By Admin (Admin) (65.80.157.101) on Tuesday, April 30, 2002 - 01:49 pm:

Ran across something today in Burr's Jump Log that might interest you. The poem, "Life's Our Fight" was copied from my brother's Jump Log,a sort of diary and military record he kept from Camp Toccoa days until
the end of the war for him at Kaprun, Austria.

Sergeant Elmer "Moe" Murray, one of the original Easy Co., 2nd Bn, 506th men from Camp Toccoa days, was KIA in the Normandy Invasion. He apparently knew my brother (Susan's father) quite well, because Burr made a copy of a poem written by Murray about April 16th, 1944 and entered it in his "Jump Log."

One line is indistinguishable; I've guessed at it, but perhaps Susan can find her copy of the poem and fill in the blanks:

"Life's Our Fight"
by Elmer Murray

It's just a sort of "kinda" hole
With built in chair and all
It hasn't all the comforts
But it's sure a mighty wall

Yes, it's just a dirty fox hole
It's six-by-two-by-three
But seeing as I'm where I am
It's just the thing for me

It's funny when you stop to think
Of all the jobs I've had
The only one that counts right now
Is digging deep! by gad

Out here where gloom hangs everywhere
And death stalks us unseen
At first we fight for fear of life
But now it's hate, old bean

Remember when you first drew down
To kill another man --?
You eased up on the trigger squeeze
But now it's fun, eh Dan?

They say were just a bunch of kids
And crazy for the kill
But I'll trade my place with anyone
Yes by God -- I will!

(missing line) It's not that we are all insane
But war is like a game
"The Firstest With The Mostest"
Is the side that wins the fame.

And then you hear some fool remark
By some poor stoop back there
"He died for us the we might live
In our bright land that's fair -"

It's not for peace or our bright land
We lay our lives down for
Nor is it for the girl back home
Who loves the jerk next door

It's true we all are fighting
How many know the price?
There's one who knows, the guy that pays
The greatest sacrifice

So if you wonder why at home
When men come from the strife
They change so wondrous much
Their goal my dear was life!

========

These are Burr's handwritten notes:

Sgt. Moe Murray
May 1st, 1944
Written about April 16th.
One of Moe's first poetic efforts.

=======

(I think the missing line is
"It's not that we are all insane")

Originally posted on the HBO BoB discussion boards by mejthec0 - 03:51PM Dec 11, 2001 (3082 of 3096) Discuss the Show Board

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