TO THE VISITORS OF THIS SITE:
THE FOLLOWING SENTIMENTS WERE SPOKEN BY MAJOR MICHAEL DAVIS O'DONNELL DURING A MEMORIAL SERVICE AT DAK TO ON 1 JANUARY 1970. I KNEW AND LOST MANY FRIENDS THERE AND CARRY THE MAJORS SAYING IN MY WALLET TO THIS DAY. STRANGELY, I HEARD THOSE SAME WORDS AGAIN WHEN I SAW THE HOLLYWOOD VERSION OF 'HAMBURGER HILL.' I KNEW AFTER THE FIRST LINE OR TWO EXACTLY WHERE THEY CAME FROM AND WHO SAID THEM-- THEY WEREN'T ABOUT THE 101ST AT ALL. I FULLY REALIZED WHAT THE MAJORS SAYING MEANT TO ME BUT FAILED TO UNDERSTAND WHAT IT MEANT TO OTHERS UNTIL I SHOWED IT TO A BUDDY WHO WAS ALSO THERE AND IN MY SAME PLATOON. AS HE READ IT ... HIS EYES TEARED UP, HIS HANDS BEGAN TO SHAKE, AND ALL HE COULD SAY BEFORE TURNING AWAY WAS, "CAN I HAVE THIS?"
RICHARD BRUCE
D/4/503d, 173d
Dak To Memorial Service
By Maj. Michael Davis O'Donnell
1 January 1970
"If you are able,
save for them a place
inside of you
and save one backward glance
when you are leaving
for the places they can no longer go.
Be not ashamed to say
you loved them,
though you may or may not have always.
take what they have left
and what they have taught you
with their dying
and keep it with your own.
And in that time
when men decide and feel safe
to call war insane,
take one moment to embrace
those gentle heroes
you left behind."
