The Cost of Liberty

by Tracy Turner

 

It was an uncertain time and many had fears

That the fate of the world would not be clear

So they came from all over….from cities and farms

With mothers and fathers….worried and alarmed

 

They were born at a time that caused them to reach

This turbulent year as young men to teach

To fly the big birds and spend their lives

On the enemy… making widows of wives

 

Much training was needed, the men had been told

For one common goal; to stop tyranny cold

Cavalry in clouds seems to describe

The nature of their business way up in the sky

 

With a flick of a switch, the green bird coughed

And all aboard were eager to be off

With a thunderous roar, and a supercharged whine

Into the night sky, over South Caroline

 

 Northward they flew, in the February night

Hoping, I'm sure for an uneventful flight

All seemed fine in that cold, dark sky

They just had to fly that B-25

 

The folks in town had heard the low roar

So to see what it was, they came out of doors

The people who saw said "they seem too low"

For whatever reason, we will never know

 

For a few seconds later, a big burst of flame

Was seen on the mountain as the green bird became

Forever a part of the leaves and the dirt

And five distant families would soon be hurt

 

Their number was five and the truth's now known

That no one alive would ever come home

No more daughters and no more sons

For these five men, that was all done

 

For these five men…it's the end of the run

And to think that the pilot was only twenty one

It seems the lessons of their tragedy should be

Is that this is the cost of liberty

 

This is not a story from an old history book

Just a two mile walk will get you a look

For more than seventy years later on Sharp Top hill

The guardian green bird is lying there……still