He Was There

It was just another crossing, sailing on the old Cape Mary
We’d take the summer tourists from New London ‘cross the Sound
But this grand old ship had seen so much before she was a ferry
Taking tanks to Normandy to win back allied ground

She was there
When the tracers lit the sky
She was there
Saw so many brave men die
That dawn in June of forty-four
When each man said a prayer
The Hawk came up on Utah Beach
She was there

But on this morning’s ferry an old man came up behind me
He pointed to a plaque with stars that formed a crown
And he said “The Hawk was what we sailors called this LST
On that morning when we landed and my best friend was cut down”

I was there
When the tracers lit the sky
I was there
Saw so many brave men die
That dawn in June of forty-four
When each man said a prayer
The Hawk came up on Utah Beach
I was there

He said that he could tell that I had also served my country
There’s something in the eyes of those who’ve made it through a war
And he knew I’d understand why he’d come here for one last journey
I saluted as he disembarked and made his way to shore

He was there
When the tracers lit the sky
He was there
Saw so many brave men die
That dawn in June of forty-four
When each man said a prayer
The Hawk came up on Utah Beach
He was there
He was there
He was there