Final Salute looks deep into the inner part of grief and sorrow experienced by families affected by the war in Iraq. The numbers of people lost in the war reverberate and ripple through numerous lives both on the battle field and the home front. The thousands of lives lost represent tens of thousands of those who loved them and are affected by their deaths.

The book gives the reader a sense of intense sadness and loss but you don't want to stop reading it the way you don't want to stop listening to a sad song. It touches a nerve which gives a far deeper grasp of and sympathy for those who are directly affected. It helps put a face on the numerous fallen heroes.

Jim Sheeler tells each family's story genuinely and without a hidden agenda. When finished, the reader is left with a strong sense of the tremendous sacrifice given. The story is told from a variety of viewpoints including the wives and children, parents and siblings, fellow soldiers as well as casualty assistance officers who notify and provide support to the families once the news is shared with them.

Included in the book are striking photographs capturing moments throughout the families ordeals which provides an additional element of realness. Sheeler first wrote the stories for a newspaper which went on to win the Pulitzer Prize for feature writing.

Those who make flippant comment about the military would do well to read the deeply personal stories of these families and how the soldiers they loved willing volunteered and served their country. Politicians would also do well to read this book and put a face on the people and families they are sending into battle. If you want an understanding of the impact and loss experienced by countless families as a result of the war, read this book.

What a tribute to the fallen, and those charged with the duties of notifying next of kin.

This book clearly demonstrates how the American military cares for the families of those who are killed in the defense of our great nation! It is written with a sensitivity and a compassion that is rare in non-fiction work these days.

It is the story of bravery not only on the battlefield but at home among the mothers, fathers, wives, children, brothers, sisters and other relatives of the fallen.

I was almost brought to tears when reading of the tenderness of the casualty officers portrayed in this fine book.

I would encourage all Americans to give this book a read.

Michael Patterson

An incredible story about a guy with one of the toughest jobs in the world, but who does it very well.

I recommend this book! My son is a Marine and it breaks my heart that parents have to have that knock on the door, but the compassion, heart and feelings these Marines have was eye opening! The book was very well written. I have a new found respect for those Marines, because it too breaks thier heart to do their job and they did not volunteer for it. The Marines truly are a brotherhood!

As a former Marine Corps Casualty Assistance Officer (CACO) from 1968 to 1970 in Los Angeles, this book was very difficult for me to read as it brought back memories of nearly 40 years ago. During this period of time, it was my duty to notify over 75 families of their loss from combat actions in Vietnam. As the book was read, I could vividly recall the reactions of family members as I spoke with them and the book very accurately presents their wide range of emotions. Through this book, I can clearly recall each and every notification and funeral service during those years. A noted difference between notifications then and now is in the acceptance of the CACO as a family member.

As a young captain making these notifications, my emotions were held in check as I was performing a service for a fellow Marine. Now, as a grandfather of 4 boys, when reading this book, it is not as easy to not become emotionally involved.

I enthusiastically recommend this book.

JMSmith
Captain, USMCR
Casualty Assistance Officer
1st Battalion, 14th Marines, USMCR
Los Angeles, CA

Jim Sheeler, a reporter for the Rocky Mountain News, won a Pulitzer Prize in 2006 for his story on which this book is based. The primary focus is Major Steve Beck, a Marine officer whose duty it is to knock on the door of a soldier's family to give them the unbearable news that their son or husband or brother is dead.

Although Sheeler claims his book has no political agenda, FINAL SALUTE deals with matters that at least a portion of the general public would just as soon ignore, uncomfortable in the face of the reminders of the human cost of our involvement. Sheeler makes no effort to sugarcoat the details of the deaths of these men. Details border on the grotesque, as if he is forcing the readers to keep their eyes open, making it impossible to look away.

There is no question that the Marines, the primary unit of the armed forces represented in FINAL SALUTE, is indeed a band of brothers, and it's quite emotional to read about them breaking down with the task of burying one of their own. This is where Sheeler shines. The attention to detail in how the honor guard carries out their sad duties --- attending to the corpse, throwing unquestionable support to the survivors --- paints a vivid picture.

He also touches on mundane yet practical matters that make the military administration look small and cold-hearted. In one case they question whether a fallen soldier is really the father of a child whose mother is seeking benefits. The "death gratuity" --- recently, finally increased --- still seems a pittance. Even the manner in which the fallen are honored proves inadequate; Beck takes it upon himself to conduct a ceremony of honor to deliver the medals and citations to families that would ordinarily be sent through the mail.

But at the risk of seeming like a curmudgeon, it becomes too much at times. Sheeler jumps back and forth between the families, which becomes confusing and disjunctive (although perhaps he's mimicking the emotions of the families). It is as though he could not make up his mind what format to follow, whether to stay with one soldier at a time, or tell the grisly story in a semi-chronological order. The comments of the family, while completely understandable when speaking about the loneliness of those left behind, the children growing up with fathers, or the small practices they follow to remember, become repetitive after a time. And why is there no mention of the more than 100 women who lost their lives? Is that too taboo a subject for delicate American sensibilities?

Let us agree that there is nothing sadder than a young life snuffed out before its time. The young men and their loved ones profiled in FINAL SALUTE deserve our thanks and respect regardless of what we might think about the war in Iraq.

--- Reviewed by Ron Kaplan

I am grateful to Jim Sheeler and especially to the soldiers and their families whose lives and losses are illuminated in this spare but moving chronicle. Sheeler tells the stories of families and soldiers who have borne a disproportionate burden during the Iraq war years, with a particular focus on the emotional cost to all involved when a soldier's life is lost and the next of kin are notified. Whatever one's feelings about the merits of the war in Iraq, this book is well worth reading for its compelling insights into what soldiers and their families are contributing (and having to suffer) through their remarkable service to our country.

(p 48) "Imagine an accountant, a plumber, or a lawyer being pulled out of the office at any time and being directed to walk up to a stranger's door, tell them what nobody wants to hear, and then go back to work." Marine Major Steve Beck, casualty assistance calls officer, informed next of kin of their loved ones death in Iraq for two years. (p 9) "They're falling-either literally or figuratively-and you have to catch them." Final Salute is his story. More than that, it's primarily the story of five brave men (out of the thousands of persons who have died serving their country in Iraq): Marine Lance Corporal Kyle W. Burns, Navy Corpsman HM3 Christopher "Doc" Anderson, Marine Second Lieutenant James J. Cathey, Marine Corporal Brett Lee Lundstrom and Army Private First Class Jesse A. Givens, their lives, their deaths and the families they left behind. Each section of the book: The Knock; Reverberations; Bringing Them Home; and After the War, Stories, covers a different aspect of the process. It's often exceedingly sad (have tissues handy). The photos alone may bring you to tears. Author Jim Sheeler, who won a Pulitzer Prize for a Rocky Mountain News newspaper article of the same name (one wonders if that might have been a better format), follows Major Beck's interactions with the family members from the time he knocks on the door to inform the next of kin, "Please tell me it's not Jimmy. Please tell me it's not my son," until he can no longer be of service to them and a lot of the time in between. The best parts of the book are quotes of folks from all walks of life that he comes in contact with:

Iraq Veteran Sergeant Andrew "Andy" Alonzo, setter of headstones at Fort Logan National Cemetery, Denver, Colorado, "I wanted to tell her [the mother of Staff Sergeant Holder as she left his grave], `You don't have to worry. We'll take care of him now.'" (p 48)

Army Private First Class Jesse A. Givens, in a letter written to his son in case of his death, "Take in every breath like it's your first." (p 51)

Marine Staff Sergeant Kevin Thomas, who stands guards over the caskets of his fallen comrades, "You always hear these statements like `Freedom isn't free.' You hear the president talking about all these people making sacrifices...But you never really know until you carry one of them in the casket..." (p 77)

Sergeant Gregory Edwards, whose life was saved by Navy Corpsman HM3 Christopher "Doc" Anderson, but lost both legs and the use of one hand, "I lost my legs, not for this country, but for the country of Iraq, so their children will be able to run around just like mine...If time was turned back, I'd do it all over again." (p 188)

Katherine Cathey, widow of Marine Second Lieutenant James J. Cathey, "It seems like they're just using our guys as guinea pigs...There are these IEDs all over Iraq, and they're sending out guys in to find them-to find them by getting blown up." (p 232)

Sam Holder, Senior, father of Marine Staff Sergeant Theodore Same Holder II (killed in Iraq), "You look at the war and it only touches a few of us. It doesn't touch the majority of the American people...What always bothered me was how disproportionately the whole war has affected people in the U.S." (p 238)

Melissa Givens, widow of Army Private First Class Jesse A. Givens, "The war sucks, but as a country we made a decision to go in there, and we have to support them." (p 251)

Final Salute is an important, powerful book. My primary complaint about it is that due to format (moving between families at different points in time) it has a bit of a choppy feel. It is also repetitive at times, probably the author's attempt to reacquaint the reader with a given family member when reintroduced. Also good: Operation Homecoming: Iraq, Afghanistan, and the Home Front, in the Words of U.S. Troops and their Families edited by Andrew Carroll, and Fiasco: The American Military Adventure in Iraq, 2003 to 2005 by Thomas E. Ricks.

I don't care who you are. Don't care if you support the war, or you don't. Don't care if you "support the troops" whatever that might mean (like me!). This book is about the reality of our soldiers not coming back. And the heart-rending, noble efforts of the military to honor them. If you can read this book without crying, you're a robot. If you can read this book without wanting to reach out, you're heartless. (I recommend Operation Gratitude, you can find many local groups doing the same.)

Jim Sheeler, you're a hero. Just like all the ones you showed us in this book.

"FINAL SALUTE" A Story of Unfinished Lives by Jim Sheeler is perhaps, the most emotionally moving book I have read in my entire 61 years! It is a true modern day version of the old movie: "Gardens of Stone."

Sheeler's literary style and understanding of real life drama will eviscerate you while it drains your soul, all... in one dynamic swoop of the pen.

It is "easy reading", but...a difficult book to "keep reading." It is also, impossible to put down! You can not read this book without stopping to wipe the tear drops off the pages, or to blow your nose. It is a book every American (including those in the White House) "should" read, and a book that every student..."be required" to read!

Here in 280 pages lies the humbling stark reality of life, war, and death as it touches into American families directly involved in the Iraqi war.

This book is a masterpiece of literature, human drama, and spirit.

YOU MUST READ THIS BOOK..."IF," YOU DARE!!!

This is a moving book about the soldiers who have died during the Iraq war and the families that they left behind. Sheeler's writing is excellent and he engages the reader from the first page. The book brings you closer to the families who have lost a son/husband/father and helps to tell their story. It also tells the story of the men who had to deliver the casualty notifications to each of the families following the fateful knock at the front door. This book stays with you long after you put it down and you can't help but be inspired by the courage described within its pages.

This book may be the single best I've ever read on the bond created among the youg men who fight for the United States.

Weather you are for or against our going into Iraq you will be so moved by Mr. Sheeler's fine portrayal of Marine Major Steven Beck, (now a Lt. Colonel).

Advising next of kin of the death of their warrior son (or occasionally daughter) is the most difficult assignment.

The word "closure" just does not apply since we all need to never forget those that have died for us.

Mr. Sheeler, who is young and probably a liberal, manages to accurately portray the entire process of the duties of the Marines as they "never leave their fellow Marine," until final interrment.

Great job!

Please, please take the time to read this beautiful tribute to the fallen and their families and friends. We see the photos of soldiers and sailors on the evening news broadcasts every night. We momentarily feel bad and then life again intrudes along with the next TV program. This book should be required reading for every American...but especially for those in the Pentagon, the White House and Congress who send our military in harms way. These are not just numbers...these are people...sons, daughters, husbands, wives, fathers and mothers who are sorely missed. I was so impressed with Col. Beck. Why isn't he being asked to teach others how to do this so difficult job??? A beautiful book but you will have to read it in stages..it's too hard otherwise.

Whether you support the war in Iraq or not is immaterial. This book is about the people who pay the ultimate price. The parents and children, brothers and sisters, spouses, and soldiers who served next to those who have been killed in Iraq. Final Salute tells the stories of the deceased with great respect, but the thing that makes this book important is telling about the REAL casualties of war. The people left behind. From the soldiers who inform the families to the children who will never know their parents, it explains the human cost of war.

Jim Sheeler's story in the Rocky Mountain News was far more affective than his book. The concentration that focused the story in the newspaper was entirely too diluted in the book. The images and the impact of the account of the return of Lt. Cathey to his wife were so well done as to make one to consider enlisting in the United States Marine Corps just because you knew they would take care to assure your family and the country that your sacrifice was meaningful. Mr. Sheeler's article should be required reading for every American.

While the stories of the other lost soldiers and marines were informative and added to the understanding of Major Steve Beck's goal of having every serviceman's story told in the clearest voice, no matter who that soldier was or where he came from, the story of Lt. Cathey was enough. If every one of the fallen were treated with that kind of respect, even in the public's eye, as at the airport on arrival, then we all would appreciate what price we are paying for the world in which we live today.

Being the parent of a serviceman serving in Iraq,and quite possibly also going to Afghanistan, I was drawn right into the emotions being written about in this book. The writing was excellent and made the loss of our military heros personal !

Very dignified and quietly written although a bit repetitive which just makes the point of the book all the more clear. Although the families in the book have different stories to tell, the deaths of their loved ones in Iraq and Afghanistan bring them all to a common place. This should be required reading for our leaders in Washington, DC.

I read about this book in a newspaper and immediately ordered it. It is an amazing book that follows the lives of the families who are grieving their loss. As a former Marine myself, the way the Marine CACO performed his duties is how I would expect a Marine to conduct himself. He went ABOVE and BEYOND the call of duty for those families and he deserves a medal for it.

The author did an amazing job of documenting everything. It's as if you are right there with them. His courage to be there and witness these events is commendable.

It's a book that will make you cry. It depicts the thoughts and feelings of all those involved with the arduous and emotional task of notifying family of their deceased. I am a slow reader, yet I finished this book in 2 days but only a total of about 7 hours. It keeps you holding on and you just don't want to put it down. The book also doesn't leave you with that "empty" feeling.

Thank you for writing this book. It is forever etched in my heart.

So many thanks to Major Beck and his fellow Marines and to the family members of the honored dead for helping Jim Sheeler write this compelling and heart wrenching book.

It brought this Navy vet who served during the Vietnma War to tears.

Since we are all involved in this war, perhaps it is our responsibility to not just listen to the media spin, but to also hear the truth shared by the heroes and masterfully communicated by Pulitzer Prize winning author Jim Sheeler. We learn that there are many faces of courage, and we might do well to give thanks for our freedom and appreciation for those who serve.

This is truly a book that stays with you. Has even prompted me to get the flag from my grandmother's military funeral (World War I Wave)out of the cedar chest and put it on display. Incidentally, the only paper book I have read since getting my Kindle. Additionally, I am totally against the war, but this book gives a clear picture of those who have gone and not returned. Beautifully done!!

So sad that it's actually difficult to continue through at times but EVERYONE should read this book.

I am not done reading this, but it is truly heartbreaking what has happend to these people. The story of the corpsman really got to me because he had so much life and was willing to give so much. His family and the sargent he saved will have a very special bond. Major Beck seems like a wonderful Marine willing to do what it takes, and the families themselves just make me wish I could reach through the pages and hug them. RIP to the ones lost and thanks for giving up everything for the U.S.

THIS BOOK GRABBED YOUR HEART FROM THE START. THE "JOB" OF NOTIFYING MILITARY FAMILIES THAT THEIR LOVED ONES HAVE BEEN KILLED IS BEYOND DESCRIPTION. STRESSFULL, EMOTIONAL AND DEMANDING GREAT COMPASSION. IT DOES NOT END AS YOU WILL FIND OUT WITH THAT 1ST KNOCK ON THE DOOR.

Nearly every page of Final Tribute made me cry. The stories of the last passages of these extraordinary men and Major Beck's determination that they be laid to rest with the dignity and the honor they deserve is as glorious as their deeds. Mr. Sheeler reminds us--all of us--a few have made the greatest possible sacrifice while most have sacrificed nothing. Major Beck's determination that these men's service be honored is a noble one. That he had to struggle to make it happen shames me and should shame every American who ignored these sacrifices while complaining about the price of gasoline.

Every American owes these families their support. And an apology. God Bless Them!

Along with a handful of other books written about the Iraq War from a different perspective (I think of "In An Instant" and "The Long Road Home"), "Final Salute" is must reading for everyone in this country in order to better understand the cost of this most recent of American wars from a human, personal view that too often gets lost amidst all the noise and distraction of everyday life.

The writing is spare, simple and filled with emotion: not the author's, but those of the families whose sons (husbands and fathers) were killed in the line of duty and who consented to be part of this story. The photographs are just as heartbreaking in their understated way.

There is one other aspect to this story that makes it overwhelmingly compelling and touching beyond words: the commitment, love, dedication and honor of the Marines whose duty it is to inform the families and be with them throughout the long, sad days to come. I will never think of the Marine motto of "Semper Fi" without remembering the sacrifice and dedication of good, decent men like Steve Beck.

Regardless of your personal opinion of this war, this is the kind of book that is essential reading and learning from if we are ever to understand what kind of sacrifice is required whenever soldiers are put in harm's way. And if certain things (like military bureaucracy) are not portrayed in the most flattering of terms, perhaps they need to be changed instead of defended/upheld.

I am ashamed that as a country, we have not been required to shoulder our share of the burden that military families have had to assume. Reading about these brave soldiers and the families they have left behind should make us all try to do better.

Never Leave a Marine behind. I couldn't put this book down. My husband is a Marine and could never explain the relationship between himself and his fellow Marines. This book will and then some. Get ready to cry, laugh, and get angry. But most of all be proud of those who we have lost and compassion for those who have been left behind. Colonel Beck is a most compassionate person, who wants these soldiers and their families to be allowed some dignity and ability to express themselves during their loss and mourning.

I had the chance to browse through this book at my local book store and was moved to tears!!! Please make this available on Kindle. It is one that I know I will read again and again!!

Karen Richard

Final Salute is a moving tribute to men and women who lost, and will lose, their lives in the line of duty and the family members who love them.

This book should be required reading for the politicians who authorized the war in Iraq. Contained herein are some of the images that the Bush team has gone to extraordinary lengths to withold from public view, as if to say 'the death of our soldiers is politically inconvenient' and 'if the public doesn't see these images it'll be as though these deaths never happened'.

If a picture is worth a thousand words then let us all look and listen carefully to what these pictures have to tell us.

No piece of literature has ever made me cry as much as Final Salute has. Every American should read this book.

My son is a Marine and for that reason it had very special meaning to me. But I would recommend it even more so to young people and parents who do not have any loved ones in the military. It will help them to understand and appreciate the sacrifices these young men and women as well as their families have made. Most of all I would like to thank the families this book was centered around. Thank you so much allowing me to get to know your loved one. We will never forget them.

This book, quite simply, should be required reading for every American citizen. Regardless of your political views, your stance on the war, or your personal beliefs, this book sheds a light on the sacrifices that American military men and women make every single day in order for us to lead our lives in safety. Read this book, read it with tissues handy, and then remember the message it brings. You will never forget the lives that are chronicled here.

The book describes how families of soldiers who died in Iraq cope with the death of their loved ones. It follows a handful of families over a period of about a year, starts with the account of the notification to the next of kin and moves on to the burial and the aftermath. Many of the soldiers had young children (some of the questions the kids ask their mother are heart-breaking, like - I paraphrase - "Where's dad?" "He's in heaven" "I know he's in heaven, but when is he coming back?" "He's not, buddy"), and when they did not have children, they were young men and their families were absolutely devastated. No one should have to bury one's child. The officer helping with the families with their grief is a remarkable man. The author hints at not all families receiving that kind of support, and I wish we had been told more about that, but maybe that would have changed the spirit of the book and turned some readers off.

I spent most of the book crying. (The color pictures in the middle of the book are extremely moving too.) No matter what you think about the war in Iraq, you need to remember the troops. The book is inspiring because of the obvious sense of honor among members of the military. A couple of typos at the beginning made me cringe, but the rest of the book is flawless. The format of very short chapters annoyed me somewhat - pulling me out of the flow of the story every time - and it's clear the author is a journalist, used to shorter features rather than book-length work, but that is a minor detail. The book made me feel grateful, humbled, and proud of our soldiers.

I remember reading about Woodrow Wilson's agony, as he prepared to address Congress, to ask for the US to enter WWI. All he could think of were the boys who would be killed or maimed as a result of his words. Witnesses said his face was actually contorted, perhaps a harbinger of the stroke he would have, a few years later. Before entering the chamber, he stopped in front of a mirror, and physically pushed his face back into a normal mode. In recent decades, one wonders if Presidents are all too cavalier about sending young men to die in questionable wars. One thinks of Lyndon Johnson telling the troops to "nail the coonskin to the wall" or George W. Bush in his flight suit, Top Gun, "Mission Accomplished" moment. "Final Salute" should be required reading for every President.

Through the eyes of those who have to perform the horrible task of notifying the next of kin of the death of their loved ones, the book tells the story of several soldiers, marines, and sailors who didn't make it home. One comes to know them well, and grieves for them and their families as they go through this agony. Lives interrupted, cut short. Children who will never know their fathers. Young war widows trying to survive. Parents who must bury a child. All this in the aftermath of "the knock" on the door. The pictures almost take your breath away.

This book is not about glory, not about conquest. In the end, I think it is about loss and love...the love of family members, the love of comrades in arms, the love of Country. As Memorial Day draws near, the sacrifices these people made, on both sides of "the knock" should never be forgotten. This is not an easy book, but you shouldn't miss it.

I heard Sheeler's interview on NPR's "FRESH AIR" a couple of weeks ago, and knew that I would have to read this book. I did the "pre-order" and received it in the mail two days ago. I began reading it at 4 p.m. in the afternoon, and finished the final page around 10 p.m. that evening. It was enthralling!

Since I am a military veteran, I must admit that I had a vested interest in what the writer would convey. The author did a masterful job! I felt as though i were standing in the living room with the Burns family, and with the Anderson family as well as the other families.

I had to close the book a few times and shed tears. These were tears of grief for the families who had lost so much; tears of gratitude for the brave military member who gave everything, their life.

This really is a "must-read" for every American. I plan to buy several copies and give them to friends.

This is a fine work of quiet journalism. Mr. Sheeler has written vignettes from his personal observations of our current military burial practices and rituals, from family notification to points yet undefined, if only because some of these counselors remain in contact with some of the families. These are matters of depth and duration.

These are his accounts of the daunting job of those who bring terrible news to the "Next of Kin", and of the next of kin themselves. Such journalism is difficult to do cleanly and honestly. He does a remarkable job of not inserting himself into the chapters. He was, by the testimony of United States Marine Colonel Beck, most respectful of the fallen and of their families. Bias may be inevitable, but I find none here to cloud or distract or distort these sad events.

Each story is only as long as necessary. No editorializing. No purple embellishment. With such clarity he lays before us so that each touches us. First each alone, and then in a gradual appreciation of the both range and the commonality of them all. They are moving and enlightening.

The only time you get a sense of this author is when he bares the events where he is himself involved. After all, he really was there and in contact with the families and others. He cannot deny it by omission. But as he works through the difficulties of not being that in-your-face newsman we usually read or see, he actually further illuminates the courage of these families.

I started off by mentioning burial rituals and practices. Mr. Sheeler has a keen eye and ear. He does much to record the ceremonial side as well as the personal side. Indeed they touch profoundly in his renditions. Things sometimes vary by service. He points them out to us. He supplies quite a lot of information in a subtle way as the book unfolds. Such careful presentation is artful without artifice. Here is beauty and pain, ache and remembrance, truth and respect. Please read this book.

When I was in the military I was sent on a classified mission when I was nineteen years old. No one in the entire world that knew me, cared about me, or loved me, knew where I was going or what I was doing. I carried two fears within me during this time. The first fear was obviously of being killed. The second fear was of "THE-VISIT" that my poor, wonderful, loving, unknowing, Parents would get if I was killed. The horrendous, horrifying, ghastly, human reaction by a next of kin that has no reason to worry about a knock on the door by "CASUALTY NOTIFICATION", is too gruesome to imagine let alone put in words.

-----------------------------------------------------------

****************** "THE KNOCK" *********************
"YOU CAN ALMOST SEE THE BLOOD RUN OUT OF THEIR BODY AND THEIR HEART HIT THE FLOOR. IT'S NOT THE BLOOD AS MUCH AS THEIR SOUL. SOMETHING SINKS. I'VE NEVER SEEN THAT EXCEPT WHEN SOMEONE DIES. AND I'VE SEEN A LOT OF DEATH."
****************** MAJOR STEVE BECK *******************

This book should be read by every single American citizen. But, be warned; it is extremely emotional and you will shed tears. I am an honorably discharged Viet Nam era veteran and I consider myself to be a pretty tough guy. I have faced death and came out on the other side. When I got this book, before I actually started reading it, I went to the center portion which has twenty-four pages of color pictures that range from pictures of our fallen hero's that are depicted in this book, to their mourning families before and after "notification", to a pregnant crying wife, draping herself over the American Flag, that is draped over the coffin containing her husband, to cemeteries, to a ripped apart "last letter" home from a fallen American Hero. As if the pictures weren't powerful enough the captions carry additional emotional power of their own. I could not make it through the pictures without tears coming to my eyes!

************************** REVERBERATIONS *******************
"YOU ALWAYS HEAR ALL THESE STATEMENTS LIKE "FREEDOM ISN'T FREE." YOU HEAR THE PRESIDENT TALKING ABOUT ALL THESE PEOPLE MAKING SACRIFICES. BUT YOU NEVER REALLY KNOW UNTIL YOU CARRY ONE OF THEM IN THE CASKET. WHEN YOU FEEL THEIR BODY WEIGHT. WHEN YOU FEEL THEM, THAT'S WHEN YOU KNOW. THAT'S WHEN YOU UNDERSTAND."
************** MARINE STAFF SERGEANT KEVIN THOMAS *********

People watch the news and they read papers and magazines about the cost and damage of war, but this book to me is the echo of the story that isn't heard when you turn off your TV or throw the papers and magazines away. Reading this book makes me prouder than ever that I served my country honorably... and it reinforces within my very soul, what I've never taken for granted... and that's the blessing that I came home alive. I could not go more than five or ten pages at a time without my eyes losing its battle to fight back tears. I have my Honorable Discharge displayed between my family room and my kitchen, and under it I've always had the following quote displayed:

**** "THOSE WHO HAVE LONG ENJOYED SUCH PRIVILEGES ***
**** AS WE ENJOY... FORGET IN TIME... THAT MEN HAVE ***
**** DIED TO WIN THEM." Franklin D. Roosevelt ************

I promise you that anyone who reads this book will never forget not only the Americans who have died for their country, but also the Americans that served and were lucky enough to come home alive. G-d Bless America and my prayers go out to all the hero's and their enduring families that will forever share tears of pride.

This is a truly beautiful and important book. I didn't think I would be able to read about this subject, I thought it would be too depressing or difficult, but I had heard about Sheeler's Pulitzer-winning article on the subject, so I thought I should try. I ended up reading this book almost straight through as soon as I got my copy. Yes, I cried, but I laughed too, and I ended up feeling really good about our country after finishing it. In a strange way, it feels like I'm doing my part, in some small way, saying thank you to our troops and their families for the sacrifices they've made. They go over there and serve their country and face incredible danger, and we continue to live our comfortable lives over here without thinking about what they and their families are giving up. And sometimes the price is really high. Jim Sheeler deserves a lot of credit for telling a very difficult story in an incredibly beautiful and sensitive way. It gives me chills just thinking about some of the wives and their children. I couldn't put it down and will recommend it to all my friends-- we all need to be reminded of what's going on over there and in our own communities here in the US.