Mountain Views News          Saturday, November 14, 2015

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Mountain Views-News Saturday, November 14, 2015 

Walking Sierra Madre…The Social Side 

by Deanne Davis


“From the world wars of Europe to the jungles of 
the Far East, from the deserts of the Middle East 
to the African continent, and even here in our own 
hemisphere, our veterans have made the world a 
better place and America the great country we are 
today.” John Hoeven

My Dad was in the Navy during World War II. He 
never talked much about what he did, what his job 
was, what happened to him. As we commemorated 
Veteran’s Day this week, I thought I’d put up a 
picture of some of our Sierra Madre veterans and 
add the following poem. We are fortunate here 
in Sierra Madre, to have quite a few veterans who 
come out smartly and impeccably dressed in their 
uniforms to carry the flag, march in our July 4th 
parade, be on hand to kick off the Mt. Wilson Trail 
Race and be part of the Memorial Day observances. 
They stand tall and straight and we admire them. If 
you haven’t been down to Memorial Park to look at 
the Veteran’s Memorial Wall, take a few minutes, 
look at the pictures and see who you know. 

“Just A Common Soldier”

A. Lawrence Vaincourt

 He was getting old and paunchy and his hair was 
falling fast, And he sat around the Legion, telling 
stories of the past

 Of a war that he had fought in and the deeds that 
he had done, In his exploits with his buddies; they 
were heroes, every one

 And tho’ sometimes, to his neighbors, his tales 
became a joke,All his Legion buddies listened, for 
they knew whereof he spoke But we’ll hear his tales 
no longer for old Bill has passed away,

 And the world’s a little poorer, for a soldier died 
today

 He will not be mourned by many, just his 
children and his wife,

 For he lived an ordinary and quite uneventful 
life

 Held a job and raised a family, quietly going his 
own way,

 And the world won’t note his passing, though a 
soldier died today

 When politicians leave this earth, their bodies 
lie in state,

 While thousands note their passing and 
proclaim that they were great.

 Papers tell their whole life stories, from the time 
that they were young,

 But the passing of a soldier goes unnoticed and 
unsung

 Is the greatest contribution to the welfare of our 
land

 A guy who breaks his promises and cons his 
fellow man?

 Or the ordinary fellow who, in times of war and 
strife,

 Goes off to serve his Country and offers up his 
life?

 A politician’s stipend and the style in which he 
lives

Are sometimes disproportionate to the service that 
he gives.

While the ordinary soldier, who offered up his all,

Is paid off with a medal and perhaps, a pension 
small

 It’s so easy to forget them for it was so long ago

 That the old Bills of our Country went to battle, 
but we know

 It was not the politicians, with their compromise 
and ploys,

 Who won for us the freedom that our Country 
now enjoys.

 Next time you see the flag go by, held in the 
hands of one of our veterans, stand and salute, for 
our flag and our veterans both deserve that honor.

 My book page: Amazon.com: Deanne Davis 
Blog: www.authordeanne.com

 “Tablespoon of Love, Tablespoon of Laughter” is 
available there…

 Christmas is coming! You’ll need gifts!

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