Page 3

FORWARD

A few years ago the morning mail brought to the editorial offices of OUR ARMY a somewhat bedraggled issue envelope postmarked from one of the smaller Army posts on the Canadian border. TenEyck Van Dusen, soldier and poet, had submitted his first work to us. Since that time an intermittent series of poems have come to us from the busy pen of this soldier.

Corporal Van Dusen's work has been distinguished by a wide knowledge of verse form, an excellent word sense and a deep understanding of his subject matter.

The pen of this soldier is facile. Whether he sees the argot of the modern soldier to reveal the man beneath the brass buttons as in "Incident" or whirls into colorful metaphysics as in "Told in the Squadroom" he is always able - often beautiful and often satirical.

Although Corporal Van Dusen's work is little known beyond the Service, it has received due measure of appreciation from Army men. Colonel Shaw, former Commanding Officer of the Second Infantry, used "The Regimental Patch" as a frontispiece to his "History of the Second Infantry": the Second Corps Area Ordinance Exhibit used his "Painted Lady" in their booklet, service newspapers and the open columns of OUR ARMY have known appreciative comment.

Corporal Van Dusen is an outstanding military poet. Perhaps in time he may become a great poet. The best wishes of Our Army go with him.

                                          G. A. Harter

Bradley began writing poetry in 1924, while he was stationed in the Phillipines.

Besides the military poems within this book, Bradley also wrote the following poems on military topics:

Maneuvers	1924
Outcasts	November 7, 1928
The Regimental Patch	October 1929