If I could get in a Spaceship;
      And travel back through time,
      I'd go to 'Knox, in '68;
      To see some Friends of mine.

      1st of Alpha, A-10-5;
      A 'marchin to and fro,
      Singing "Sip'n Cider through a Straw";
      Their favorite song, you know.

      And as I join formation;
      Old feelings come back then.
      I finally recognize my mood;
      I feel safe with "Them" again. 

      And good 'ole Sergeant Jennings;
      Who was NEVER known to bend.
      Get's in my face, and screams aloud;
      "Bader" where the hell you been?

      Sarge I've come from 1999;
      With a message you should know,
      Don't get the 1st,
      Into a big 'ole Scrap;
      They call,
      "Apache Snow."

      My Sergeant looks me over,
      and says with a frindly grin;
      "We don't get to pick our enemys,
      We just go and fight,
      And win." 

      You cannot win this fight, Sarge;
      There things you do not know.
      Don't take the 1st,
      Into the fight,
      They call;
      "Apache Snow."

      My Sergeants eyes are thoughtful,
      As he gently rubs his chin.
      "I think you're wrong there Skytroop,
      the 101st will win."

      "You see we're just a small part,Son;
      of a much larger plan.
      If we don't go-then who will?
      In this great and wondrous land."

      You won't come back dear Sergean!!
      I've come back here to let you know.
      Don't take the 1st,
      Into the fight,
      They call,
      "Apache Snow."

      You have your orders, Badger;
      My Sergeant said to me.
      You will be our Rearguard,
      our link with History.

      Attention! Right Face! Forward March!
      now Doubletime!
      and wouldn't you know?
      The Sarge and the 1st,
      STILL go to the fight;
      They call,
      "Apache Snow."

      Your name, upon that cold black wall, 
      seems lost among them all.
      Your name, upon that cold black wall, 
      is etched in, oh, so small. 
      Your name, upon that cold black wall, 
      begins a shower of tears. 
      Your name, upon that cold black wall, 
      recalls my younger years.
      Your name, upon that cold black wall,
      is bittersweet to me.
      Your name, upon that cold black wall, 
      reflects eternity.

      Their names, upon that cold black wall, 
      so many more have died.
      Their names, upon that cold black wall, 
      so many others cried. 
      Their names, upon that cold black wall, 
      seems just as hard to bear. 
      Their names, upon that cold black wall, 
      for others make me care. 
      Their names, upon that cold black wall, 
      meant it wasn't only you. 
      Their names, upon that cold black wall, 
      mean others suffered too. 

      The names, not on that cold black wall, 
      who watched their buddies die. 
      The names, not on that cold black wall, 
      who still, don't quite know why. 
      The names, not on that cold black wall, 
      whose lives will not be right. 
      The names, not on that cold black wall, 
      who silently, weep at night. 
      The names, not on that cold black wall, 
      who stand and shed their tears, 
      The names, not on that cold black wall, 
      who carry memories thru the years.

      I gaze upon that cold black wall, 
      built for all to see. 
      I gaze upon that cold black wall 
      and peace comes over me. 
      While gazing on that bleak black wall, 
      I do not feel alone. 
      The names, etched on that warm black wall, 
      brought all our loved ones home. 

 6/14/89 L.M.B. 
(used with permission)

   Before heading back into the bush 
   We always swore to each other
   "Nobody gets left behind".
  
Dear Brothers, 

We all volunteered for the team... boys wanting to be men. 
We learned fast... and became brothers. 
And got so close it seemed that... 
If one of us was cut... 
We all bled. 

Then,  missions where we knew we had no support... 
We couldn't count on anyone but the team... 
but that had always been enough. 

Six of us going in with bad intel... 
   being hit so hard 4 brothers died. 
And the 2 left barely made it back... 
Sometimes not sure who was carrying who. 

So the promise was broken: men were left behind. 
Tommy and I wished we had died that day. 
We never got over it.  We never got past it. 

And in our pain and shame we left you... and each other. 

I put it all away... 
   buried so deep it couldn't hurt me anymore. 
Yeah, right. 

But I made it. 

Tommy hid in a bottle, then it was drugs and the streets. 
But he made it, too. 

Yet we still have days... 
   And horrible nights... 
When we wish we had died with you that day. 

We've again sworn the promise...retaken the oath... 
"Nobody Gets Left Behind". 

I work for Operation Just Cause. 
May God Bless each man, woman, and child who gets involved. 
It is what gives me hope and strength... 
And some small chance for redemption. 

We will bring them all home. 

Tommy is in pretty bad shape
   but his good days are a little better... 
And maybe his bad days not quite so bad. 

He really likes to hear about what is being done. 
He wants to help but isn't ready for that yet. 

I thank God for Tommy... 

And the honor of knowing each of you. 

You will never be forgotten. 

There are still 6 of us on the team. 

We pray for you and each other. 

Please... forgive us. 
                 
Our promise to you, our brothers: 
   "I swear by my life and my blood... 
    Nobody gets left behind". 

Don't grieve for me, for now I'm free
I'm following the path God laid for me.
I took His hand when I heard him call;
I turned my back and left it all.
I could not stay another day,
To laugh, to love, to work or play.
Tasks left undone must stay that way;
I found that place at the close of day.
If my parting has left a void,
Then fill it with remembered joy.
A friendship shared a laugh, a kiss;
Ah yes, these things, I too will miss.
Be not burdened with times of sorrow
I wish you the sunshine of tomorrow.
My life's been full, I savored much;
Good friends, good times, a loved ones touch.
Perhaps my time seems all to brief;
Don't lengthen it now with undue grief.
Lift up your heart and share with me,
God wanted me now, He set me free.

God saw he was getting tired, and a cure was not to be.
So he put his arms around him and whispered
"Come with me."
With tearful eyes we watched him suffer
and saw him fade away.
Although we loved him dearly,
We could not make him stay.
A golden heart stopped beating,
Hardworking hands to rest;
God broke our hearts to prove to us
He only takes the best.