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Tribute To The Queen |
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From Guadalcanal to the Philippines at
the start of WWII,
to the hostile skies of Europe through miles of flak she
flew
At home at thirty thousand, majestic as a Queen,
a gallant Bird flown by men, many in their teens.
She carried war to the tyrant's lair to keep all nations
free,
She flew through flak and flame as far as eye could see.
She slugged it out with Hitler's best, brought her dead and
wounded home,
damaged and with engines out, it was often times alone.
Born of war but seeking peace, she carried valiant men,
into the very jaws of death and brought them home again.
Berlin, Frankfurt and countless others, courageous daylight
raids,
and only God in Heaven knows the awesome dues she paid.
She met death at thirty thousand or on a tree top run,
the victim of an ack ack shell or Luftwaffe fighter's gun,
Like all the men who flew her, for peace and hope she
yearned,
but too often mission boards would read "Failure to return".
Often plane and crew went down in a hostile place,
others were "Missing In Action" and lost without a trace.
Her era's in the past but the history that she made,
must always be remembered and never be betrayed.
Generations have come and gone, enjoyed their hopes and
dreams,
yet never paused in gratitude to this aging Silver Queen.
and to the men who flew her, heroes every one,
who stood between our nation's shores and the tyrant's
mighty guns.
Yes she's tired and weary, a little aged and worn,
but she fought and bought their freedom before most of them
were born.
And we who still remember Tojo and Hitler's dream,
stand a little prouder -, in the presence --, of the Queen. |
By
Ivan L Fail, U.S. Marine (Ret)
Retired U.S
Copyright 1985
Listed January
12, 2010Author's Note... This
poem is displayed on the back cover of the Mesa Arizona Wing
of
the Commemorative Air Force book "Sentimental Journey" . . .
It was composed in
September 1985 in a Federal Prison Gun Tower overlooking a
barbed wire topped prison
fence which would look all too familiar to many bomber crews
and fighter pilots who
were shot down and spent the rest of the war as POW's, |
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