The 38th's been in New Guinea too long,
We're thirsty as hell for a drink.
For the want of a woman we're all going nuts,
O Shanty, please say what you think.

Now there's snakes in the jungle and bugs in our bed,
Mosquitoes have seven-inch prongs. 
The rain falls in buckets, muds up to our ass,
O Shanty, we've been here too long.

We've been over Buna, we've been over Lae,
And we've been out to sea after ships. 
We've been over Wewak and Vunakanau.
Oh Shanty, it gives us the shits!

The aeroplanes they stink and the pilots all drink,
And the "naveys" don't know where we are. 
The bombardiers can't hit a target when lit. 
O Shanty, please send us afar.

Now Shanty's our leader he's Irish they say, 
He's as Irish as a banshee's wail. 
But take it from us, the truth of it's just,
He's half Scotch and half Ginger Ale.

Armorer's Lament or Those Bomb-Loading Bastards

It never fails when you're sound asleep
That into your shack Valeck does creep;
So quiet, so peaceful, not even a snore.
Then everthing shakes from the roof to the floor.

"Get up--Get out--get on your feet;
Hurry up --We gotta eat-
Make it snappy, come on let's go-
Jesus Christ, you guys eat slow;

We gulp our food in record time-
On the truck--off to the line,
Down the strip the tires squeal,
Barney Oldfield Valeck at the wheel,

The truck stops, Joe cracks the whip-
"Lift those bombs-- load that ship".
Check the racks--run"em thru-
Zombie's due in an hour or two.

Valeck looks-- blows his lid-
"Where the hell is the kerosene' kid!
Damn that rookie! he sleep's enough -
He should have been here when it was rough".

The bombs are loaded, the guns are hot,
As Lt. Miller appears on the spot
Are your shakels clean?--your pins in.
Then he takes his jeep and goes for a spin,

And that’s how it goes day after day
As Valeck's boys lead the way,
So here's to the guys who load and lift-
THE HARDEST WORKING BASTARDS IN THE 405th

J.M.D. 111
Jose M. Diaz 111 12163266
Armament Officer Lt. Hobart D.Miller 0854275
Armament section chief S/Sgt.Joseph E.Valek
18040108

Joseph M. Daugherty memento's

Composed by Jose M. Diaz

Former members of the 38th and all who have survived time and reached retirement will relate to this poem.

I MET OLD MAJOR SHREEVE TODAY

Well, sir, I met Jim Shreeve today.
His hair is getting thin and grey,
His eyelids have began to droop,
His shoulders have a little stoop;

I hardly would have known him. No,
But we were young then long ago.
Let's see. It's forty years and more
Since we stood in the trailer door,

Why then Jim Shreeve was young and plump.
He could hit a slit trench first and jump,
And stand all kinds of heat and cold--
But, say, Jim Shreeve is getting old!

Why look! When I walked up to him
And grabbed his hand with, "Hello Jim!"--
He looked at me a long,long while
Ans smiled a half embarrassed smile

And said, as puzzeled as could be:
"Well, you have the best of me".

Now who'd have thought the years since then--
Since we were hard, and tanned young men--
Could ever make such striking change!
No, honestly, Jim Shreeve looked strange.

He has deep wrinkles in his cheeks
And his voice shakes-like when he speaks!

His memory is bad, I know.
I had to talk an hour or so
Reminding him of when we'd meet
How I'd salute in all the heat.

And Sgt. Park that we both knew.
And still he said: "Idon't place you".

Poor Jim! He's getting old, thats all.
He really used to be on the ball.
Without crowsfeet around his eyes
Or bald head to give him disguise,

It almost moves a man to tears
To see how friends change with the years.

And queerest of it all is, Jim
Said I looked just as strange to him,
Said I was getting rather gray
And walked in a stoop shouldered way.

It's odd how age makes Jim Shreeves see
All all other folks the same as he!

THE P-38 LIGHTNING WAS THE FIRST PURSUIT PLANE TO REACH THE FIFTH AIR FORCE THAT HAD THE RANGE TO ESCORT THE B-24'S AND B-25'S TO FAR DISTANT TARGETS

This little poem was found among my father's document collection.  There is no author listed, so I don't know if he was the guilty party or not.  It's just a little bit racey and suggestive, but indicative of the passion our soldiers have.

One Night of Ecstasy

Her name was Grace, one of the best;
But that was the nite I gave her the test
I looked at her with joy and delight
For she was mine, all mine that night.

She looked so sweet, so pretty and slim.
The night was dark, the light was dim;
I was so excited my heard missed a beat
For I knew I was in for a treat.

I'd seen her stripped, I'd seen her bare
I felt all around, I felt her everywhere
But that was the nite I liked her best
And if you'll wait I'll tell you the rest.

I got inside her, she screamed with joy
For that was her first nite out with this boy.
I got up as high as I could
I handled her gently, for she was good.

I turned her over on her side
Then on her back, that was all I tried,
For she was one big thrill, the best in the land
That twin engine bomber of the 5th Bomber Command.