This year for Memorial Day, I wrote a poem in honor of my Vietnam buddy Jim “Mother” Brundage, who passed away on April 2.

Jim and his wife Connie are longtime Renton residents and their son Mike coaches at Liberty High School.

Both Jim and I were United States Marine Corps gunners with Mike Company 3/1 in 1969 and 1970. Jim got his nickname because he helped new guys learn how to avoid getting wounded or killed in combat, including me and I credit him with helping me make it back alive.

I used to be a gunner
For mighty Mike 3/1
We did a lot of fighting
But we also had some fun

We hated Victor Charlie
We stalked him day and night
‘Cause the rotten little bastard
Wouldn’t stand and fight

Instead he lived in tunnels
And hit us late at night
Then set out deadly booby traps
To fill our hearts with fright

But sometimes we’d get lucky
Catching charlie on the run
And we’d get a little payback
For mighty Mike 3/1 !

Semper Fi,
Jim Curtis,
North Bend