For God, Family and Republic

These selections were from a letter written by Staff Sergeant Daniel Clay, age 27, of the acclaimed U.S. Marine Corps. He was one of ten Marines tragically killed by a roadside explosion in Fallujah on December 1, 2005. Incidentally, one Lt. Colonel Rich Leino serving in Okinawa, Japan brought it to my attention.

This letter if you read it is quite moving. It reveals a young Christian imbued with an eternal perspective. It manifests a realization that life is vapor. Likewise, he writes with courages and conviction that we have conquered death, through faith in Christ Jesus.

I leave aside all political comment about the War in Iraq, and focus on his affirmation of faith. Therein, this young man affirms his love for his country, his family, and foremost his faith in Jesus Christ. He obviously wrote this letter sometime beforehand and kept in safe keeping at his barracks in the event of his death.

(Click the images below to view excerpts, or click here for the whole letter in Adobe Acrobat format.)

Therein, he notes, "[a]s a Marine this is not the last chapter. I have the privilege of being one who finished the race." Here Daniel aludes to the Race of Faith in Hebrews 12:1-2:

Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us, Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.

His father Bud Clay wrote:

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.

The Marine motto is Semper Fidelis, meaning always faithful. While another humble Marine once told me, he is not sure that applies to him, our Lord is Semper Fidelis. For Daniel, he had more than just a blessed hope, but a blessed assurance. "Here is notice! Wake up! All that we hope for is Real! Not a hope! But real!" He fought the good fight and ran the race of faith. He was soldier first and foremost in the Army of Jesus Christ. Godspeed Staff Sergeant Daniel Clay, U.S. Marine Corps.





(Photo Credit: DefenseLink, U.S. Military File Photo)