Thanksgiving Day 1973

Sailing in the Gulf of Tonkin

On Thanksgiving 1973

Is not where we wanted to be.
Northward we had been escaping,
On our way to Yokohama,
On our way, far away
From the war,
From Viet Nam.

We mistakenly thought 

We were homeward bound,

Sailing first,

For a little R &R

Before sailing east,
So that we could feast

At the Thanksgiving table,

To be with our wives,
Our kids, and our friends
Who were able 

To celebrate our being home.
But 0rders came
Telling us to turn around.
We were no longer 

Homeward bound.
Back to the Gulf of Tonkin,
Back to the fight 

That turned off the light

That held our hope.

Now we,

War-weary sailors,

Were once again,

Returning, 

Forever returning,

To War-torn Viet Nam.

On that Thanksgiving day

We ate in shifts

As the Truxtun sailed

Up and down

The Gulf of Tonkin

On Thanksgiving 1973.