Creed of the Commando
I am the Commando
I have neither Father, nor Mother
Nor Sister, nor Brother
I was born to kill —
And death is my destiny, for I am expendable.
(litany)
We are the varied Legions of the Doomed
By shadow light of night we storm the shore
And break, to spume the beach with bloody gore
Against the emplaced cannon, and the roar
Of strafing aircraft sluicing down the loomed
Embroidered traceries of flaming shell
Whose cry the monstrous bat of nether hell
Would answer as the mating call, and dwell
Among the new cut dead not yet entombed.
I am the Commando
My Father burned in lakes of flaming oil
Blown from a tanker’s crushed, torpedoed bowels
I was born to kill —
And death is my destiny, for I am expendable.
(litany)
We are the varied Legions of the Damned
Out of the night our barges loom and spill
The implements of war; the shadows kill
With lightening stab, then fade into the still
Black dawn that rings the Fortress, and the jammed
Troop-transport planes have sown their deadly capes
While bombers dive, with slitted mouth that gapes
To drip its poison on the beast who apes
The upright form of Man. We are the damned.
I am the Commando
My Mother’s bruised and mangled body bore
The mute and silent testament of rape
I was born to kill —
And death is my destiny, for I am expendable.
(litany)
We are the varied legions of the Doomed
By shadow light, etc.
I am the Commando
My Sister’s body lies in bloody shreds
Where bombs have torn it limb from shattered limb
I was born to kill —
And death is my destiny, for I am expendable.
(litany)
We are the varied Legions of the Damned
Out of the night, etc.
I am the Commando
In some mass grave my only Brother keeps good company
With those long crucified upon the Iron Cross
I was born to kill —
And death is my destiny, for I am expendable.
(litany)
We are the varied legions of the Doomed
By shadow light, etc.
I am the Commando
I have neither Father, nor Mother
Nor Sister, nor Brother
I was born to kill —
And death is my destiny, for I am expendable.
Amen (chorus)
Grady L. McMurtry, U.S.Army
5/23/1943 e.v.
Note: Originally published in Thelema Lodge Calendar, May 1995.