Rudyard Kipling - Wikipedia

When I first entered the military, we were in the tail end of the anti-military venom from Viet Nam and the "Love Generation." A fellow 2ndLt and liberty buddy had a masters in English Lit and was particularly fond of Rudyard Kipling. On a liberty trip we were denied entry to a bar in Georgetown after waiting for a half an hour in line; because we were Marines.

My friend looked into the bouncer's eyes and then recited VERY LOUDLY for everyone in line, Kipling's "Tommy."

TOMMY
I went into a public-'ouse to get a pint o' beer,
The publican 'e up an' sez, "We serve no red-coats here."
The girls be'ind the bar they laughed an' giggled fit to die,
I outs into the street again an' to myself sez I:
O it's Tommy this, an' Tommy that, an' "Tommy, go away";
But it's "Thank you, Mister Atkins", when the band begins to play,
The band begins to play, my boys, the band begins to play,
O it's "Thank you, Mister Atkins", when the band begins to play.

I went into a theatre as sober as could be,
They gave a drunk civilian room, but 'adn't none for me;
They sent me to the gallery or round the music-'alls,
But when it comes to fightin', Lord! they'll shove me in the stalls!
For it's Tommy this, an' Tommy that, an' "Tommy, wait outside";
But it's "Special train for Atkins" when the troopship's on the tide,
The troopship's on the tide, my boys, the troopship's on the tide,
O it's "Special train for Atkins" when the troopship's on the tide.

Yes, makin' mock o' uniforms that guard you while you sleep
Is cheaper than them uniforms, an' they're starvation cheap;
An' hustlin' drunken soldiers when they're goin' large a bit
Is five times better business than paradin' in full kit.
Then it's Tommy this, an' Tommy that, an' "Tommy, 'ow's yer soul?"
But it's "Thin red line of 'eroes" when the drums begin to roll,
The drums begin to roll, my boys, the drums begin to roll,
O it's "Thin red line of 'eroes" when the drums begin to roll.

We aren't no thin red 'eroes, nor we aren't no blackguards too,
But single men in barricks, most unremarkable like you;
An' if sometimes our conduck isn't all your fancy paints,
Why, single men in barricks don't grow into plaster saints;
While it's Tommy this, an' Tommy that, an' "Tommy, fall be'ind",
But it's "Please to walk in front, sir", when there's trouble in the wind,
There's trouble in the wind, my boys, there's trouble in the wind,
O it's "Please to walk in front, sir", when there's trouble in the wind.

You talk o' better food for us, an' schools, an' fires, an' all:
We'll wait for extry rations if you treat us rational.
Don't mess about the cook-room slops, but prove it to our face
The Widow's Uniform is not the soldier-man's disgrace.
For it's Tommy this, an' Tommy that, an' "Chuck him out, the brute!"
But it's "Saviour of 'is country" when the guns begin to shoot;
An' it's Tommy this, an' Tommy that, an' anything you please;
An' Tommy ain't a bloomin' fool -- you bet that Tommy sees!

The line applauded his performance and when he bowed deep, the bouncer sucker punched him. I punched the bouncer in the face, then half a dozen other bouncers beat us pretty badly and turned us over to the cops. The beat cops took us to the police station, where we were turned over to a police Sergeant who had changed to civvies. It turned out he had been a radio operator in Viet Nam. He took us to the Ft McNair O club, where the police sergeant bought us more than was prudent for us to drink.

Thanks Maj Marty Hogan for letting us know that December 30 is the anniversary of the birth of English journalist, short-story writer, poet, and novelist Joseph Rudyard Kipling.
I grew up first listening to my father read the Just So Stories and later reading the Jungle Book and imagining Gunga Din and Mowgli.
Later I learned to appreciate his poem Tommy which honors the British infantry.
Rudyard Kipling - Tommy
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nGClrsAN2aY
FYI COL Mikel J. Burroughs LTC Stephen C. LTC Wayne Brandon Maj William W. "Bill" Price Capt Seid Waddell Capt Tom Brown 1stSgt Eugene Harless SFC Joe S. Davis Jr., MSM, DSL SFC William Farrell SSgt Robert Marx TSgt Joe C. SGT John " Mac " McConnell SP5 Robert Ruck SP5 Mark Kuzinski SrA Christopher Wright SGT Robert George CPL Eric Escasio MSG Andrew White SGT (Join to see)

Thanks for the share. Kipling was a great writer.