“Ode to the Airborne Infantryman of the 1st Bde 101st”

by Unknown

This poem that first appeared in “The Vietnam Reporter,” Oct.’65.

I lie in my tent thanking God for free rent
While outside the monsoon pours
And inside my buddy snores
Muddy floors and a wet cot
But still thanking God a lot.

Got hot chow every day,
Rain or shine, come what may.
Got a pup, about two months old,
Eats C-Rations-hot or cold!

Special Forces all around
Keeping safe this hallowed ground.
1st Cav in the air, landing here and
Fighting there.

Ain’t got much but it could be worse,
Just ask the men in the 101st.

I don’t know who wrote it-sounds like a remf-but I do remember reading it in some in-country publication. We all laughed and sounded off with “don’t mean nothin.” We were all shocked to find out that everyone in Nam wasn’t living like us. The camping alone would have killed off most of the remf’s. Then came the humping…

(Submitted by Dave Cook)