His constant Howdy Doody grin and habit
Of following us about got on the nerves
Of my friends, but that was to be expected,
For he had sloping eyes and yellow skin.

He patched our clothes, cleaned our boots
And filled canteens with water, and at times
Brought us bootleg whiskey, beer and a
Carton or two of American cigarettes.

While on patrol one Sunday morning
In a sloppy paddy we were ambushed.
Some guy lost a thumb and I put it inside
His left shirt pocket for safe keeping.

I turned around and there stood Tran
With a weapon bigger than he was,
And the opium-drugged Howdy Doody
Sighted an AK-47 from his nose to mine.

When our eyes recognized each other
The guy with the thumb in his pocket
Emptied a magazine into Tran's chest,
And Luke-The-Gook fell backwards.