He
the first born
the first grandchild
the first
a gifted athlete and student at Father Judge High School.
He
an All Catholic tackle
earned a full scholarship to play football at the University of Tulsa
and played hard, but fair.
He
left school
to return home to family on Meridian Street
and worked construction.
Until
his number came up. It was
November 1965.
He
was begged
by his parents
by his mother
not to be
a hero
before being sent to Vietnam
in July 1966.
He
was assigned to
Company C of the 2nd Battalion
of the 8th Infantry, 4th Infantry Division.
Army.
He
sent pictures and wrote letters
and always downplayed
the hell
all around him.
He
a team leader who,
like so many others,
longed for the simple:
to return home to his family
to his friends and to the neighborhood
that he
loved.
He
instead
threw a body block on his platoon leader
to save him from a
live grenade.
He
took the hit
and became the
hero
his parents asked him
begged him
not to be.
April 17, 1967
forever changed the meaning of
Memorial Day.
He
was
Sergeant John F. Bense, Jr.;
to the rest of us, he was
Jack.
Jack Bense
May 7, 1945- April 17, 1967
©Maribeth Batcho
All Rights Reserved.
The real reason for Memorial Day is nothing to celebrate…
.
Unleashed 
Yes, you are so very right. War is nothing to celebrate. Jack’s life though is cause for much remembrance.
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Not my first time at that Wall, but the first time on Memorial Day. And while I was only 4 years old when he was killed, this trip to DC was emotional. All the vets, Rolling Thunder, the mini conversations…thanks for taking the time to honor Jack this morning, Bernadette. Much appreciated.
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What a powerful poem! I agree Memorial Day is not a day to celebrate, but it is a day to honor those in the military. What a loss for so many families.
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Spending the day in DC was especially powerful and emotional. The Rolling Thunder turn out was telling. Wish everyone in DC this past weekend had seen the honor they bestowed upon other veterans and especially the fallen. Very moving.
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Very powerful, Maribeth. I love the structure of your poem and the accompanying photo. Thanks for posting.
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Thank you, Diane.
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Thank you for sharing this. Your Slice gave me chills. Your words are powerful. The photo is beautiful.
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Thank you, Lisa. Being in DC, and visiting The Wall on Memorial Day, was that powerful. Seeing the vets…
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So sorry Maribeth, even now after all that time, your poem takes us on his journey, your journey with him. So sorry…
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Thanks Bonnie. I have been to the Wall a dozen + times, but none were as emotional as over this past weekend. I was too young to know Jack, but his loss had a major impact on my entire family. I guess that’s why I was moved to tears and moved to write and honor him after all of these years.
Thanks for reading about Jack, and for remembering along with me.
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My honor Maribeth
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Powerful piece. It is fast and brutal like Jack’s life. It is also full of love and hope in humanity.
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Merci Frenchie cheri 🙂
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Maribeth…what an eloquent and powerful poem you have written. I am really knocked over by it. And, yes, we clearly are soul sisters; we need to meet one day. So sorry about the loss of Jack; a family wound that will never heal.
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Thank you, Barbara. That wound never healed for his parents, nor my parents, and clearly not me.
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Reblogged this on Unleashed and commented:
On this Memorial Day 2017, a return to a piece written for my cousin, Jack Bense, who sacrificed his life in Vietnam to save a comrade.
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Rest In Peace, Jack and thank you for your service.
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I was only 4 years old when Jack was killed. My mother displayed his photo on the end table until the day she died in 2015.
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