James Woolnough

James's story

"Nothing To Forgive"

A soldier stands facing The Wall,
Reading death that's etched in stone,
He sheds a tear in memory,
And feels so all alone.
Too many years of silence,
Have ripped this man apart,
As the death of Johnny Parker,
Lies heavy on his heart.
He runs a wrinkled finger,
Across the dead boy's name,
Consumed by his emotions,
Of sorrow, guilt, and shame.
Then he travels back in time,
To where it all began,
Back for one more battle,
In the jungles of Vietnam.
The enemy had them overrun,
There was a massive firefight,
John was on the radio,
Cranking with all his might.
But no one heard his cry for help,
And he wouldn't leave his spot,
Nor would he heed the warning,
"Come on or you'll be shot."
The other soldier fought all night,
But he knew they'd all be dead,
So he called in their position,
To fire artillery overhead.
The wounded soldier somehow managed,
To survive the air attack,
But he knew that John was in there,
And he went running back.
He knelt down by Johnny Parker,
Just before he died,
He'd been hit by friendly fire,
And his chest was opened wide.
Staring death in the face,
John knew he'd die that day.
His message was to have no fear,
"Don't worry, it's okay."
He drew one final, peaceful breath,
Then Johnny was no more.
They placed him in a body bag,
Another casualty of war.
The witness was hailed a hero,
With 16 confirmed kills at best,
His government took a Silver Star,
And pinned it on his chest.
And the soldier never told a soul,
Until this very day,
About poor Johnny Parker,
And how he passed away.
But he came home a broken man,
Who only thought of suicide,
One day the Lord spoke to him and said,
"It's not your fault he died."
God showed him all the reasons that he was meant to live,
"Now go in peace my son,
There's nothing to forgive."
But he closed his ears, and he closed his mind,
And carried the guilt for leaving Johnny behind.
And years went by in torment,
The soldier was never free,
He stood alone against the world,
With no God and no country.
Then he brings himself to face The Wall,
With all the pain that he would feel,
The wounded soldier hoped to find,
A place for him to heal.
As he touched the name of Johnny Parker,
He fell upon his knees.
In an anguished voice he whispered,
"Can you forgive me please?"
Then the spirit of Johnny Parker reached out to him at last.
"The time has come my friend,
To let go of the past."
"You saved the lives of other men in combat on that day,"
Then Johnny whispered once again, "Don't worry, it's okay."
"Lay to rest your heavy heart,
And don't be afraid to live,
Now go in peace my brother,
There's nothing to forgive."

Chris Woolnough
June 24, 1999

In honor and loving memory of my hero, James Woolnough, First Air Cav, '67 to '68.