I Do Recall That Day Quite Well Poem by Anastasia Wofford

“I do recall that day quite well, ” my father said to me,
“No food, no clean water, and wet socks upon my feet.
As day was turning into night, I looked up at the sky,
And what did I see overhead, our planes flying by.

Carrying the dead, sick and wounded back to their family,
Sons, Daughters, Wives, and Mothers all left behind to grieve.
I remembered as I watched that plane glide right on by,
The reason we were in this hell, and men had to die.

It was for our freedom, and the freedom of our fellow man,
Those men were shipped back home, broken down and stained.
So I kept marching on, humming ‘Leaving on a jet plane’,
So that the men carried back home that day did not die in vein.

With my best friend Johnny by my side, and Slingshot in the back,
It wasn’t five minutes later, and we were under attack.
The warning of an automatic riffle, you could hear the bullets scream,
I ducked down in the thick grass, and grabbed my M14.

As we picked them off two by two, they began to retreat,
My mind no longer thought about, those men or my cold wet feet.
As their numbers dwindled down, and they knew we wouldn’t give up,
I looked back to find Slingshot, but didn’t have any luck.

But Johnny was still right there, fighting the good fight,
It made me fight harder, having my friend by my side.
Together me and Johnny, we took down quite a few,
But somewhere in the dark, cold night, I bid my friend adieu.

In a few intense hours, when the fight was done,
We looked around noticed, that yes, oh yes we’d won!
‘Johnny, Johnny! ’ I yelled out, followed by ‘Ooh Ra! ’
I looked and listened for my friend, no answer do I recall.

On the search for Johnny now, passing my men by,
Something shinny on the ground, just happened to catch my eye.
‘Johnny! ’ I yelled and ran to him; it felt like a mile,
‘It hurts a little right here.’ he said, as he forced a smile.

His vest was covered with blood, mixed with Cong dirt,
‘Do me a favor friend.’ as he reached into his shirt.
He pulled out a letter, ‘I haven’t had a chance to mail it.
Now my friend, that’s a chance I’ll never get! ’

It was addressed to his wife, who lived in Tucson,
‘Please tell her that I love her, and to please carry on.’
‘You’re gonna make it my friend! ’ as I yelled for a medic,
The worst moment in my life, I’ll never forget it.

He tried to speak once more, oh what was he going to express?
I will never know my dear, his soul left that retched place.
I pulled my friend to my body, and whispered in his ear,
‘I’ll remember you always friend, and to your last wish I’ll adhere.’”

With hot tears falling down my face, I looked up at my dad,
His strongly piercing dark brown eyes, oh they looked so sad,
With such a tragic story, I asked him why he didn’t cry,
He said “Baby, if you were a Marine you’d understand why.”