Great Depression babies, we
Came into the world
With Frankenstein and Dracula.
Too young for World War II,
Too old for Vietnam,
Between 1950 and '53
We said goodbye to family,
"So long," to friends, "I'll see ya,"
And headed for Korea.
"The Great War" is one that
Some of our fathers fought in.
Uncles, older brothers went to fight
In the "Good War."
In time, nephews and sons
Would fight in Vietnam,
And grandkids would attack
In Afghanistan and Iraq.
But we, the Great Depression small fry,
When we came of age,
Went to fight a "Forgotten War"
On a tiny spit of land
On the other side of the world,
Whose hills and mountains
Burst into fire and blood
In the summer of 1950--
Where over 36,000 brothers in arms
Spent the last day of their short lives,
And many more lost limb or mind--
And where 30,000 of our soldiers
On Korean soil today
Face the same enemy, each day.
In this "Land of the Morning Calm,"
No, Mourning Calm --
Lorded over by Chinese,
Savaged by the Japanese,
Ravaged by World War II --
Ever looking for a brighter future,
A gentle people, constantly misled,
Got hell instead.
When the shooting stopped,
Was it victory or stalemate?
After more than 50 years,
Some still wonder --
Why, why all that blood,
The unspeakable holocaust,
The infinite pain?
Was it all in vain?
Let no one doubt the outcome
Of that fight:
We put the murderous invaders back
Where they belonged,
And answered the respective quests
Of Kim and Mao and Joe
With No! and No! and No!
More: we helped the people of the south
Show their northern kinfolk and the world
The success of people set free
From fear and tyranny.
In every grateful heart --
Given a chance to live on their own terms,
Spared from further bomb and bullet,
Lord and sword --
We have our reward.
