The Ancient Weekend Warriors
Twas nearly sixty years ago
Two squadrons of reserves
Were at Los Alamitos formed
To train once more to serve
Civilians now, each month they came
To hone their flying skills
Though each pursued a new career,
Marines they all were still
Not just for flying did they come,
They came to play as well
Some antics I can yet recall,
But I will never tell
These Corsair pilots, most of them
Just fresh from World War Two
Were ready if their country called
For what they best could do
A telegram they soon received
Gave to them all that chance
“Stop listening to the music, boys,
The time has come to dance.”
The Korean War is history now,
And we have changed since then
But even after all these years
We still remember when.
Thank God so large a number now
This gathering can attend
We beat the odds, for most have passed
The three score years and ten
But some comrades in spirit only
Can be with us tonight
From wartime loss or natural cause
They’ve drifted from our sight
Our lives have followed diverse paths
Through wide and varied scenes
But a common thread still binds us all
We’re United States Marines.
Semper Fi!