I’m Proud of my Brother

 

Let them be a soldier, marine, sailor or airman; I salute them all.

We all had one thing in common, we answered the call.

From the cities, towns and small farms we did leave;

To fight for our country and in things we believe.

 

We made many a friend and watched many die;

We learned to care, we learned to cry.

Heroes are more than those with the Purple Heart;

Heroes are those that did their part.

 

God and Country and the girl next door;

All good reasons to go off to war.

Mine was simple, at least to me;

To keep America safe, to keep it free.

 

War isn’t kind nor is it fair,

Neither is life confined to a chair.

No bands or parades welcomed us home,

No wound hurts more than left feeling alone.

 

His missing leg makes him stick out in a crowd,

When the flag passes by, no one is more proud.

From the mountains to the paddy dykes we did our job well;

When we served our time, our time in Hell.

 

                                                       Michael D. Monfrooe

                                      Written at Walter Reed Military Hospital

                                                                   1982