Such Things Were

Bill was a WWII veteran. Army Air Corps.  Pacific Theater.  345th Bomb Group.  499th Squadron, Bats Outa Hell.  Navigator and Bombardier.

November 1985 San Antonio, TX
499th Squadron Reunion

Although his poem, Such Things Were, was written as a memorial to those he served with in WWII, the sentiment applies to all who have served and those men and women who serve today.  In honor of Veteran's Day 2011, you may repost this poem in its entirety with attribution and the copyright notice.

SUCH THINGS WERE
William Charles Hilton

Graced with youth and foolish questions,
He asked, "What was it like there?"
"It was a long time ago," I said, but
I knew what he wanted; a story
Of ancient fire and the faded snarl
Of a B-25 lugging a bellyful of iron
Over the endless and patient water;
A story of ships and cities destroyed
And gallant planes returning in the dusk.
"Were they brave?" he asked, but I
Could give to him no proper answer;
He wanted a scene from a movie;
Strutting actors, sneering at their fate
Flying down the barrels of alien guns,
Dying with a brilliant, brittle speech
Of duty and honor.  Oh, there was
Enough of both, but I had never heard
Anyone speak of them.  They were carried
Quietly; worn in silent assurance and
I knew that they belonged to those who wore them.
"I don't remember anymore," I said.
"But what were they like?" he whined.
"They were men!" I said, "and I
Shall not in this life see their like again."

(c) 1986 William C. Hilton
(c)  2001 Anne Marie Hilton Turner