American soldiers who do not survive the conflict in Iraq come back to Dover Air Force Base in Delaware. Since 1955, the Dover mortuary has been the next-to-last stop for some 60,000 Americans, most killed in service to their country.

Robert Bauer is one of two full-time morticians on staff at Dover, and has seen plenty during his 40-plus years in the business.

As difficult as the mortician's job may be, the hardest part of the job, according to Bauer, is dealing with anguished loved ones. No matter how horrific the death, he finds it easier to deal with the autopsy room than with the grief of those left behind.

Four decades in the business has taught him that all grief is not created equal. "When a family comes in here with some kind of faith, some kind of belief in God, they hold up so much better than someone who has nothing to hold onto."