Cigarettes in the Sky

On August 2, 1990, my daughter’s second birthday, Saddam Hussein invaded Kuwait.  The Marines were called to serve and left shortly thereafter.  During Desert Storm in the middle of the night as a young marine I faced my fate when a Scud missile found its way to a small spot in the desert where I happened to be pulling guard duty.  The missile hit less than fifty yards from my position.

Mortality can be an eye opener

I stand at my post like a good little soldier
When I find that my mind is beginning to wander
Back to a day three years in the past
When a few little words told my love it would last
We said I do, knowing that I would
Go into the Corps, it would do me good
They did as they promised, they put me through Hell
I prayed that I would always serve my country and Corps well
God, Country, Corps, and Family
In that order I will live by
For to step out-of-order at any time
One of my brothers will surely die
God is my comrade, my only friend
My country trust its lives for me to defend
My Corps is a brotherhood that teaches war as an art
My Family must understand why we must be apart
I have seen the world in just a few short years
From Hawaii to Wake Island, from Japan to here
In the middle of the desert just a quarter-mile square
My pets are now scorpions and the mites in my hair
Tonight is the night that we have been preparing for
All of the rest, was just a preface to war
Our fighters are loaded, our bombers stacked high
May God’s mercy be with you, and may you come back alive
The Scud alarms are deafening, as they shrill into the night
We rush out to the bunkers, and stare up at the sky
They look like simple cigarettes, just floating through the night
But if one of those blunts should happen to land, many Marines will die
That one was too close, just a few yards away
With the sand and metal raining down, it seems a good time to pray
God, my friend, protect me, but if it is my time to die
Please watch over my family, with your ever-loving eyes
Protect my precious baby girl, and comfort my darling wife
Allow them to remember, but to continue with their lives
And to the host of others, whose support has been so nice
Let them know that I am honored, to make this sacrifice
I pray that I have made you proud, my dear and honored friend
Protecting the values of our country and Corps, until this blessed end
Please comfort me in knowing, that I have served them well
I feel that I’ve done my best, in this desert excerpt of Hell
My head is clear, my heart is true, thank you for the ride
Be easy on my brothers, as well they’ve sacrificed
May your mercy be swift and you wisdom be true,                                                                         my honor be your guide
But now my friend it’s up to you, whatever you decide