But we did not have long to stay: With trucks, we made the final jump, And ended up too near the front. The weather cold, the snow begun; we slept in tents; it was no fun; Dee 13, into the fight, Young men against the Germans might. My buddy and I kept our heads; We saw some wounded and some dead: And then others left with frozen feet. We prayed out loud for blessed heat. We're up and into the Attack; Objective reached, they took it back; Then sometime, the cold, the shot, and shell, Made one pray for death and heated hell. Men were frozen in the snow; They were our friends; they had to go; We prayed we'd live, we prayed we'd die, We'd dream of home, wake up and cry. Then came the spring with all its rain, Attack, Attack, Attack again; We came to Schmidt, we crossed the dam, The Cologne plains as fast we can. We mounted armor fast were we, We had them on the run. Yippee! Then came a day by God's decreed: I lived, my friend, he died you see. It was when our company attacked a town, The shells came in, the bullets round; A sniper shot him through the head, He knew it not for he was dead. The war went on and I came through; how I did, I never knew: Now, why did I last out the fray, While he paid with his life that day? Brave men with hearts as hard as stone, No, just scared men who died alone; They did not want to fight a war; they did so we could live some more. -Sgt. Howard R. Barnes "Our Flag" By Sgt. Howard R. Barnes Our flag's history is long and wide; It stands for men who lived and died; Defending right on seven seas, and It represents our liberty. In time of peace and time or war, Its glory inspires us all the more; Its inspiration helps us stay, Brave men till our dying day. It represents a mother's prayer, A hero in his grave over there, A man who lived and did not die, A baby old enough to cry. Our flag depicts our steadfast way, And where we go or where we stay: To make decisions as we plan, To stand equal with any man. Old flag of ours long may you