At the going down of the sun and in the morning we will remember them
Written on April 22, 2006
Top two award winners from Pictures of the Year International:
First Place
Todd Heisler The Rocky Mountain News
When 2nd Lt. James Cathey’s body arrived at the Reno Airport, Marines climbed into the cargo hold of the plane and draped the flag over his casket as passengers watched the family gather on the tarmac. During the arrival of another Marine’s casket last year at Denver International Airport, Major Steve Beck described the scene as one of the most powerful in the process: “See the people in the windows? They’ll sit right there in the plane, watching those Marines. You gotta wonder what’s going through their minds, knowing that they’re on the plane that brought him home,” he said. “They’re going to remember being on that plane for the rest of their lives. They’re going to remember bringing that Marine home. And they should.”
First Place | General Reporting
Second Place
Todd Heisler The Rocky Mountain News
The night before the burial of her husband’s body, Katherine Cathey refused to leave the casket, asking to sleep next to his body for the last time. The Marines made a bed for her, tucking in the sheets below the flag. Before she fell asleep, she opened her laptop computer and played songs that reminded her of ‘Cat,’ and one of the Marines asked if she wanted them to continue standing watch as she slept. “I think it would be kind of nice if you kept doing it,” she said. “I think that’s what he would have wanted.”
Second Place | General Reporting
Laurence Bunyon, For The Fallen
With proud thanksgiving, a mother for her children,
England mourns for her dead across the sea.
Flesh of her flesh they were, spirit of her spirit,
Fallen in the cause of the free.
Solemn the drums thrill; Death august and royal
Sings sorrow up into immortal spheres,
There is music in the midst of desolation
And a glory that shines upon our tears.
They went with songs to the battle, they were young,
Straight of limb, true of eye, steady and aglow.
They were staunch to the end against odds uncounted;
They fell with their faces to the foe.
They shall grow not old, as we that are left grow old:
Age shall not weary them, nor the years contemn.
At the going down of the sun and in the morning
We will remember them.
They mingle not with their laughing comrades again;
They sit no more at familiar tables of home;
They have no lot in our labour of the day-time;
They sleep beyond England’s foam.
But where our desires are and our hopes profound,
Felt as a well-spring that is hidden from sight,
To the innermost heart of their own land they are known
As the stars are known to the Night;
As the stars that shall be bright when we are dust,
Moving in marches upon the heavenly plain;
As the stars that are starry in the time of our darkness,
To the end, to the end, they remain.
Filed in: Favourites, Military, Terrorism.
I too lost friends in the gulf war. My very deepest sympathies are with the friends and family of 2ed Lt James cathey.If all men had the love of such a women as his wife, maybe we wouldn’t need to fight any more.
my dads Dad was in the Gallipoli War, he died there and i never got to meet, Nor Did my dad, My cousin Drew is now in the army and i do not want him in a War as i love him so much, and i cry so much on ANZAC DAY…
especially when this is said…
They shall grow not old, as we that are left grow old:
Age shall not weary them, nor the years contemn.
At the going down of the sun and in the morning
We will remember them.
Lest We Forget.
erm .. you might want to fix a typo .. i believe it’s “condemn”, not “contemn”.
Contemn means to despise or disregard. I think you will find this is not a “typo”.
As time is fleeting
we must cherish each meeting,
as friends may come and go
In our memories we will always know
of the foot steps we have shared,
as team mates we have cared
Stepping out with the bold
knowing a few won’t grow to be old
Take those few in our hearts
when missions take us to new parts
In their memory we continue on….
1996, SGM BrianScott La Morte, USA, SF, (Ret)
oh that we that they died for lived in a manor that would make them proud then their sad demise would not be such a waste yet which of us can honestly look in the mirror each day and say what i am doing is worth the death of one man let alone the vast numbers who have died and will die to give us the chance of a better life
i am sure i cant and i am also sure that a lot of those that read this will feel the same if they are honest
i will remember them
i will respect them
but will i ever be worthy of them
lets try to be better live better.