When I was growing up, military was a part of our family. My dad was a Seabee (Construction Battalion), later, my brothers joined the Army and the Marines. My Grandfather and great Grandfather were both Army. It was just accepted that to serve the United States of America was a great honor. My family was lucky enough to have our boys brought back home safely. For that I am grateful.
But there are those like this: “I have a POW/MIA bracelet that bears the name of a Michigan Marine that never came home. Robert Curtis Borton Jr. Missing since 1966 during his first few weeks in Vietnam. Please think of his family that lost him and the future he never had.”–Ron Martell
I wrote this with them in mind.
Sacrifice
The bagpipes howl
“Amazing Grace”
Drums beat hollow
21 shots placed
The blackened sky
hangs its veil
The heavens give
a hero’s hail
to fallen comrade
man of war
from his daughter
and wife he’s torn
by seductive tendrils
of patriotic pride
under red, white, and blue
his final goodbye
Construction Battalion
http://www.nsva.org/images/seabees.jpg
