WAKE ISLAND



December the seventh we heard about Pearl,

We knew we'd be next on the list.

The men of our Corps four fifty no more

All swore to the death to resist.



Cho: Wake Island, Wake Island,

It's not even marked on the map

Our Corps raised her name into honor and fame

When they stopped the advance of the Japs.



Cut off from supplies with no hope of aid

We sighted the first Japanese,

With thousands of troops and a task force of ships

They thought they could take us with ease.



They sent in their subs, their ships and their planes

They shelled us by day and by night,

Surrender they said, we laughed at their threats

We're only beginning to fight.



Our four hundred fifty cost six thousand Japs

Our fighters downed twenty eight planes,

We sank two destroyers and one submarine

Six others got shelled for their pains.



Our plan was to fight to the very last man

But Deveraux gave this command,

There's a thousand civilians I can't sacrifice

We'll have to surrender our band.



As we lay down our arms on the twenty third day

The Japs cheered the news of defeat.

But they could not believe a few crummy Marines

Had stopped the whole Japanese fleet.



From "Tell it to the Marines", Oscar Brand

@war @America @WWII @Marine

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