For What Earthly Reason? • The Havok Journal

You laid it down
On foreign shores
You gave it all and more

Only to return
To a battlefield
Filled with the same horror

Troops of “A” Company, 1st Air Cavalry Division, checking house during patrol. October 1966.
(Signal Corps Photographs of American Military Activity) Source.

Fragments of shells on those foreign shores
The smell of powder and blood
Only to return
To a battlefield
That seemed devoid of love

Yet in your darkest hours
Hope prevails
You know, just know there is more

Before you give up
Or give in to the lie
Take a breathe, give life time to change

One little match
Brings light to a room
One little spark
Of hope to your views

Your overcomers
Taught never to fail
Don’t even start now
To entertain hell

*Dak To, South Vietnam. An infantry patrol moves up to assault the last Viet Cong position after an attempted overrun of the artillery position by the Viet Cong during Operation Hawthorne.* 7 June 1966. Source.

Like boot camp
Life’s trials
Seem cumbersome and hard

What awaits those who stand
No matter how scarred?

Let the voices of angels
The love of your brothers
The prayers of your mothers and more

Keep you from quitting
Destroying your future
Time is a healer tis true

Your Gods earthen vessels
Indwelt with a future
Far above and beyond what you see

Be kind to yourselves
Speak life when its darkest
Look for the treasures in time

Trust will lead you
To tomorrow’s good times
The pain will fade away

Remember dear warriors
Its not a matter of if
It is ALWAYS A MATTER OF WHEN!

__________________________

For 43 years, Dennis and Diana Nickell shared their lives, passion, and hearts. Dennis, a Vietnam Combat Veteran who dealt daily with the aftermath of his 14 months in-country, spent his later years reaching out to Veterans, their loved ones and tried to help share why you should never give up. Sept, 12th, 2021 Dennis joined his brothers in arms in heaven, who never had the chance to have the life he fought for daily, and his wife Diana still carries on the mission of educating, enlightening, and encouraging those who have paid such a heavy price for freedom.

Dedicated to ALL, first responders, and heroes, Diana has found peace in the wealth of her family and her faith. The YouTube series Surviving Vietnam can be accessed freely at https://www.survivevietnam.com/

“Quiet Place” first appeared in Breaking Chains, written by Dennis Nickell.

All rights are reserved, for created content shared about their amazing journey, including original poetry by Diana. Feel free to contact Diana at dnickell1955@gmail.com with any questions or concerns.

As the Voice of the Veteran Community, The Havok Journal seeks to publish a variety of perspectives on a number of sensitive subjects. Unless specifically noted otherwise, nothing we publish is an official point of view of The Havok Journal or any part of the U.S. government.