I REALLY DON'T LIKE OFFICERS
IF YOU WERE THERE YOU WOULD KNOW WHY
I DIDN'T LIKE MANY PEOPLE AND THAT'S NO LIE
'TILL I MET A SHAVE TAIL CALLED LIEUTENANT HICKINBOTHAM
HE TOLD US TO FALL IN - I TOOK MY TIME
FOR I HAD SEEN THIS TIME AFTER TIME
THERE WAS NO WAY I WAS GOING TO SHINE MY BOOTS
JUST BECAUSE OF THIS NEW RECRUIT
AND I WASN'T GOING TO SHINE MY BELT BUCKLE
BECAUSE THERE WAS NO BELT
I REMEMBER HE HAD NEW CLOTHES AND SHINY BOOTS
IT MADE ME SICK JUST TO LOOK AT THIS HOOT
HE STOOD UP THERE LIKE A PROUD MARINE
HE SHOWED WISDOM THAT I'D NEVER BEFORE SEEN
HE GOT MY ATTENTION FROM THE FIRST WORDS OUT OF HIS MOUTH
"I AM LIEUTENANT HICKINBOTHAM, I AM A BOOT
I DON'T KNOW ANYTHING - SO I AM TRUSTING YOU MEN
TO GET ME TRAINED IN ANY WAY YOU CAN
I AM GOING TO MAKE MISTAKES SO I'M DEPENDING ON YOU
TO TELL ME THOSE TIMES SO THERE'LL BE FEW"
THIS WAS THE FIRST OFFICER I EVER REALLY LIKED
HE BECAME MY FRIEND AND EVERYONE ELSE'S ALIKE
THIS FRIENDSHIP HAS SPANNED OVER 30 YEARS
FOR THERE IS NO EQUAL AMONG HIS PEERS
THIS FRIENDSHIP STANDS TRUE TODAY
AND I RESPECT HIM IN EVERY WAY
MY HAT OFF TO YOU COLONEL HICKINBOTHAM
FROM EVERY GRUNT FROM THE TOP TO THE BOTTOM
By: James "Tex" Evans
IN TRIBUTE TO: Lieutenant Colonel Tom Hickinbotham
3/26 Kilo Co. - 1st Platoon Lt.
RVN 1969
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