Ranger's Album: The fall of Saigon remembered

Photos of Yester Years

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No Atheists
In A Foxhole

Rudyard Kipling

“When you're left wounded on

Afganistan's plains and

the women come out to cut up what remains,

Just roll to your rifle

and blow out your brains,

And go to your God like a soldier”

“We are not retreating. We are advancing in another direction.”

“It is fatal to enter any war without the will to win it.”

“Old soldiers never die; they just fade away.

“The soldier, above all other people, prays for peace,

for he must suffer and be the deepest wounds and scars of war.”

“May God have mercy upon my enemies, because I won't .”
“The object of war is not to die for your country but to make the other bastard die for his.

“Nobody ever defended anything successfully, there is only attack and attack and attack some more.

“Fixed fortifications are a monument to the stupidity of man."
“It is foolish and wrong to mourn the men who died.
Rather we should thank God that such men lived.

The Soldier stood and faced God

Which must always come to pass

He hoped his shoes were shining

Just as bright as his brass

"Step forward you Soldier,

How shall I deal with you?

Have you always turned the other cheek?

To My Church have you been true?"

"No, Lord, I guess I ain't

Because those of us who carry guns

Can't always be a saint."

I've had to work on Sundays

And at times my talk was tough,

And sometimes I've been violent,

Because the world is awfully rough.

But, I never took a penny

That wasn't mine to keep.

Though I worked a lot of overtime

When the bills got just too steep,

The Soldier squared his shoulders and said

And I never passed a cry for help

Though at times I shook with fear,

And sometimes, God forgive me,

I've wept unmanly tears.

I know I don't deserve a place

Among the people here.

They never wanted me around

Except to calm their fears.

If you've a place for me here,

Lord, It needn't be so grand,

I never expected or had too much,

But if you don't, I'll understand."

There was silence all around the throne

Where the saints had often trod

As the Soldier waited quietly,

For the judgment of his God.

"Step forward now, you Soldier,

You've borne your burden well.

Walk peacefully on Heaven's streets,

You've done your time in Hell."

td>

The fall of Saigon remembered

Monday, June 07, 2010

A typical compass found on the boats of refugees.

The many boats that littered the East Coast, after the refugees were given shelter at Pulau Bidong.

A typical fishing boat used to escape form South Vietnam

Vietnamese refugees who worked for the American adminstration, which abandoned them to their fate under the Communist regime, these are the faces of the escapees.

Women in blue dress with new Born baby is wife of Vietnamese soldier.

posted by Major D Swami (Retired) @ 3:12 AM

1 Comments:

At 10:18 AM, John Clearlight said…

Dear Major Swami,

Wonderful pictures.. relief and gladness of being able to make landfall shows on their faces.
I am a Malaysian writer, photographer & documentary maker based in Vietnam. I would like to be able to contact you by email. Please drop me a note: tropixblue@gmail.com
Thank you Major.