8th of November

Hello, I'm Chris Christoverson

On November 8th, 1965

The 173rd Airborne Brigade on Operation Hump

War Zone D in Vietnam, were ambushed by over 1,200 V.C

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 receive the United States Medal of Honor for saving so many lives in the midst of battle that day

Our friend, Niles 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 a friend

Said "Goodbye to his mama, 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

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 ponytail's grey

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 grey 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 ('65)

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

The 8th of November

The 8th of November

Said "Goodbye to his mama 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