Somewhere in Vietnam, September first
Dear, Mom and Dad
We must've marched twenty miles today

Through the rain and the mud

And believe it or not

This is the first opportunity
I've had to sit down and
Write in two or three weeks


This'll have to be short
But I just wanted to send my love

And let you know that I'm doing fine

But you know, just being here

And seeing how close these people
Are to losing their freedom
Makes me that much more determined

To help win this war

'Cause if we don't, the next battlefield

May be closer to home than Vietnam
Must close for now, all my love
Your son, Bud


P.S., how's Tommy doing
At State University

Tell him his big brother said hello

State University, September first

Hi, Dad, we must have
Marched twenty blocks today
And, baby, I'm beat


I mean, like the sign
I was carrying got real heavy

But, Dad, everything was out of sight

There were recorders and

Photographers and cameraman
From every major news
Service and network in the nation

So look for your baby boy's picture
On the front page of today's paper


Of course, you might have a
Little trouble recognizing me
With my groovy beard

But, Dad, I know we're right

How can you defend my brother

Murdering all those people overseas
So what if the Communists
Do take over in South Vietnam


Why, just today
Our economics professor $$#ured us

That people get along
Just as well under communism
As they do under

Any other form of government

I'm sorry, Dad

But this God and country bit
Just isn't my bag
Gotta go, dad, big rally tonight

Your son, Tommy

P.S., Dad better send me an

Extra fifty bucks this week, dig

Dear Mr. and Mrs. Smith

I know you must be awfully
Proud of your fine son
I wish I could be there to

See you recieve Bud's medal of honor

It may comfort you to know
That his last thoughts were of you
And as his sergeant

I can truthfully say
He was one of the bravest men
I have ever known

Dear Mom and Dad

It's been some time
Since I received word about Bud
Somehow I just didn't have
The nerve to come home


But I've done a lot of thinking since then
About my turned on friends and
About what they said about communism
We were all wrong


And you know, I always just worship Bud
Now that I've thought it over, I know
That he would never fight for something
Unless he believed in it
With all of his heart


And in spite of all my past mistakes
I hope that somehow, someday
I can become as big in your eyes
As my brother will always be
Your son, Private Tommy Smith