Private Neibaur: A Night of Bravery |  |
| Ten days of drenching rain, their trenches thick with mud, they did not care who won the war, they'd seen too much of blood.
But yet they forged toward the wire, exhausted, cold and wet, then breaking through, they killed their way past every foe they met.
Machine gun nests were next to go as dusk crept o'er the land advancing with them up the hill as if Divinely planned.
Once atop the hard-won hill, there was no time to waste, so setting up their perimeter, they dug their holes in haste.
Then suddenly the foe attacked, young lads dropped where they stood, prompting those in half-dug holes to hide the best they could.
With thumping hearts, they scanned the dark for snipers in the trees, then thinking they had found one, they aimed to make him cease.
An officer sought volunteers to take the sniper out. Neibaur said he'd gladly do it. Two stepped up to be his scout.
Then off they crept into the night, with a 12-lb gun and gear, tree-to-boulder-to-hole-to-bush, bros bringing up the rear.
But the trio made it just so far; barbed-wire blocked their way, un-maneuverable in the dark, which made the sniper's day.
The three leapt up, spun in the air then landed atop the wire. Caught in the act of being brave, two bought the sniper's fire.
Though Tom was hit, he did not die, but his leg was wounded bad. Shot three times, but bleeding slow, he vowed he'd give it all he had.
Bum leg in tow, he grabbed the ammo, the Chauchat, and nerves of stone, then settled behind a bank of earth determined to go it alone.
Chauchat setup, he zeroed in on the sniper in the trees; then, suddenly, he heard the foe and felt his young heart squeeze.
It sounded like five thousand as he looked toward the noise, but �twas really more like fifty, bayonets raised and poised.
Shouting, swearing and shooting, they charged Tom Neibaur's spot, as he and the Chauchat answered their barrels glowing hot.
The 167th, close behind and below, soon joined the fire from Tom, firing and loading, firing and loading; no time to think about mom.
Then, out of the blue, the Chauchat jammed expending but two clips-and-a-half. Had it been just an exercise, Neibaur would probably laugh.
Instead, he slammed it on the ground then scrambled down the hill toward his bros from Company M, who fought with gusto still.
With less than 100 yards to go, Tom grimaced then bit his lip. Falling face-down in the mud, a bullet had struck his hip.
Stunned a bit, he lay as dead �til he heard the foe arrive, who tossed aside his pistol assuming he wasn't alive.
Tom watched the five retreating, �til they were nearly out of sight, then he crawled and got his pistol then stood with all his might.
He fired once, to warn "his guys" then leveled his gun at the foe, demanding they raise their hands. What more is there to know?
Well, read on and I shall tell you what he did to save the day with the five rounds he had left, five too many, by the way.
They dropped their empty weapons and raised ten trembling arms for Private Thomas Croft Neibaur, gifted with grit and charm.
He gestured by waving his pistol, and marched them a mile-and-a-half to First Battalion's headquarters, where again he learned to laugh.
"How did you capture eleven?" one Major asked, about his feat. "I did it with these bullets", said Tom, "that nobody wanted to eat."
No, that wasn't really what he said, but rather, "They attacked me and I made a counter-attack." Either way, it rhymes with bravery. | By Nancy L. Meek Copyright 2009 Listed May 10, 2010 | Private Thomas Neibaur's Medal of Honor citation for his heroism in World War I |
| About Author... Nancy is the proud wife of William "Billy" J. Meek, a Vietnam War Veteran, who served with the 1st Cavalry Airmobile Division, 11th Aviation Group, 228th Battalion, Co. B. Nancy's website |
| It is illegal to use this poem without the author's permission. ~~ Send your comments and/or use permission request to Nancy. ~~ | Poem Use Permission Request USA Patriotism! cannot provide use permission for a poem or an author's email address if not listed below the poem. Only the author or a legal representative can grant permission. Try a search engine to find the author's contact information for a use permission request or if it is available for public use. Note: Poems authored in the 1700s and 1800s can be used with reference to the author. |
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