"Two hundred V.C. killed
But U.S. losses light"
The glaring headlines read
In two-inch print last night.
And farther down the page
In smaller print, it read
That we had fifty hurt
But only one man dead.
Just one U.S. Marine!
Our loss indeed was light,
For we had stormed a hill
And met in bloody fight
Yes, light if you ignore
The fifty wounded men
A few lost arms and legs
Some will not see again.
But still just one man dead
How lucky can we be?
There's just one problem Dad,
That one man dead is me
Just one brand new Marine
Who now is very dead
I raced a bullet home
And stopped it with my head.
My future's come to rest
I've found my bit of land
A funeral dirge sounds out
The wedding bells I'd planned.
There'll be no frantic job,
With hours eight to five
With extra work at night
To just remain alive.
There'll be no happy days
With kids who look like me
Who laugh and call me"Dad",
While bouncing on my knee.
No, that's all over now,
And I no longer fight
I'm with the ages now
My luck ran out last night.
