Just before WW I ended in 1918, my Uncle, Sgt. E. Jay Bryan, died in France from the flu. He had been in France for almost a year and had been through the all of the war, but the flu was the worst killer of our young service men!
Uncle E. Jay was a handsome young man as this picture, taken in 1917, just before he shipped over to France, shows!
Two years before, E. Jay’s National Guard unit, Company F, 3rd Infantry Regiment, was activated by the Army and served with Gen. Pershing during the Mexican Border Campaign of 1916. Company F, charged with defense of the Mexico/U.S. border was made up of men from central Texas.
Sixty years before, his Grandfather Brinson. M. Bryan, my Great Grandfather, also defended along the border during the Mexican War of 1846/47. He was part of a Texas Ranger contingent, Bell’s Rangers, also from central Texas.
Today, our southern border still remains a real problem area. It was simple in my forefather’s times, they just closed the border and ran the Mexicans back across. Things were much easier then before our Country became engulfed with political correctness and the disgusting pandering of our politicians.
Going through some of E. Jay’s stuff I came across the following hand written poem with credit given to no poet, perhaps he composed it himself? It is my pleasure to share it with everyone.
“TOO PROUD TO LOAF
We’re camping on the Rio Grande with nothing much to do,
But wash our shirts and darn our socks, and darn the insects too.
We want the world to understand we’re not too proud to fight,
But draw the line at loafing here with things that sting and bite.
The Rattlers are a friendly lot and visit us by scores,
Tarantulas prefer our tents to sleeping out of doors.
In napping in our shoes and hats the scorpion persists,
We’ve also learned the Horned Toad is a harmless little oaf,
But we’re not a bit too proud to fight, but how we hate to loaf.”
Just like today, most of us, and definitely our military, loves this great country and remains proud to serve her! But, one thing remains a constant, our country’s freedom is more important than politics or political correctness!