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Poetry
by Bob Hinkle
Click
for a tribute to Bob Hinkle by Patsy and Rod
Keckler
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Don't Judge Me
Have you ever sat thru a rocket or mortar attack,
When you just knew today would be your last day?
Have you ever heard your buddy scream
When a land mine blew half his leg away?
Then don't judge me.
Have you ever seen your best friend die
After a 50 caliber shell slammed into his head?
Have you ever held a buddy and told him he was OK,
When you knew he'd very soon be dead?
Then don't judge me.
Have you ever seen a village chief and his family
After they'd been nailed alive to a tree?
Have you ever seen a Vietnamese girl's body
After she'd been disemboweled by the VC?
Then don't judge me.
Have you ever hid behind a rice paddy dike
While AK rounds snap inches above your head?
Have you ever lived thru months of monsoon rain
Or humped all day with a 70 pound pack, 'til you thought you
were dead?
Then don't judge me.
Have you ever helped load three dead buddies
Onto a chopper on Christmas Day?
Then cursed the God you used to love
And asked, "Where the hell were you today?"
Then don't judge me.
Have you ever humped the bush for four long days,
Just five of you, behind enemy lines,
Knowing one mistake and you all could die,
Knowing the devil is just marking time?
Then don't judge me.
Have you ever killed another man
With a claymore mine or M-16,
Then laid a 'calling card' on his chest
As a message from the men painted green?
Then don't judge me.
Have you ever survived a chopper crash,
Then woke u p in a hospital the next day?
Have you ever had a green angel hold your hand
And softly tell you, "You're gonna make it - you're OK?"
Then don't judge me.
Have you ever stared at body parts
Hours after a B-52 bombing run?
Have you ever prayed for cold fresh water
After emptying your canteen in 120 degree sun?
Then don't judge me.
Have you ever been spit at by filthy protesters
As they screamed, "You should have died."?
Have you ever seen a medic during battle
With tears coming from his eyes?
Then don't judge me.
Have you ever burned shit on a shit detail
Or filled sandbags, 'til you drop?
Have you ever burned leeches from your skin
Or peeled dead skin from you toes because of rot?
Then don't judge me.
Have you ever proudly worn
A CIB patch or Purple Heart on your chest?
Have you ever been told by an Army Ranger,
"You're now one of America's best?"
Then don't judge me.
Have you ever spoken to a veteran
Or listened to him experience a nightmare?
Have you ever told a veteran
That, for him, you really care?
Then don't judge me.
Have you ever carried around the guilt
Of why you lived and your buddies died?
Could you carry that guilt for over 40 years
Like I have - and still survive?
Then don't judge me.
Have you ever saluted our beautiful flag
Or cried when she passed you, standing tall?
Have you ever seen a buddy give you thumbs up
From inside that black granite wall?
If not - THEN DON'T JUDGE ME
Bob Hinkle
Vietnam Vet
2009
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You Never Asked
You never asked - what did you do in Vietnam?
Was it as horrible as they say?
Did you see much fighting and dying?
Does it bother you today?
Had you asked, I would have told you - but you never
asked.
You never asked - What was the country like?
Or - was it hot, both night and day?
You never asked - was I ever homesick for home,
Being alone so far away?
Had you asked, I would have told you - but you never
asked.
You never asked - were there times when I was
lonely,
Or were there times when I thought I'd die?
You never asked - if I thought the war was noble.
You never asked - but I wonder why.
You never asked - how I spent Christmas Eve
Or my birthdays so far away from home.
You seemed like you didn't really want to know
What it was like to spend two years in the combat zone.
Had you asked, I would have told you - but you never
asked.
You never asked - was I ever wounded.
If you had, I would have told you yes (twice).
You never asked once - If I thought
That war was worth all the sacrifice.
Had you asked, I would have told you - but you never
asked.
You never asked - what I thought of war
protesters.
Had you asked, I would have replied, "I wish they were all
dead."
I would have angrily said, "They were filthy cowards.
Who wouldn't fight to keep their freedoms, but let others
die instead."
But you never asked - I wish you had.
You never asked - if I had any dead buddies
Whose names are carved on the Vietnam Wall.
I'd have said, "Yes. Eight from our hometown
And twenty-four more that I saw fall."
But you never asked.
You never asked - what the ribbons and medals stood
for
That were on my uniform I used to wear.
Since you didn't ask, I just assumed
That you didn't care.
You never asked - How come we're all so lucky
To live in a country and be so free?
If you had asked, I would have told you
Because of veterans like Ron and me.
You never asked - does it still bother you today?
Is that war still raging deep inside?
Had you asked, I would have told you
HELL, YES! Every minute I' m alive.
But you never asked.
You never asked - are you glad it's over?
Or said, "I'm glad you came home alive."
I would have said, "Yes, I'm glad it's over,
But it's driving me crazy wondering why I lived and my
buddies died."
But you never asked.
You never asked - do you think it was God's strong
hands,
That protected you when you fought?
Had you asked, I would have said, "No.
Vietnam was the land God forgot."
You never asked me one time
To share my experiences with you that I had.
You never asked me any questions at all.
You never asked, but I wish you had.
You never asked why I often slept on the hardwood
floor
After I returned home.
You never asked why I no longer like being in crowds
And why most of the time I like being alone.
You never asked why I jump when fireworks go off
Or why I get real quiet on a rainy day.
You never asked why I stopped going to church
Or why I started drinkin' nearly every day.
Had you asked, I would have told you - but you never
asked.
You did say to me one time,
"You've changed! And it's not for the good."
Had you asked me questions about Vietnam
You may have understood.
But you never asked.
You never said, "I'm proud of you" or
"For your service to our country we're so glad."
You never asked, "Would you do it all over again?"
You acted like you didn't care - BUT I WISH YOU HAD!
Bob Hinkle
2009
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Standing at the Front of the
Line
In the ground, just outside Hanoi
Over 20 Americans - POW/MIAs - are buried in a shallow
grave.
They had been kept alive for many years after the war,
Just inside the mouth of a cave.
They kept them alive for bargaining chips.
America knew it all along.
Then our Congress agreed to normalize relations with North
Vietnam
And for the POWs, it was the end of their song.
They didn't die of natural death,
Though they suffered much while alive.
When America decided the North was our friend,
The North made sure our POWs died.
Most of the POWs had given up hope anyway.
After many years, they realized their country didn't
care.
Most of them in their last years on earth cussed America and
God.
With hope gone - the rest just sat and stared.
This is just one small unmarked grave site.
Throughout North Vietnam, there are many more.
But the families of the POWs still wait and hope,
Unaware of the final score.
If God is as powerful as people believe,
May he cast the leaders from both countries into HELL.
Shackled together in chains, they deserve, each other,
To experience the pain our POWs suffered in a prison
cell.
And may He ease the pain the families are
enduring.
May He assure them their loved one is fine
And may He assure them they will see them in time,
In heaven - standing at the front of the line.
Bob Hinkle
2010
Declassified documents verified the context in this
poem is true.
The real question is "Does anyone care other than the
POW/MIA families
and why has God let them suffer and die."
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Vietnam Coloring Book
I was just 18 and scared as hell
When I got off the chopper near Pleiku
And my squad leader yelled, "Pay attention, FNG,
Or we will have to waste a body bag on you."
Color me GREEN.
Just 4 days later, up near Budda Mountain,
I got my first baptism under fire
When gooks fired mortars and charged our perimeter
And I can still hear someone yell, "Gooks in the
wire."
Color me ORANGE
Months later, going across a rice paddy
With my best friend by my side,
We got ambushed from a tree line up ahead
And my best buddy died.
Color me RED
A few weeks later, in another small battle,
A gook tossed a grenade from a spider-hole nearby.
I was lucky - I only got three pieces of shrapnel in the
back.
Another friend took shrapnel in this head and didn't
survive.
Color me BLUE
While returning from one of my two tours in Nam,
Protesters threw garbage at me - I still hear insults they
yell.
I'll hate those bastards 'til the day that I die
And I hope that I meet them in HELL.
Color me BLACK, but color THEM YELLOW
Bob Hinkle
Vietnam Vet
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More
Poetry by Bob Hinkle
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I
Want To Kill The Man Who Killed Grandpa
A father and
mother with three small children
Stood at the Viet-Nam Wall
And the father, trying to hold back tears pointed and
said
"There, on line twenty three is the name of your
Grandpa"
He said
Grandpa and nearly 59,000 other Heroes
Died fighting for freedoms you enjoy today
Then he lowered his head and in a voice you
Could barely hear
"It's a Hell of a price to pay"
A little boy
said "Dad, what was Grandpa like?"
Dad replied "I really don't know‚
Like you, I was only five years old when he was killed
And that was so long ago"
The little
boy still curious asked "How do I
Become a Hero and get my name on a wall?"
And, "What is it really like dad" and then he added
"Someday, I want to kill the man who killed
Grandpa"
Before dad
could answer, mom quietly said
"It's getting late and we really should be on our way"
But the little boy spoke up and in a sad voice
"I don't want to go - this is where Grandpa lives and
I want to stay"
Then he
glanced back at the Wall and said "mom and dad
I can see Grandpa waving at me"
And he's saying "It's okay Robbie, I'm doing fine in
here
I've got all my buddies with me you see"
Then a smile
appeared on Robbie's face
And moved and said "see you Grandpa‚
I'll make sure mom and dad bring me back here soon again
To visit you at the Wall"
Mom and dad
(speechless) stared again at the big black Wall
But saw only their reflections once again
And they wondered - was this Robbie's imagination
Or had Grandpa really visited them
Then they
glanced about ten feet to their right
When an old Veteran with a (bush) hat on and a cane
Stood facing the Wall
And they heard him say "hay! Homie"
"I told you I'd be back to visit you this fall"
He said "I
brought you a pack of C-Rats
You know what I'm talking about
HELL HOMIE - the kind we use to eat in Nam
When we were together up near the DMZ"
Then for a
few seconds the Veteran was silent
As he lowered his head and looked away
Then composed himself and said "FUCK IT, HOMIE
If I'd known you were going to buy the farm
I'd never have given you my peaches that day"
Then he sat
down a can of hams beer
And said "here, wash those "Cs" down with this
At least this ones a cold one Hommie
Remember in Nam how they were always cold as
Tiger piss"
He said
"MAN, you sure look good
HELL, you haven't aged at all
And one of these days Hommie, I'm gonna join you
Inside this big black Wall"
Then the
Veteran saluted and as he turned to leave
He looked at Robbie, winked and smiled because he knew
That the power of the Wall he and Robbie just
experienced
Was only offered to a chosen few
Written
by
Bob Hinkle
2006
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Purple
Heart
As I lay in
a hospital in Viet-Nam
With shrapnel burned in my skin
I saw the door open at the end of the corridor
And a full bird Colonel and entourage walk in
He shouted
"HOW YA-ALL DOIN' MEN
I've got a gift from Uncle Sam"
Then he held up a bunch of Purple Hearts
And said " I've got one for each and every man"
He stopped
at every bed side
And shook hands with the Soldiers that were able to
And he pinned the Purple Heart on our hospital gowns
And he said to everyone "GOD BLESS YOU"
It stirred
mixed feelings inside me
Of both guilt and Patriotic Pride
You see, I had proved myself in battle yesterday
But in that same battle - 3 buddies died
Their
families would receive the same Purple Heart
That the Colonel pinned on my chest today
Yet, yesterday, I cussed GOD for letting me live
And for taking my buddies away
Why hadn't I
died along with them I asked out-loud
It just kept running through my mind
Then a green angel said, "it was Gods will or maybe
luck"
But for some reason it just wasn't your time"
As the
Colonel was leaving he turned and yelled
His voice echoing throughout the hospital floor
"I'M PROUD OF YOU MEN - GET WELL SOON"
"YOU KNOW, WE'RE WINNING THIS FUCKING WAR"
When he had
disappeared and things got quiet
A soldier missing a leg and half an arm
Touched his Purple Heart with his good hand and said
"What good does this damn thing do me when I get
Home on my daddy's farm?"
I often
wonder what that Colonel thinks today
Does he see wounded and dead when he sleeps
Does he feel the medal he handed out justifies the end
Or does he live with guilt and pain, like me
Written
by
Bob Hinkle
2003
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He
Stood Alone
He was
leaning against a light pole near the
Old town square
He looked old and tired and it had been a
Long time since he had shaved
He wore an Army field jacket with faded jeans
And a hat that said Viet-Nam 67-68
Not one
person said hello to the old veteran
As they passed him by that day
And he left the impression that he didn't much care
Whether they spoke or just went on their way
The
Memorial Day ceremony was about to begin
About 100 people had stopped to see
They were honoring the veterans of our great land
Who had fought to keep us free
As the
speaker spoke I glanced at the vet
With the hat on standing all alone
He seemed unimpressed by the words he heard
And that (stare) kind of chilled you to the
bone
The speaker
talked about the history of America
And the battles our veterans won in the past
He read from a paper and sounded mechanical
I could tell the (VET) by the pole has wondering
Just how much longer will it last
When the
speaker finished the crowed came alive
They clapped at the history lesson they'd been to
That is everyone clapped except the tired looking vet
Standing all alone by the pole
Finally, it
was time to raise the American flag
Followed by a bugler playing taps
And the first time the vet by the pole paid attention
As he stood up straight and covered his heart
With that old faded hat
I realized
he wasn't as old as I thought he was
As he stood there, with his hat off, standing tall
But when the bugler stopped he put his hat back on
And went back to leaning against the pole like it
Was a wall
Well, I
finally got up enough nerve to walk
Over and ask him
Hey! What did you think of the ceremony today?
He kind of gave me that annoyed look
And then he responded this way
He said men
and women (veterans) gave their lives
So Americans can be free
But look around you-just look around
How much of the "FUCKING" public do you see?
And the
General with all the medals, who spoke
With a speech I'm sure someone else wrote
I wonder if he ever held a dying buddy
While blood gurgled up out of his throat
I felt kind
of ashamed and for awhile turned away
Because I really didn't know what to say
And when I did think of something and turned
Back around
He was already walking away
As he
disappeared I suddenly understood
Why the Viet-Nam Vet has so much bitterness and scorn
He had fought for his country, he dearly loved
But got no love or thank you in return
Bob
Hinkle
1988
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Heaven
or Hell
When I
reached the gates of HEAVEN, there was
A holding room filled with Veterans from all wars
And at a table up front sat St. Peter's assistant
With a note pad adding and subtracting our scores
When I
reached the front he showed me a chart
Outlining all the good and bad things I've done
And he proudly explained, "It was close but you made it"
"You can enter the gates of HEAVEN my son"
"Do you have
any questions?" he asked with a smile
As he laid that golden chart aside
But he looked real surprised when I said "Yes, I do"
"I'd like to know if my buddies from Nam are inside"
Well, you
could tell no one had ever asked any questions
After being told they could enter GOD's house
But he regained his composure and said "I need names"
By now the room was quiet as a mouse
There's
Adkins and Brasswell and Harbaugh just to name a few
I'd sure like to see them again
Then he picked up a phone and when he laid it down
He said "I'm sorry, but they're not in there my
friend"
I just sat
there for several minutes
Knowing I was holding up the line
But I had to decide should I enter HEAVEN
And just leave my buddies behind
Man! We'd
gone thru HELL (together) before they moved on
We were closer than families could be
And I promised them when they died that somewhere down the
road
I'd see them (again) when the demons set me free
So I finally
said to the guy at the table
Who by now was annoyed and a little mad
"Your chart's not complete, you've missed a few things"
And I told him of other times I'd been bad
Well, he had
to add up all the figures again
And then looked at me with sad eyes
Then said "You just missed the cut off my friend
To enter HEAVEN, you don't qualify"
You could
tell people in line felt sorry for me
And a small, little nurse said "I'm sorry you can't get
in"
I replied, "It's okay, don't feel bad for me"
You see, I'll be with my buddies again
Bob
Hinkle
2004
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Voices
Within The Wall
I stared at
the Wall so long and black
All the names had faces and they all stared back
None of them smiled, but they all seemed to say
We waited a long time for you to pass this way
I saw Adkins
wave with just half a face and head,
And I remember crying "you can't be dead!"
And those two kids I wasted, it wasn't meant to be.
Their expression from the Wall seemed to ask, "Why
me?"
I could see
faces of villagers as we set their homes on fire
And I can still hear my buddies scream "There's gooks in the
wire!"
The boy from Kentucky, just three days in Nam
Who died in my arms while he cried for his mom.
As I stood
there, I smelled napalm as it burned human skin
And I could hear those damn choppers cutting through the
wind.
I can still hear the Chaplain saying "GOD is on our
side"
And I remember cussing him and yelling "go tell those who
died."
I relived
(again) my first Christmas Eve away from home
When a dead soldier and I spent all night alone
And I could still see the cigarette I had placed in his
mouth
And that small flag in his helmet from somewhere down
south.
I wondered
out loud, who's luckier - them or me?
At least the ones on the Wall souls are free.
While the Wall brought back memories, no healing took
place
And I stood there and cried "Oh hell, what a waste!"
Bob
Hinkle
Vietnam Veteran
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POW-MIA
Roll Call
Each morning
we take roll call
To see who joined us over night
We sure are getting crowded up here
In this room painted black & white
There are
airmen and corpsmen and just plain grunts
From all of America's Wars
Some seem happy yet others are bitter
But for all, they will suffer no more
We welcome
all of the newcomers
With hugs and plenty of smiles
For their "HELL ON EARTH" is over
They've walked their last 10 miles
There's
Bently from the Korean War
Who was captured after his buddies fell
Then spent the next 30 years in Russian prison
It was nothing but a living HELL
The tall guy
is Capt. Lavan from World War II
Shot down somewhere in Germany
He's been missing in action for 60 years
All that time his fate unknown by his family
In the
corner, those guys are from Viet-Nam
There's Holmes, Rykoskey and Holtry
And Jackson (there) spent 5 years in one cage
All fill abandoned by their country
The younger
guy is Spicher from the Gulf war
In 91 shot down over IRAQ
Spent 12 years in prison before he died
Wonders why America didn't want him back
All these
POW-MIAs loved their country
But wonder why they've been forgotten
And they question, could their courage & sacrifice
All have been for
Here in this
black & white room safe & sound
Just a holding place until judgment day
We wait and we think of what might have been
And when we finally meet GOD, what should we say
You see most
of us wonder out loud
Why GOD and America let us suffer so long
I mean, we love and would do anything for both
So what has gone terribly wrong
Some of us
pray to GOD each day
Others curse when they hear his name
But we all love each other and most of us realize
We were just "pawns" in a political game
OH! I almost
forgot, there's someone in here who's not MIA
But it's a person we all love and trust
He's the small gray haired man who takes
Roll call each morning
Who goes by the name of "CHUCK"
Bob
Hinkle
09/15/05
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No
Name Hill - Viet-Nam
It was late
February and hot as hell
Somewhere near the Bong Son Plains
We were ordered to take a lonely hill
"HELL!" it didn't even have a name
Just before
day break we jumped off choppers
In Elephant grass taller than me
And one hour later we started to climb
I swear I could see GOOKS behind every tree
We had gone
only a hundred yards when AK's opened up
From the top of that NO NAME hill
And in just a few seconds
The enemy had their first confirmed kill
Two men fell
just to my right
Blood forming puddles where they lay
And I remember screaming "Medic Up"
And I can still hear that gurgling sound to this day
I heard more
calls for medics and one boy
Screamed for his mom
I saw bravery, and courage, and loyalty
That I haven't seen since returning from Nam
A GOOK
opened up from a spider hole, and a
Soldier on my left greased his ass
Although scared as hell we all knew the only way to
survive
Was to reach the GOD DAMN top "fast"
It was late
afternoon when we reached the peak
We had lost 26 - either wounded or dead
And the enemy that we hadn't killed
Had picked up their weapons and fled
My body felt
broken and my mind felt empty
There was no celebration - even the wind was still
And I thought "WHAT THE HELL WAS SO IMPORTANT"
To lose men on this FUCKING HILL
We secured
the area and the LT said "clear a pad"
For all the Division Brass
Half hour later two choppers landed and out stepped
A General, two Colonels followed by the media
With their nose up his ass
The General
bragged how the body count had reached 85
As he faced the camera with a smile on his face
But the men who had fought and earned there way to the
top
Just sat staring out into space
When the
cameras stopped they got back in the birds
Without giving us the time of day
And I knew then there were people I hated worse than the
gooks
And that feeling is still with me today
Before
darkness fell we started back down
From this lonely NO NAME HILL
And by midnight "Charlie" would (again) sit at the top
Eating his fish and rice meal
And I'm
thinking don't anyone give a damn
About our pain and sacrifice
That's when this grunt started using the phase
"IT DON'T MEAN NOTHIN"
And I gave up on Jesus Christ
Bob
Hinkle
2005
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When
Will It End
After more
than 30 years I can still see
A dead soldier in a fox hole on Christmas Eve
After more than 30 years I can still see
Kids caught in my ambush near Beln Mei
And I wonder WHEN WILL IT END?
After more
than 30 years I still see
My friend (Adkins) head exploding red & gray
After more than 30 years I still hear
Screams of the wounded where they lay
And I wonder - WHEN WILL IT END?
After more
than 30 years I still hear
That distinctive "whump whump" sound
After more than 30 years I still feel
That helpless feeling as we were going down
And I wonder - WHEN WILL IT END?
After more
than 30 years I still hear
Mortars exploding near by
After more than 30 years I still see
The face of Mai-Lin who was killed before she turned
five
And I wonder - WHEN WILL IT END?
After more
than 30 years I can still smell
The rain and that FUCKING napalm
After more than 30 years I still see the
Village chief and his family hanging on stakes-killed by the
Cong
And I wonder - WHEN WILL IT END?
After more
than 30 years I still hear
Someone yell "there's gooks in the wire"
After more than 30 years I still see that kid
Near Bong-Sin get crushed beneath a large GOER tire
And I wonder - WHEN WILL IT END?
After more
than 30 years I still hear the copilot
Scream "we're going down"
After more than 30 years I still cry
When I think of our POW-MIAs that were never found
And I wonder - WHEN WILL IT END?
After more
than 30 years I still hear a wailing sound
From a Vietnamese mother whose son was killed by the
enemy
After more than 30 years I still hear the Army Chaplain
Who told me "GOD meant it to be"
And I say to that GOD 30 years later
WHEN WILL IT END?
After more
than 30 years I still hear a Colonel say
"LRRPS hide, the General will be here soon"
After more than 30 years I still hear me reply
"It's okay to do his killing but not okay to be in the same
room"
And I wonder - WHEN WILL IT END?
After more
than 30 years I still see and hear
Protesters at the airport in Seattle, that day
After more than 30 years I still hear and see
The insults and spit they threw my way
And I wonder - WHEN WILL IT END?
By Bob
Hinkle
2004
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Where Do You
Belong
God called St. Peter into his golden throne
Looked at him over his thick glass frames
Said, "I want you to build a beautiful wall
Call it - The Heroes Wall of Fame
Cover it with names of veterans who died
Fighting to keep America free
When you're done let me know, cuz' we're gonna hang it
Up here in heaven for all to see"
Then God said, "I want another wall constructed
To send to the devil - for his hell-bound train
It should be much larger than the heroes' wall
When you're done call it - The Wall of Shame
The wall of shame should have names of people
Who treated the US military disrespectful over time
Just the Vietnam War alone," he added
"Will keep you plenty busy, I think you'll find"
So St. Peter turned this task over to his top
lieutenants
The next day, research in heaven's library began
And the over seer in charge to build both walls
Was assigned to his best friend - Billy Graham
Two months later he was given a long list of
heroes
Whose names will be etched into the Heroes Wall of Fame
Adkins, Shughert, Brasswell and yes, even Patton
Along with Rykoskey, Dutch Gallagher, Cartwright and
Cain
Washington, Lincoln and Paul Revere stood out
Along with Ira Hayes, Audi Murphy and Francis Scott Key
Chuck Barnes, Gary Ream and Red Monismith from
Pennsylvania
And a famous general from the south - Robert E. Lee
These names would be etched in solid gold
The wall will be lit up all along Jesus' super highway
These heroes will be honored day and night
Not just on Memorial Day
Above each name was a picture
Of the heroes listed on the wall
Each face had a smile of pride
St. Peter declared it - Heaven's roll call
One month later another lieutenant presented St.
Peter
With a list of names for The Wall of Shame
It was twice as large as the heroes' list
And St. Peter wondered, would it be too long for the Devil's
hell bound train
He scanned over the list and was not surprised
To find Jane Fonda listed as number one
He recalled seeing a picture of her in North Vietnam
Smiling - sitting on a enemy anti-aircraft gun
After much thought St. Peter decided
We can't glorify people who rubbed military noses in the
mud
They do not deserve to have their names in gold
Therefore, we will etch their names in blood
And while they are riding that hell bound train
Other passengers can read their names in red
And perhaps that will double their suffering and agony
For them desecrating the dead
St. Peter complimented his lieutenants for a job well
done
Then authorized all veterans in heaven to wear a red, white
and blue halo with their name
He figured they already spent their time in hell
And now they are honored on The Heroes Wall of Fame
While many of us still on earth get really upset
At those who treat our troops with disdain
The one satisfaction we can look forward to is knowing
Some day they will ride the hell bound train
GOD BLESS ALL VETERANS
Bob Hinkle
May 2010
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Going
Down
We were
flying in support of an infantry platoon
It was 1968
The word was they were being over-run
It would be HELL if we were late
You see I
was on my second tour in the Nam
Flying door gunner and cussing the devil each time we'd
fly
But my first tour I'd been where they are now
And minutes could mean whether grunts live or die
The wind was
cool but felt damn good
There was not a cloud to be seen
And a thousand feet below our machine
Everything was a beautiful green
Then I saw
green tracers coming up from below
Felt a tremendous jolt and we started spinning round
Then the co-pilot screamed into the earphones
"Red's dead, I can't hold it. WE'RE GOING DOWN!"
It was like
everything was frozen in time
Yet we were shaking and dropping fast
And I remember (calmly) thinking "well this is it
Fucking Charlie finally got me at last"
There was no
begging for GOD to help me
Though, don't get me wrong I was scared as hell
But my LRRP training and my will to fight
Kicked in as we quickly fell
I loosened
the security belt and leaned out the door
And jumped when I thought the time was right
And woke up two days later in a hospital bed
A green angel smiled and said "you're a hell of a
sight"
The first
thing I asked her, "did the grunts make it out?"
She didn't know but I was later informed
That our other gun ships had arrived just in time
And those poor bastards were able to hold on
Not a day
has gone by in over 40 years
That I don't here that horrible sound
Of a co-pilot's scream from a thousand feet up
"I can't hold it - WERE GOING DOWN"
Bob
Hinkle
2004
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Dad, You Still Got Me
A husband, wife and their little son
Stood facing the Vietnam Wall.
The father said, "Son, look up at the top of panel #8.
Can you see the name of your Grandpa?"
The little boy stared for a minute and then asked,
"Did Grandpa die in the war?"
Dad and Mom glanced quickly at each other.
Then Dad said, "Son, we're not really sure."
The little boy had a confused look on his face.
But before Dad could explain,
The boy said, "I was told they're dead and gone.
That's why we can read all their names."
The father took his son's hand in his
And said, "You see, some are missing from the war.
Their names are here, but we don't know if they're alive or
dead.
Our government lists them as Missing In Action and
Unaccounted For."
The boy then asked, "Have they tried to find him?
You know, like you found me at the mall when I got
lost."
Before answering, the father could recall what the Army told
Grandma 40 years ago.
They said, "Ma'am, we'll find him at any cost!"
The boy said, "Dad, did you hear my question?"
Dad replied, "Yes, I hear you loud and clear.
The truth is, I can't answer it, son.
I've been asking that same question year after
year."
Mom saw her husband was getting upset
So she said, "Come on Justin. Let's see what else is
nearby."
She knew the pain her husband carried inside
And she didn't want Justin to see him cry.
When they left, he stared at his dad's name
And remembered what Nixon and Kissinger said in '73.
"All our POW's are returning home.
Finally, once again they are all free."
But he recalled what his dad's co-pilot told him.
At a League of Families convention, he took him aside
And said, "I saw your dad's chute open before I was taken
prisoner.
I know damn well he survived."
He had seen his mom live 39 years
Without her husband by her side.
She passed away last year, a broken woman.
Not knowing whether he was dead or alive.
As he stood there with hate building up inside,
A small hand touched his knee,
And his small son said, "I'm sorry Grandpa's not coming
home,
But, Dad, you still got me."
Bob Hinkle
September 2008
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Just Like You
To all of you fighting in Iraq and Afghanistan.
Like you, I've been to hell and back.
Just like you, I've spit in the devil's eye
While carrying a 60 pound pack.
Just like you, I've sat on a lonely hill,
My mind thinking of my family.
Just like you, being in the middle of a war
Was the last place I wanted to be.
Like you, I couldn't wait 'til my next letter came
and smell the perfume from the one I love.
Like you, I yearned to hold her tight each night
And share our dreams under the stars above.
Just like you- my buddies meant everything to me.
Just like you - some of my buddies died.
Just like you - I had to keep going on.
Just like you - when no one was looking - I cried.
Just like you, the politicians screwed up my war
too.
They made up rules like it was just a game.
Just like you, each time they added another rule, a buddy
would die.
Just like you, I was convinced they had gone insane - still
am.
Just like you, I hated the enemy - still do.
Just like you, I fought for freedom - they fought to take it
away.
Just like you, it was painful to lose a buddy and a
friend.
Just like you, it felt great when you made the enemy
pay.
Just like you, I couldn't wait to return home,
Just forget the war (relax) and have fun.
Just like you, I soon learned I couldn't forget
That my buddies are still over there under the gun.
Just like you, I love our beautiful flag.
Just like you, I still get a lump in my throat when I see
her flyin'.
Just like you, I'd kick the ass of anyone who burns her
Or I'd die tryin'.
Now, over 40 years later, I'm still living the
war.
Just like me - 40 years from now, you'll have ghosts dancing
'round in your head.
But just like me - you'll carry that veteran pride until
you're dead.
Bob Hinkle
2011
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Welcome to Vietnam - Sky
Soldiers
Here come the Sky Soldiers, mama.
I can hear that rumbling sound.
They will soon be here, mama.
They will soon be on the ground.
Should I smile at them, mama,
Or should I look the other way.
Should I warn them about the mine the VC planted
Just the other day.
You told me not to go near it, mama.
You said, if I do I might die.
So shouldn't we tell the Sky Soldiers about it, mama.
Coming to visit us out of the sky.
I really enjoyed the candy, mama,
The Sky Soldiers brought us last week.
And the medicine helped my friend (Mau) get better,
mama.
She's no longer sick and weak.
If the mine kills a Sky Soldier, mama,
Won't his friends be really mad.
My other friend (Mai Lin) says they might burn our
village
And destroy everything we have.
The Sky Soldiers seem really nice, mama,
Even though they look much different than me.
And, mama, they have hair all over their body
Or at least all the places I can see.
Mama, I rally want to warn them
'Bout where that awful mine is placed.
I'm only six years old, mama, but I'm tired of seeing
All this killing- All this hate
They're getting out of their sky machines, mama
And they're heading toward that awful mine.
Oh! Mama, the Sky Soldiers are on the ground - bleeding
And a few look like they're dyin'.
Mama, we should go and help them,
The Sky Soldiers, hurt from that awful bomb.
Mama - through betel-juice black teeth - smiled and said
"no".
Then added - "Welcome to Vietnam, Sky Soldiers".
Bob Hinkle
2011
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I Owe You a Beer
As Huey pilot (Harrell) spoke to the grunt squad
leader,
He could hear a lot of gunfire in the background.
And I smiled as I heard the squad leader say,
"Things are pretty calm down here, sir, so bring her on
down".
A year ago on my first tour in Nam
I had been where these guys were now.
And when the shit hit the fan, we would do anything -
including lie
To make sure someone came down and got us out.
The grunts had cut a small LZ
In the middle of the jungle floor.
And wondered, 'Is it large enough for us to land'
As I stared out the chopper door.
I had my M-60 on rock-and-roll
As I fired up the gooks some 30 yards away.
"We're going down to get the wounded"
In my ear phones, I heard Commander Harrell say.
As she pulled pitch, that old Huey shook.
Then quickly we were going down
And the grunts were loading their wounded aboard
Before we ever landed on the ground.
As I jumped off to help load the poor bastards,
The last soldier, covered with blood, screamed in pain.
Then our crew chief (Murdock) yelled, "Get out! Lift off!
Lift off!"
In a voice that sounded insane.
Commander Harrell immediately started to lift off,
But with added weight, we had trouble climbing into the
sky,
And as we skimmed the ground and finally lifted up,
Our rotor blade chopped small trees and we thought we were
going to die.
You could hear several pings as our aircraft took
fire
And a scream as a bullet slammed into a wounded soldier
laying on the floor.
And I quickly asked God to help us
Just survive this damned war.
All of a sudden, we cleared the trees,
Just as the barrel of my M-60 started glowing red.
And we limped back to base in a trail of smoke
With demons dancing around in our heads.
When we landed, the grunt team leader jumped off
first,
And as the wounded were unloaded, I thought I saw a
tear.
Then he came to attention and saluted our bird
And said "Thank you, Sir. I owe you a beer".
Bob Hinkle
2011
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Are Your Crying, Old
Glory?
The old veteran stopped the teenage girl and
asked,
"Can I have a minute of your time?
It won't take long - I just have a few questions,
If you don't mind."
He asked, "Do you know what special day tomorrow
is?"
The young girl said, "I don't know."
He replied, "It's Flag Day. Do you think you'll be attending
any ceremonies".
The girl said, matter-of-factly, "No!"
He then asked, "Well, do you know what the stripes
stand for?"
The girl seemed bored, but replied, "I don't know."
He asked, "Well, do you know how many stars the flag
has?"
Once again, she said, "I don't know."
By now the veteran could see she was getting annoyed,
so he kindly said
"I appreciate your patience, but I have two more questions
before you go.
Do you know the words for the pledge to our flag?"
The young girls, once more, said "No."
My last question is, "Don't they teach you about the
flag in school?"
This time the young girl just shook her head - no.
The veteran smiled and said, "Thank you."
As the young girl said, "I gotta go."
The veteran seemed deeply saddened
As the girl quickly walked away.
"Is this what my buddies died for?"
You could hear him softly say.
When a nation and it's citizens
Lose respect for their beautiful flag,
The Pride and Patriotism slow die
And Old Glory, to many people, becomes just a rag.
The veteran wasn't angry with the teenage girl.
"Hell - she's just a reflection of society's erosion
And it hasn't taken very long.
Just 10 years since the 911 explosion."
But at the next parade, if you look real close,
When Old Glory gets near.
Mixed between the red-white-and-blue
Are a big bunch of tears.
Bob Hinkle
2011
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