thedrifter
05-12-03, 11:58 AM
Saga of the Checkerboard Squadron
In the early days of the war in Korea
Doug MacArthur had these words to say
"I now can proclaim that this war has been won
You'll be home afore Christmas Day."
The General's prophecies had often been sound,
Like "I shall return", which came true
But the words he now uttered he soon was to find
T'was a prophecy we all knew he blew.
It was just at this time or a little before
These words he was wont to deliver
Two Checkerboard pilots were flying patrol
Very close to the broad Yalu River
It was then that the pilots were both to agree
Something strange was indeed being seen
Who were these guys in the strange uniform
That was quilted and colored dust green
Then crossing the river from China they moved
Like a mob raving mad with no plan
With limitless hordes of fresh bodies they came
It was then "you know what" hit the fan.
Of all the experiences squadron mates shared
In this,"the Police-Action War",
The one that stood foremost in all of their minds.
Was at Chosin, the famed reservoir.
It was here blowing whistles and bugles they moved
Like hornets aroused from their hives,
Mowed down by the thousands, they still charged our lines,
And even their dead seemed alive.
Marine Fighter Squadron Three Hundred and Twelve
Shooting rockets with guns spitting flame
Many times they were were forced to return and reload
Then back to the fracas they came.
These pilots were flying the F4u-4s
Those Corsairs of World War Two fame
Any Chinese who encountered the checkerbard cowl
Well remembered the Checkerboard name.
The valiant efforts of those flying Marines
Who desperately fought there to win
Forced back to Japan to regroup and replan
Would return to do battle again.
For a brief span of time their missions were flown
From airfield locales in Japan
Then after some training for carrier flight
They boarded the carrier Bataan
From the carrier's rolling deck they took off
To support our Marines on the ground
And struck at the enemy again and again
Wherever his forces were found.
In this war that we fought but didn't quite win
One purpose at least it did serve
It bore out the readiness of fighting Marines
Both the Regular and the Reserve
And whether it's out in civilian life work
Or in the Regular Corps we are seen
There's one sure bet you can count on
Every one of us is still a Marine.
>
Marine Fighter Squadron 312(Korea) Marine Fighter Squadron 113 (WWII)
Semper Fi!
Roger
In the early days of the war in Korea
Doug MacArthur had these words to say
"I now can proclaim that this war has been won
You'll be home afore Christmas Day."
The General's prophecies had often been sound,
Like "I shall return", which came true
But the words he now uttered he soon was to find
T'was a prophecy we all knew he blew.
It was just at this time or a little before
These words he was wont to deliver
Two Checkerboard pilots were flying patrol
Very close to the broad Yalu River
It was then that the pilots were both to agree
Something strange was indeed being seen
Who were these guys in the strange uniform
That was quilted and colored dust green
Then crossing the river from China they moved
Like a mob raving mad with no plan
With limitless hordes of fresh bodies they came
It was then "you know what" hit the fan.
Of all the experiences squadron mates shared
In this,"the Police-Action War",
The one that stood foremost in all of their minds.
Was at Chosin, the famed reservoir.
It was here blowing whistles and bugles they moved
Like hornets aroused from their hives,
Mowed down by the thousands, they still charged our lines,
And even their dead seemed alive.
Marine Fighter Squadron Three Hundred and Twelve
Shooting rockets with guns spitting flame
Many times they were were forced to return and reload
Then back to the fracas they came.
These pilots were flying the F4u-4s
Those Corsairs of World War Two fame
Any Chinese who encountered the checkerbard cowl
Well remembered the Checkerboard name.
The valiant efforts of those flying Marines
Who desperately fought there to win
Forced back to Japan to regroup and replan
Would return to do battle again.
For a brief span of time their missions were flown
From airfield locales in Japan
Then after some training for carrier flight
They boarded the carrier Bataan
From the carrier's rolling deck they took off
To support our Marines on the ground
And struck at the enemy again and again
Wherever his forces were found.
In this war that we fought but didn't quite win
One purpose at least it did serve
It bore out the readiness of fighting Marines
Both the Regular and the Reserve
And whether it's out in civilian life work
Or in the Regular Corps we are seen
There's one sure bet you can count on
Every one of us is still a Marine.
>
Marine Fighter Squadron 312(Korea) Marine Fighter Squadron 113 (WWII)
Semper Fi!
Roger