Rachel (1925-1987)
( A Tribute to Rachel Bouldin Clifton (1925-1987), and to her fallen brother,Wallace, killed in Italy, 1944.)
This photo of Rachel was in Wallace's pocket in Italy when the fatal shell burst at his side. The photo came back to her....spattered with Wallace's blood. War is deadly serious...then and now.
Rachel Lenora Bouldin was born July 5th, 1925, to John Noble Bouldin and Vernia Monroe Bouldin in DeKalb County, Alabama. She was the only daughter born after four sons. Wallace, the youngest son, was seven when Rachel was born. She spent her girlish days helping “Mama” with the household chores, going to school, going to Warren’s Graveyard Baptist Church (Nazareth) and taking water to the cotton fields where her Dad and brothers were working. Many evenings were spent ‘making music’ with brothers Arvel, L.B.(Pete), Chester (Check), and her nearest sibling…Wallace. She played the guitar….the ’boys’ played the guitar, mandolin, fiddle, and banjo. Together they made music and sang the spirited gospel and country songs of their southern heritage. Many weekends, she and the brothers were joined by Charlie and Ira Louvin from the Big Woods in Dekalb County (Henagar). Together they sang and filled the Saturday nights with marvelous mountain music. But in the early 1940s, mountain music was replaced by the sounds of World War 11. All four brothers left their peaceful rural Sand Mountain for places far away. But only three returned. Baby brother, Wallace, at twenty-three was killed in Italy on September 27, 1944 when a shell burst at his side. He came home in a flag-draped box marked ’do not open.’ Rachel was sixteen. Part of the heartbreak was knowing her brother’s mangled body may not have been in the box they buried. The explosion was so massive. “How could they know,” she said, “which parts belonged to whom.” But they buried the remains with all love and humility…. “knowing,” she said, “that where ever his flesh may have been sent, another family would honor him in burial with the same love and humility. Out of her heartbreak, she wrote the following lyrics and sang them both mournfully and joyfully.
The Family Circle is Broken
Here our family circle is broken. We’ve lost a dear brother and son.
I trust we’ll meet again someday, When all of life’s troubles are done.
They took him away to that awful war, To ‘fight for his country’ they said.
Then one day a message came, Saying my brother was ‘dead.’
There’ll be no more wars in Heaven. There’ll be no bombing there.
No more sleeping in foxholes, In the city God’s gone to prepare.
There’ll be no more shells thrown in Heaven, To burst at our loved one’s side.
No goodbyes or heartaches, No more troop trains to ride.
How lonely we all were that evening, How lonesome that train whistle blew,
Carrying the body of my brother, Neath the flag of the red, white, and blue.
But how happy we’ll all be in Heaven, When round God’s throne we shall meet.
And we’ll be shouting and singing, When our circle once more is complete.
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