This song, obviously, crosses generational barriers and resonates with people on both sides of the Atlantic. For my generation, whose fathers, grandfathers, uncles and family friends fought in World War II, it seems to ring especially true. My wife's grandfather was a retired Rear Admiral who commanded two carriers, in both the U-Boat wars in the Atlantic and the latter stages of the Pacific war. Her dad was a PBY pilot who flew during the battle of Midway and later commanded two carriers of his own during Korea and later.

At both their funerals, "Eternal Father" brought tears to many of us. I looked across the pews in church and saw so many old white heads who were, themselves, soon to depart. We lose hundreds of them every day, on both sides of the "pond," in Australia and New Zealand; wherever the war drew men and women to serve, many to die. I hope we never forget what they purchased so dearly. That is what this song, most of all, means for me.