The Night Before Christmas

The Night Before Christmas

by A/3c Dave Finchler

T'was the night before Christmas

And all through the base

A look of disgust

Was on everyone's face

Christmas is merry

Christmas is bright

But not for the men

Who work Christmas night

Unknown to the people

All over the nation

Are these unsung heroes

At one little station

While everyone's shouting

And jumping with glee

It's just another day

For these men, you see

With the help of the cooks

The medics, supply

Men of Operations

Are scanning the sky

Unseen at the places

Where parties are thrown

Is an aircraft approaching

Identity........Unknown

Down from the arctic

And in toward the states

The city knows nothing

It just celebrates

The laughter and joking

Would suddenly cease

If they knew this aircraft

Was a menace to peace

The men at the station

Alive and alert

Make sure that the folks

Back home stay unhurt

At a maddening pace

They track the intruder

Then the signal is given

And up goes our "shooter"

The action is watched

With keen anticipation

And the alert is passed

From station to station

The fighter streaks on

While wild hearts are beating

Rushing to give

The "bogey" our greeting

Back in the city

Midnight has come

People drink beer

And whiskey and rum

Not one of them senses

The danger in flight

As the unknown bomber

Stalks through the night

The peril increases

And sweat pours indeed

As this aircraft from nowhere

Starts picking up speed

Suddenly the radio

Gives forth a blare

As a pilots voice

Shatters the air

"Approaching the bogie"

He's still coming south

Will attack from the rear

Over and out

Everyone breathes

A sigh of relief

But the pilot follows

With a message of grief

"Can see the bomber

He's not very far

And the mark on his wing

Is a big red star

A deathly silence

Fills the air

The enemy approaches

But why and to where

While just a handful

Hold their breath

The fighter and bomber

Wage a duel of death

Below in the city

Some men trim their trees

While others in church

Are on bended knees

While exchanging their presents

Some laugh and some cry

But there's not a present

For that man in the sky

He thinks not of home

Of his kids or his wife

He thinks of the value

Of each American life

With jets wide open

And hands on the gun

The fighter streaks on

For its last mighty run

The rockets shoot forward

True to their aim

And the bomber goes down

In smoke and in flame

With mission accomplished

And a smile on his face

He orbits his plane

And heads back to his base

Then high up above him

He sees a bright glare

A blinding light

Has filled the night air

For there overhead

Is a man bright and gay

A man with some presents

His reindeer and sleigh

And clutched in his hand

As he rushes on through

Is a colorful flag

Of Red...White.... and Blue

Yes, Santa was watching

The right and the wrong

And he knows men like this

Keep our country strong

And he knows that no matter

How strong be our foe

These "Eyes of the Sky"

Are ready to go

So, tonight if you happen

To stare at the sky

And see a fighter

Just flashing by

Just pray that God

Gives his guiding light

To these fabulous men

Who work Christmas night.

The End