Dover
By John Flynn
Elijah was a sergeant, 42 years old
from Mesa Arizona, Elijah won't grow old
Patrick was with C Troop, Second Armored Cav
His buddies all remember how Patrick loved to laugh
Seth was from East Brunswick, just a newly wed
Somewhere in New Jersey a young widow bows her head
Daniel was from Boston shipped out from Fort Bragg
His mother got back Daniel with a folded flag
Chorus:
Oh big airplane bring’em down
easy
Out of the Delaware skies
Oh big airplane Dover is waiting
to welcome the fallen you fly
William was in Anbar, combat engineer
1st Marine Division, William isn't here
Alan rebuilt bridges for Battalion B
Next to cause of death they wrote the letters I E D
Gussie was a scrub nurse hailing
from Fort Bliss
Gussie had a spirit this world's gonna miss
Jeremiah's son cries on his mamma's knee
There was no armor plating on his dad's humvee
Chorus Chorus:
Oh big airplane bring’em down
easy
Out of the Delaware skies
Oh big airplane Dover is waiting
to welcome the fallen you fly
Scrubbed wooden pallets with white straps
cinched over
Long boxes of flag draped aluminum
The C-5 is crowded when it lands in Dover
The honor guard boards and makes room again
Making straight for Nineveh, just like Jonah’s whale
Holy truth you swallow, overseas you sail
Precious is the cargo sacred was their gift
offered in a sandstorm from which your wings lift
Those who would take notice can’t watch you set down
Behind barbed wire fences miles from their town
No one breathes to question this silent parade
Except for the anguished loved ones left to say
Chorus:
Oh big airplane bring’em down
easy
Out of the Delaware skies
Oh big airplane Dover is waiting
to welcome the heroes you fly home
© 2005 Flying Stone Music
