A Widow's Tale

Marine Gunnery Sergeant Phil Jordan was a veteran of the first Gulf War, a soldier's soldier.

This week, his body came home from the current Gulf War. And for wife, Amanda, it was devastating. Correspondent Mika Brzezinski reports for 48 Hours.

"It's like it's happening to somebody else," she said. "It's not happening to us."

Phil and Amanda first met nine years ago, in a whirlwind courtship. Their marriage blossomed, and along came their baby, Tyler. Amanda said Tyler was so proud of his father for what he did, that he put him on a pedestal.

In his letters home, Phil always had a message for Tyler, who is now 6 years old.

The last letter arrived several days after Phil's death.

It's hard to imagine now that Phil Jordan was ever hesitant about having children. But his job had risks, and his family history haunted him.

"He lost his father when he was young," said Amanda. "He didn't want the same thing to happen."

But it did, when Jordan's unit met up with Iraqi soldiers pretending to surrender 12 days ago.

He and eight other Marines were killed.

"It's murder," Amanda said. "How's he supposed to fight against that?"

Like Amanda, many in his small hometown in northern Connecticut are bitter about the way he died. In respect, and pain, they lined the streets along the route of his funeral procession.

Now Amanda wants others to know about her husband and his story.

"He's not here so we can be," she said. "That is so important for people to know. They take it for granted, and they don't understand what other people have lost so that they can just go on."

Her message for President Bush?

"Finish it. Don't make my son grow up without a father for nothing. If he was willing to give up his life for it, then finish it."

Donations to a fund for the family of Phillip Jordan can be sent to:

Marine Gunnery Sergeant Phillip A. Jordan
c/o Enfield Federal Savings & Loan
660 Enfield Street
Enfield, CT 06082