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TWAS THE NIGHT BEFORE CHRISTMAS
By
1st Lt. David Kirk
Fort Stotsenberg December 24, 1942
Twas the night before Christmas and all through the Philippines
Not a creature was stirring not even the Marines
Our sox were hung on the swali with care
And all had hopes Uncle Sam would soon be there
But those blasted sox didn’t have any heels
And we still had rice for all of our meals
It was a ragged crew behind that Nippon barbwire
With beriberi and diarrhea and feet that felt like fire
There were Indians and French, Wops and a Greek
There were tall guys, short guys, some strong some weak
We had New Mexicans, Spaniards, and Georgia crackers
And a man was rich if had a few clackers
We were from every state in the forty eight
Sinners and saints, the crooked and straight
We had gone half dobie and the other half nuts
But we still believe in Santa Claus,
And for final victory for American cause.
And when that day comes we’ll have our wishes
For home and the girl friend and Ma’s Sunday dishes.
But on Christmas Eve nineteen forty two
We wondered if wishes would ever come true
But you can’t keep a good American down
Just give us time and we’ll all go to town
So every man through about what he wanted most.
There were wishes for beers, dilagas and toasts
So we looked up the chimney and listened to the wind
But the Yanks and the tanks never seem to come in
Speed Nai was every man’s longing
And no more Tinko’s or Sho in the morning
We all dreamed about to hour Kuhays
And wondered why the Nipo didn’t have more holidays.
Burnet and Krupa wished for a mowing machine
That would slice off the bandocks and leave the ground clean.
De Paoli wanted a big megaphone
Erdman hoped to have his beard back home
Empty Pipe Peterson from the first platoon
Wanted a pound of Edgeworth pretty dam soon
Quartermaster Gilpin wanted profits to double
Craft only wished to keep out of trouble
More acie duces would make Ridgway happy
Longfitt wanted to loose that nickname “Pappy”.
Erba wanted one thing and one thing only
To be back home with Amelia Cappelloni
Doc Kern wished for castor oil and quinine
And some one to tell who on sick call was lying.
Fanning wished for a nite cap say six quarters of gin
But wanted a larger and stronger chin
The Smiths and Magguooas, The Johnsons and Sahawshis
The Hooters and Jeswelis, the Williams and Malihowskis
Each remembered a Christmas of a buy gone year
And wished like heck to be anywhere but here.
But you never can tell just want might break
So even though Santa is a little bit late
Pop Heady just had a hot rumor from Dan
And telling the boys it won’t be long now.
So we looked up the chimney and listened to the wind
But the Yanks and the tanks never seemed to come in.
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