Said goodbye to his mama as he left South Dakota
To fight for the red, white and blue
He was 19 and green with a new M-16
Just doin' what he had to do
He was dropped in the jungle where the choppers would rumble
With the smell of napalm in the air
Then the sergeant said, look up ahead
Like a dark evil cloud 1200 came down
On him and 29 more
They fought for their lives but most of them died
In the 173rd airborne
On the 8th of November the angels were cryin'
As they carried his brothers away
With the fire raining down and the hell all around
There were few men left standing that day
Saw the eagle fly through a clear blue sky
1965, the 8th of November
Now he's 58 and his ponytail's gray
But the battle still plays in his head
He limps when he walks but he's strong when he talks
Bout the shrapnel left in his leg
He puts on a gray suit over his airborne tattoo
And he ties it on one time a year
A (one strum)
Swallows it down with his tears
CHORUS
Saw the eagle fly through a clear blue sky
1965
CHORUS x2 (1st 4 lines then whole thing)
Said goodbye to his mama as he left South Dakota
To fight for the red, white and blue
He was 19 and green with a new M-16
Just doin' what he had to do