FNG's, Newbies, Cherries, Call 'em whatever you like We were all in that category when we first got to Vietnam. We tried the patience of the salty grunts and we learned the hard way. We were left on the outside til we fought our way to the inside. Trial and error, but the sad truth is that error usually ended up maimed or worse...wrapped in a body bag. It paid to listen, many did not.Dyin’
Day:
Hey Sarge, Whut we fightin' for over here anyways? "Well, Troop, we're fightin' for freedom, tryin' to stop the spread of communism." Well, Sarge I can understand the fightin' part, it's the freedom I aint understanding, Don't seem like nuthin's changed a bit since I got here." I mean, I been here a few days, jus' take a look round us, it's still a shit hole, it don't seem like much. It aint hardly worth coming over here if ya ask me. Seems like a waste a time". The Old Sarge looked down at his boots, his arms hung straight down with his fists balled up. He clenched his jaw so tight he broke a tooth. Steam was pourin out his ears as he listened to the FNG spout off. Slowly he looked up at this cherry and stood nose to nose with him,growled,and through gritted teeth he said... "Troop, fighting ain't what freedoms all about and to you this may seem a waste a time, But I lost one to many friends to war Freedoms got more to do with dyin'
Freedoms about sacrifice troop sumthin' you don't know nuthin about, Your talkin' Just like the world back home speakin' what all the hippies spout Trouble is they aint seen blood spilt or seen their Brothers fall one by one with courage and purpose set in their heart to give whatever it takes to get freedom won So don't sit there and say it's a shit hole son Or that you ain't seen nuthin' changed The lives of families and Mothers Sons have been tragically re-arranged Get to your feet troop! and prepare to lock and load' Cause your gonna have a life altering experience somewhere down this blood stained road If your around In a month or so troop come look up this old Marine, see those men layin' side by side in body bags, That's what freedom means... The Old Sarge slung his rifle as he glared into the eyes of ignorance. lit a smoke... slowly turned and walked away. Thinking to himself, "another greenhorn troop, and tomorrow's another dyin' day."... ©
Richard D. Preston
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