All About Pocket Knives

He was a fine general and a great patriot.
RIP

Ray

Mission accomplished and well done Sir.

R.I.P.

What a statesman should be, he is and was.

Rest in Peace sir.

TAB

He was a Soldier and a helluva Soldier too - the kind of man who should be a leader! RIP General.

A contemporary of Colin Powell.

However, Powell rose to greatness after having never served a day in combat.

Schwartskopf was a fighter and such a no BS officer that he was considered "unfit" for political office or appointment.

Rest In Peace, indeed, Sir.

Charlie Noyes

I've seen this several times before. How appropriate I should receive it today.



(Author unknown)
He was getting old and paunchy
And his hair was falling fast,
And he sat around the Legion,
Telling stories of the past.

Of a war that he once fought in
And the deeds that he had done,
In his exploits with his buddies;
They were heroes, every one.

And 'tho sometimes to his neighbors
His tales became a joke,
All his buddies listened quietly
For they knew whereof he spoke.

But we'll hear his tales no longer,
For old Bob has passed away,
And the world's a little poorer
For a Soldier died today.

He won't be mourned by many,
Just his children and his wife.
For he lived an ordinary,
Very quiet sort of life.

He held a job and raised a family,
Going quietly on his way;
And the world won't note his passing,
'Tho a Soldier died today.

When politicians leave this earth,
Their bodies lie in state,
While thousands note their passing,
And proclaim that they were great.

Papers tell of their life stories
From the time that they were young
But the passing of a Soldier
Goes unnoticed, and unsung.

Is the greatest contribution
To the welfare of our land,
Someone who breaks his promise
And cons his fellow man?

Or the ordinary fellow
Who in times of war and strife,
Goes off to serve his country
And offers up his life?

The politician's stipend
And the style in which he lives,
Are often disproportionate,
To the service that he gives.

While the ordinary Soldier,
Who offered up his all,
Is paid off with a medal
And perhaps a pension,very small.

It is not the politicians
With their compromise and ploys,
Who won for us the freedom
That our country now enjoys.

Should you find yourself in danger,
With your enemies at hand,
Would you really want some cop-out,
With his ever waffling stand?

Or would you want a Soldier--
His home, his country, his kin,
Just a common Soldier,
Who would fight until the end?

He was just a common Soldier,
And his ranks are growing thin,
But his presence should remind us
We may need his like again.

For when countries are in conflict,
We find the Soldier's part
Is to clean up all the troubles
That the politicians start.

If we cannot do him honor
While he's here to hear the praise,
Then at least let's give him homage
At the ending of his days.

Perhaps just a simple headline
In the paper that might say:
"OUR COUNTRY IS IN MOURNING,
A SOLDIER DIED TODAY."

By all accounts a great man and a fine soldier.

God grant us more like him.

Excellent poem Jerry, I'm going to save it for future use. Bruce

Go for it Colonel.

There's such a sense of loss when I learn of the passing of someone I went through boot camp with or was stationed with. Even though we may not have been tight, it's almost like losing a relative. I've said it before, I'm just a sentimental old fool and becoming more so with each passing day.

However, Powell rose to greatness after having never served a day in combat.

There may be a bit of misunderstanding. Powell certainly did lots of staff work, but he served two tours in Nam. Saw some combat. Got his foot punctured with a punji stick. In a helicopter crash and pulled others out of the burning chopper. Without combat time promotions just were not possible even for him.

I am aware of the punji stake injury. It gave him a bad infection and shortened his 1st tour.

I am also aware of the helo accident. He was decorated for his actions in that.

He also has a CIB, so I agree my statement sounds incongruous.

However, I know men that served under him. They all state he had "no combat experience".

There are numerous internet references that state the same.

He was, alledgedly, an affirmative action officer that received his promotions more rapidly than would ordinarily happen.

Don't get me wrong. I have a great deal of respect for Gen. Powell. At one time, I would have voted for him as POTUS, but not now. He's endorsed Obama twice.

Charlie Noyes

I'm wit chu Charlie. I would have voted for him too, but not now!!