June 6, 1944
By Pat Freeberg
He was only a boy when he went to war,
just over seventeen.
Someone that young should never behold
the things that he had seen.
Leaving the boats, laden with gear,
wading in water so deep there was fear.
Seeing the shells exploding all around,
shattering the quiet and smashing the ground.
His fellow soldiers, all were afraid,
of water, and bullets, and enemy grenades.
Seeing them hit and falling to the ground
some he could help, some others never found.
It was a time of horror, man’s inhumanity to man,
but he had no choice, on this ground he must stand.
So that others may have the chance to decide
if they would fight for the right or for the other side.
He fought for three days on that battleground,
spent the rest of the war in a German compound.
But he stood up for his country, his family and friends
and did the best he could until that terrible war ends.
Pat Freeberg is a retired Executive Secretary living in University Place.
SHARING STORIES is a weekly column for and about the 50 plus crowd living in the Puget Sound region. Send your stories and photos to ariele@comcast.net. Tell local or personal stories; discuss concerns around aging and other issues; share solutions, good luck, and reasons to celebrate; poems are fine too. Pieces may be edited or excerpted. We reserve the right to select among pieces. Photos are always a plus and a one-sentence bio is requested (where you live, maybe age or career, retired status, etc.). SHARING STORIES is featured on http://www.northwestprimetime.com, the website for Northwest Prime Time, a monthly publication for baby boomers, seniors, retirees, and those contemplating retirement. The newspaper can be found in the greater Seattle area and other Puget Sound locations. For more information, call 206-824-8600 or visit http://www.northwestprimetime.com. To find other SHARING STORIES articles on this website type “sharing stories” in the search function above.
