"Survivor"

You see me walking down the street,

No cares or worries to defeat.

Yet deep inside, I am still upset

You'd think that I could just forget…

Forget the years and all the dreams

Forget the men and all their screams, 

Forget the hopes that we once had

Forget the nights that were so bad,

Forget the politicians lies

Forget the wounded soldiers cries

Forget the dreams of Camelot

Forget Oswald, Dallas, a fatal shot.

Forget the promises of the past

Forget the insults… they won't last,

Forget the spit upon your shirt

Forget the ridicule, the hurt,

Forget the hot and sweaty days

Forget the missing, the M.I.A. 's

Forget the prisoners of that long war,

Forget them! For they're dead! I'm Almost sure???

Get on with life, so many said!

Forget the war and all the dead.....

Forget! Forget! So screams my brain

But if we do …  It`s all in vain.

2,211 American servicemen are listed as

Prisoners of War/Missing in Action

FORT DiX/BraGG/BenninG

Years of its existence/ Viet Nam/Re~TireD

My Viet Nam.

I earned The my paratrooper wings in 1968 at Fort Benning, served for the 82^nd Airborne Brigade during The D.C. Riots in 68and at Fort Bragg, then Volunteered for a Tour in The Republic of Viet Nam in late 68 and 69, having had two older brothers serve prior.

“What the hell is 173^rd anyway ???”

I served Through out The Central Highlands as a combat infantryman {11B1P}, with Charlie Company {Contact Charlie}, 1^st of the 503^rd, 173^rd Airborne Brigade as an Ammo bearer for the M- 60 machine gun… gunner… Point man… then platoon R.t.o {radio transmitting operator} with top security clearances.

Though never to forget the horrors of war, memories of the closeness and camaraderie with the 173^rd troopers stand up-most in my mind always!

    “They worked our butts off! A lot of people who were never there don`t realize that when you were not in contact, you were up and down those steep mountains, or policing up your comrades body parts for medevac, or digging another hole somewhere, only to carry all your equipment somewhere else the next day and dig another one. To do that day in and day out keeping a high moral attest to why ours was such an elite outfit.

          “Pop smoke if you dare, but watch out for the tripwires …not only in the jungle, but beyond the pathways throughout your lives. they will most certainly devour …in a seconds flashing …part of your lives that you may not want to give up !”

All Veterans,

In Your Honor Unselfishly, you left your fathers and your mothers; You left behind your sisters and your brothers. Leaving your beloved children and wives, You put on hold, your dreams—your lives. On foreign soil, you found yourself planted To fight for those whose freedom you granted. Without your sacrifice, their cause would be lost. But you carried onward, no matter the cost. Many horrors you had endured and seen. Many faces had haunted your dreams. You cheered as your enemies littered the ground; You cried as your brothers fell all around. When it was over, you all came back home, Some were left with memories to face all alone; Some found themselves in the company of friends As their crosses cast shadows across the land. Those who survived were forever scarred Emotionally, physically, permanently marred. Those who did not, now sleep eternally beneath the ground they had given their lives to keep free. With a hand upon my heart, I feel The pride and respect. My reverence is revealed In the tears that now stream down my upturned face As our flag waves above you, in her glory and grace.

I’ve played a lot of roles in life;

I’ve met a lot of men.

I’ve done some things I’d like to think

I wouldn’t do again.

And though I’m young, I’m old enough

To know some day I’ll die,

And to think about what lies beyond,

Beside whom I would lie.

Perhaps it doesn’t matter much;

But still if I had my choice,

I’d want a grave, ‘mongst soldiers when

At last death quells my voice.

I’m sick of hypocrisy

Of lectures of the wise.

I’ll take the man with all the flaws,

Who goes through scared, and dies.

The troops I knew were commonplace

They didn’t want the War;

They fought because their fathers and

Their fathers had before.

They cursed and killed and wept…

God knows

They’re easy to deride…

But, bury me with men like these;

They faced the guns and died.

It’s funny when you think of it,

The way we got along.

To live in one where no one belongs.

I didn’t even like them all;

I’m sure they’d all agree.

Yet I would give my life for them,

I know some did for me.

So bury me with soldiers, please,

Though much maligned they be.

Yes, bury me with soldiers, for I miss their company.

We’ll soon not see their likes again;

We’ve had our fill of War.

But bury me with men like them

                          The 173rd Airborne Brigade was constituted 5 August 1917 as an infantry brigade and organized 25 August 1917 at Camp Pike, Arkansas as an element of the 87th Division.

   The Brigade deployed to France in 1918 as part of the Division, but did not participate in any named campaigns. Returning to the United States the Brigade was demobilized January 1919 at Camp Dix, New Jersey. Reconstituted 24 June 1921 in the Organized Reserves as Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 173d Infantry Brigade, and assigned to the 87th Division at Shreveport, Louisiana. Organized in December 1921 at Mobile, Alabama. Redesignated 23 March 1925 as Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 173d Brigade. Redesignated 24 August 1936 as Headquarters and Headquarters Company 173d Infantry Brigade. Converted and redesignated 13 February 1942 as the 87th Reconnaissance Troop and ordered into active military service 15 December 1942.  

   During World War II, when brigades were eliminated from divisions, Headquarters and Headquarters Company of the 173d Infantry Brigade fought in three European campaigns as the 87th Reconnaissance Troop. After the war, the troop reverted to reserve status and was active from 1947 to 1951 at Birmingham, Alabama. It was inactivated 1 December 1951 at Birmingham, Alabama and released from assignment to the 87th Infantry Division.

   In 1963 it was allotted to the Regular Army and activated on Okinawa 26 March 1963 as the 173d Airborne Brigade (Sep). Brigadier General Ellis W. Williamson commanded the unit, which was given the charter to serve as the quick reaction force for the Pacific Command. Under Williamson the unit trained extensively making mass parachute jumps and they earned the nickname “Tien Bien” or “Sky Soldiers,” from the Nationalist Chinese paratroopers.

          Deployed to Vietnam in May 1965, the brigade was the first major ground combat unit of the United States Army to serve there. They were the first to go into War Zone D to destroy enemy base camps, introduced the use of small long-range patrols, and conducted the only combat parachute jump in the Vietnam conflict on 22 February 1967 (Operation Junction City). They fought in the Iron Triangle and blocked NVA incursions at Dak To during some of the bloodiest fighting of the war in the summer and fall of 1967, culminating in the capture of Hill 875.

     Elements of the brigade conducted an amphibious assault against NVA and VC forces as part of an operation to clear the rice-growing lowlands along the Bong Song littoral. The 1st and 2nd Battalions, 503d Infantry were the first Army combat units from the 173d sent to the Republic of South Vietnam, accompanied by the 3rd Battalion, 319th Artillery. They were supported by the 173d Support Battalion, 173d Engineers, Troop E, 17th Cavalry and Co D, 16th Armor. The First Battalion of the Royal Australian Regiment and the 161st Field Battery of the Royal New Zealand Army were later attached to the Brigade during the first year.

   In late August 1966, the 173d received another infantry battalion, the 4/503d from Fort Campbell, Kentucky. The 3/503d joined the Brigade at Tuy Hoa in September 1967 following its reactivation and training at Fort Bragg, North Carolina. Another unit assigned was the Co N, 75th Infantry (Ranger). At its peak in Vietnam, the 173d Airborne Brigade (Sep) had nearly 3,000 soldiers assigned 

The troopers of the 173d Airborne Brigade wear their combat badges and decorations with pride. During more than six years of continuous combat, the brigade earned 14 campaign streamers and four unit citations. Sky Soldiers serving in Vietnam received 13 Medals of Honor, 32 Distinguished Service Crosses, 1736 Silver Stars and over 6,000
Purple Hearts. There are over 1,790 Sky Soldiers' names on the Vietnam Memorial Wall in Washington D.C. The brigade was deactivated on 14 January 1972 at Fort Campbell, Kentucky.

The 173d Airborne Brigade was then reactivated on 12 June 2000 on Caserma Ederle in Vicenza, Italy, where it serves as European Command’s only conventional airborne strategic response force for the European Theater.

   On March 26, 2003, the 173d added to its distinguished history by making the largest mass combat jump since WWII when the brigade’s Soldiers landed in the Bashur Drop zone effectively opening a northern front in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom. The actions of the brigade caused the Iraqi defenses to commit forces to the area making it safer for swift progress to Baghdad by other U.S. forces. Nine Sky Soldiers made the ultimate sacrifice in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom.

In the spring of 2005, the 173d began its second deployment in three years to Afghanistan in support of Operation Enduring Freedom VI. The 1-508th spearheaded the deployment in February by deploying forces along the Afghanistan-Pakistan border in Regional Command East. The remainder of the brigade deployed to Regional Command South, with all elements of the brigade demonstrating unparalleled bravery fighting anti-coalition forces in the bloodiest spring since original invasion in 2001. The brigade excelled in all aspects of the deployment to include facilitating a peaceful parliamentary election process in the fall of 2005. 17 Sky Soldiers made the ultimate sacrifice in support of operation Enduring Freedom VI.

                        Today's Sky Soldiers continue the distinction of honored service earned through service dating back to World War I, and proudly represent the airborne fighting spirit with routine training deployments to Bosnia, Kosovo, Hungary, Tunisia, Morocco, Germany, Italy, Czech Republic, and more. These deployments are an important part of CINCEUR’S theater engagement strategy, demonstrating both a commitment to preserving stability in Europe and the ability to provide immediate response to crisis situations throughout the theater.

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"Survivor"

Musical selection: Nowhere; Enigma

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