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Quiet Professional
Join Date: Jan 2004
Location: Free Pineland
Posts: 24,832
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Strength and Honor
Who better honors their fallen son and their sacrifice, Bud Clay, or Cindy Sheehan?
TR
SSgt Daniel Clay letter
This was read this morning in my Sunday School class.
SSgt Daniel Clay, a 27-year-old Pensacola native, was one of 10 U.S.
Marines killed by an improvised explosive device near Fallujah on
Thursday, December 1st. He was one of five children in a very strong
Christian family. A sister, Jennifer, died suddenly of an aneurysm a
year ago shortly after the birth of her fourth child. She's mentioned
in this letter. Just before he began his second tour of Iraq, Daniel
gave this letter to his father to read in the event that he was
killed.
MOM, DAD, KRISTIE, JODIE, KIMBERLY, ROBERT, KATY, RICHARD, AND MY
LISA: Boy do I love each and every one of you. This letter being read
means that I have been deemed worthy of being with Christ. With MaMa
Jo, MaMa Clay, Jennifer ..... all those we have been without for our
time during the race. This is not a bad thing. It is what we hope
for. The secret is out. He lives and His promises are real! It is not
faith that supports this ..... But fact and I now am a part of the
promise. Here is notice! Wake up! All that we hope for is Real. Not a
hope. But Real.
But here is something tangible. What we have done in Iraq is worth
any sacrifice. Why? Because it was our duty. That sounds simple. But
all of us have a duty. Duty is defined as a God given task. Without
duty life is worthless. It holds no type of fulfillment. The simple
fact that our bodies are built for work has to lead us to the
conclusion that God (who made us) put us together to do His work. His
work is different for each of us. Mom, yours was to be the glue of
our family, to be a pillar for those women (all women around you),
Dad, yours was to train and build us (like a Platoon Sgt) to better
serve Him. Kristie, Kim, Katy you are the five team leaders who
support your Squad ldrs, Jodie, Robert and Richard. Lisa you too. You
are my XO and you did a hell of a job. You all have your duties. Be
thankful that God in His wisdom gives us work. Mine was to ensure
that you did not have to experience what it takes to protect what we
have as a family. This I am so thankful for. I know what honor is. It
is not a word to be thrown around. It has been an Honor to protect
and serve all of you. I faced death with the secure knowledge that
you would not have to. This is as close to Christ-like I can be. That
emulation is where all honor lies. I thank you for making it
worthwhile.
As a Marine this is not the last Chapter. I have the privilege of
being one who has finished the race. I have been in the company of
heroes. I now am counted among them. Never falter! Don't hesitate to
honor and support those of us who have the honor of protecting that
which is worth protecting.
Now here are my final wishes. Do not cry! To do so is to not realize
what we have placed all our hope and faith in. We should not fear. We
should not be sad. Be thankful. Be so thankful. All we hoped for is
true. Celebrate! My race is over, my time in war zone is over. My
trials are done. A short time separates all of us from His reality.
So laugh. Enjoy the moments and your duty. God is wonderful.
I love each and every one of you.
Spread the word ..... Christ lives and He is Real.
Semper Fidelis,
Daniel
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The following is a letter written by his father, Bud Clay, and given
to Florida Congressman Jeff Miller to give to President Bush along
with the letter Daniel wrote to his family.
Pensacola, FL,
December 7, 2005.
President George Bush,
The White House,
Washington, DC.
DEAR PRESIDENT BUSH: My name is Bud Clay. My son, SSgt Daniel
Clay--USMC was killed last week, 12/01/05, in Iraq. He was one of the
ten Marines killed by the IED in Fallujah.
Dan was a Christian--he knew Jesus as Lord and Savior--so we know
where he is. In his final letter (one left with me for the family--to
be read in case of his death) he says ``if you are reading this, it
means my race is over.'' He's home now--his and our real home.
I am writing to you--to tell you how proud and thankful we (his
parents and family) are of you and what you are trying to do to
protect us all. This was Dan's second tour in Iraq--he knew and said
that his being there was to protect us.
I want to encourage you. I hear in your speeches about ``staying the
course''. I also know that many are against you in this ``war on
Terror'' and that you must get weary in the fight to do what is
right. We and many others are praying for you to see this through--as
Lincoln said, ``that these might not have died in vain.''
You have a heavy load--we are praying for you.
God bless you,
BUD CLAY
__________________
"It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs, who comes short again and again, because there is no effort without error and shortcoming; but who does actually strive to do the deeds; who knows great enthusiasms, the great devotions; who spends himself in a worthy cause; who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement, and who at the worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who neither know victory nor defeat." - President Theodore Roosevelt, 1910
De Oppresso Liber 01/20/2025
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