve finished.), I came across something I’d never read before – though it may be familiar to our host, and others here.  Gen. Mattis read it as a farewell to his troops, in Iraq before “relinquishing command” in August of 2004.

Written by French Lt. Andre Zirnheld, during Field Marshal Erwin Rommel’s sweep across North Africa in 1942, prior to volunteering to parachute behind German lines, near Tobruk, in order to gather intelligence.  He landed in the thick of battle for a strategic airfield, was seriously wounded when strafed by enemy air support, and could not be evacuated before he succumbed to grievous wounds. His words – found among his effects – inspired so many that they’ve come down to us as “The Paratrooper’s Prayer”.  Here it is, in a slightly different version than the general cites:

I call out to you, my God, because you give
What we cannot get by ourselves.
Give me, my God, what remains;
Give me what no one ever asks of you.

I do not ask for rest
Nor tranquility
Whether that of the soul or the body.
I ask not for wealth,
Or success, or even health.

All these, my God, you are asked for so much
That you no longer have them.
Give me, my God, what remains
Give me what others refuse.

I want insecurity and anxiety.
I want turmoil and brawl.
And that you give them to me, my God, forever
So that I am always sure to have them.
For I will not always have the courage to ask.

Give me, my God, what you have.
Give me what others do not want.
But also give me courage
And strength and faith.
Because only you alone can give, my God,

What I cannot ask of myself…

(June 27, 1942)

Make it an eventful week, Everyone.

Your everlovin’,

“Chaps”

 

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Published by D’Nanda Panda

Retired hospital chaplain, Theo-Geek, Honorary Marine, bookworm, crossword addict, and lover of intelligent conversation, well-brewed tea and/or occasional distilled spirits - as appropriate.

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21 thoughts on “A Warrior’s Wisdom”

  1. Ye that Mitchell’s prayer have heard:”Send war in our time, O Lord!”/Know that when all words are said/And a man is fighting mad/ Something drops from eyes long blind/He completes his partial mind,/ For an instant stands at ease,/Laughs aloud, his heart at peace./Even the wisest man grows tense/With some sort of violence/Before he can accomplish fate,/Know his work, or choose his mate.”
    —WB Yeats

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  3. On a slightly different note, one of the best books that I have read about counter-insurgency ops was written by a French soldier. Wait one while I ask Mr. Google to refresh my memory.

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    1. You *did* link to the preview, ST, which is quite helpful. How familiar does one need to be with counter-insurgency [COIN] operations to understand the book? (Before I get in over my head? -grin-)

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  6. (I don’t have permission to edit comments, says WordPress), so I’ll just say that Gen. Mattis says Zirnheld was killed in the attempt, without details; and that finding more info took mere moments…No worries. In fact, I’ll add the info to the post.

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    1. “Zirnheld was a character straight out of French central casting.”

      And too young gone.

      Wonder what he would say about the dangers of being a Jew in France today, and especially why it (is taking?) took so long for the authorities to realize that the brutal murder of Holocaust survivor Mireille Knoll was a ‘hate crime?’

      P.S. It took French authorities forever to classify the 2017 murder of an elderly Jewish lady as an anti-Semitic act even though they had this piece of evidence to work with: Amid shouts of “Allah Akbar” (God is great), Koranic verses and insults, her attacker beat Halimi before throwing her out of the window.

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      1. Yeah, I saw that, too…This is what comes of fragmenting history into identity and self-hatred. I was a high school senior 40+ years ago, taught history and social studies by a beloved Marine (Korea and Vietnam) vet, who let nothing slip by us. I think that generation was the last to get through high school and college having been educated, versus indoctrinated.

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  7. I’d surmise he’d shrug his shoulders in that very Gallic way, and head off to advise the IDF… (Not being ‘flip’ here; giving vent to how angry this sort of thing makes me isn’t physically helpful.)

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    2. A bit more reflection about these powerful words leads me to remark on how ‘inside-out’ and upside-down they are, in today’s world: “The Simon Tao” at work again…Hmmm.

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  9. Finished Gen. Mattis’s & Bing West’s book…He fills me with pride and hope; reading about the strategic snafus he and others endured made me want to (as my mom taught us to say) “upchuck”….What am I missing? Will try to formulate a post shortly.

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    1. Have finished ADM Denton’s book tonight, too…Wow! Talk about something that stiffens one’s spine, and instructs one about the importance and effectiveness of the “armor of God”, as St. Paul says…Counseling for the Chaps, for sure. Good stuff!

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  10. Working on gathering threads for: “Stump the Chaps” IV: Shared Values for an Atomized Society? Maybe by midweek…ST, don’t they say that “It’s Sunday whenever the ‘Chaps’ shows up.”? I hope so…

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