War stories

My father told me stories
of the town where he was raised
and what his life was like
way back in those days.

And how it changed his life
when all his brothers went to war
and life could never be
the way it was before.

One brother saved his company
from being shot down
fired his machine gun
when ambushed from the ground.

One brother in Auschwitz
when Allies took the camps
built to dispose of human beings
helped to revamp.

One brother a medic
in the field of pain
helped make soldiers better
so they could fight again.

One brother OSI
searching for a way
to stop illegal trafficking
of all kinds, night and day.

One brother, commissioned in the field
military his career
retired a full bird
after many years.

One brother had a family
and although drafted
remained within the USA
and never joined the action.

One brother young and desperate
feeling left behind
joined Army then Navy
three different times.

All served their country many ways
paid the price of service days
though they all came home again
nothing was the same for them.

They married and raised families
but spent their whole lives ill at ease
ever poised for danger
never trusting any stranger.

Blue stars, silver stars, or gold
old war stories never told
Whose were worst, the men who died
or those who lived with pain inside?