The Night before Christmas , by Lance Corporal James M. Schmidt

[Busterswoodshop]

This is for all active duty and veterans of the military.

This is a card I found in my Fathers WWII papers.
A version of The Night Before Christmas , written by a soldier.
Merry Christmas to all active duty and veterans.





Happy Holidays

Twas the night before Christmas , he lived all alone,
in a one bedroom house made of plaster and stone.
I had come down the chimney with presents to give,
and to see just who in this home did live.
I looked all about, a strange sight I did see,
no tinsel , no presents , not even a tree.

No stocking by mantle, just boots filled with sand,
and on the wall pictures of far distant lands.
With medals and badges, awards of all kinds,
a sobering thought came to my mind.
For this house was different, so dark and so dreary,
the home of a soldier, now I could see clearly.

The soldier lay sleeping, silent, alone,
curled up on the floor in this one bedroom home.
The face was so gentle, the room in such disorder,
not how I pictured a United States Soldier.
Was this the hero of whom I’d just read?
Curled up on a poncho, the floor for a bed?

I realized the families that I saw this night,
owed their lives to these soldiers, who were willing to fight.
Soon round the world, the children would play,
and grownups would celebrate a bright Christmas day.
They all enjoyed freedom each month of the year,
because of soldiers, like the one lying here.

I couldn’t help wonder how many lay alone,
on a cold Christmas eve in a land far from home.
The very thought brought a tear to my eye,
I dropped to my knees and started to cry.
The soldier awakened and I heard a rough voice,
“ Santa don’t cry, this life is my choice,

I fight for freedom, I don’t ask for more,
my life is my God, my country, my corps.”
The soldier rolled over and soon drifted to sleep,
I couldn’t control it, I continued to weep.
I kept watch for hours, so silent and still,
and we both shivered from the cold evening’s chill.

I didn’t want to leave on that cold, dark, night,
this guardian of honor so willing to fight.
Then the soldier rolled over, with a voice soft and pure,
whispered. “ Carry on Santa, it’s Christmas day, all is secure.”
One look at my watch, and I knew he was right.
Merry Christmas my friend, and to all a good night.

Lance Corporal James M. Schmidt

 

[Wvfarrier]

Dusty in here

 

[eveled]

God bless our soldiers every one of them. Amen

 

[brutus]

Yea me too!
A perfect reminder for why we are a free country.

 

[Watertender]

Thanks for posting this. I never knew the back story but I know it's very meaningful. We sleep peacefully because of men like this standing watch in the night.

 

[GunnyGene]

For those who don't know anything about the author and how this poem came to be:

https://honor365.org/lcpl-james-m-schmidt/

The true story of the poem, as told by Lance Corporal Schmidt: “While a Lance Corporal serving as Battalion Counter Sniper at the Marine Barracks 8th & I, Washington, DC, under Commandant P.X. Kelly and Battalion Commander D.J. Myers [in 1986], I wrote this poem to hang on the door of the Gym in the BEQ. When Colonel Myers came upon it, he read it and immediately had copies sent to each department at the Barracks and promptly dismissed the entire Battalion early for Christmas leave. The poem was placed that day in the Marine Corps Gazette, distributed worldwide and later submitted to Leatherneck Magazine.”

Schmidt’s original version, entitled “Merry Christmas, My Friend,” was published in Leatherneck (Magazine of the Marines) in December 1991, a full two years before it was supposedly “written” by someone else on Christmas Eve 1993 (and had appeared in the Barracks publication Pass in Review four years before it was printed in Leatherneck).

As Leatherneck wrote of the poem’s author in 2003: “Merry Christmas, My Friend” has been a holiday favorite among “leatherneckphiles” for nearly the time it takes to complete a Marine Corps career. Few, however, know who wrote it and when. Former Corporal James M. Schmidt, stationed at Marine Barracks, Washington, D.C., pounded it out 17 years ago on a typewriter while awaiting the commanding officer’s Christmas holiday decorations inspection . . . while other leathernecks strung lights for the Barracks’ annual Christmas decoration contest, Schmidt contributed his poem to his section.”

Over the years the text of “Merry Christmas, My Friend” has been altered to change the Marine-specific wording into Army references (including the title: U.S. Marines do not refer to themselves as “soldiers”) and to incorporate line-ending rhyme changes necessitated by those alterations.

We reproduce below Corporal Schmidt’s version as printed in Leatherneck back in 1991:

 

[contender]

This is posted elsewhere,, but I'll say it again,, it never fails to bring tears to my eyes.

 

[JHallford]

Something in my eye, you know it happens every time...Jim Croce..... and me when I read this.

 

[Watertender]

This is posted elsewhere,, but I'll say it again,, it never fails to bring tears to my eyes.

I sent the video to our friend Colonel Gene "Liberty Forever" Links widow Judy. I can't hear or watch it without thinking about Gene and I get tears in my eyes. He was one of the greatest people I ever knew.