spoken hello i m kris kristofferson 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 riskin 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 savin so many lives in the midst of battle that day our friend nialls harris retired 25 years united states army 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 to lay down his life for a friend 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 about 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 tears 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 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 do1