Recommended Reading: A tale told straight, and movingly

For those of you who may have missed it in the Pacific edition of Stripes Sept. 7, or just want to reread it, I offer a link to a story about a young Marine cut down in Iraq, his Japanese widow and the future of their unborn son.

The story's brought to you by reporters David Allen and Chiyomi Sumida of the Okinawa bureau. Though unable to talk with Sgt. Michael Ferschke's buddies, they got many weighty quotes from his family. Written straight and unsentimentally, the story makes it hard to keep a dry eye.

Here it is.

 

An evidence for you.

When everything
shines in the
light of October
there's a beautiful
seaside, and a
careful watcher: the
sun fades away,
and even a
strange man
arrives near a
fountain.

Francesco Sinibaldi

The sun that always shines.

The spring water
gives me a
particular feeling,
the purple appearance
in the heart of a
beautiful landscape;
and always outshines,
like a dream in
the breath of
a sadness.

Francesco Sinibaldi

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About the Author

Dave Mazzarella served as Stars and Stripes ombudsman from 2000 to 2001 before becoming the paper's editorial director. He returned to the ombudsman's chair in February 2007 and served in the role until his retirement in January 2009. He was succeeded by current ombudsman Mark Prendergast.

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