Here's a (relatively) new one. Right about that first chorus I start chokin up.
On November 8th 1965, the 173rd airborne brigade on "Operation Hump", war zone "D" in Viet Nam; were ambushed by over 1200 VC. 48 American soldiers lost their lives that day. Severely wounded, and risking his own life; Lawrence Joel, a Medic; was the first living black man since the Spanish American war, to recieve the Medal of Honor; for saving so many lives in the midst of battle that day.
Caught in the action of kill or be killed, greater love hath no man, than to lay down his life for his brothers.
Big and Rich - "The 8th of November"
Said goodbye to his momma, as he left South Dakota
To fight for the red, white and blue
He was 19 and green, with a new M-16
Just doing what he had to do
He was dropped in the jungle, where the choppers would rumble
With the smell of napalm in the air
And the sergeant said...
look up ahead
Like a dark evil cloud, 1,200 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 crying,
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 pony tail'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 they left in his leg
He puts on a gray suit, over his Airborne tattoo
And he ties it on one time a year
And remembers the fallen, as he orders a tall one
And swallows it down with his tears
On the 8th of November, the angels were crying,
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
Saw the eagle fly
through a clear blue sky
1965...
On the 8th of November, the angels were crying
As they carried his brothers away
With the fire raining down, and the hell all around
There were few men left standing that day
On the 8th of November, the angels were crying,
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
Said goodbye to his momma as he left South Dakota
TO fight for the red, white and blue
He was nineteen and green with a new M-16
Just doing what he had to do
For the veterans of Operation Hump, Lawrence Joel, and Niles Harris.
