‘Try to Not Worry’

Marine Lance Cpl. Jonathan Collins
May 4, 2004 (from journal)

Day 64
We awoke last night to the voice of Sgt. Falkner saying "get up put your s--- on + stand by your rack." It was 4:00am we all had only expected the worst. We had just gotten off guard at 1800 +wasn't supposed to do anything until noon the next day. However at 2300 hours 2 scout swimmers…never made it to the island they were swimming to. A massive man hunt last all night and all day yesterday. We found 1 boonie and a chem. Light. We're leaving at noon to start the search again. Although at this point they have most likely passed on we're still hopeful. It's hard to see this happen. The worst part is they're MIA. We have no idea what happened to them they could be POW's or stuck at the bottom of a river. The CO said we will continue searching until they are found. They'll never see home again, no more x-mas, easters, summers, fun times, women, all that was gone in a second. I hate seeing or thinking about death in this place. Just keep on keeping on right? Till tomorrow.

Collins, 19, of Crystal Lake, Ill., was killed on Aug. 8, 2004.

Army Spc. Joseph A. Graves
Nov. 20, 2005 (e-mail to wife)

IM SORRY THAT IT HAS BEEN SOO LONG SINCE I HAVE WROTE.   BUT I WAS OUT AT A RANGE THAT POPPED UP LAST MINUTE.   SO I DIDNT HAVE A CHANCE TO TELL U.  THINGS HERE ARE GOING GOOD I GUESS.   WE LEAVE SOON TO GO UP NORTH AND I WAS JUST TOLD THAT WE WILL HAVE INTERNET IN OUR ROOMS FOR ABOUT 30 A MONTH.   SO I NEED A COMPUTER.   I WAS STILL THINKING OF GETTING A NEW ONE AND BEFORE I LEAVE TO COME HOME SEND IT TO U SO U CAN SEND IT IN FOR MAINTENCE SINCE IT WILL BE UNDER WARENTY.   I MISS U SO MUCH AND EVERYDAY IT HURTS SOO BAD.   IT MAKES ME HAPPY TO NO THAT U R DEALING WITH IT SO WELL.  IT MAKES IT THAT MUCH EASIER TO BE HERE.   ALL I WANT TO DO IS GO HOME AND BE WITH U.   AT LEAST IT FEELS LIKE THE TIME IS GOING BY SOMWHAT FAST.   I CANT BELIEVE THAT IT HAS BEEN 2 SUNDAYS ALREADY.   THAT IS A GOOD THING.   I DONT WANT U TO NOT BUY FOOD U NEED THAT AND I DONT WANT U TO WORRY ABOUT THAT.  IT IS MORE INPORTENT FOR U TO SERVIVE THEN IT IS FOR ME OR US TO BUY LITTLE THINGS.  EVERYTHING I NEED IS GOING TO BE HERE.   ABOUT THE ONLY THING THAT I WANT U TO START TO SEND IS MY OTHER UNIFORMS.  SOME SOAP, TOOTHPASTE, THAT SORT OF THING BECAUSE I WAS TOLD THAT THE PX UP THERE DOESNT REALLY HAVE ANYTHING.   AND THAT IS ALL THAT I WILL REALLY NEED.   I LOVE U SOO MUCH. I PROMISE THAT WHEN I GET BACK WE WILL GO ALL OUT ON CHRISTMAS, IT WILL BE FUN AND IT WILL BE A GREAT MEMORY.I LOVE U AND I CANT WAIT TO SEE U.

Grave, 21, of Discovery Bay, Calif., was killed July 25, 2006.