"Private First-Class Frank Vallone"

[Etienne Rambert]

"Private First-Class Frank Vallone"

( music at http://www.mp3.com/marcellis1 )

copyright 2003 Marc Ellis & Peter Streit Laxmi Music ASCAP

__________________________________________

 

In New York City, on Mulberry Street,

is a church where a man can pray alone,

And on the gate of that church,

is a bronze plaque that reads

"To Private First-Class Frank Vallone"

 

Just nineteen years old,

And in the US Marines,

A young Italian-American man,

He left his buddies back home in Little Italy,

to hold a rifle, in South Vietnam

 

Refrain

 

He was only in country for 64 days

In 64 days he was gone;

He flew back to New York,

With an American Flag,

Private First-Class Frank Vallone

 

September 11th, 1968,

While his family was sleeping back home;

It was high-noon and hot,

Outside his base at Quang Nam,

Where Frank was ambushed with his squad,

On patrol;

 

Frank stepped up to the front of the fight;

His buddies back home would be proud;

Two US Marines lost their lives on that day,

But they never gave up their ground;

 

But Charlie shot first,

And Frank was cut down,

Before he could buy beer or could vote;

The Morning Report said

"Hostile Small Arms Fire"

And that's all his First-Sergeant wrote;

 

A son and his mother,

A Mom and her boy;

A love that can never be changed;

When the letter arrived,

That told them the news,

Frank's Mama was never the same;

 

Refrain

 

He was only in country for 64 days

In 64 days he was gone;

He flew back to New York,

With an American Flag,

Private First-Class Frank Vallone;

 

It was thirty-three years,

To the day Frank died,

They brought the World Trade Center down;

I wonder, where were you Frank,

As we were watching it fall,

Could you see it collapsing

To the ground?

 

Would you still want to step

to the front of the fight?

Frank, would you make them pay Hell?

Or have you found peace,

That no man can describe,

Can you tell us God's peace

will one day prevail?

 

Some college professors

Say that you died in vain,

The draft-dodgers were right,

You were wrong;

But those professors aren't fit,

To clean the mud off the boots,

Of Private First-Class Frank Vallone;

 

In New York City down on Mulberry Street,

is a church where a man can pray alone,

And on the gate of that church,

is a bronze plaque that reads

 

"This is dedicated to the memory of PFC Frank Vallone, USMC, who gave his life for God and Country in Vietnam, September 11th, 1968. Dedicated by his friends and neighbors. Born April 4, 1949, New York City. Died September 11th, 1968 Vietnam.

[ManWithThePlan]

Bravo sir. That was excellent.