I chose to include the image of Captain Ware’s poem so that you could see the longing for home and family expressed not only in the poem itself but also in the flowers, butterfly, and bunny head, no doubt to give his young son some sense of connection to his father. In 1940, at the outbreak of World War II, before the U.S. had entered the war, Captain Ware joined the military and served as the Battalion Surgeon for the 116th Infantry Regiment, 29th Infantry Division. The V-Mail with the poem was sent to his wife, Martha, from England on April 4, 1944. In June 1944, he was killed in the first wave at Omaha Beach, Normandy.
It could be 1944 in Normandy or 2026 in Kuwait; soldiers, sailors, airmen, and marines serve with a sense of duty and responsibility that Captain Barnes must have felt, as evidenced by joining the military before the U.S. had joined the war. Yet family is so dear to us that we read bedtime stories to our children over video calls from the combat zone and draw flowers and bunnies on special letters that we send so they can feel our love.
Memorial Day 2026 is approaching. People will be lighting up their barbecues and also remembering those who gave the ultimate sacrifice, like Captain Barnes. Today’s post is a reminder that for service members, sacrifice permeates every corner of our lives, and our family members’ sacrifice often lasts long after their return from war.
Easter Thoughts
You know it would be wonderful
If I were there today,
And we could talk about the things
That long have passed away.
If I could see your face again,
And my mind compare
The many thoughts we now possess
And those we used to share.
This is only two verses, my sweet
Of a poem unrelated,
But tells one wish of a million,
Altho it is belated.
And in my own thoughts,
On this, another special day,
I want you to know, darling Martha,
I love you more in every way.
Boquets and gifts,
So simply they appear;
Only words can tell you
How I really feel my dear.
Thank you God for Martha and Bob,
Don’t ever take them away.
And when this war is over,
Please let me go home to stay.
Captain Barnes Ware’s V-Mail and poem, along with other correspondence between Ware and his wife Martha, photographs, and other documents, were generously donated to the Veterans History Project, Library of Congress, by Ware’s son Robert Jr., and are in the public domain.