Orders Are Orders

It’s been Thirty years,
Since the deed was done.
On a hill,
in a place,
faraway.

But the Courage of those;
Who fought and died,
Are still talked about
to this very day.

The Army called them Air Assault,
They belonged to the 101st,
Just what that meant,
would soon be known,
from the Pentagon to the Orient.

Blackjack said;
"Assault up the face!"
But the Platoon Leaders
Weren’t so sure,

"It’s just too damn steep,
for the Troopers to keep,
Their feet and shoot,"
as it were.

"We think you ought,
to bomb the damned thing,
till it’s dust,
and nothings alive.

To send us up there,
With Enemy and Pigs,
don’t seem to us any to wise."

But the orders were given,
and Air Assault driven;
to obey-- each and every one.

And to this day,
no Skytroopers say,
that Hamburger Hill was fun.

For ten long days,
and even more Assaults,

Airborne cussed,

and they died,

and they bleed.

And on the 12th Assault,
they stood on the top-
and they wondered

What was the need?

But as they grew older,
and their visions grew bolder,
and they saw history unfold.

It may have been wiser,
to bomb the damn misers,
but they did what the hell
they were told.

This is a tale,
about Hamburger Hill,
some are still around,
and some ain’t

But they took the damned thing
and won Honor and Fame,
They would rather have their buddies back.

This is a story,
about Hamburger Hill,
Air Assault, and
I think I should know.
if there is ever another,
for History to recover,
best call Infantry’s 911.

They’ll fight and they’ll cuss.

They’ll bleed and they’ll die.

They’ll watch History unfold.

It’s not what they’d like
but they have lots of might,
they come from a hard old mold.

Now-I’m not as wise,
as those lawyer guys
but just between me and you.

They’d do it again,
Though their chances were slim,
because "Orders are Orders"
you know.

Danny "Badger" Crafton
3/187,101 Abn, Air Assault
"Class of '68"