Poem by Major Michael Davis O'Donnell, U.S. Army

VirtualWall.org ^ | n/a | Major M.D. O'Donnell, U.S.A.

[NMC EXP]

I watched the movie "Hamburger Hill" last night. At the end of the credits it contains a poem written by Major Michael Davis O'Donnell, U.S. Army, 170TH AHC, 52ND CAB, 17TH CAG, 1 AVN BDE.

Major O'Donnell was from Springfield Illinois. Born 13 August 1945, KIA in Laos in March 1970.

Michael Davis O'Donnell is on the Vietnam Veterans Memorial, Panel 12W Line 040 .

This is the poem he wrote while in Viet Nam:

If you are able,
save them a place
inside of you
and save one backward glance
when you are leaving
for the places they can
no longer go.
Be not ashamed to say
you loved them,
though you may
or may not have always.
Take what they have left
and what they have taught you
with their dying
and keep it with your own.
And in that time
when men decide and feel safe
to call the war insane,
take one moment to embrace
those gentle heroes
you left behind

[NMC EXP]

Something to bear in mind given current events.

[leadpenny]

I did not know Major Davis, but the 170th was a sister company of the 119th at Camp Holloway in Pleiku. He wasn't yet 25 when he died.

http://www.170th.org/

[leadpenny]

I'm sorry, I meant O'Donnell. According to a page on the link above, his crew and three SF soldiers are still listed as "Missing."

AC CPT Michael D. O'Donnel Panel 12W, line 40 H model 68-15262 MIA

P WO1 John C. Hosken Panel 12W, line 39, H model 68-15262 MIA

G SP4 Berman Ganoe Panel 12W, line 38, H model 68-15262 MIA

CE SP4 Rudy M. Becerra Panel 12W, line 37, H model 68-15262 MIA

SF 1LT Jerry L. Pool Panel 12W, line 40, H model 68-15262 MIA

SF SGT Gary A. Harned Panel 12W, line 39, H model 68-15262 MIA

SF SSGT John A. Boronski Panel 12W, line 37, H model 68-15262 MIA

[onedoug]

And so today, a war to win, or lose it all....

Thank You MAJ O'Donnell.

1/1 CAV, Americal, I Corps, 68-69.

[NMC EXP]

According to VirtualWall.org:

Virtual Wall Note

The remains of the 7 Americans lost
in this crash were repatriated on
12 Apr 1995 and positively identified
on 20 Jun 2001.

The 7 men are

Major Michael O'Donnell
CPT Jerry L Pool
CW3 John C Hosken
SFC John A Boronski
SFC Gary A Harned
SSGT Rudy M Becerra
SSGT Berman Ganoe

[NMC EXP]

And in that time
when men decide and feel safe
to call the war insane,
take one moment to embrace
those gentle heroes
you left behind

[leadpenny]

I did read some of the info on that link and then had to go. Very sad. Their families didn't know for sure for over a quarter of a century.. All received posthumous promotions.

RIP, Patriots.

[NMC EXP]

Memorial Day reminder....