A web site that shares the emotional and spiritual experiences of the Vietnam War through poetry, stories, and photos by combat veterans.

Hosted by Vietnam Veteran Bill McDonald

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A FOOT IN HEAVEN AND A FOOT IN HELL

   As in nature, a balance must be struck in an Aviator's life,
We dash off into combat cracking jokes and watching the strife.
    We fondly remember our lovers at home, 
yet pay the whore,
We drink to forget the sorrow, rage, 
and the bullet through the crew door!

    As the green foliage zips by, 
You can almost touch the leaves,
Yet from the ground, sights trained on you steady,
 an easy kill a VC believes.
    Landing in a patty field, or canopy hole,
 It's all scary to you,
Your mind reruns crashes, 
of good pilots lost skills they knew!

    Attitudes clash, Yet in the air, 
CE, pilots and gunners bond as a team,
For things do go bad quick, hear tail tale scream.
    The pilots, rank higher than most, 
only fly your bird,
Yet, They stay with you and your ship, 
working into the night! 
Without a word!

    CE salutes his AC and ship 
as Cobras fly away,
Yet, Pilots remember their CE`s 
with a cool beer at the end of the day!
    Pilots gets more money and expensive stuff,
Yet, CE`s tend to get the stuff 
through trades, haggling rough!

    Mortared and rocket attacks on the ground,
bullets and rockets in the air,
Quickly graying our soft and short cut teenaged hair.
    Be it in the air or on the ground, 
Our jobs wasn't that swell,
For we all had a foot in heaven
 and a foot in HELL!

    We curse loud, 
our parents far away,
Yet we pray silently at night,
that tomorrow will be OK!
    At night, the FNG`s can be heard to weep,
Any wonder I had problems falling asleep!
#

Copyright 2002 Marvin Camp

 EMail: cobra070@earthlink.net

Member VHCMA and Heli-vets
Army, 101st Abn Div. Vietnam 70-71
 4/77th ARA, HHB and Cbtry
Camp Evans I corps, Doorgunner and Crewchief

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