Summary
[ Content Index | Poetry of Clayton Cates ]
Description from the church bulletin in which this was first printed:
2nd Lt. Clayton W. Cates, USA, officially reported as missing in action over Germany February 22nd, 1944, wrote the following poem shortly before this particular mission.
I wrote the poem The Ships Were Missing in reference to this poem, And Bombers Are Missing.
Content Type: Poetry of Clayton Cates
Content Created: Winter 1943/1944
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons License.
A hero muttered as he walked away
From his Thunderbolt that autumn day,
When, as an eager chaperone,
He'd flown to usher bombers home:
AND SHIPS WERE MISSING!
I heard him say, "War is Hell!"
Thinking of those who'd never tell
The stories of a bombing raid;
One of the biggest ever made
WHEN SHIPS WERE MISSING!
"Dear God," I prayed, "Please let us know,
"That those among us who have to go,
"Go to land of peace and love;
"Tell us there's no war above
"For those in the SHIPS WHO ARE MISSING"