The Wall Revisited...

In Memory of:

L/Cpl. Benny Hack, L/Cpl. Frank Allender, Jr., Gy/Sgt. Harold Philpott,
Capt. John Roederer, 2nd Lt. Bruce Eaton, Capt. John Gardner, M/Sgt.Tim Bodden,
Maj. Stephen Hanson, Cpl. Michael Barr, Cpl. David Hinz, Cpl. Kenneth Sands,
Sgt. Charles Vesey, EN1 Carl Meier,....and others

The reflection in the polished black granite
Has been lined with the passing of years,
But the faces of those whose names are engraved
Are still vivid through eye-filling tears

Their only parades were the slow processions
Behind long, shiny black limousines,
As America brought home her finest-
Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen, and Marines.

Private or General, their final salutes
Were the rifles fired over their graves,
And a bugler's sad echoing solo of "Taps"
Was our final farewell to the brave.

Bits of bright-colored ribbons and folded flags
Are now cherished souveniers-
With grief-stricken families' shattered dreams
And a fathomless ocean of tears.

Then his trembling hand reached out to the granite
And a spirit stirred from within-
Fifty-eight thousand who had given their all
Said they'd do it all over again.

While it's certain not all came running gladly,
And it's true that not all volunteered,
Revisionist history doesn't record
That their sacrifice was revered.

Then standing slowly, he comes to attention-
Puzzling the people standing nearby.
He deftly renders one final salute
And he whispers a hoarse "Semper Fi"

Those watching him leave do not understand it-
What they've witnessed, as he walks away-
Part of him died with these men he remembers,
And part of them lives in him today

"Semper Fi"
Curt "Sully" Sullenberger
HMM-165 (03-'67 / 04-'68)