by Cpl. Robert L. Cook
Jan. 42~Sept. 45
I stop what I'm doing,
I stop and I do stare.
The words are hard to
Realize
Because I truly care.
The man is more an icon
Of much that we hold dear.
The memories of times
Gone by,
A time of grief and tears.
He brought to us
A smile, a laugh while
Sitting in the mud.
We all read his humor
And passed it to a bud.
He brought empathy
To every
Fighting man,
No matter
E'er his rank.
From foot-slogging
Doughboy
To Marines
In a tank.
He leveled out
The playing field,
Generals had no rank.
He gave the lowly
Private,
The presence of a tank.
He brought forth
Wrongs and errors
Of officers and men,
And made them all
Human,
Forgave them of
Their sins.
We all morn his passing,
He was one of ours.
A symbol of
"The Great Generation,"
The country's
Shining hour.
* * *
About the author: Robert Cook served with Reg. Weapons Co.(2d-2d) from 1942~44, at Guadalcanal
and Tarawa, during a 33-month overseas tour.
