I served during World War II as a seaman in the United States Navy

Back then, I spent many years at sea in my home, the USS Harry Lee

This old ship was once used to transport fruit from the south and back

Then it was fitted for war moving supplies and troops ready to fight and attack

The war was dismal back then, we were surviving but it cost us too many men 

One destination we landed was Guam, with the first wave of marines on the island

Seas were shallow and rough, dodging bullets from the enemy gunners was tough

It was daunting unloading the marines with their gear off a moving steel ramp

We were constantly being shot at; there was no winner; no victor; no real champ

On another mission we transported armament and men to fight back in the Philippine’s

Machine guns roared when we approached shore, we survived and then came back for more

Some ships in our convoy went down; many men were wounded and sadly, others drowned

We lost much during those early battles; our men were pushed inland, like a herd of cattle

Several months passed, moving back and forth we roamed the seas without a home port-of-call

Thereafter 1943 at Midway we won a big battle and were send to tackle the enemy at Guadalcanal

The tide was turning in ‘44 the Japanese lost many ships and aircraft after many years of war

We were fully combat ready then, building bigger aircraft and massive ships by the score  

With a renewed fighting spirit this “Sleeping Giant” roared like an eagle once again

We braced for battle off the coast of Japan; preparing to lose over one million men

The equipment needed exceeded expectations and logistics would take a quite a while

The cost of war was high and the Japanese were ready to fight and die kamikaze style

However, Atomic bombs dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki helped bring the war quickly to an end

It changed the course of History and was the beginning of Peace and Justice for all back then.