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This is a place of remembrance
Find Your Own Way Home
In a muddy field in the middle of Vietnam
Pinned down by the enemy in this land of the damn.
Only eighteen of us left to fight
Not one sole cares about our plight.
The slightest movement draws fire
Nothing to do but lay here in this mire.
Water Buffalo dung floating on the water
Charlie can sense the slaughter.
Called for help from the powers that be
Just a little help was our only plea.
Just a stones throw from the shelter of a bank of mud
But not a sole to come to our rescue in this flood.
Then as we were low as we thought we could be
The radio squawk had a sobering effect on me.
But the news came and about the LZ we called home.
"Cant help, and the choppers are flying, youll have to find your own way home"
Cursing and swearing at the commanders and others
We now had just us on to which to depend, my brothers.
The VC had not been able to advance
Finally we took our last chance.
Crawling in the slime, mud and rain
We made it to safety before after us they came.
Safety consisted of a hill of mud from which we had the higher ground.
With a little luck and superior firepower we knocked Charlie down.
They broke contact and left us alone
Now all we had to do was find our own way home.
In the middle of a moonless night
Praying that tonight we wouldnt again have to fight.
Six hours later we found the perimeter
Once inside and secure
I was summoned to the commanders tent
Once there and found him warm and dry and I was about spent.
"Good job Lt." he said, "I knew you could find your own way home."
"You see, when left to your own devices, you guys didnt roam."
My platoon Sgt. Looked at me and I at him at last
And we both told the commander to kiss our BRASS.
İDavid R. Alexander
March 4, 2003
All Rights Reserved
 A Quiet Choice
look at us.....seem familiar?
armchair debate of rights and wrongs
students with signs in the streets
discussions disagreement
sharp razor sharp
echoing the past
severing the cable that holds us together
dividing
again ever again
young soldiers
poised at the very brink hearing seeing
distractions angry shouts of dissent
old soldiers
who know that distraction can mean
death!
decisions many decisions to come
but only one that I can make
and I have
I will be silently hopeful
supportive
I will not be
a distraction
{c}3/6/03 Randy Richmond  We Were There
We were there at The Battle of the Marne September 1914
We were there at St Mihiel in September 1917
We never wavered nor gave an inch
Fighting from the beaches and from every ditch.
We were there at Pearl Harbor December 1941
We were there at Guadalcanal August 1942
We were there at The Battle of the Bulge in December 1944
Again fighting for our country, liberty with all the death and the gore.
We were there June 25, 1950 along with our Australian brothers
We were there on the 26th as the country held it breath we could hear the weeping of our mothers,
We were there at Pusan along with the Australians and R.O.K. Armies
With each battle all the brothers fought and motive of each one could draw an analogy.
We were there at the Ia Drang Valley, Kontum, Hue, and Khe Sanh,
We were at Saigon, LZ English, and Bon Son
We were there from 1951 till leaving in 1975
This time the country divided by deceit and lies.
We were there January 17, 1991, when the bombs found targets in Baghdad to attack.
We were there February 28 when the allied brothers stood side by side and entered Iraq.
We stood tall on March third when victory was declared.
The causalities cared for and the soldiers war was won, and grieving families tears were shared.
We will be there if ever the need arise
We will stand with our brothers as they say goodbye
If again we find it necessary to see that day well stand beside you and often kneel to pray.
Know also that you go to defend a grateful nation and world no matter what the few may say.
İDavid R. Alexander
March 8, 2003
All Rights Reserved
The Sound of Silence
by Gary Jacobson
In the silence of innocent lambs
Warriors slip in and out of combat jams
Comes a hush after battle's raucous crush
Run its fiery course adrenaline's rush
Deadening noise where silence reigns
Caught in stifled sleep the living feigns
Boys listening in dark and dusky night
Throat strangled tight
Painfully pay heed to creeping shadows
Men go deathly silent in agonizing throes...
Fill my silence with dry tears
In the night of a thousand fears
Giving ear to men coming to kill
Shedding blood their greatest thrill
Spurring on the wild beast of war
Riding to destroy all that comes before
Hot hatreds voices fill
Over forested rock and rill
Filling combatants silent void
Trying thoughts of death somehow to avoid...
Silence on the lonesome night hangs
Thoughts of home but empty pangs
Displayed in light of a killing moon
Beating on weary heartstrings a throbbing tune
Rubbing hot spurs up and down trembling spines
Shards cold as death confines
Shooting shadows of silence defining
Bullets cutting through forests adventuring
Proudly by patriotic duty sought
Determined to find a souls destined spot...
Quietly in the dust I die
Daring not in the midst of enemies to cry
Bearing a thousand deaths in silence
Paying at long last the Devil's penance
Laid down a body red by bloody fever flushed
Neath solemnly sacred ground so still, so hushed
Grisly maw agape in death's primal scream
Gone on to fight with heaven's first team...
Offended eyes open wide, searching forever
Pleading still in silence, forget me never...
İ3/7/03 Gary Jacobson 
A Lonesome soldier
Sitting in a booth all alone
A young soldier thinks of home
No friends to bid him farewell
Fear inside and no one to tell.
A young blond haired girl standing there
Takes his order while she pushes back her hair.
She notices the forlorn look upon his face
And sees that he looks so out of place.
She smiles as he takes a sup from his coffee cup
He is shy and only slightly looks up.
As she continues to do her chores
She cant help but notice he isnt really there anymore.
As she brings him his check
He ask if she could sit a moment, so what the heck.
He tells her that he is all alone
And no one cares that he soon will be far from home.
She says can he wait a minute till the end of shift?
She would give him a lift.
As they ride to the train station,
She soon comes to a stark sensation.
He has no one left to give a damn
And tomorrow he would be leaving for Vietnam
They sit at the edge of the river bend
He asks if he could write her now and then.
Nothing but talk happens that night
She just knows she has met Mr. Right.
They talk till the dawn
By eight oclock he was gone.
Letters came several at first
Then fewer as he was in the land of the cursed
The last letter she had received
Explained the reason, and she was relieved.
Then came the big High School football game
At half time the announcer ask that they stand as he read some names
These are the men that have died in Vietnam this week
The last name was the young soldier, she couldnt speak.
No one seemed to understand
Why she cried sitting there in the stands
For no one knew these men that had died
So why did she just sit and cry?
Never again would she hold his hand
Never again would she see this young man.
Lost forever in Vietnam
The land of the jungle the war of the damned.
İDavid R. Alexander
March 12, 2003
All Rights Reserved  Prayer for the Warriors
by Gary Jacobson
Bless our vigilant warriors
Give strength to overcome to valiant saviors
Our sons and daughters, wherever they may be
On land, sky, or sailing the briny sea...
Safeguard those so lonely, so far from home
In times blackened dark, yet adventuresome
Watch over them, our brothers, sisters, where they go
Guide them wisely in times they do not know.
Read the rest of the poem to stirring music and battle action
pictures...
http://pzzzz.tripod.com/theprayer.html
  Rotor Slap
Lying face down in muddy rice patty without any dry ground
Not a way to move as Charlie has us pinned down.
Taking fire for over an hour waiting for the choppers to come in
They are always welcome kinda like a long lost friend.
Bill and Chester are wounded but not very bad
Chester said he had a million dollar wound best hurt he ever had.
Now Bill made no such comment, as his was the worse of the two
He even let out a curse or two as he waited for the choppers to come though.
Charlie was well prepared this time as soon we found out
Must have known we were coming without a doubt.
Only about five klicks from LZ English
A simple patrol, a short venture we were told; now I only wish.
Must be a platoon of them and well hidden within the brush
Too many of them for this squad to rush.
Holding on no movement can we see
But a slight movement and a bullet would hit us we agree.
These choppers are great and we know they will come
Never have they let us down no matter how bad it had become.
We listen as the stench of the manure of the patty fills our breath
This isnt the first time the choppers will have saved us from death.
Well know before they get here because of that wonderful sound
A kinda funny slap as the sound hits the ground.
Chester, says quietly the choppers gave me their position on the map
Listen we can hear the rotor slap.
It isnt long till the choppers are all around
Charlie wanting no truck with them decides not to stick around.
Cutting the wind and to our rescue those wonderful chaps
But the best sound of all is that wonderful rotor slap.
İDavid R. Alexander
March 14, 2003
All Rights Reserved  Circuit Riding Preacher
Repent from your wicked ways the Preacher would yell
If you dont, then your spend eternity in hell.
AMEN, would come the echo clear as a bell.
Find your way to the Lord, his gifts will never cease
You will walk on streets of gold and find eternal peace
AMEN, came the echo from the crowd and the volume would increase.
Today, maybe ,the last day of your life
Confess your sins to the Lord and end your strife
AMEN, again came the roar of the congregation, that cut like a knife.
As a small lad, I remembered it well
Careful not wanting to sin or spend eternity in hell
AMEN, would come to me and I could hear it so well.
Heed the call before it is too late
Fill NOT your life with violence and hate
AMEN, again would be the final yell, before its too late.
Now I was in Vietnam, a man made hell
I prayed to the Lord to show me where I should dwell
AMEN, I could hear in my mind as I knelt to pray ,asking the Lord to tell.
For I must have done something, for here I am to stay
Not sure if I was right or wrong or if Id die this day
AMEN, came again as I finished up my prayer must move without delay.
It took me a long time to realize that in this hell on earth whether you live or die
My Lord was surely there, and on him I must rely
AMEN, I can now hear the congregation agree, that God was on high.
I oft would remember that ole Circuit Riding Preacher
That came by our backwoods church, a seeker and a teacher
AMEN, I say now ,for he was a man of God, this Circuit Riding Preacher.
İDavid R. Alexander
March 15, 2003
All Rights Reserved
 Blue Star Mothers
Mothers... do weep...
but your faithfulness keep
You raised your sweet children...
You raised them to reconize a wrong
to always defend and protect those not strong
to seek the truth in this cruel world
Now about them the battles may swirl
They have their promises to keep
Mothers ....with you we weep.......
When war does rage
recorded again on historys` page
and Death counts its` toll
pray your children are not on its role
This matters above everything
for when it is done and freedom does ring
Mothers, your praises they will sing
But for now its` price is so steep
Mothers....for you we weep......
İFaye Sizemore 3/15/03
 Iraq Revisited
Saddam,I remember you .....and the death bell
.......... your hand did toll from the steeple...
...................I heard it sound for the Iraqi people...
........who died in your manufactured Hell.............
Phases run through my mind..........
Pieces of old memories.............now frozen in time
Peace keepers.............armed truth seekers.......
................arms inspectors..........flaming oil wells
...................battles in sandy Hells....
peace did come.....under the blazing sun.....
..................but a deed was left undone.........
İFaye Sizemore 3/18/03
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