A Furor Of Friendly Fire Poem by Lynn W. Petty

Leyte Bay, Philippines,1944

The eye of day was closing.
It was dusk at Leyte Bay.
Twenty ships lay at anchor.
A low marine layer covered
The entire bay.
It was that time of evening
When it is difficult to discern
The difference between a wolf
And a dog, as the French say.
A Zero broke through;
Pulled back, up and out,
Before any ship's guns could fire.
All gunner crews were taut
And tense. Waiting.
Then, through the cover came
Another plane. This time,
A furor of fire broke loose.
It was dusk at Leyte Bay.
It was that time of evening
When it is difficult to discern
The difference between a Japanese
Zero and an American
Torpedo Bomber.
Death shut the eye of day.