And that quiver in his voice was even more profound,

and his skin tone was quite pale to the eye,

Mama began to question him about being MIA,

he was reluctant you could tell by his answering sigh.

But Mama pushed until finally he told,

that his tags were lost in the initital blast,

He was picked up in the field and tagged John Doe,

until he awoke three weeks later in a body cast.

They had put him back together with metal plates and screws,

and on his chest they pinned a Purple Heart,

Then they told him they were sending him home,

for some much needed and well deserved R&R.

That was the happiest six months of Mama's life,

even her worry lines had began to fade,

She tried her best to talk him into taking a medical discharge,

but his decision to return had already been made.

One more time they sent him straight into the fires of hell,

only this time he would not stay long,

He was there just a few short months,

then found himself listening to Korean songs.

It was plainly seen that Mama still was not happy,

she wanted him back home in the United States,

He made his way from Korea to Germany and back again to Korea,

then finally settling on Alaska, where he found his lifetime mate.

He was still a mighty long way from Texas,

and far away from big sister's worrisome eye,

But for the first time in over a half a lifetime,

she could fall asleep and didn't feel the need to cry.

He finally retired after thirty years,

but in the frozen lands of Alaska he would stay,

He said it was clearly in God's chosen plan,

and he didn't feel the need to question His way.

Several times he made the trip down,

for a relaxed and friendly visit,

And on the last one he left for Mama,

that Purple Heart, for he said that she earned it.

There was not one dry eye in the whole place,

when he set that medal in the palm of her hand,

With the quiver and determination still in his voice,

He said there was never a better Sister for any living man.

Before he could get back to see her again,

his war torn heart finally gave way,

She always said that he was a casualty of war,

to her it didn't matter what the examiner would say.

And she began to grieve for she missed him so,

nothing would ever take his place,

Her heart had been wounded beyond repair,

and she longed to again see his face.

She placed that Purple Heart beneath her pillow,

and there is where it would always stay,

She would hold it tight in her hand each night,

while she would quietly pray.

Several years later Mama too found her way to Heaven,

and our intentions was to place that medal in her hand,

But when we went to retrieve it all we found was the imprint,

of it and her golden wedding band.

So if by chance you were to find yourself in Heaven,

and an angel you see with a Purple Heart and a halo,

Will you tell her for me that we miss her a lot,