I Remember It All

by Veteran James Puff

I remember it was a gorgeous day not a cloud in the sky
it was a Tuesday I was a junior in High school
a teacher going class to class, to warn us
I remember teacher saying WE ARE UNDER ATTACK
watching the Plane fly into the 2nd tower
the fire ball, watching people make a choice
watching people fall like rain on the streets below
watching the mighty towers fall, and the heart of a city crushed
the hurt the pain and the sorrow

I remember raising my right hand and taking the oath to protect and defend the Constitution
I remember the the mountains and the valleys of Afghanistan
the 7 year old girl saying thank you as she walks to school
her teacher saying thank you for protecting that school after is was attacked
I remember the rockets and mortars shot at us at night
sleeping in the rain and mud
I remember being so cold we had to spoon to stay warm
the firefights, the IEDS and the close calls
remember the wounded and the fallen

I remember it all.

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This first appeared in The Havok Journal September 23, 2016.