A Troop, 3/17th Air Cavalry Silver Spur Blog

 A Soldier’s Friendship
by Charlotte Soder
February 14, 2015

I asked a war veteran, a friend of mine
To walk me through his war days time
I asked what his friendships meant
He said “Ducking fire and laughing in a tent.”

Don’t know if I have the words, “He said to me.”
I asked him please share, and help me see
Through his eyes, the pain in his heart showed
In hesitating words he began slow
To tell of the
torture and gruesomeness beyond compare
Bombs and bullets filling the air
He said “Fear for our lives a constant threat.”
Afraid I’d be the next to loose the bet

Faces of home, flashed through my mind
Loved ones, green hills and my childhood time.

In moments of reprieve
my friends of the field
sat with me, grateful that day,
we had not been killed
Reminiscing our fears around a picnic bench
Ridding ourselves of warfare stench

We laughed, played jokes, funnin’ with each other
To ease the pain of the loss of our brother

I left a young man, innocent and naive
To this day, my heart and soul grieve
From the indignities of war
and all I’ve seen
To this day, my friends of that time
are dear to me
Like family you might say but even greater than thee…
For they know my heart like no other
My protector in the field, my friend, my brother. 

[Submitted by fellow Silver Spur, John Garrison]

A fellow Vietnam veteran that was with the Marines in Hue during the ’68 Tet sent me this which I want to share with all of you. To all who have worn the uniform, you were/are the very best of your generation. Merry Christmas! – Bear