From Thunder to Sunrise

Corbin L. Cherry

Description

Poetry for those whom are grieving for loved ones that lost their lives while serving in Vietnam.

Sujets

• Vietnam veterans
• American poetry
• Vietnam
• 101st Airborne Division
• Vietnam War
• Viêt Nam
• Poetry
• American
• 101e division aéroportée (États-Unis)

Informations

• Publié par: Turner Publishing Company
• Date de parution: 01 avril 1995
• Nombre de lectures: 0
• EAN13: 9781681621449
• Langue: English

Extrait

FROM
THUNDER TO SUNRISE
Reflections of Vietnam
by Corbin Lee Cherry
TURNER PUBLISHING COMPANY
Turner Publishing Company
Copyright 1995. Turner Publishing Company.
All rights Reserved.
This book or any part thereof may not be reproduced
without the written consent of the Publisher.
Library of Congress Catalog Card Number: 95-60328
ISBN : 978-1-68162-130-2
Additional copies may be purchased directly from the publisher.
F ROM T HUNDER T O S UNRISE R EFLECTIONS OF V IETNAM
These pages, these feelings, these memories, these thoughts and these words are dedicated to the men and women who served this country in the war known to all of us who were there as Vietnam. A bond will forever join us together because of that place, that time and those memories.
P RELUDE
The following pages are the result of a great many men
and women who spent a part of their life in
the southeastern corner of Asia, in a small country called
Vietnam. That time was to change their lives in a varied
number of ways. The change was to affect them, most of
them, for the rest of their lives.
My hope in writing these words and filling these pages
is that someone who was there might come to know that
there are many others who also feel as they do, be that
good or bad. The truth to this whole story and the fulness
of this story may never be told, but I would hope that this
could be a part of the puzzle. In writing this I learned
a lot about what happened to me there and later here.
The time for healing is past due. The time for us to band
together in hope is right now. The time for love to be
felt, by giving and receiving, is right now. We were in
that thing together and we are in this thing of healing
together. The time is at hand.
We shall never forget that place and that time. That
would be to rob us of a time when many young people lost
their innocence, but we can live with the fact that we
were there and we have survived to this point; many of
our band never did get this far, for a thousand different
reasons.
The time is at hand to reach out and take each other s
hand, for we are all brothers and sisters from that war and that time.
Reach out, touch someone who was there and tell them
that you love them and you are glad that they got home.
Welcome back ..... Here the healing starts ........
T ABLE OF C ONTENTS
Publisher s Message
Dedication
Prelude
About the Author
Introduction
A Ministry To Be Shared
A Ministry Of Variation
Outreach Ministry
Quotes and Commentary
P ART O NE
G ETTING T O I T
A Different Play
Getting To It
I Would Like To Know
The Moon Is On The Wing
Little Cloud
Simplicity
Preparation For It
P ART T WO
I T
It
The Captain s Hole
Love and Hate
Who is Guilty?
Understanding Me Now
337 Days
The Sins Of This Place
Happiness
Tomorrow
Lord Have I Cried
A Lifetime Since Yesterday
It Is Better To Care
Mine
For Richard
Where Will It Stop?
I Don t Know
Somewhere In Southeast Asia
Memories
Just Love Her More
Important
Scales
A Mother s Tears
Returning Is Good
Christmas ( 68)
New Year s Eve
Time Is Up
The Traitor
Sacred Trees Are Planted There
The Old Couple
Waking Up
The Memorial Service
Young Men At War
How Old Are You?
Be Real
It Is Only A Gook
Feed The Enemy
His Country
Patriotism (over here)
The Diary
The Diary (part two)
Deserted
The Hospital
This Birthday
Highs And Lows
The Old Guy
The Children
The Children s Eyes
Please Remember Me
I Knew You Would Be Here
Growth Or Change?
Survival
Today And Tomorrow
The Chaplain
Where Is God?
My Faith Is Not Gone
Day Dreams
The Night
Despair
A Word of Thanks
I Am Glad
Those At Home
Not Understandable
Those Boxes
The Building
The Journey Of Darkness
Gains And Losses
Death In Life
Loneliness
I Need To Get Out Of This Place
Take Me Back Please
It Will Not Leave
Reality
My Heart Is Troubled
A Conquered Conqueror
Tomorrow Comes
The Point Man In The Night
The Bunker Guard
Life Is Better Ahead
Two Sides
Searching For Forgiveness
The Agony
Forgiveness
A Friend
Because Of People
Thank You, Nurse
Oh Wow
Images
P ART T HREE
G ETTING A WAY F ROM I T
Getting Away From It
The Journey
The Faces Are The Same
Reaction
Mistakes
I Never Cried Outside
Those Who Lost Children
Baptism
The Two Guys
A Baby Girl For Leo
My Memory Of Vietnam
These Memories Are Mine
Empty Or Full
Remembering And Letting Go
The Wall
B. P. On The Tree
Right Here, Peace?
Forgiveness For Everyone?
Forgiveness
Quince
Investment
Why Do We Have To Fight?
That Will Have To Wait A While
The Question Why
A Place Of Peace
The War Was Not God s Fault
His Miracle
Survival
Our Humanity
My Year
Different People
Welcome Home Son
The Forgotten Warrior
Welcome Home
The Enemy And The Point Man
Replacement
Loving
Return America, I Have
Changes
Flashbacks
Reach Out And Take My Hand
The Smell of Change
Alive And Proud
From Thunder To Sunrise
A BOUT THE A UTHOR : C ORBIN L EE C HERRY
Minister, Composer, Lecturer, Author, Sportman, Musician, Patriot
MILITARY SERVICE
U.S. Army, June, 1967-April, 1974
Received medical retirement as Captain due to wounds sufferedin Vietnam.
1967-1968
Fort Bragg, 82nd Airbone Division
1968
Military Academy, West Point, New York
1969
Vietnam, 101st Airborne Division
1970
Walter Reed Medical Center, Washington, D.C.
1971-1974
Letterman Medical Center, San Francisco, California
Awards and Decorations:

5 Air Medals, 1 Army Commendation Medal,

3 Purple Hearts, 1 Vietnamese Cross of Gallantry,

1 Bronze Star, 2 Silver Stars
VARIOUS MINISTRIES
1962-1964
Bath, North Carolina
1964-1966
Goldsboro, North Carolina
1967-1974
Chaplain, U.S. Army
1974-1978
Parish Minister, Mill Valley, California Night Club and Street Ministry, San Francisco Ski Ministry with handicapped children, California
1978-1982
Chief of Chaplains for the Veterans Administration, Washington, D.C., this is the second largest Chaplain Service in the world
1982-Present
Chief, Chaplain Service, VAMC, San Francisco, California
PROFESSIONAL AFFILIATIONS
The North Carolina Conference of the United Methodist Church
The Northern California Conference of the United Methodist Church
The National Inconvenienced Sportsman s Association
The National Amputee Golf Association
The International Sportsman s Association
The Disabled American Veterans
The Military Order of the Purple Heart
LITERARY ENDEAVORS
Published in the area of the Vietnam Veteran, his stress and after war existance.
One song L.A. Lady has been recorded and sold.
Published in the area of the handicapped person and how they deal with their environment.
Published in the area of the burned patient and what chaplains role is in their life.
Written articles on the aging process, orthopedic patients, substance abuse and dying.
Published two books of poetry and prose.
I NTRODUCTION
I d like to introduce you to Corbin Cherry . He is a Minister, Composer, Musician, Author, Lecturer, Sportsman, and Patriot. I firmly believe he can be an asset to your organization, whether it is business, civic, religious, professional health care, a sports club, or veterans group. If this seems like a varied group of interests, it is- Corbin Cherry has been a part of each of these groups. He has been a part of many lives, one of which is mine. I believe you and your organization will receive inspiration and reap the benefits from this man s ability and life story.
Barry J. Speare
Executive Director
Summit Productions
A M INISTRY T O B E S HARED
Corbin Cherry is an ordained Methodist minister and is presently the Chief Chaplain at the VA Medical Center, San Francisco, California. From 1978 to 1982 Corbin Cherry served as the Chief of Chaplains for the Veterans Administration and was responsible for the spiritual care of veteran patients in 172 Veterans Administration Hospitals in the United States and Puerto Rico.
Prior to joining the VA in 1978, Corbin was a hospital chaplain, a parish minister, and a nightclub entertainer who developed a special ministry among the night people. Corbin has taken his ministry from the quiet rural eastern coast of North Carolina to the jungles of Vietnam, and the streets of San Francisco, and back to the busy hub of our nation in Washington, D.C.
A M INISTRY OF V ARIATION
While serving as a chaplain in Vietnam, Corbin was attached to the 101st Airborne Division. While on a rescue mission, he stepped on a landmine and lost one of his legs. As he lay in his hospital bed, unsettled and crying at the sight of the Commanding General of the 101st at his bedside, he apologized for his tears. The General took his hand and looked at him saying, You go ahead and cry, I have nothing more important to do than this. This bit of encouragement caused Corbin to adopt the same feeling in his life for others from that time on. This is seen in his understandable interest in the handicapped person. He has used his talents in a teaching ministry to handicapped people in several sports, notably snow skiing and golf. He is a certified ski instructor and a low handicap golfer who was featured in Golf Digest in 1981.
O UTREACH M INISTRY
As the author of music, poetry, and three books to be published, Corbin Cherry can bring a new fresh look to the ministry and the idea of caring. As a former orthopedic patient and amputee, he speaks with authority on the subject of ways to deal with the handicapped. He has published papers on the aged, substance abuse, and the terminally ill patient. As a very dedicated person to both God and his country, he brings a warm glow to the idea of being an American. He is a witty speech maker, a somber orator, and one who brings important issues to the point of truth. He is well-versed in both medical and nonme