Suicide in the Jungle
by Tony Swindell
In the Steps of Siegfried Sassoon
We knew a happy grunt one time,
Young and green, his cause sublime,
With flag unfurled and crisp salute,
Godless Commies he would shoot,
No doubts for him of what to do,
'Til mortars fell and bullets flew.
In steaming jungle, sick and drugged,
Sucked by leeches, gnawed by bugs,
Sleepless, exhausted, full of fears,
And aged beyond his tender years,
He hugged a frag, then pulled the pin,
No one spoke his name again.
You spineless bastards stand and bray,
Cheer soldiers on their deadly play,
Think of that boy, go home and pray
That your kids never go in dire harm's way,
Yeah, those other kids can die today,
They volunteered, didn't they?
Americal Division Unit Patch
The Americal Division is the only army infantry division to be formed outside the continental United States. The Americal division
is also the only named army Division. All other army divisions have a number designation. The army later added the number designation
of the 23rd Infantry Division to the Americal title. The four stars represent the constellation Crux. Crux is referred to as; 'The
Southern Cross'. The Americal Division motto is 'Under the Southern cross'. The patch has been worn in combat by Americal Division
veterans who served in the Pacific theatre during WWII and by veterans of the Vietnam War.
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