A Mother's Love

May 12, 1985, New York University Langone Hospital

The doctor said a prayer before walking into the waiting room to speak to the family. He had done his best, but he was not God. He was an amazing surgeon, the best in his field, but he still had to leave miracles to our Heavenly Father. Today his efforts had failed. His surgery could not save the life of the mother that had been sent to him. God was already at work, however. His angels had already met with the mother who had passed into his heavenly realm, and she was on her way to fulfilling the something she had always wanted to do.

June 6, 1944, The English Channel

Charlie Morrow was sick to his stomach. The military landing craft rocked violently in the rough waters of the channel. He vomited all over his boots and the soldiers sitting beside him. No problem. In just a few minutes Charlie and his unit would step off the landing craft into the waves pounding Omaha Beach. Vomit on his uniform was the least of his worries. Drowning or being blown apart by incoming fire from the Germans defending the beach were far bigger concerns.

Charlie was one of the lucky ones. He made it all the way to the beach basically unscathed. Two of his friends on either side of him were not so fortunate. Charlie was able to run up to the relative safety of the beach and join other soldiers from his unit. All of them forced their bodies into the sand trying to stay as low as possible. To say that the beach was in total chaos was a gross understatement. All around Charlie, bullets flew by, bombs exploded and men died-some quickly and some lingered in unbelievable agony.

The three men gave it their all but before they got close enough to effectively fire against the machine gun emplacement their lives were lost. Charlie came close to making it all the way. He was only twenty yards short when enemy bullets ripped through his torso. As life passed from his body, he thought of his mother.

Normandy American Cemetery May 12, 1985

Overlooking Omaha Beach and the English Channel is the Normandy American Cemetery. Almost all of the more than 9,000 buried there lost their lives in the D-Day landings and operations that followed. On one night in May a heavenly figure passed through the cemetery gate. She was totally invisible to any living human eyes or electronic surveillance. Her presence, however, was observed by the dead whose final resting place is the cemetery. While part of the living, Elizabeth Morrow visited the cemetery as often as she could. Mothers, like everyone who loses those most near to them, fulfill a need to be close to their loved one’s final resting place.

This night was far different, however, from her previous visits. Elizabeth and Charlie were no longer separated by life and death. They were both now on the side of those that had formerly lived. They could sense each other’s presence. They could communicate.

Mother and son met in the cemetery’s multi-confessional chapel. They each saw the other at the height of their lives. Elizabeth was a dedicated mother, teacher, pillar of her community, and friend to all who knew her. Charlie was in the prime of his youth, who answered the call of his nation to come to her defense. The two embraced for the first time in more than 40 years. Nothing had changed over time. The love between mother and child was as strong and natural as ever. The two could have talked about all that had taken place in the world since their separation but that could wait. What could not wait was a question from Charlie.

“Mom, why are you here?”

“I’m here to take you home, Charlie.”

“How can that be Mom; I’ve been home for forty years.”

“No, Charlie, this has been a temporary home for you here.”

“Mom, I don’t want to be moved somewhere else. I’m here with the men that I fought and died with. When we assaulted the beach on D-Day, we opened the way for our forces and our allies to liberate Europe. Those of us buried here, paid the price for that but it was a small price to pay.”

I’m not here to move you, Charlie. I’m here to ensure that you were never here.

June 6, 1944, Omaha Beach the second time in eternity for Charlie

The three men gave it their all but before they got close enough to place effective fire against the machine gun emplacement two lives were lost. Charlie continued to move forward. He was only twenty yards short of the machine gun emplacement when an expert enemy marksman took aim at Charlie’s torso. The marksman’s aim was perfect, but his bullets never reached his target. Only Charlie saw the heavenly figure of his mother absorbing the deadly bullets intended for Charlie. With a true aim, Charlie’s rifle ended the lives of the enemy soldiers at the machine gun emplacement.

Charlie was hailed as a hero for destroying the machine gun emplacement that allowed many of his fellow soldiers to move off the beach to the safer areas inland. It was the first of many actions that Charlie and his fellow soldiers took to liberate Europe. Many of his fellow soldiers died before VE Day on May 8, 1945.

Charlie’s efforts from D-Day through VE Day paved the way for a successful military career. He was the kind of leader that soldiers loved to work for. He was tough but fair and he always took the time to talk to his soldiers. He led by example and never asked any of his soldiers to do anything that he was not willing to do himself. He was what was called a soldier’s soldier.

Homecomings

After VE Day, most of the soldiers began to think of only one thing--going home. There was the possibility for some that after time back in the United States they would deploy for more combat duty in the Pacific. For most, however, their time in the military was ending.

Charlie’s leadership ability had not gone unnoticed by his senior officers. Many called Charlie to their offices and encouraged him to consider staying in the Army. A few even offered him lucrative assignments if he stayed but Charlie’s mind was made up. As soon as the Army released him, he was going home. In many ways he would miss the Army, but he wanted to follow in his mother’s footsteps. He wanted to be a teacher.

It was in the late fall of 1945 when Charlie returned home. Small towns and big cities everywhere welcomed home their sons. There were parades and parties, but real homecomings were always when a mother, a father, sister or brother finally got to wrap their arms around the young men who had seen the horrors of war but lived to make it back. They were changed forever yet their names were forever forged as part of America’s Greatest Generation.

Of course, not every home who had sent a young man to war was blessed with a homecoming. Some never made it back and remained at the cemeteries like the Normandy American Cemetery. Some lay at the bottom of the seas and oceans. Some were never recovered and remain missing in action. The United States and her allies had won a glorious victory, yet the price was incredibly high.

On December 20th, 1945, Elizabeth Morrow held a Christmas party in her home. It was a combination of a Christmas party and welcome home party for Charlie. The Morrow family home was filled with people. The whole town knew of Charlie’s wartime exploits and were eager to meet the hero.The fact that Elizabeth was known to throw wonderful parties also boosted attendance. A good time was had by all. Everyone shook Charlie’s hand and wanted to hear of his exploits. Charlie was modest, however, when asked about his exploits and always gave credit to his fellow soldiers.

A young lady that Charlie vaguely remembered seeing when he attended the local high school thanked Charlie for his service. This started a rather long conversation and when Charlie saw her again at church for the Christmas Eve service, Charlie accepted an invitation to a New Year’s Eve party that her family was hosting. One thing led to another and about a year later, Charlie and Barbara were married.

Charlie had no problem finding work and became a teacher and coach at the local high school. The couple raised three children, two boys and a girl. Charlie was eventually elected mayor of his hometown and later served in Washington as a representative of his Congressional district. After retiring from political life, Charlie returned to the classroom and taught students until he was 85 years old.

The power of his mother’s love led and protected Charlie throughout his life.