Excerpts from The Seas of War

November 29, 1966: A poem written and
given to me by a 19 year-old Marine PFC

"Freedom is Near"

As the haze it did lift and the fog it did rise
The image of a man appeared in my eyes
This image was average as plain as could be
This man of green was simple to me

The expression painted all over his face
Was of pride, and this man, he held no disgrace
With head held high, clothes clad all in green,
This man I could tell was a U.S. Marine

Prestige at its utmost, this man could he be
Just so plain and so simple, like you or like me
He was sent not at will, but came anyway
To fight against communism, the American way

At home they do protest because we all are here
Demonstration upon demonstration is all we do hear
But those people at home do not understand
The reason we are here is to protect our homeland

Little do they know what life is like
All they do learn is from sight and from ear
But if they were here in this hell of a place
They would stop demonstrating because of disgrace

With pride and tradition this man was he
This image of man, this marine, would be
This man, This Marine, This image I see,
Makes me proud to serve my country, and proud to serve Thee

So let them demonstrate and go on their way
Cause we fight here for freedom the American way
As the image now fades, and vaguely I hear
Down with communism, Freedom is Near

-Roger E, Gelzunas