I was never much on shining boots, but I could definately iron. I bartered with the best boot shine soldier and I ironed her uniforms. I learned quickly that I was smart enough to be a soldier.
One day we were ordered out on the lawn to shine boots, I sat with the soldier to learn her secret. As I got into the swing of things I began to sing an old spiritual song. Soon every one was singing. It sound like cadence. "Lord we're marching...marching up to Zion. Up that beautiful...that beautiful city of God. We're marching ...marching up to Zion...up that beautiful city of God." We all had happy hearts and Charlie-5-2 became a co-hesive unit.
We learned to fire an M-16. I was good at firing although I had never seen an M-16. I was on the firing line one day when I heard voices behind me discussing my firing skills. Someone ask me "Soldier, where did you learn too shoot like that". I responded, "My daddy taught me in the country shooting squirrels, rabbits and bobcats". "Carry on soldier". I looked up from the foxhole and froze. It was a General and a Colonel. I was not sure what to do so as they were walking away I made a sloppy salute. They smiled.
The next Sunday about twenty-five soldiers and I went to chapel service.Earlier during the week we were ask to sing the cadence song. It was one of the most exciting events of nearly nine weeks of training. We sung our song and received standing ovations.
During the next two weeks we prepared to graduate. We lost a few soldiers. Some got promoted, some receive commendations. I was promoted and received letters of commendation. We all received the National Service Defense Medal For Vietnam Era.
On graduation day in the chapel, the entire Company sung our cadence song. It was a wonderful day. We marched from the chapel to the parade field where we were dismissed to enter the world as soldiers in the United States Army.
The clouds were low the sky was blue the weather was perfect. Of course , mama never missed a celebration of any of her children. She came with Mabel and the grandbabies. Joy had two lovely and dainty little girls. Families were celebrating and singing "Marching Up to Zion" all the way to the flights out of Alabama. When we were'nt singing cadence we were singing the new song on the charts, "Sweet Home Alabama".
This book has been eight years in the making. It is mostly a jumble of thoughts written down in old spiral notebooks and hidden in the bottom drawer underneath various manuals for software packages and hardware long since turned obsolete.
Destiny's Daughter by Frances Altman highlights events in the life of Mary Edwards Walker, maverick suffragist, Civil War doctor and only woman Medal of Honor recipient.
Robert Burns' first daughter was Elizabeth. Her story and the five descendants Scottish lives are recorded here with the Bard's message today as ever in need. Al Quida listen: Then let us pray that come it may, As come it will for a' that. That Sense
