jshepherd5
5/26/2013 2:51:43 PM | In Memory Of All Those Who Served
When I wake up every morning in this land of the free
I offer thanks to God right then for allowing me to be
Among the fortunate citizens of the good old USA
Who in spite of everything can still bow our heads to pray!
Now it’s not just the act of praying that makes it all worthwhile,
But that He will treat us all as if we were just a little child,
For it is of such as these we’re told who will welcome us on high,
When we go to live with Jesus in our abode up in the sky!
If you are a citizen, born and bred, then you should bow your head.
Say “thanks” to Jesus and “Praise the Lord” and then get out of bed.
Remember that today is Memorial Day and then say “thanks” to a vet.
Heroes abound from all the wars with some still fighting yet!
I want to add my thanks to all my comrades-in-arms.
Many of them had it much worse than I and were faced with constant harms.
I flew my crew into battles which took place up in the sky.
We always did our best to return to base but we were not afraid to die!
Machine gun fire from my planes many guns always made my heart rate soar,
But enemy bullets and shell fire tearing my plane apart made it pound much more.
We travelled for several hours on a mission before becoming engaged in battle,
And many things could happen which would leave you “up the creek without a paddle!”
I can truthfully say that I have met the enemy and I mean “face-to-face.”
He was flying his ME-262 twin engine fighter and it was not an even race.
He gave out of ammunition and moved in to fly formation on my wing.
We were almost to the target area and right then I couldn’t do a thing!
He was one of Hermann Goering’s special Aces and I looked him in the eye.
He was watching our every move so I thumbed my nose as if to say “hi.”
He thumbed his nose right back at me, he wanted to be my friend.
It was like a game of cat and mouse, but one in which no one wins!
I was watching him very closely and he knew that I knew he couldn’t shoot.
He brought his right hand up into a near perfect command salute.
As I returned the salute he began to roll his plane, in place, upside down.
He did what we pilots call a split-S maneuver and scooted “out of town!”
My crew was going crazy while this happened, they were really in a stew.
The bomb-bay doors were open and the target was now in view.
“Bombs away” came over the intercom and bombs fell from every plane.
We began to turn and headed back in the direction from whence we came!
All in all a typical mission, but close encounters are more thrilling.
When you survive completely unscathed it is quite fulfilling.
We did lose some planes that day, not everyone made it back.
You can’t lose your nerve in combat even when you’re under attack!
Copyright 2013
Jacob Nathaniel Shepherd
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