Dont cry Jami were not going far 
 Just down to Sandy Hook to practice landing on the bar. 
 With these few simple words a man go's on his way 
And leaves a young bride to ponder all her days. 
She will sit and wonder and watch the door and pray 
She will still be waiting when she is old and gray. 

 Myself and Jenny, Otis Bays and Jami were the best of pals 
Jami and Jenny were really too sweet gals.
Jenny was the type that liked to have fun
 Jami was more quiet she was the serious one. 
And when she met Otis she fell like a ton 
It would have been better had she turned and run. 

But Otis and Jami decided to team up for life 
So they had the vicar pronounce them man and wife. 
And we threw a big party at the Stag and Hound 
Cost the squad about eighty pounds. 
When Jenny caught the boquet she sure made happy sounds 
She thought her wedding would be the next around.. 

The affair at the Stag and Hound was in May of forty four 
It was to be the last,the place is gone forever more. 
The Captain gave Otis a three day pass for his honeymoon 
He had to be back in camp before the first of June. 
Three days is not a long time to spoon and croon 
And so they were on a train that afternoon. 

That night with a blast and roar,the Stag and Hound 
Disappeared in a cloud of dust. nothing was ever found. 
The honeymoon came to a sudden end 
When Jami heard of the death of her best friend. 
When your young death is hard to comprehend 
With Jenny's death Jami's heart would be long to mend. 

I only saw Jami one more time 
At Jenny's wake she came and put her hand in mine. 
With Otis and her standing by my side 
I felt the tears that I couldnt hide. 
To her there was something I wanted to confide 
But I couldnt say the words no matter how hard I tried. 

Otis didn't dare tell Jami where we were bound 
But the next day we were in Southhampton town. 
The channel port was full of ships 
  And we were packed on board hip to hip 
It looked like we were going on a trip. 
But the damn thing broke down and didnt leave the slip. 

I am sure glad we were late for D Day 
This story might have ended some other way. 
We couldnt get off all we could do was sit and wait 
   But that is life in every army it is a soldiers fate. 
  And we didnt get any mail at this late date 
This caused poor old Otis to be irate. 

We landed on Utah beach on d+ten 
Things were pretty well cleaned up by then. 
There was one blasted bunker just above high tide 
A German soldier was sitting just inside 
Probably the position in which he died. 
He had a real bad smell the wind couldnt hide. 

Back from the beach was the town of Vallones 
Not much left but a pile of stone. 
We were there only about an hour 
When we came under heavy artillery fire. 
We were laying in holes in the mud and mire 
When a piece of shrapnel caused Otis to expire. 

You better believe the squad was in deep shock 
When a friends number comes up on the clock. 
All I could think of is what Jami would say 
Two dear one's deaths in just a few days. 
I tried to write her but there was no way. 
I'm truly sorry Jami,but for you I did pray. 

Months later in the mail I received a note 
This is what her sister wrote. 
Said Jami is better now than she was in June 
Doctors say she will be comeing home soon. 
She says her and Otis will go on their honeymoon 
When they come back you and Jenny come visit some afternoon. 

How many other wives knew Jami's fate? 
Sit home alone and quietly wait. 
For the knock on the door they dred will come 
About the loss of a husband or a son. 
These are warriors also each and every one 
They are warriors that never carry a gun. 

It's hard for a man to pack and go away 
And there are no brass bands for those who wait and pray. 
Or those who keep the home fires burning 
Or those who sit with a heart thats yearning 
Or the knock on the door when they will be learning 
That their loved one will not be returning. 

For a wife that faces the lonely years ahead 
She is the true hero,not the one who is dead. 
For he sleeps in an honored grave 
Above  the band plays and old glory waves 
Politicians come and rant and rave. 
But the wives and mothers are the ones that gave. 

At St Mere Eglise just up from Omaha beach 
I stopped one day and marvelled how far the crosses reach. 
Along towards the end of the day 
I found one that read Pvt.Otis Bays. 
As I stood there I swear I heard Jami say 
He's no longer here,he came home to stay. 

What became of Jami?I would never know. 
For this all happened so very long ago. 
Did she recover and return home one day? 
Doe's she still remember when he went away? 
I still remember when she was young and gay. 
I still remember Jami and Otis Bays. 

Elmer Ake