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Presented to Edward L. Rech on April 13, 2000, by The Perry County Council of The Arts Writer’s Guild, Sophie’s Reaction, The Sophie Award For Poetic Excellence, along with the title, Poet Laureate of Perry County, PA for 2000, for the poem, “Hoo-Ya! P.J!!…..Of Friends When In Need, ‘Passed’ and Present.”:
“P.J.” is the nick-name for the Air Force Special Operations Air-Sea Rescue Men - Para-Medics/Forward Air Control (“FAC”) who are the ones who actually leave the aircraft to locate, retrieve downed pilots and crew, and call in support air power for the rescue in all environments. The “Jolly Green Giant” is the helicopter used during the Viet Nam War Era that was large and strong enough to carry out a rescue mission in hostile areas. The McDonald Phantom F4-D two-seater fighter plane is the operational aircraft for a select group of pilots who are referred to as the “Wild Weasels.” They fly in to seek out radar sites and Surface to Air Missile launch sites to clear the way for other aircraft to be able to do their mission. To “dance with a SAM” is a specific maneuver an aircraft must execute in order not to be shot down by the missile. A “MIG” is a fighter aircraft built by the Russians and used against American forces over Viet Nam.
This is dedicated to those who put it all on the line for others. It’s for those who didn’t beat the odds through no fault of their own, and gave full measure to the meaning of the motto, “So That Others May Live.” Here’s to you Bill Pitsenbarger & the other 18 Viet-Nam era P.J.s; here’s to all of the 65 P.J.s who gave their lives since 1947…..”So that Others May Live,” and here’s to those who returned having also put it all on the line when it counted.
“HOO – YA, P.J.!…..OF FRIENDS WHEN IN NEED, ‘PASSED’ AND PRESENT”
JULY ’69,
THEY DOWNED A “MIG,”
“DANCED” WITH A SAM,”
TRYING HARD TO MAKE IT HOME,
BUT IN THE FREY, THEIR BIRD OF PRAY,
LOST FEATHERS OF HER OWN,
LEAKIN’ FUEL SO FAST, IT WON’T BE LONG ‘TIL THEY’LL BE FALLIN’ LIKE A
STONE,
ONE LAST CALL TO BASE AND PULL THAT RING,
THE ‘GLASS BUBBLE IT IS BLOWN,
SOMEWHERE NORTH ALONG THAT MUDDY MEKONG RIVER.
FEET FOLLOW NOSE, LIKE A “HAIL MARY” PASS,
THEY’RE JUST FOOTBALLS ON THE SAIL,
DON’T REMEMBER MUCH, ALL THAT NOISE AND WIND,
THANK GOD THE ‘CHUTES ARE FULL,
PLEASE DON’T LET THIS BE THE END OF A JUST AND VALIANT DUEL,
HANGIN’ IN THE TREES, ONE WITH A BROKEN ARM, BUT IT COULD BE WORSE,
DOWN IN THAT MUDDY POOL,
SOMEWHERE NORTH ABOVE THAT MUDDY MEKONG RIVER.
NOW THE WORD GOES OUT, “UP NORTH THERE’S A
‘PHANTON’ DOWN!”
AND P.J. KNOWS THERE’S TWO OF THEM, ONE OF MCDONALD PEDIGREE,
THE OTHER SELDOM SEEN, YET ALWAYS THERE,
AND REFERRED TO AS “CHARLIE,”
THE “JOLLY GREEN GIANT’S” UP, AND QUICKLY ON ITS WAY,
SOMEWHERE NORTH ALONG THAT MUDDY MEKONG RIVER,
AS YOU FLY ALONG, FOR ONE BRIEF MOMENT,
YOUR THOUGHTS GO BACK, TO THE DAYS, WHEN THE OTHERS AFTER WORK,
WERE OVER AT THE CLUB, BUT YOU RAN AND SWAM THOSE LAPS,
FOR YOU KNEW THIS DAY WOULD COME,
WHEN SOMEONE WOULD BE IN NEED PERHAPS,
OF WHAT YOU TRAINED TO BE,
“HOOO-YA, P.J.!” THE MISSION
CRY REMAINS,
“HOOO-YA, P.J.!” AND THE MOTTO
IS SUSTAINED,
“SO THAT OTHERS MAY LIVE,”
SOMEWHERE NORTH ALONG THAT MIGHTY MEKONG RIVER.
PILOT “HOLD YOUR HOVER,”
P.J.’S STANDING IN THE DOOR,
PILOT “HOLD YOUR HOVER,” IT’S TIME TO GO ONCE MORE,
SO YOU RIDE THE BALL ON THAT THREAD OF STEEL,
THROUGH THAT CANOPY OF GREEN TO THE FOREST FLOOR BELOW,
YOU KNOW THERE’S NOT MUCH TIME TO FIND THE CREW, AND GO,
BEFORE “CHARLIE” COMES, YES “CHARLIE’S” IN THE KNOW,
GOD KNOWS YOUR GIVING ALL YOU HAVE TO GIVE,
“SO THAT OTHERS MAY LIVE,”
SOMEWHERE NORTH ALONG THAT MUDDY MEKONG RIVER,”
IT’S GETTING LATE, THE ENEMY IS NEAR, IN DISTANCE AND IN
TIME ,
LIFE ‘S 150 FEET ABOVE, DEATH’S JUST 50 YARDS BEHIND,
“FIRST IN – LAST OUT,” FOR YOU, BUT YOU’VE KNOWN THAT ALL ALONG,
“PILOT HOLD YOUR HOVER,” P.J.’S COMIN’ OFF THE FLOOR,
“PILOT FLY FOR COVER,” P.J.’S
STANDIN’ IN THE DOOR,
SOME SAY YOU CHEATED DEATH, THEY SAY YOU BEAT THE ODDS ONCE MORE,
SOMEWHERE NORTH ALONG THAT MIGHTY MEKONG RIVER, SOMEWHERE
NORTH ALONG THAT MUDDY MEKONG SHORE.
NOW, YOUR HAIR IS GONE, AND YOUR WEIGHT HAS GROWN,
AND YOU KNOW YOU’LL NEVER DO,
ALL THOSE THINGS, THAT YOU ONCE DID, NOW AT FIFTY-TWO,
BUT, TODAY A THOUSAND TRY TO BE JUST ONE,
WHO STANDS UP WITH THE REST,
TO TOTAL TWO HUNDRED- SEVENTY AND TWO,
THEY HAVE TO BE THE BEST,
ACROSS A WORLD-WIDE SCENE,
THEY ARE THE LEGACY OF THE SONS OF THE “JOLLY GREEN,”
YES, THEY STILL FLY, AND IT STILL TAKES ALL THAT THEY HAVE TO GIVE….
AND MORE,
“HOOO-YA, P.J.!” “SO
THAT OTHERS MAY LIVE,”
SOMEWHERE ON LAND OR SEA, OR ALONG SOME MIGHTY RIVER,
DOWN ON SOME FOREIGN SHORE.
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