THE TET OFFENSIVE 1968

Up and down highway one from Saigon to DaNang,

They attacked and burned the City of Hue

And shelled the Fortress Cam Ranh Bay.

While the NVA rumbled down the rugged Ho Chi Trail,

Charlie put our embassy staff through a living hell.

All along the watch towers the GIs held their ground,

Rockets flared and soldiers glared down in Long Binh Town.

And throughout the land of Vietnam, the enemy soon learned fear,

As awesome American Infantry Divisions shifted into gear.

The 4th, the 9th, and Americal, the 25th and the Big Red One,

And Screaming Eagles of the 101st soon showed ‘em how it’s done.

The First Air Cav, the 82nd, and the boys of the 173rd,

The Green Berets and the U.S. Marines began to spread the word.

Every major village and base had been hit all across the land,

And everywhere old glory flew our heroes made their stand.

Tuy Hoa, Bear Cat, Phu Bai, Ben Het, Quihnon, Dalat, Ankhe,

Can Tho, Khe San, the list goes on, Kontum, An Loc, Bentre.

Ben Me Thuot,Phan Rang, Tan Son Nhut, Nahtrang, CuChi, Chu Lai, Bien Hoa,

Pleiku, Dakto, Tay Ninh, My Tho, Vung Tau, Quang Tri, Hoi Da.

When the dust had settled and the smoke had cleared it was certain that we’d won the battle,

But the message didn’t get to the folks back home and how the tongues did tattle.

Draft dodgers on campus ranted and raved and soon they had their crowd,

Politicians did play to the camera’s sway and their voices grew real loud.

Get Out!  Get Out!  Get Out of Nam!  Congress then made its’ decision,

The die was cast, we pulled out at last, it seems we lost our vision.

The years have come and gone since then, but the memories still linger yet,

Of how we won a battle that lost a war, and the battle was called TET!

Thanks for the opportunity to be posted on your site,

Henry C. Ball