RECON MAN By Bill Hagee - 1969
Arm, Air Force, Navy, Marine, We all wear the mottled green,
Of a country diverse and great, But far removed from this hells gate;
"Aye Aye Sir" and away we go, On another walk through the canopies gloom,
Each mission is different and yet the same, For we are playing a no rules game
Of Deadly pits and trip wire traps, Knowing each day could be our last.
The tunnels stretch Klik after Klik, Fearing death can make you sick,
The dampness of these earthen tombs, Does not feel like our mother's womb;
For we are not safe in these holes, Of earth and tangled tree root boles,
Inching slowly through the gloom, Feeling the presence of mortal doom.
Tunnel rat, tunnel rat, Where the hell are you at,
Is Charlie hiding here inside, Waiting to place pennies on our eyes;
Or is it another empty hole, Where dank stale air makes us old,
Long beyond our tender years, Our faces streaked with blood and tears.
Recon man, recon man, Bend low and give this LRRP a hand,
Black clad enemies hide from us, My heart is pounding ready to bust;
I ache from the fever of the Malaria germ, And must crawl through this hole like a worm,
I am scared, my hands do sweat, But I am a Marine and must face the test
Of Huxley's ghost and Puller's men, For they stand beside me with expressions grim.
Old Marines from days long gone, Camaraderie from the twilight zone,
Stand silent watch in my mind, Twisting truth out of lies;
"Uh-Rah Marine - Stand up tall, Never walk nor drop the ball,
Remember that all is well, From Montezuma to Guadelcanal.
"We were here when Hitler fell, And heard the echo when Bismarck yelled,
John Paul Jones knew who we were, When we fought the British sword to sword;
But this new test you face, Is in a much different place,
The rules of war do not apply, And we're afraid of how many will die."
Another day another tunnel, Fear and hate make a run
At the very core of my being, My soul is aware but not seeing
That I am one of the very few, That crawl on their bellies and who
Might not live to see the sun again, Rise above the jungles rim.
Unknown enemy - Unknown fears, Alone at night I do shed tears,
Though not knowing why I cry, Only sure that deep inside
I will obey every order, Right or wrong I'll Cross the borders
Of Cambodia and Laotian soil, To find where Charlie's toiled
To hide his arms and men, Within the depths of Jungle glens.
Recon man, recon man, In your soul you must take a stand,
Be sure of who you are, And where you point that BAR;
But most of all be true to self, Love your comrades and let them help
Erase the pain from your soul, For one day when you're growing old,
The sound and smells of war, Will effect your sanity no more.
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