Ace of Aces Prayer

Captain Eddie Rickenbacker was the Ace of Aces during World War I. When he was promoted to Captain and placed in command the famed 94th Fighter Squadron he wrote in his diary, “I shall never ask any pilot to go on a mission that I won’t go on. I must work now harder than I did before.” He backed up those words with selfless and courageous action. For “conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity above and beyond the call of duty in action against the enemy,” he was awarded the nation’s highest military honor, the Medal of Honor on 6 November 1930.

Here is one of Captain Rickenbacker’s prayers:

O Lord, I thank thee for the strength and blessing thou has given me, and even though I have walked through the valley of the shadow of death, I feared no evil, for thy rod and thy staff comforted me even unto the four corners of the world. I have sinned, O Lord, but through thy mercy thou hast shown me the light of thy grace.

In thy care we are entrusting our boys and girls in the Services scattered throughout the entire world, and we know that in thee they are finding their haven of hope. Be with our leaders, O Lord; give them wisdom to lead us to a spiritual victory, as well as a physical one. And until that day, be with those at home—strengthen them for whatever may lie ahead. Be with our enemies, O Lord, and through the light of thy divine grace, may they reconsecrate themselves to thy service as we are reconsecrating ourselves, so all peoples of the world will sing in unison “Glory to God in the Highest,” as only through thee can we realize our hope for peace everlasting. In Jesus’ name I ask it. Amen.

Taken from my personal copy of The Airman's Bible, pg. 1125, that was presented to me upon my retirement from the US Air Force in 2006.