Unlucky Lima

Unlucky Lima
by Sgt Kris Fox

Story of Lima 3/25 losses in iraq during OIF3 from March 3 2005 to Sept 29 2005

we left ohio for iraq

and readied for the fight
iraq was boiling over
getting farther from the light

our mission it was simple
to go and calm the fear
of locals in al anbar
by cordon search and clear

it started out so easy
but may would soon arrive
and we would lose our first marines
ubaydi’d come alive

then on across the river
to the north and west we rode
in tracks that smoked and shuttered
and one would soon explode

first platoon was hit again
unlucky had they been
for in three days in early may
they’d just lost 8 good men

before the month was over
new market would arrive
and 1 more of our good marines
would not go home alive

june was hot and dusty
as we fought from town to town
but this month we were lucky
for no man had gone down

a painful blow was dealt again
on a foot patrol in hit
we tried to save the corpsman
but he died within a week

In cykla there would be more pain
while knocking on a door
a team leader and radioman
would soon lay on the floor

in the heat of early august
another blow was dealt
an amtrack would lie twisted
as more pain and grief was felt

11 was the number
on that day of august 3rd
when in our column’s file
an eruption had occurred

the number 23 would stand
from then until october
then lima did come shuffling home
their mission it was over

But none in rank or column
on that grey october day
would ever forget their brothers
or the price that they had paid

Sgt Kris Fox.
Lima 3/25 1996-2006