He pleads with God, "Don't leave me here!"
Wounded and bleeding and hunched with pain
Thrown on his back in the mud and rain.
Others went down, some hit, all scared.
No one moved; no one dared!
We'd moved swiftly through the paddy mire.
And then it happened; emeny fire!
It's "Corpsman Up!" when things get hot
The nearest thing to God we got.
"Corpsman Up!" to save a breath;
"Corpsman Up!" in the face of death.
Stop the bleeding; treat for shock.
No time for hesitation "Doc"
Patch him up and get him back,
Back to the rear; call a medivac.
Operating room well lit and clean;
Doctors waiting, dressed in green.
Operate with speed and skill;
Experts with determined will
Save lives or limbs to save dreams
No matter how impossible it seem
Work on in sweat and mud and grime;
To save a life... there's not much time!
You joined the Navy to learn your trade.
And went to school and made the grade.
It's "Corpsman Up!" when rounds are flying;
"Corpsman Up!" when men are dying.
You're one of us, a grunt with grit.
Like it or not, you just can't quit.
"Corpsman Up!" step out of ranks!
"Corpsman Up!" ---and accept our thanks.
