“Greetings”

“GREETINGS”
Written by Ed Martucci
Co. D 2/327th & Co. B 1/502, 101st Airborne (Airmobile)

 

“GREETINGS”
GREETINGS YOU HAVE JUST BEEN DRAFTED
FOR MANY OF YOU IT WILL BE YOUR FIRST TIME AWAY FROM HOME
FOR ALL OF YOU IT WILL BE A JOURNEY WHICH YOU WILL NEVER FORGET
IT WILL BE AN EXPERIENCE THAT CAN NEVER BE MATCHED
IT WILL CHANGE YOUR LIFE, IN SOME MANNER FOREVER
FROM NOW AND FOREVER NO DAY WILL PASS THAT YOU ARE REMINDED OF YOUR JOURNEY
YOU WILL LEAVE HOME A SMILING, CAREFREE INDIVIDUAL
YOU WILL RETURN APPROXIMATELY ONE YEAR LATER PHYSICALLY,
HOWEVER MUCH MUCH OLDER MENTALLY

“GREETINGS”
FOR THE WEEKS TO COME I WILL BE YOUR BASIC TRAINING INSTRUCTOR
I WILL TUCK YOU IN AT NIGHT AND WAKE YOU IN THE MORNING
I WILL TELL YOU WHAT TO DO AND WHEN TO DO IT
I AM NOT YOUR MOTHER; I DO NOT PICK UP AFTER YOU OR FOLLOW YOU AROUND
YOU WILL BE HELD ACCOUNTABLE FOR YOUR ACTIONS
I HAVE A FEW SHORT WEEKS TO TURN YOU MAGGOTS INTO A FINE-TUNED FIGHTING MACHINE

“GREETINGS”
WELCOME TO FORT POLK, LOUSIANA, HOME FOR THE FIGHTING MEN FOR VIETNAM
FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO DID NOT KNOW WHERE YOU WERE GOING YOU READ IT ON THE WAY IN VIETNAM
I HAVE A FEW SHORT WEEKS TO TEACH YOU HOW TO SURVIVE IN THE NAM
LOOK AROUND YOU, MAKE SURE YOUR NEIGHBOR STAYS AWAKE AND PAYS ATTENTION, YOUR LIFE MAY DEPEND ON IT
DO NOT GET FRIENDLY, YOU ALL WILL NOT RETURN
SOME OF YOU WILL DIE, MANY MORE WILL BE MAMED
IN SOME WAY, NONE OF YOUR LIVES WILL EVER BE THE SAME
IF YOU ARE NOT PHYSICALLY SCARRED YOU WILL BE MENTALLY SCARRED

“GREETINGS”
WELCOME TO THE NAM
AS YOU LEAVE THE AIRCRAFT FOLLOW THE YELLOW LINE TO THE AIRPORT HANGAR
IN THE EVENT WE ARE ROCKETED OR ATTACKED JUMP IN THE DITCHES TO YOUR RIGHT AND TAKE COVER

“GREETINGS”
GREETINGS HELL
I’VE READ IT IN THE PAPER; I’VE HEARD IT ON THE RADIO AND WATCHED IT ON THE EVENING NEWS
IT WAS ALWAYS SO FAR AWAY
IT WAS NEVER A REALITY
COULD THIS REALLY BE HAPPENING OR IS THIS A BAD DREAM

“GREETINGS”
WELCOME TO THE 101ST AIRBORNE DIVISION
LISTEN TO WHAT YOU ARE TOLD, DO WHAT YOU ARE TOLD
PAY ATTENTION AND YOU WILL PROBABLY LEAVE THE NAM ALIVE, PROBABLY WITH A MEDAL OR TWO
SCREW UP AND YOU MAY LEAVE IN LESS THAN YOUR PLANNED 12 MONTHS AND PROBABLY IN A BODY BAG

“GREETINGS”
WELCOME YOU’VE GOTTEN A GOOD SQUAD
WE’RE ALL SEASONED, LISTEN AND PAY ATTENTION AND YOU’LL BE ALL RIGHT
WE’LL TAKE CARE OF YOU, JUST DO YOUR JOB

“GREETINGS”
THE WEATHER IS HORRIBLE
IT’S HOT, IT’S COLD, IT’S WET, IT’S DRY
THE SLEEP IS RARE AND LITTLE
THE MAIL AND FOOD CAN’T BE COUNTED ON

AS LONG AS THE AMMO IS PLENTIFUL
WE SIT AT NIGHT AND WAIT, FOR SOMETHING TO HAPPEN FOR NOTHING TO HAPPEN
GOD, DO I HATE FRIDAY NIGHTS
WHAT ARE THEY DOING BACK IN THE WORLD?
PARTYING I’M SURE
WHAT DID I DO TO DESERVE THIS?
I’VE NEVER KILLED ANYONE, AT LEAST NOT YET
GEE IT’S COLD, EITHER MORNING COME QUICK OR CHARLIE COME GET ME
HOW MUCH MORE CAN WE TAKE?

“GREETINGS”
I’M HOME HOME
DO YOU KNOW WHATS GOING ON OVER THERE?
DO YOU REALLY CARE?
GREETINGS? THERE WAS NONE
MY FRIENDS ARE 19 AND 20, THE ACT IT
MY BODY IS 19 OR 20. MENTALLY, I’M MANY YEARS OLDER
I LEFT A LAUGHING AND CAREFREE YOUNG MAN
YOU TOOK AWAY MY CAREFREE SMILE
I NOW LOOK AT LIFE IN A DIFFERENT MANNER
IT’S SOMETHING TO BE CHERISHED AND NOT TAKEN LIGHTLY
I’VE LOST SOME CLOSE FRIENDS, THEY WERE THE LUCKY ONES
SOME HAVE BEEN MAMED PHYSICALLY BUT IN SOME WAY, WE HAVE ALL BEEN TOUCHED

“GREETINGS”
GREETINGS I’VE GROWN UP NOW
FREEDOM IS SOMETHING THE PROTECTED WILL NEVER KNOW
THEY ONLY TAKE IT FOR GRANTED
THEY DON’T KNOW WHAT IT’S LIKE TO SACRIFICE
THEY’VE NEVER GONE WITHOUT FOOD OR DRANK WATER OUT OF A PUDDLE
THEY’VE NEVER GONE TO BED WONDERING IF THE SUN WILL EVER RISE AGAIN FOR THEM OR PRAYING THAT IT WON’T

“GREETINGS”
TIME HAS GONE BY
IT’S BEEN MANY YEARS SINCE WE CAME HOME
YOU THINK THE TIME HAS HEALED YOUR WAR
YOU’RE READY NOW, THE FLAGS ARE FLYING, THE PARADES ARE READY TO MARCH

“GREETINGS”
GREETINGS HELL
STOP……….
NOW YOU LISTEN TO US
YOU SENT US TO A FAR OFF LAND TO DO YOUR DIRTY WORK
REMEMBER THIS………
DON’T SCREW WITH US
YOU TRAINED US WELL
WE KNOW OUR JOBS YOU WOULDN’T WANT TO TRY US OUT
YOU’RE FEELING GUILTY, NOW YOUR WOUNDS YOU THINK ARE HEALED

“GREETINGS”
YOU GREET US ON OUR TERMS
NOT A DAY GOES BY WE DON’T REMEMBER
THE WHIRL OF A HELICOPTER ROTOR
THE SMELL OF THE RAIN ON A HOT SUMMERS DAY
A BLAST OF THUNDER
A CAR BACK-FIRING
OR JUST PLAIN SILENCE

“GREETINGS”
GREET US ON OUR TERMS
BRING BACK OUR FALLEN AND MISSING BROTHERS
BRING BACK THE P.O.W.’S
***************
IF YOU EVER EVEN THINK OR CONSIDER SENDING OUR SONS AND DAUGHTERS INTO A HELLFIRE AS YOU DID US
YOU WILL DEAL WITH US ONE MORE TIME AND REMEMBER YOU SPENT A LOT TO TRAIN US
AND YOU TRAINED US WELL
WE DID NOT LOSE
YOU WOULDN’T LET US WIN