A TRIBUTE
TO MY FRIEND
LANNY
LONG
CORPSMAN
1968
The
Vietnam war is just a vague memory now,
And
most of us who fought it were never even asked to take a bow.
We simply
came home, picked up the pieces and went on somehow......
The
American public doesn't have a clue,
As to
what some of their U.S. Marines were asked to do.
But
I know, and I'm writing this to show my respect for you.
The
battlefield has always been the Corpsman's domain.
He's
there for us no matter how harsh the weather or how rough the terrain.
He brings
comfort, and just by being there he eases the pain.
Being
wounded in battle is a terrifying plight.
Somehow
it's worse yet in the middle of the night,
But
having a Corpsman there helps us to overcome our fright.
The
call "HELP!! CORPSMAN, I'M HIT" always comes at the worst possible
time.
There
is no cover, the hillside is always steep and hard to climb.
It's
either rocky shale or covered with slime.
War
is hell!! It's the scourge of the earth,
And
combat is the "acid test" of a man's true worth.
He's
not a coward or a hero just by virtue of his birth.
He takes
on his values from his family, his leaders and his friends.
He's
no saint! That he never pretends.
But,
we can see his true character by the message he sends.
He's
a gentle soul, but his body is hard and lean.
He may
be frightened but his voice sounds out calm, firm and serene,
"COVER
ME BOYS, I'M GOING OUT TO HELP THAT WOUNDED MARINE"!
He dresses
our wounds, then as he looks into our face,
He prays
to God for strength, wisdom and grace,
Wondering
if any of us will ever get out of this terrible place.
We are
far from the comforts of home, and death is always near.
When
we are about to lose our life, it becomes even more dear.
We bond
closely together as we try to overcome our fear.
But
we wouldn't even consider trading places with the guys in the rear.
When
there is a trouble spot in the world and tempers begin to flare,
You
can bet that the Marine Corps will soon be there,
Whether
it be on land, at sea or in the air.
We Marines
are a proud bunch and our motto is "Semper Fi."
We train
hard and we shoot for the X in the bullseye!!
We look
sharp in our dress blues and we make the ladies sigh,
But
when the chips are down and we watch our comrades bleed and die,
Every
one of us is man enough to break down and cry.
When
the battle is over and the dust has had a chance to settle,
We try
to pay tribute to those who have truly shown their mettle.
We praise
the pilots, the tankers, and the gunners.
We pin
ribbons on everyone from the generals to their runners.
But
it's the Corpsman who has cradled a bloodied head to his chest,
That
will be remembered with kindness when we have forgotten the rest.
You proved
that you had the right stuff when put to the test, so...
STAND
TALL MARINE, YOU ARE ONE OF THE BEST!!!
SEMPER
FI !!
DAVE
ALTHOFF
LT.COL.USMC
(RET.)
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