THE FIRST ONE IN MY FAMILY TO SERVE OUR NATION

Terry at Binh Thuy Air Base 1968




The first from my family to serve this our nation
History was one of my best subjects during school
Reading of our forefathers fight for independence

I was proud to be born here and to do my own part
Helping to keep our country free but also others
My grandfather was a proud man born in Yugoslavia

He wanted his own family to know the freedom here
They immigrated two years before my dad was born
They had left his older brothers with relatives

Once settled in he got a job and a place for them
As soon as he could save enough money for tickets
He would have his relatives send his sons over here

But before he could do it World War I broke out
The boys had to stay with their family's relatives
Once peace was restored they'd send the boys over

Then the great depression hit before they could
And after that there was WWII which kept them there
Both boys then ended up fighting to save Yugoslavia

They both were killed when ambushed by German troops
Seems a neighbor turned them in for food and money
They came to see their own families & were executed

My father had bad eyes and they wouldn't take him
He'd tried the Army, Air Corp, Navy and the Marines
He had been a welder and had scars from welders flash

He had wanted to fight in Europe to avenge his brothers
But he couldn't fight for freedom because of his eyes
He always looked up to his brothers and never met them

When Vietnam came they starting drafting into the Army
I didn't want to kill anyone else but I wanted to serve
So I had chose the Air Force where I became a mechanic
  
I served four years active duty for our own country
I volunteered to serve in Vietnam on crash-fire trucks
I also ended up as a security policeman defending us

It was a terrible experience for any 20 year old kid
We were awarded medals and also colored ribbons too
Forty seven years later I still have those nightmares

I served my nation and for the freedom we all enjoy
I served for my grandfather, my dad and my uncles too
My dad & I were both born here in the United States

My own grandfather was right to immigrate to America
He wanted for his own family to live in freedom here
He was always sad that he couldn't get his boys here

  


© Terry Sasek - Alwaysawarrior - all rights reserved.






















 

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