Two Poems

VIETNAM US MEDICAL CORPS

They came from the great plains, great lakes and our great cities.
They were Jewish, Catholic, Baptist and Lutheran.
Some studied years to be doctors and nurses.
Some studied only a few months to be Corpsmen and medics.
They knew in their minds it was wrong to be there. But they knew in their hearts it was right that they had to be there.

They slept in fox holes and slept in ships, but did they, could they really sleep.
They were trained to give shots and help the ones shot.
They treated sun burns and burns of napalm.
They help slightly injured back to health to fight their next battle and they helped the mortally injured fight their final battle.
They comforted friend and foe, child to senior. But who would, who could comfort them.
They had their hero’s, the injured. They are the lucky few who had the opportunity to care for their hero’s.

God bless the hero’s and the ones that took care of them.
May they find peace, sleep and be comforted.

VIETNAM VETERANS

They were young boys and girls, so innocent and happy.
They didn’t want to go but they went.
They didn’t understand but they tried to comprehend.
They didn’t want to fight but they fought.
They all wanted to go back to the home they knew 
        and the people they were.

But home had changed and so had they.
Some came home injured on the outside,
        some came home injured on the inside.
Some came home in flag draped boxes.
Some came home and died by their own hand.

Some went to touch the “Wall” and for some the “Wall” touched them.
They all remember but for some only to remember the pain in silence.

They are now older men and women, not so innocent and                 
        only God and they know if they are happy.

Darrell R. Rask
HM3/USN 1966-69
COL, NC, USAF(Ret) 1989- 2007