Unsung Valor

2018-08-22T17:42:12-04:00

He rode into battle on a horse made of steel
Sword on his belt and spurs on his heels
Pistol on his hip and rifle at the ready
His nerve was rock solid, his purpose ever steady
He led charges through gunfire; through smoke and through flame
He never did falter when the time came to take aim
He did as he was ordered, and gave orders to his men
They’d follow him to Hell and back and then do it again
He was respected among his comrades, every squad knew his name
But he was there to do his duty and he never sought fame
The medals and the accolades were never his goal
All he wanted to do was save as many men’s souls
-as he possibly could through the hellfire that was war
And he would risk life and limb if it meant protecting one more
To the men, he was a guardian; the strongest of the strong
To the enemy he was a devil; his battle cry, their death song
And yes he killed many, in war it is expected
But on Sunday he would bow his head as he calmly reflected
He spoke to his God; prayed for the strength to soldier on
Then look to the sun as it rose up at dawn
He would sling his rifle over his shoulder and nod his head in understanding
Whatever the Almighty had given him, he gave it to him in plenty
For he never did fail and he never did fall
He stood ready to fight even if it meant giving his all
His presence gave the men what they needed too
With him at their side it was just like they knew
He was the greatest of Soldiers, a real machine of war
But one day it finally came when peace was restored
They had all fought so long and so hard for their country
Many a man didn’t quite know how to exactly
Go back to normal; be the men they once were
Those lives seemed so far in the past; those memories such a blur
But not this hero; no, something about him was different
Even with all he had been through he hadn’t changed the slightest bit
His first Sunday back home he walked into his church
He sat down before his God and he uttered these words
“God, you gave me the strength, but now I just need some peace
If you can find it in your heart, can you just grant my heart this release?
I am burdened with what I have done, but I know I wasn’t wrong
You saw me through that awful Hell, so will you help me to move on
I’ll live the rest of my days in peace; I’ll never harm another man
All of this I pledge to you, if you’d only understand.”
And this once mighty warrior, while kneeling before his God
Tears rolling down his cheeks, was overtaken by awe
He felt the weight he had carried in his heart be lifted with his breath
He felt as though he could stand tall again, his heart beat strong in his chest
He stood and nodded towards the cross, and sent his love on high
He walked outside of his small church and took gaze up at the sky
From that day forth he was no warrior, but the gentlest of men
Just as he was before the war he managed to be once again
He lived until a ripe old age helping any and all that he could
From showing others to the Lord to chopping down firewood
He even raised a family and they were all with him when he passed
His wife, children, and grandchildren were all there when he took his final breath at last
He died a peaceful and loving man, no one could say anything more
No one even knew of what he had done during those years at war
But when he was laid to rest, he was laid among his brothers
Those he had fought and bled among and countless of others
And on his modest stone read his name, but everyone there already knew it
But what came as most of a surprise was the medal carved into it
A sash draped down from the top, an inverted star with a wreath
Above the star was a sprawling eagle with only one word inscribed underneath
“Valor” it said, as if commanding respect of a man that asked of nothing
But on the day that he was laid to rest, to all who were present, he was really something
And he never told a single story from those years before he came home
But everyone remembers him now,
He was the hero that they were allowed to call their own

Response by CW5 Jack Cardwell made Aug 22 at 2018 6:04 PM

2018-08-22T18:04:42-04:00

Great work !

Response by SrA John Monette made Aug 22 at 2018 9:05 PM

2018-08-22T21:05:49-04:00

Damn. just....Damn!!

Response by SGT David A. 'Cowboy' Groth made Aug 23 at 2018 1:03 PM

2018-08-23T13:03:35-04:00

Excellent share Joseph, thank you.

Response by SFC Kevin Turner made Aug 24 at 2018 11:06 AM

2018-08-24T11:06:29-04:00

Love this kinda poetry.

Response by SPC William Szkromiuk made Aug 24 at 2018 7:51 PM

2018-08-24T19:51:30-04:00

Duty, Honor, Country..........a real rear jerker.

Response by SFC Private RallyPoint Member made Aug 26 at 2018 8:02 PM

2018-08-26T20:02:13-04:00

Great poem SGT Joseph Gunderson. Definitely hits home

Response by Lt Col Charlie Brown made Aug 27 at 2018 10:18 PM

2018-08-27T22:18:28-04:00

Beautiful

Response by SGT Tomas "Huey" Husted made Aug 29 at 2018 12:38 AM

2018-08-29T00:38:43-04:00

He walked with God.....and no soldier walks alone wether he knows it or not.

Response by 1SG Ernest Schmidt made Aug 29 at 2018 2:17 PM

2018-08-29T14:17:42-04:00

excellent!!

Response by MSgt Dale Johnson made Aug 30 at 2018 9:06 AM

2018-08-30T09:06:16-04:00

Great read, one of the best I have had the privilege to enjoy. Thank You!

Response by SSG DavId Murphy made Sep 2 at 2018 10:24 AM

2018-09-02T10:24:48-04:00

AWESOME post man. Thanks

Response by SFC Jim Ruether made Sep 14 at 2018 11:02 AM

2018-09-14T11:02:08-04:00

Poetry based on life experience! Well thought out and worded.

Response by SP5 Arthur Ben Ephraim made Sep 14 at 2018 3:26 PM

2018-09-14T15:26:06-04:00

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Response by MAJ Hugh Blanchard made Sep 16 at 2018 8:17 PM

2018-09-16T20:17:43-04:00

Well, this one made me tear up...remembering some of my wonderful soldiers....God bless them.

Response by SPC Les Darbison made Sep 16 at 2018 11:51 PM

2018-09-16T23:51:25-04:00

I personaly know only one man that fits this pome PfC Clearance Edward ( Duck) Darbison. And I'm proud of him and Proud to be his Son. He's still a Path finder to me and one day I'll reach his new post up above. God Willing.

Response by PO3 Scot StClair made Sep 21 at 2018 3:18 AM

2018-09-21T03:18:00-04:00

Great stuff!

Response by SPC Private RallyPoint Member made Sep 21 at 2018 11:24 AM

2018-09-21T11:24:17-04:00

Great piece!!

Response by Cpl Tyler Therrien made Sep 21 at 2018 2:36 PM

2018-09-21T14:36:31-04:00

can I steal this?

Response by SGT Richard L. Stone made Sep 23 at 2018 3:29 PM

2018-09-23T15:29:19-04:00

Truer words have never been written!

Response by SGT Private RallyPoint Member made Sep 25 at 2018 2:57 PM

2018-09-25T14:57:07-04:00

Absolutely amazing. I love poetry and seeing this just made my day. Keep up the good work!

Response by SSgt Vanessa Werts made Oct 15 at 2018 3:49 PM

2018-10-15T15:49:08-04:00

This is beautiful. "Duty well performed. Honor in all things. Country above self." (Author Unknown)

Response by CW3 Lysle Seelig made Oct 26 at 2018 3:22 PM

2018-10-26T15:22:47-04:00

WOW!

Response by SGT Kim Shunkwiler made Nov 8 at 2018 4:04 PM

2018-11-08T16:04:32-05:00

Right-hand salute!

Response by SPC Kenneth Berry made Nov 10 at 2018 5:11 PM

2018-11-10T17:11:44-05:00

Great Poet...Loved it.

Response by SFC Charles McVey Sr. made Nov 12 at 2018 11:06 AM

2018-11-12T11:06:48-05:00

I would say that this is one of the very best tributes to those who served and in quite solitude wear the Medal of Honor, thank you SGT Gunderson.

Response by SFC Charles McVey Sr. made Nov 12 at 2018 11:09 AM

2018-11-12T11:09:56-05:00

I had to share this on Face Book I hope no-one minds.

Response by PVT Mark Zehner made Nov 12 at 2018 3:12 PM

2018-11-12T15:12:54-05:00

Excellent thank you!

Response by SGT Private RallyPoint Member made Nov 16 at 2018 7:29 PM

2018-11-16T19:29:52-05:00

Awesome poem. Did you write it SGT Gunderson ?

Response by Nicole Thomas made Nov 23 at 2018 11:09 PM

2018-11-23T23:09:53-05:00

A whole lot of soldiers need to understand this. Your fighting for freedom, and no soldier at war, has blood on his hands

Response by SGT Private RallyPoint Member made Nov 24 at 2018 1:03 AM

2018-11-24T01:03:23-05:00

Absolutely beautiful!

Response by SPC Jordan Sutich made Nov 28 at 2018 5:22 PM

2018-11-28T17:22:56-05:00

We can all learn just what we need from this. Thank you for sharing this great story.

Response by CPT Mike Sims made Dec 8 at 2018 6:01 PM

2018-12-08T18:01:57-05:00

Very nicely written! This story represents many American Veterans - sons - daughters - moms - dads and grandparents from wars past alike. These are the stories and these are the people that should be leading America from local, state and national offices across our country. Not Democrats - Not Republicans... Just Veterans!

Response by MAJ Hugh Blanchard made Dec 10 at 2018 9:57 PM

2018-12-10T21:57:03-05:00

Allons!

Response by SPC Joe Frailey made Dec 24 at 2018 5:14 PM

2018-12-24T17:14:55-05:00

Amazing work!

Response by SrA Shawn Leggitt made Dec 30 at 2018 10:59 PM

2018-12-30T22:59:44-05:00

This Poem gave me a sense of connection back to my military days... Thank you.. I needed this.

Response by CPT Jim Gallagher made Jan 1 at 2019 7:21 AM

2019-01-01T07:21:58-05:00

Great moving piece

Response by SGT Kristine Limanen made Jan 16 at 2019 12:41 PM

2019-01-16T12:41:21-05:00

Amazing..... this poem describes so many. I believe my grandfather was one. No one ever knew of his battles until after he passed away. He was a medic in WWII, that’s all I know.

Response by MSG Louis Alexander made Feb 2 at 2019 9:46 PM

2019-02-02T21:46:32-05:00

Interesting..

Response by SP5 Jeannie Carle made Feb 10 at 2019 6:44 AM

2019-02-10T06:44:29-05:00

This seriously touched my heart. Thank you.

Response by Yassine Ba made Feb 10 at 2019 3:48 PM

2019-02-10T15:48:33-05:00

Response by LTC Ken Robinson made Feb 18 at 2019 9:15 PM

2019-02-18T21:15:13-05:00

Outstanding Great poem!

Response by Sgt Private RallyPoint Member made Mar 7 at 2019 8:14 AM

2019-03-07T08:14:33-05:00

Excellent! Well done!

Response by SFC Thomas Wallace made May 29 at 2019 11:04 PM

2019-05-29T23:04:30-04:00

"says it ALL"

Response by PV2 Duane Schlender made Jun 30 at 2019 4:37 PM

2019-06-30T16:37:54-04:00

This story reminds me of Chief Noles, my JROTC instructor in highschool. He was Air Cav, and drank since coming home from vietnam. Chief Noles drank over the sadness of being the lead chopper on a mission and being the only chopper to return to the barn.

To Chief Nole, and all the personnel of Air Cav, I salute you now, and forever.

Response by SFC Melvin Brandenburg made Jul 6 at 2019 8:43 PM

2019-07-06T20:43:44-04:00

Epic poetry brother

Response by SFC Luis (Coolwhip) Ochoa made Sep 19 at 2019 8:41 PM

2019-09-19T20:41:25-04:00

yeap

Response by SGT Ed Matyjasik made Oct 16 at 2019 8:59 AM

2019-10-16T08:59:53-04:00

Amen to that brother.

Response by SGT Joseph Gunderson made Oct 8 at 2021 11:39 AM

2021-10-08T11:39:08-04:00

Thanks for all the kudos, everyone.