Who Died? (1940s)

[Music] Heat. Heat. [Music] I've just read that during the last week in February, 3,887 of our American boys died in action. Who died? I'll tell you who died. Not so many years ago, there was a little boy sleeping in his crib. In the night, it thundered and lightened. He woke and cried out in fear. His mother came and fixed his blankets better and said, "Don't cry. Nothing will ever hurt you." he died. There was another boy, a little older. He came around on a Thursday afternoon. He was very proud. He was in business for himself. He rang your bell and said, "Want to buy a post, mister?" He died. There was another kid with a new bicycle. When he came past your house, he rode no hands while he folded the evening paper into a block and threw it against your door. You used to jump when you heard the bang. You said, "Someday I'm going to give that kid a good talking to." He died. Then there were two kids. One said to the other, "I'll do all the talk, and I just want you to come along to give me nerve." They came to your door. The one who had promised to do all the talking said, "Would you like your lawn mold, mister?" They died together. They gave each other nerve. But there was another youngster. Why, it was only a year or two ago that he said to his father, "Oh, Paul, Johnny Johnson's father lets him drive the car, and Johnny's three months younger than I am." The father said, "I don't care what Johnny Johnson's father does. You're too young to drive a car. [Music] He died. But there was another fellow. He married the girl he had been having dates with ever since junior high. Folks said he was too young to marry. When the baby came, people shook their heads and said, "Those foolish kids." The time came for him to go. He said to his wife, "All I'm worried about is how you and the baby are going to get along." She said, "Don't worry. I'll get a job and mother will look after the baby." "I don't want to go," he told her. "But I wouldn't feel right if I didn't." He died. They all died. The little one who was afraid of the thunder. The boy who sold you a post. Who delivered the evening paper. The two kids who wanted to mow your lawn. The youngster who was too young to drive the family car. The fellow who was too young to be a husband and a father. They all died. How can any one of us here at home sleep peacefully tonight unless we're sure in our hearts that we have done our part? And one of the greatest things that we can do for our fighting men is to buy and hold war bonds. [Music]