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DLS 8-4-08
THE GREEN BERETS
Silver wings upon their chest,
These are men, America’s best.
One hundred men will test today,
But only three win the Green Beret.
Fighting soldiers from the sky,
Fearless men who jump and die.
Men who mean just what they say,
The brave men of the Green Beret.
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Trained to live off nature’s land,
Trained in combat, hand-to-hand.
Men who fight by night and day,
Courage peaks from the Green Berets.
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Back at home a young wife waits,
Her Green Beret has met his fate.
He has died for those oppressed,
Leaving her this last request:
"Put silver wings on my son’s chest,
Make him one of America’s best.
He’ll be a man, they’ll test one day,
Have him win the Green Beret."
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BARRY SADLER RECORDED "THE GREEN BERETS" IN 1966. SADLER WAS IN THE AIR FORCE AND
WAS STATIONED IN JAPAN WHEN HE WAS 17 YEARS OLD. AT 19 YEARS OLD, HE JOINED
THE ARMY AND WAS SENT TO VIETNAM.
HE SERVED AS A MEDIC AND STAFF SERGEANT IN VIETNAM. IN 1965 WHILE LEADING A PATROL UNIT IN THE SOUTH CENTRAL HIGHLANDS OF VIETNAM, HE SUFFERED A SEVERE LEG INJURY THAT SOON BECAME SERIOUSLY INFECTED. HE WAS SENT
STATESIDE TO A HOSPITAL, ENDING HIS TERM.
IN 1968, A NOVEL "THE GREEN BERETS" COMBINED WITH SSGT SADLER'S MILITARY SONGS INITIATED THE MOVIE "THE GREEN BERETS", STARRING JOHN WAYNE, DAVID JANNSEN AND JIM HUTTON. THE MOVIE WAS A SELLOUT FOR A DECADE, AND IS FEATURED ON AMERICAN MOVIE CLASSICS.
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JOHN WAYNE STARRED IN "THE GREEN BERETS", AND HE CO-DIRECTED THE MOVIE. HIS SON, MICHAEL WAS THE PRODUCER. HIS SON, PATRICK WAS ASLO A CO-STAR.
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AS THE U.S. CHOPPERS RETURNED TO BASE,
A YOUNG VOICE FRANTICALLY YELLED, "PETERSON, PETERSON, PETERSON?."
ACTOR DAVID JANNSEN TRIES TO CONSOLE YOUNG HAMCHUCK (ACTOR CRAIG JUE).
JOHN WAYNE PUT PETERSON'S MEDALS AND TAGS AROUND THE DISTRAUGHT LITTLE VIETNAMESE LAD'S NECK, AND TOLD HIM
THAT "PETERSON WAS VERY BRAVE, AND
ONE OF AMERICA'S BEST."
BARRY SADLER WAS BORN NOVEMBER 1, 1940 AT CARLSBAD, NEW MEXICO. HIS MOTHER DIVORCED
HIS TERMINALLY ILL FATHER, JOHN SADLER, WHO
DIED SHORTLY AFTER BARRY WAS BORN.
BEBE LITTLEFIELD TOOK HER TWO SMALL SONS AND MOVED TO LEADVILLE, COLORADO. BARRY DROPPED OUT OF HIGH SCHOOL AND HITCHIKED FOR A COUPLE
OF YEARS UNTIL HE JOINED THE AIR FORCE.
IN GUATAMALA CITY, 27 YEARS LATER, WHILE RIDING IN A TAXI CAB, HE WAS SHOT IN THE HEAD. HE WAS FLOWN TO THE STATES IN A COMA. HE REMAINED IN A COMA TILL HE DIED AT HIS MOTHER'S HOME IN TENNESESEE
ON SEPTEMBER 8, 1989. HE WAS 44 YEARS OLD.
This page was last updated: July 25, 2009
Silver wings upon their chest,
These are men, America’s best.
One hundred men will test today,
But only three win the Green Beret.
