<html xmlns:tei="http://www.tei-c.org/ns/1.0"><body><h1 align="center" class="head">Mike Dillon, Doughboy</h1><p class="byline"> LIEUT. JOHN PIERRE ROCHE </p><p>From Lieutenant Roche's hook of poems, 'times in Olive Drab," Robert M. McBride & Company, Publishers, New York. Copyright, 1515. Special permission to insert in this book.</p><p class="inline-note" xmlns:html="http://www.w3.org/TR/REC-html40">"Doughboy" is an old nickname for a United States infantryman. When our army went into what is now New Mexico, Arizona and California to quiet the Mexicans hostilities that preceded the war of 1846, the infantry fell into a way of camping in houses built by the natives with sun--dried bricks of adobe mud. The cavalry, having to lie in the open with the horses, were joked thereat and came back by calling the infantry dobie boys. The name stuck and by an easy slide arrived at the present form.</p><div class="stanza"><p class="line">MIKE DILLON was a doughboy </p><p class="line" style="text-indent:5%">And wore the issue stuff; </p><p class="line">He wasn't much to look at--</p><p class="line" style="text-indent:5%">In fact, was rather rough;</p><p class="line">He served his time as rookie</p><p class="line" style="text-indent:5%">At drilling in the sun, </p><p class="line">And cleared a lot of timber</p><p class="line" style="text-indent:5%">And polished up his gun.</p></div><div class="stanza"><p class="line">Mike Dillon was a private</p><p class="line" style="text-indent:5%">With all the word entails;</p><p class="line">He cussed and chewed tobacco</p><p class="line" style="text-indent:5%">And overlooked his nails.</p><p class="line">You never saw Mike Dillon</p><p class="line" style="text-indent:5%">At dances ultra nice;</p><p class="line">In fact, inspection found him</p><p class="line" style="text-indent:5%">Enjoying body lice.</p></div><div class="stanza"><p class="line">If Mike had married money</p><p class="line" style="text-indent:5%">Or had a little drag,</p><p class="line">He might have got a brevet</p><p class="line" style="text-indent:5%">And missed a little "fag"</p><p class="line">But as a social figure</p><p class="line" style="text-indent:5%">He simply wasn't there--</p><p class="line">So Mike continued drilling</p><p class="line" style="text-indent:5%">And knifing up his fare.</p></div><div class="stanza"><p class="line">In course of time they shipped 'em</p><p class="line" style="text-indent:5%">And shipped 'em over where</p><p class="line">A man like Mike can sidestep</p><p class="line" style="text-indent:5%">The frigid social stare,</p><p class="line">And do the job of soldier</p><p class="line" style="text-indent:5%">Without the fancy frills,</p><p class="line">And keep a steady footing</p><p class="line" style="text-indent:5%">In the pace that really kills.</p></div><div class="stanza"><p class="line">Now Mike did nothing special;</p><p class="line" style="text-indent:5%">He only did his best:</p><p class="line">He stuck and "went on over"--</p><p class="line" style="text-indent:5%">And got it in the chest;</p><p class="line">He played it fair and squarely</p><p class="line" style="text-indent:5%">Without a social air,</p><p class="line">And Mike is now in heaven</p><p class="line" style="text-indent:5%">And at least a corporal there! </p></div></body></html> · Great War