TWAS THE NIGHT BEFORE CHRISTMAS

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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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