by Cpl. Robert L. Cook
Jan. 42~Sept. 45
I wonder —
Do these new Marines
Wear the same as we?
Those skivvies with drawstrings.
Oh no, that cannot be.
The first ones were white cotton
And roomy in the seat.
So then they made them muddy green,
So all of us could not be seen
A-runnin' round the bushes.
We used to wash them in the surf,
And hang them out to dry.
You were lucky, if not lost,
To someone passing by.
Those good ol' skivvy T-shirts
Were good when off your back.
For cleaning up your rifle,
Or straining raisin jack.
When Johnny caught a fragment
That tore right thru his arm,
My T-shirt and a dirty stick
Was all we used to do the trick
To stem the flow and stop the hurt.
It was done with my T-shirt.
*
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**About the author: Robert Cook served with Reg. Weapons Co.(2d-2d) from 1942~44, at Guadalcanal & Tarawa, during a 33-month overseas tour.
