Sherman said that war is hell, and he was right. But little boys grow up - or at least I grew up - playing army, while our society assumes that battle allows the young the chance to test their mettle, to demonstrate bravery and gallantry, and maybe even find a bit of glory. Once upon a time, warriors rode into battle decked out in glorious finery, but now with the dangers of battle becoming more acute, camouflage has replaced the glorious colors of old.

Living as we do in a time of war, one that is increasingly unpopular and possibly unwinnable, we've become more conflicted about war and its meaning. Watching the movie “Flags of Our Fathers,” a film about the World War II battle of Iwo Jima, helped drive home the personal realities of war, something I've never experienced myself. Among the most famous scenes in American history is a picture of a group of Marines raising an American flag atop Mt. Suribachi. The picture helped rally a flagging American war effort, but there's more to this story than the picture reveals.

This is in part the story about heroes with feet of clay. War will invariably produce its share of heroes, but usually they're the survivors. Such is the case of the three heroes of Suribachi in the film; they were the only survivors of that group pictured raising the flag atop the volcano. Their story reminds us that heroes are often chosen by circumstance, rather than by intention.

Although the film's graphic recreation of the battle will grab you, it's the back story that's most important. For a moment in time the three surviving flag raisers were hailed as heroes, but just as quickly they were forgotten when victory gave way to the “normalcy” of the postwar era.

Life for these heroes, however, was anything but normal. They carried with them the memories of things seen and done, and of comrades left behind, that would haunt them for life. Then there were the expectations placed upon them, a load that proved at times unbearable, and which revealed that they were flawed heroes. As I thought about their stories, I also thought of biblical heroes such as David, Samson, and Saul. Each one was tainted by some flaw.

The accidental nature of their enshrinement, something that seemed to haunt them, stemmed from their realization that they weren't the original flag raisers. Through happenstance, they were photographed putting up the replacement flag and thus became “heroes.” In reality they were simply representatives of those who lived and those who died on Iwo Jima. There are, it seems, many heroes and yet no heroes, because heroism is often accidental, not chosen. Some seek out the benefits of heroic status, but others shy away from it - perhaps because they understand the complexity of such a status.

As we enter a holiday season and near the end of the year, wars rage abroad and our young men and women are in harm's way. Millions of innocents are also caught in between opposing forces, which is true of most wars. While I opposed the war from the beginning, believing it was a mistake, I believe it's important to recognize the sacrifices made by young men and women who have willingly placed their lives on the line for their country. They didn't choose this war, it chose them. Some have acted heroically, while others haven't. Most, if not all, will carry with them memories they'd rather forget.

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War is hell. That's something we must never forget, lest we take the loss of life that accompanies it too lightly. I'd like to be a pacifist, but a streak of realism has kept me from making that choice, but I need to be reminded about the complexity and the dangers of battle. Films like “Flags of our Fathers” help provide that reminder.

Although I grew up playing army, in time I discovered that the reality wasn't all fun and games. People do, after all, get hurt. And, while we admire heroes, those we label as “heroes” aren't always like Superman. Instead, they're human beings with the same frailties that afflict you and me. They can inspire us, but like us, they're still just flesh and blood. Therefore, we can't live vicariously through their stories; we have to act ourselves.

Dr. Bob Cornwall is Pastor of First Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) of Lompoc (www.lompocdisciples.org). He may be contacted at lompocdisciples@impulse.net or First Christian Church, P.O. Box 1056, Lompoc, CA 93438.

Dec. 10, 2006