I Regret To Inform You
"I regret to inform you" the dreaded telegram began,
"That your son is missing in action" and on it sadly ran.
It was in the spring of '43 when it was delivered to her door.
Her son Charles was a flight engineer on a "B" Twenty Four.
"Your brave son and his crew were last seen over Berlin."
Mother read the unwelcome news with a trembling chin.
Her faith gave her hope that she would see him once again,
Though chances of such a glorious reunion were growing rather thin.
"We will advise you if we learn of any further information."
She knelt to her knees and offered this earnest supplication:
"Father, you are the only One I can turn to in my desperation.
Lord, if he survived the crash, protect him is my expectation!"
Weeks later another telegram arrived and she opened it with dread.
"We are pleased to inform you that your son is a prisoner of war!" it read!
"Sources advise us that his crew survived and all are doing well!"
She praised God and asked Him to comfort him in his lonely cell!
The war ended and Charles was liberated to live another day!
The years sped on inexorably as they will and his Mother passed away.
Going through her things he discovered the telegrams wrinkled with age.
Tears welled in his eyes as he saw tear stains on each yellowed page.
Robert L. Hinshaw, CMSgt, USAF, Retired
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