Posted: 5/30/2005 4:52:53 AM EDT
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Well today I go to the national cemetary here to have a smoke and talk with my now gone friends which has become like a memorial day tradition. I know its sounds corny but I honor their memory by placing a smoke on their tombstone and tell them what all beens happening. Well this morning I woke with this damn song running in my head. Ballad of the Green Beret Staff Sergeant Barry Sadler and Robin Moore copyright 1966 Fighting soldiers from the sky Fearless men who jump and die Men who mean just what they say The brave men of the Green Beret CHORUS: Silver wings upon their chest These are men, America's best One hundred men will test today But only three win the Green Beret Trained to live off nature's land Trained in combat, hand-to-hand Men who fight by night and day Courage peak from the Green Berets CHORUS Back at home a young wife waits Her Green Beret has met his fate He has died for those oppressed Leaving her his last request Put silver wings on my son's chest Make him one of America's best He'll be a man they'll test one day Have him win the Green Beret I can't tell you how many guys I knew that joined in part to this song many of which never came back and many who came back but left a large portion of themselves in far away jungle. As we honor those who gave their all, I take time to honor those who gave part which I think of as the forgotten casualties of war. I remember a night decades ago when it was my duty to do lights out at Ft. Polk Army Hospital. Then the hospital was 6.5 miles of corridors connecting the old WWII wooden barracks. As I entered the pyscology ward that night over the cries and ravings I heard this song playing on a small phonograph. The ward always freaked me out since back then you really had to off your rocker to be in the ward for we had such limited space and so little was spent on the topic. Still I couldn't resist that sound and cautiously approached. There at a small record player stood this battle scarred veteran standing at attention in full salute facing the small phonograph as this song played. There was no sarcasim on this guys face but a heart felt serousness that pierced the night. The image apparently still haunts me today all these decades later. I ask as you guys honor those who gave all today to remember those who went and came back in body but left part of themselves in war. The last of these that personaly impacted my life was my cousin Pete. Pete came back from Desert Storm a changed man both physically and mentaly. Though eligable for a VA disability he carried on with his life best he could. Pete was a Desert Storm combat arms veteran. Pete hugging my mom:  Finaly unable to work, Pete applied for his VA pension. Before he collected dime, Pete took his life last July and another vet bites the dust. I will miss him as I miss those others who gave it all for their country. Yes, I'm fucking depressed today. Tj |
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Oddly enough, the best explanation for taking VA benefits came from Doonesbury. The guy lost his leg and was talking about being reluctant to take his benefits. The DR told him to think of it as a downpayment until they could grow him a new leg. I understand not wanting to take handouts from the .gov. But, for the veterans, you have earned it and it will never be enough. |
 I'm so sorry to hear about that, TJ. It sounds trite, but there is not a day that goes by that I don't think about men like your cousin. Better men than I who were willing to provide "the last full measure of devotion" to this nation in order to maintain the freedoms that I take for granted every day. I just hope that in some small way, I can do something in my life to repay that debt. |