A Soldier Died Today

[clark17357]

I read a lot of stories about this Memorial Day just past. All from the heart and all moving in their own way.

 

My Pa was a WWII Marine in the South Pacific. He has been gone a good number of years now and a Vietnam Veteran friend of mine, yesterday, gave me this as something to think about when I remember my Pa and those in his generation.

 

My Vietnam Vet friend is someone I always think about on Memorial Day and, yet, there he was, thinking of the generation that came before his. This one is for your father, your grandfather, your great grandfather and . . . well, you get the idea.

 

He was getting old and paunchy

And his hair was falling fast,

And he sat around the Legion,

Telling stories of the past.

 

Of a war that he once fought in

And the deeds that he had done,

In his exploits with his buddies;

They were heroes, every one.

 

And 'tho sometimes to his neighbors

His tales became a joke,

All his buddies listened quietly

For they knew where of he spoke.

 

But we'll hear his tales no longer,

For ol' Bob has passed away,

And the world's a little poorer

For a Soldier died today.

 

He won't be mourned by many,

Just his children and his wife.

For he lived an ordinary,

Very quiet sort of life..

 

He held a job and raised a family,

Going quietly on his way;

And the world won't note his passing,

'Tho a Soldier died today.

 

When politicians leave this earth,

Their bodies lie in state,

While thousands note their passing,

And proclaim that they were great.

 

Papers tell of their life stories

From the time that they were young

But the passing of a Soldier

Goes unnoticed, and unsung.

 

Is the greatest contribution

To the welfare of our land,

Some jerk who breaks his promise

And cons his fellow man?

 

Or the ordinary fellow

Who in times of war and strife,

Goes off to serve his country

And offers up his life?

 

The politician's stipend

And the style in which he lives,

Are often disproportionate,

To the service that he gives.

 

While the ordinary Soldier,

Who offered up his all,

Is paid off with a medal

And perhaps a pension, small.

 

It's so easy to forget them,

For it is so many times

That our Bobs and Jims and Johnnys,

Went to battle, but we know,

 

It is not the politicians

With their compromise and ploys,

Who won for us the freedom

That our country now enjoys.

 

Should you find yourself in danger,

With your enemies at hand,

Would you really want some cop-out,

With his ever waffling stand?

 

Or would you want a Soldier--

His home, his country, his kin,

Just a common Soldier,

Who would fight until the end.

 

He was just a common Soldier,

And his ranks are growing thin,

But his presence should remind us

We may need his like again.

 

For when countries are in conflict,

We find the Soldier's part

Is to clean up all the troubles

That the politicians start.

 

If we cannot do him honor

While he's here to hear the praise,

Then at least let's give him homage

At the ending of his days.

 

Perhaps just a simple headline

In the paper that might say:

"OUR COUNTRY IS IN MOURNING,

A SOLDIER DIED TODAY."

 

A veteran is someone who, at one point in his or her life, wrote a blank check made payable "To My Country' for an amount up to and including my life." That is Honor, and there are way too many people in this country who no longer understand that simple fact.

[kstrong]

+1000

Great Post.

[0201212]

Great post!!!!! Brought a tear to my eyes..

[08sgt1042]

I read a lot of stories about this Memorial Day just past. All from the heart and all moving in their own way.

 

My Pa was a WWII Marine in the South Pacific. He has been gone a good number of years now and a Vietnam Veteran friend of mine, yesterday, gave me this as something to think about when I remember my Pa and those in his generation.

 

My Vietnam Vet friend is someone I always think about on Memorial Day and, yet, there he was, thinking of the generation that came before his. This one is for your father, your grandfather, your great grandfather and . . . well, you get the idea.

 

He was getting old and paunchy

And his hair was falling fast,

And he sat around the Legion,

Telling stories of the past.

 

Of a war that he once fought in

And the deeds that he had done,

In his exploits with his buddies;

They were heroes, every one.

 

And 'tho sometimes to his neighbors

His tales became a joke,

All his buddies listened quietly

For they knew where of he spoke.

 

But we'll hear his tales no longer,

For ol' Bob has passed away,

And the world's a little poorer

For a Soldier died today.

 

He won't be mourned by many,

Just his children and his wife.

For he lived an ordinary,

Very quiet sort of life..

 

He held a job and raised a family,

Going quietly on his way;

And the world won't note his passing,

'Tho a Soldier died today.

 

When politicians leave this earth,

Their bodies lie in state,

While thousands note their passing,

And proclaim that they were great.

 

Papers tell of their life stories

From the time that they were young

But the passing of a Soldier

Goes unnoticed, and unsung.

 

Is the greatest contribution

To the welfare of our land,

Some jerk who breaks his promise

And cons his fellow man?

 

Or the ordinary fellow

Who in times of war and strife,

Goes off to serve his country

And offers up his life?

 

The politician's stipend

And the style in which he lives,

Are often disproportionate,

To the service that he gives.

 

While the ordinary Soldier,

Who offered up his all,

Is paid off with a medal

And perhaps a pension, small.

 

It's so easy to forget them,

For it is so many times

That our Bobs and Jims and Johnnys,

Went to battle, but we know,

 

It is not the politicians

With their compromise and ploys,

Who won for us the freedom

That our country now enjoys.

 

Should you find yourself in danger,

With your enemies at hand,

Would you really want some cop-out,

With his ever waffling stand?

 

Or would you want a Soldier--

His home, his country, his kin,

Just a common Soldier,

Who would fight until the end.

 

He was just a common Soldier,

And his ranks are growing thin,

But his presence should remind us

We may need his like again.

 

For when countries are in conflict,

We find the Soldier's part

Is to clean up all the troubles

That the politicians start.

 

If we cannot do him honor

While he's here to hear the praise,

Then at least let's give him homage

At the ending of his days.

 

Perhaps just a simple headline

In the paper that might say:

"OUR COUNTRY IS IN MOURNING,

A SOLDIER DIED TODAY."

 

A veteran is someone who, at one point in his or her life, wrote a blank check made payable "To My Country' for an amount up to and including my life." That is Honor, and there are way too many people in this country who no longer understand that simple fact.

 

 

 

 

Thank you as I read this it was the story of my Father who passed in October, how I missed him this past weekend Memorial Day was a special day for us. He was just another Soldier from the Great Generation....God bless them and may we never forget.

[Lgs ShelbyGT]

Nice post Jim !

I'm certain that there are many TS members and family members who are now a bit older but were once the 18 year old in uniform in a different time, a different war...

We all need to remember and ensure that we never forget what veterans have done for our country.