The Christmas Soldier

From the Christmas Ledger December 25, 1967:

“Announcing the birth of boy to Jason and Amanda Walker, seven pounds fifteen ounces.  His parents called him their Christmas miracle having lost two babies before they named him John Thomas Walker after the father’s deceased father who was recently killed in Vietnam.  CSM J.T. Walker was serving in the US Army 1^st Signal Brigade having been recently reassigned due to a knee injury while serving with the 173d Airborne Brigade.  His troopers called him “The Christmas Soldier” because he too was born on Christmas Day.”

That was a day Amanda Walker would never forget but not for the reasons one might think rather it was also the day her only son left her on December 25, 1991.  He had served in the US Army like his Grandpa, his Great-Grandpa and his Dad all had before him each making their own sacrifice.  Two paid the ultimate sacrifice and one came home scarred by the things he saw having served as an Army Ranger Sgt. Jason Walker (retired) injured during a black ops mission that remains classified to date.

On December 25, 1991, Specialist J.T Walker made the ultimate sacrifice for his brethren during an ambush.  Having been severely injured he conjured up the strength to pull all four other men to safety and kill all the enemy attackers that were converging on them.  He died of his injuries at approximately 2048 on the aforementioned date surrounded by those men whom he sacrificed so much to save.

December 25, 2011 2^nd Lt. Jamie D. Holmes was hit by an IED while riding in a convoy with her driver Specialist James T. Hunter Jr who was killed instantly was injured.  When she arrived at the medical operations center she asked where the soldier was who pulled her from the burning Humvee.

“I’m sorry Lt. but no one was with you when the medics brought you in.”

“No, he was there he said he wouldn’t let go of me no matter what, he held my wound closed till I hear the medics arrive, didn’t they help him he was bleeding out too!”

They calmed her down and reported to their chain of command what she reported.  Everyone else that was debriefed from that attack all reported the same thing an injured male soldier who held onto them and protected them until help arrived.  Each describing a similar soldier with an injury to his abdomen area. His name tag read, “Walker”.

For generations there have been reports of a soldier named Walker giving aid and protection from harm on Christmas Day.  Amanda Walker still holds the entire collection the Walker family has received since JT’s Great-Grandpa had died on Christmas Day during WWI.

Letters that all said the same thing in so many words, “I owe your family a debt I can never repay for one of your own saved my life…”