John D. Rich, 'The 8th of November'

[duathir.livejournal.com]

The 8th of November

(On November 8th, 1965, the 173rd Airborne Brigade on Operation Hump War Zone D in Vietnam were ambushed by over 1200 V.C.
Forty-eight American soldiers lost their lives that day

Severely wounded and risking his own life, Lawrence Joll, a medic
Was the first livin' black man since the Spanish-American War
To receive the United States Medal of Honor
For saving so many lives in the midst of battle that day}

{Our friend, Nialls Harris, retired 25 years, United States Army
The guy who gave Big Kenny his top hat
Was one of the wounded who lived
This song is his story.

Caught in the action of 'kill or be killed'
"Greater love hath no man than to lay down his life for his brother"}

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 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 rainin' down and the hell all around
There were few men left standin' 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 that fallen as he orders a tall one
And swallows it down with his tears

On the 8th of November, the angels were cryin'
As they carried his brothers away
With the fire rainin' down and the hell all around
There were few men left standin' that day

Saw the eagle fly through a clear blue sky
1965, the 8th of November

On the 8th of November, the angels were cryin'
As they carried his brothers away
With the fire rainin' down and the hell all around
There were few men left standin' that day

Saw the eagle fly through a clear blue sky
1965, the 8th of November
8th of November
(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 doin' what he had to do

By John D. Rich and Kenny Alphin

Operation Hump, November 8, 1965