I rented the video, _Saving Private Ryan_ this evening, to help clarify in my
mind the course that I should take. As I watched, I weighed the costs against
the possibility that what can be lost be so lost.
It was no contest. So, before I do the last thing that I can do, I'd like to
share what's been in my heart all these long years... it's a good day to do so
because we're at the 136th anniversary of the single act that preserved
America, 2 July, 1863, allowing to come down to the present day, as a light to
all people, everywhere, who hope.
With the 2nd Maine's ammunition nearly depleted, Colonel Lawrence Chamberlain
stood on Little Round Top, the extreme left flank of the Army fighting to
preserve the Union, and ordered, "Fix bayonets"... and the 2nd Maine charged
down the hill.
Sometimes, what everything comes down to is as simple as that. Sometimes,
everything hinges on one such act.
But from where does the knowing that the time for such come? Each person can
only speak for her- or himself. And that's what I'll do here.
There's stuff that predates what's here, but it's heart-stuff... like Captain
Miller's "wife at her rose bushes" memories. So I'll begin with what caused the
awakening, within me, of what my parents had worked so tirelessly to instill.
It was my plebe year at Annapolis, and the things, here, were things that
plebes are required to memorize. In me, however, something more than the
memorizing of them happened. My time with them awakened what was already there.
The Military Code of Conduct:
"I. I am an American fighting man. I serve in the forces which guard my country
and our way of life. I am prepared to give my life in their defense.
II. I will never surrender of my own free will. If in command I will never
surrender my men while they still have the means to resist.
III. If I am captured I will continue to resist by all means available. I will
make every effort to escape and aid others to escape. I will accept neither
parole nor special favors from the enemy.
IV. If I become a prisoner of war, I will keep faith with my fellow prisoners.
I will give no information or take part in any action which might be harmful to
my comrades. If I am senior, I will take command. If not, I will obey the
lawful orders of those appointed over me and will back them up in every way.
V. When questioned, should I become a prisoner of war, I am bound to give only
name, rank, service number, and date of birth. I will evade answering further
questions to the utmost of my ability. I will make no oral or written
statements disloyal to my country and its allies or harmful to their cause.
VI. I will never forget that I am an American fighting man, responsible for my
actions, and dedicated to the principles which made my country free. I will
trust in my God and in the United States of America."
Oath of a Midshipman:
"I Kenneth Paul Collins, having been appointed a Midshipman in the United
States Navy, do solemnly swear that I will support and defend the Constitution
of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic, that I will
bear true faith and allegience to the same; that I take this obligation freely,
without any mental reservation or purpose of evasion; and that I will well and
faithfully discharge the duties of the office on which I am about to enter; So
help me God."
Qualifications of the Naval Officer:
"It is by no means enough that an officer of the Navy should be a capable
mariner. He must be that, of course, but also a great deal more. He should be
as well a gentleman of liberal education, refined manners, punctilious
courtesy, and the nicest sense of personal honor.
He should be the soul of tact, patience, justice, firmness, and charity. No
meritorious act of a subordinate should escape his attention or be left to pass
without its reward, even if the reward is only a word of approval. Conversely,
he should not be blind to a single fault in any subordinate, though, at the
same time, he should be quick and unfailing to distinguish error from malice,
thoughtlessness from incompetency, and well meant shortcoming from heedless or
stupid blunder."
The Honor Concept:
"a. Midshipmen will not lie, cheat, or steal, nor will they mislead or deceive
anyone as to known facts. A midshipman will be truthful, trustworthy, honest
and forthright at all times and under all circumstances.
b. Every midshipman is presumed to be honorable at all times and to possess
moral integrity in the fullest sense and will be treated accordingly, unless
proven otherwise by his words or actions.
c. A midshipman should neither permit nor accept anything which is not just,
right, and true. He should do the right thing because it is right, not because
of fear of punishment."
John Walter Wayland quote:
"The true gentleman is the man whose conduct proceeds from good-will and an
acute sense of propriety, and whose self-control is equal to all emergencies;
who does not make the poor man conscious of his poverty, the obscure man of his
obscurity, or any man of his inferiority or deformity; who is himself humbled
if necessity compells him to humble another; who does not flatter wealth,
cringe before power, or boast of his own possessions or achievements; and who
speaks with frankness, but always with sincerity and sympathy, and whose deed
follows his word; who thinks of the rights and feelings of others rather than
his own; who appears well in any company, and who is at home when he seems to
be abroad - a man with whom honor is sacred and virtue is safe."
The Navy Hymn:
"Eternal Father, strong to save,
Whose arm hath bound the restless wave,
Who bidd'st the mighty ocean deep
Its own appointed limits keep;
Oh, hear us when we cry to Thee,
For those in peril on the sea!"
The Prayer of a Midshipman:
"Almighty Father, whose way is in the sea whose paths are in the great waters,
whose command is over all, and whose love never faileth: Let me be aware of Thy
presence and obedient to Thy will. Keep me true to my best self, guarding me
against dishonesty in purpose and in deed, and helping me so to live that I can
stand unashamed and unafraid before my shipmates, my loved ones, and Thee.
Protect those in whose love I live. Give me the will to do the work of a man
and to accept my share of responsibilities with a strong heart and a cheerful
mind. Make me considerate of those entrusted to my leadership and faithful to
the duties my country has entrusted to me. Let my uniform remind me daily of
the traditions of the Service of which I am a part. If I am inclined to doubt,
steady my faith; if I am tempted, make me strong to resist; if I should miss
the mark, give me the courage to try again. Guide me with the light of truth
and keep before me the life of Him by whose example and help I trust to obtain
the answer to my prayer, Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen"
[All of the above quoted from _Reef Points_ 1967-1968.]
I'll close with a quote from the video I rented this evening. The character,
Captain John H. Miller is dying. He says to Private James Francis Ryan, "Earn
this. Earn it."
This expresses my Hope for folks.
K. P. Collins
