The Rack1956

[last lines]

Capt. Edward W. Hall Jr.:
[addressing the court martial one last time after the verdict has been read] This isn't going to be an extenuation, but I want to say it anyway. Capt. Miller came to my hotel this morning, just about dawn. He's the witness who was tortured. He said he'd read the papers and he'd seen my testimony there and he wanted to talk. So we sat down and we started talking about the men we knew who were prisoners over there... He said he thought that every man has a moment in his life when he has to choose. If he chooses right, then it's a moment of magnificence. If he chooses wrong, then it's a moment of regret that will stay with him for the rest of his life. I wish that every soldier... I wish that everybody could feel the way I feel now. Because if they did, they'd know what it is like to be a man who sold himself short... and who lost his moment of magnificence. I pray to God that they find theirs.