Veteran’s Day
Randall Widner
Adapted from Shakespeare

As the battle smoke cleared and the enemy had slithered back into the foliage, young battle
weary soldier comments, "Oh if we had just one man in ten thousand that demonstrates
against us in America today." 

The Commander responses to his men "No, if we are marked to die, we are enough to do our
nation proud, and if we live, the fewer men the greater the share of honor, I pray to God's
will, not one man more!" 

"Sargent Major, spread the word that any man that has no stomach for this fight, let him
leave, orders will be made and a helicopter will be called. We will not die in that man's
company, which fears his fellowship to die with us." 

We are called American Soldiers by our enemies and friends alike, and he that outlives his
tour and comes safely home will be aroused and stand tall when our title is mentioned. He
that shall fight through Vietnam and live to and old age will yearly on Veterans Day feast
his neighbors and will strip to show his scars saying, "These wounds I had in the defense of
Freedom & Liberty". 

Old men forget and all shall be forgotten, but those who banded together will remember
with advantages the feats he did serving as an American Soldier in Vietnam, and names
familiar in our mouths as household words like, Walt, McCain, Westmoreland and
Kerrey.Freshly remembered this story shall a good man teach his son, and Vietnam Vets shall
never go by from this time till the end of the world, but we shall be remembered. 

We few, we happy few, we band of brothers for he that sheds his blood shall be my
brother.Be any man vile, for his bravery and faithfulness shall from that time forward be
ennobled.Gentlemen in America, that turned their backs upon our nation, shall be looked
upon as cursed that they were not a Vietnam Veteran", and hold their Manhood cheap, while
we who speak that fought as an “American Soldier in Vietnam"

used with permission

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(c)  2001 Veterans of the Vietnam War, Inc.