My Dear Mrs. Ryan
It's with the most profound sense of joy
That I write to inform you your son ,
Private James Ryan ,
Is well and , at this very moment ,
On his way home from European battlefields .
Reports from the front indicate James did his duty in combat
With great courage and steadfast dedication
Even after he was informed of the tragic loss
Your family has suffered in this great campaign
To rid the world of tyranny and oppression .
I take great pleasure in joining the secretary of war ,
The men and women of the United States Army ,
And the citizens of a grateful nation
In wishing you good health and many years of happiness
with James at your side .
Nothing ,
Not even the safe return of a beloved son ,
Can compensate you
Or the thousands of other American families
Who have suffered great loss in this tragic war .
And I might share with you some words
Which have sustained me
Through long , dark nights
Of peril , loss and heartache .
And I ‘quote ,
" I pray that our Heavenly Father
May assuage the anguish of your bereavement
And leave you only the cherished memory
Of the loved and lost
And the solemn pride that must be yours
To have laid so costly a sacrifice
Upon the altar of freedom
Abraham Lincoln "
Yours very sincerely and respectfully ,
George C . Marshall , General , Chief Of Staff.