Into the Valley of Death, Into the Jaws of hell

This old man appreciates the troops who have fought in all wars.  I have been fortunate, I WAS NEVER in combat.  But many of my family and friends were. Memorial day always causes me to  think.

They saw shipmates and peers die in defense of a cause decided by politicians. The soldier only follows orders. The cause is not his to DECIDE, his is to follow orders.

Have you ever read or remember the poem entitled, "The Charge of the Light Brigade", I certainly do.

The line, about following orders ALWAYS stuck in my mind. Alfred Lord Tennyson wrote:

Theirs not to make reply,

Theirs but to do and die,

Into the valley of death, 

Rode the 600!

A poem of a light brigade of the English against Russia. The light brigade was sent to the wrong battle. A battle Russia was prepared for (in the mid 1800's) and the English Light brigade suffered terrible losses. Thus the line, "Theirs but to do and die".

We have brave troops in Iraq, Afghanistan, and Syria who have probably never read or heard the words of the poem by Tennyson, but they are doing the same, JUST FOLLOWING ORDERS! 

Late in life I am realizing wars are decided by politicians and won or lost by their constituents: drafted or volunteered. 

Some of my jobs in the military were very classified, I taught at the level of Top Secret, in block buildings with no windows. I taught troops who were at the time headed for Vietnam. I knew men who came out on the last flights at the close of the war. Their stories were not pretty.

I wish all of our politicians could spend time in those situations, things may change.

BUT, but, I still believe this is the greatest country that has ever existed. We still have our freedoms. Ignoring the many conspiracy theories, we are going to make it. We assist countries round the world. We do help the down trodden. Many times we stick our nose in where it should not be. But overall, we are pretty good folk, us citizens of the USA!  God Bless America!

Nite Shipslog

PS: Many times our politicians suck bilge water, sometimes they get their dues.

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 Top is a 1961 VW the other is a Henry J of the 1950's

For you who want to review the poem here it is in complete.  Many folk do not care for poetry. There are times it fits my thoughts, today it was Tennyson.

The Charge of the Light Brigade

Alfred, Lord Tennyson

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1. Half a league, half a league,  Half a league onward, All in the valley of Death  Rode the six hundred. "Forward, the Light Brigade! "Charge for the guns!" he said: Into the valley of Death  Rode the six hundred. 2. "Forward, the Light Brigade!" Was there a man dismay'd? Not tho' the soldier knew  Someone had blunder'd: Theirs not to make reply, Theirs not to reason why, Theirs but to do and die: Into the valley of Death  Rode the six hundred. 3. Cannon to right of them, Cannon to left of them, Cannon in front of them  Volley'd and thunder'd; Storm'd at with shot and shell, Boldly they rode and well, Into the jaws of Death, Into the mouth of Hell  Rode the six hundred. 4. Flash'd all their sabres bare, Flash'd as they turn'd in air, Sabring the gunners there, Charging an army, while  All the world wonder'd: Plunged in the battery-smoke Right thro' the line they broke; Cossack and Russian Reel'd from the sabre stroke  Shatter'd and sunder'd. Then they rode back, but not  Not the six hundred. 5. Cannon to right of them, Cannon to left of them, Cannon behind them  Volley'd and thunder'd; Storm'd at with shot and shell, While horse and hero fell, They that had fought so well Came thro' the jaws of Death Back from the mouth of Hell, All that was left of them,  Left of six hundred. 6. When can their glory fade? O the wild charge they made!  All the world wondered. Honor the charge they made, Honor the Light Brigade,  Noble six hundred.

Copied from Poems of Alfred Tennyson,
J. E. Tilton and Company, Boston, 1870