Topic: This Soldier Cries

[Gambler]

One of the Directors here at work is a Vietnam Vet.  Over the last 30+ years he has kept in contact with his buddies.  Several of them have had medical complications due to Agent Orange exposure.  He himself has contracted diabetes because of his time in Vietnam.  In the scheme of things, diabetes is one of the easier things to deal with.  This morning he sent me the following link and story.

 This Soldier Cries

 

Shortround (A TRP) passed away the evening of April 12th, 2003
He had been sufferering with problems from Agent Orange for quite some time.

ANIMO ET FIDE
'courageous and faithful'

 
Some people may ask a soldier, for his true story of War, and not a bunch of lies.
But some soldiers don't like to talk about it, because it brings tear to their eyes.
His wounds run deep because of war, and for his part of it, he may despise.
Maybe that is why this soldier cries.


Now a lot of times this soldier, because of dreaming about the war, doesn't sleep at night.
For he is afraid of reviewing the things that happened, in each and every fire fight.
This soldier can't put the war behind him, no matter how hard he tries.
Maybe that is why this soldier cries.


A soldier has caused his enemy to fall, one by one in defeat.
He has also seen a fellow soldier, lying dead at his feet.
The ground soaking up the blood, where his buddy lies.
Maybe that is why this soldier cries.

And when a soldier is left behind, and no one knows what has happened to him.
It makes this soldier feel guilty, and haunts him time and time again.
For he doesn't know if this fellow soldier lives or dies.
Maybe that is why this soldier cries.

Now this soldier made it back home safely, and why he doesn't understand.
There were better men than him that died on foreign land.
Now this soldier has many thoughts, that common people just couldn't possibly realize.
Maybe that is why this soldier cries.


For in a war, a soldier is maimed or dies, both night and day.
This is the price of war, and someone has to pay.
So this soldier has to look to the heavens, to whom is most holy and wise.
For God is the only one, that can forgive him of his deeds, and hold him.
WHEN THIS SOLDIER CRIES.
 
 

[JMM]

Awesome post Gambler, I really enjoyed it. Please make sure that your friend gets everything from VA, it is their for the vets, and even though monetary compensation cannot give somebody their health or life before back, it does kick ass my friend! I'm thankful for every dollar I get, especially in these trying times when so many people have it harder than myself nowadays...  

[Sirgod]

Beautifull post from such Tragedy. Thanks for sharing that Gambler.

Stephen

[Taldren_Erin]

Reminds me of another Veteran's Day (or, more properly, Canadian Remembrance Day) poem:

In Flanders fields the poppies blow
Between the crosses, row on row
They mark our place; and in the sky
The larks, still bravely singing, fly
Scarce heard amidst the guns below.

We are the Dead. Short days ago
We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset's glow,
Loved and were loved, and now we lie
In Flanders fields.

Take up our quarrel with the foe
To you, from failing hands we throw
The torch; be yours to hold it high.
If ye break faith with us who die
We shall not sleep, though poppies grow
In Flanders fields.

-- Lieutenant Colonel John McCrae


---

I am curious, though, how he contracted diabetes from being in Vietnam? I have an interest in it as a "prediabetic", which runs in my family. It's not contagious, and as far as I know can't be 'contracted' so much as sort of inevitably developed if your body has that inclination and/or it is exascerbated by poor eating habits.  

[Gambler]

Quote:

I am curious, though, how he contracted diabetes from being in Vietnam? I have an interest in it as a "prediabetic", which runs in my family. It's not contagious, and as far as I know can't be 'contracted' so much as sort of inevitably developed if your body has that inclination and/or it is exascerbated by poor eating habits.    

I'm not certain exactly all the details, but I found the following links:

 Air Force Study Suggests Agent Orange, Diabetes Link

 VA-Agent Orange

 

[Taldren_Erin]

That's very strange -- thanks for the link. Interesting reading.  

[Uss_Defiant]

Dulce Et Decorum Est
by Wilfred Owen
First Published in 1921

Bent double, like old beggars under sacks,
Knock-kneed, coughing like hags, we cursed through sludge,
Till on the haunting flares we turned out backs,
And towards our distant rest began to trudge.
Men marched asleep. Many had lost their boots,
But limped on, blood-shod. All went lame, all blind;
Drunk with fatigue; deaf even to the hoots
Of gas-shells dropping softly behind.

Gas! GAS! Quick, boys!--An ecstasy of fumbling
Fitting the clumsy helmets just in time,
But someone still was yelling out and stumbling
And flound'ring like a man in fire or lime.--
Dim through the misty panes and thick green light,
As under a green sea, I saw him drowning.

In all my dreams before my helpless sight
He plunges at me, guttering, choking, drowning.

If in some smothering dreams, you too could pace
Behind the wagon that we flung him in,
And watch the white eyes writhing in his face,
His hanging face, like a devil's sick of sin,
If you could hear, at every jolt, the blood
Come gargling from the froth-corrupted lungs
Bitter as the cud
Of vile, incurable sores on innocent tongues,--
My friend, you would not tell with such high zest
To children ardent for some desperate glory,
The old Lie: Dulce et decorum est
Pro patria mori.


One of my fav. poems
 

[KOTH-Steel Claw]

Thanks Gambler.

[Gambler]

One of the Directors here at work is a Vietnam Vet.  Over the last 30+ years he has kept in contact with his buddies.  Several of them have had medical complications due to Agent Orange exposure.  He himself has contracted diabetes because of his time in Vietnam.  In the scheme of things, diabetes is one of the easier things to deal with.  This morning he sent me the following link and story.

 This Soldier Cries

 

Shortround (A TRP) passed away the evening of April 12th, 2003
He had been sufferering with problems from Agent Orange for quite some time.

ANIMO ET FIDE
'courageous and faithful'

 
Some people may ask a soldier, for his true story of War, and not a bunch of lies.
But some soldiers don't like to talk about it, because it brings tear to their eyes.
His wounds run deep because of war, and for his part of it, he may despise.
Maybe that is why this soldier cries.


Now a lot of times this soldier, because of dreaming about the war, doesn't sleep at night.
For he is afraid of reviewing the things that happened, in each and every fire fight.
This soldier can't put the war behind him, no matter how hard he tries.
Maybe that is why this soldier cries.


A soldier has caused his enemy to fall, one by one in defeat.
He has also seen a fellow soldier, lying dead at his feet.
The ground soaking up the blood, where his buddy lies.
Maybe that is why this soldier cries.

And when a soldier is left behind, and no one knows what has happened to him.
It makes this soldier feel guilty, and haunts him time and time again.
For he doesn't know if this fellow soldier lives or dies.
Maybe that is why this soldier cries.

Now this soldier made it back home safely, and why he doesn't understand.
There were better men than him that died on foreign land.
Now this soldier has many thoughts, that common people just couldn't possibly realize.
Maybe that is why this soldier cries.


For in a war, a soldier is maimed or dies, both night and day.
This is the price of war, and someone has to pay.
So this soldier has to look to the heavens, to whom is most holy and wise.
For God is the only one, that can forgive him of his deeds, and hold him.
WHEN THIS SOLDIER CRIES.
 
 

[JMM]

Awesome post Gambler, I really enjoyed it. Please make sure that your friend gets everything from VA, it is their for the vets, and even though monetary compensation cannot give somebody their health or life before back, it does kick ass my friend! I'm thankful for every dollar I get, especially in these trying times when so many people have it harder than myself nowadays...  

[Sirgod]

Beautifull post from such Tragedy. Thanks for sharing that Gambler.

Stephen

[Taldren_Erin]

Reminds me of another Veteran's Day (or, more properly, Canadian Remembrance Day) poem:

In Flanders fields the poppies blow
Between the crosses, row on row
They mark our place; and in the sky
The larks, still bravely singing, fly
Scarce heard amidst the guns below.

We are the Dead. Short days ago
We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset's glow,
Loved and were loved, and now we lie
In Flanders fields.

Take up our quarrel with the foe
To you, from failing hands we throw
The torch; be yours to hold it high.
If ye break faith with us who die
We shall not sleep, though poppies grow
In Flanders fields.

-- Lieutenant Colonel John McCrae


---

I am curious, though, how he contracted diabetes from being in Vietnam? I have an interest in it as a "prediabetic", which runs in my family. It's not contagious, and as far as I know can't be 'contracted' so much as sort of inevitably developed if your body has that inclination and/or it is exascerbated by poor eating habits.  

[Gambler]

Quote:

I am curious, though, how he contracted diabetes from being in Vietnam? I have an interest in it as a "prediabetic", which runs in my family. It's not contagious, and as far as I know can't be 'contracted' so much as sort of inevitably developed if your body has that inclination and/or it is exascerbated by poor eating habits.    

I'm not certain exactly all the details, but I found the following links:

 Air Force Study Suggests Agent Orange, Diabetes Link

 VA-Agent Orange

 

[Taldren_Erin]

That's very strange -- thanks for the link. Interesting reading.  

[Uss_Defiant]

Dulce Et Decorum Est
by Wilfred Owen
First Published in 1921

Bent double, like old beggars under sacks,
Knock-kneed, coughing like hags, we cursed through sludge,
Till on the haunting flares we turned out backs,
And towards our distant rest began to trudge.
Men marched asleep. Many had lost their boots,
But limped on, blood-shod. All went lame, all blind;
Drunk with fatigue; deaf even to the hoots
Of gas-shells dropping softly behind.

Gas! GAS! Quick, boys!--An ecstasy of fumbling
Fitting the clumsy helmets just in time,
But someone still was yelling out and stumbling
And flound'ring like a man in fire or lime.--
Dim through the misty panes and thick green light,
As under a green sea, I saw him drowning.

In all my dreams before my helpless sight
He plunges at me, guttering, choking, drowning.

If in some smothering dreams, you too could pace
Behind the wagon that we flung him in,
And watch the white eyes writhing in his face,
His hanging face, like a devil's sick of sin,
If you could hear, at every jolt, the blood
Come gargling from the froth-corrupted lungs
Bitter as the cud
Of vile, incurable sores on innocent tongues,--
My friend, you would not tell with such high zest
To children ardent for some desperate glory,
The old Lie: Dulce et decorum est
Pro patria mori.


One of my fav. poems
 

[KOTH-Steel Claw]

Thanks Gambler.

[Gambler]

One of the Directors here at work is a Vietnam Vet.  Over the last 30+ years he has kept in contact with his buddies.  Several of them have had medical complications due to Agent Orange exposure.  He himself has contracted diabetes because of his time in Vietnam.  In the scheme of things, diabetes is one of the easier things to deal with.  This morning he sent me the following link and story.

 This Soldier Cries

 

Shortround (A TRP) passed away the evening of April 12th, 2003
He had been sufferering with problems from Agent Orange for quite some time.

ANIMO ET FIDE
'courageous and faithful'

 
Some people may ask a soldier, for his true story of War, and not a bunch of lies.
But some soldiers don't like to talk about it, because it brings tear to their eyes.
His wounds run deep because of war, and for his part of it, he may despise.
Maybe that is why this soldier cries.


Now a lot of times this soldier, because of dreaming about the war, doesn't sleep at night.
For he is afraid of reviewing the things that happened, in each and every fire fight.
This soldier can't put the war behind him, no matter how hard he tries.
Maybe that is why this soldier cries.


A soldier has caused his enemy to fall, one by one in defeat.
He has also seen a fellow soldier, lying dead at his feet.
The ground soaking up the blood, where his buddy lies.
Maybe that is why this soldier cries.

And when a soldier is left behind, and no one knows what has happened to him.
It makes this soldier feel guilty, and haunts him time and time again.
For he doesn't know if this fellow soldier lives or dies.
Maybe that is why this soldier cries.

Now this soldier made it back home safely, and why he doesn't understand.
There were better men than him that died on foreign land.
Now this soldier has many thoughts, that common people just couldn't possibly realize.
Maybe that is why this soldier cries.


For in a war, a soldier is maimed or dies, both night and day.
This is the price of war, and someone has to pay.
So this soldier has to look to the heavens, to whom is most holy and wise.
For God is the only one, that can forgive him of his deeds, and hold him.
WHEN THIS SOLDIER CRIES.
 
 

[JMM]

Awesome post Gambler, I really enjoyed it. Please make sure that your friend gets everything from VA, it is their for the vets, and even though monetary compensation cannot give somebody their health or life before back, it does kick ass my friend! I'm thankful for every dollar I get, especially in these trying times when so many people have it harder than myself nowadays...  

[Sirgod]

Beautifull post from such Tragedy. Thanks for sharing that Gambler.

Stephen

[Taldren_Erin]

Reminds me of another Veteran's Day (or, more properly, Canadian Remembrance Day) poem:

In Flanders fields the poppies blow
Between the crosses, row on row
They mark our place; and in the sky
The larks, still bravely singing, fly
Scarce heard amidst the guns below.

We are the Dead. Short days ago
We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset's glow,
Loved and were loved, and now we lie
In Flanders fields.

Take up our quarrel with the foe
To you, from failing hands we throw
The torch; be yours to hold it high.
If ye break faith with us who die
We shall not sleep, though poppies grow
In Flanders fields.

-- Lieutenant Colonel John McCrae


---

I am curious, though, how he contracted diabetes from being in Vietnam? I have an interest in it as a "prediabetic", which runs in my family. It's not contagious, and as far as I know can't be 'contracted' so much as sort of inevitably developed if your body has that inclination and/or it is exascerbated by poor eating habits.