The following poem was written and submitted by the Rev. Patrick E. Davis, a Vietnam-era Marine and Army veteran who also is a retired ordained minister and certified Christian counselor. The poem is part of his book “Awakenings: A Journey.”

Dedicated

We took our oath.

They dressed us in green.

Cold, tired, hungry, wet,

In that time we didn’t complain.

Not only were we on cold, windy

mountains,

We were in the rice paddies, traversing the Maginot Line.

We were shelled and shot at. We were

brothers!

We were wounded and saved.

We were indebted to our brothers — they were the brave.

They say they would do it over again.

We were brothers — we fought for them!

Brothers — Sisters, we all carry arms.

Now we are one on the battlefield.

Strange, all our blood is red.

We can all get killed.

Freedom is sweeter for us.

Even at this tremendous cost.

Our experience — like no other,

We love our brothers, and those we lost.