Some of our small town boys paid a hell of price for doing what we all thought was right
No more than babies from where I now stand sent to a place in hell called Vietnam
Kids to young by far to buy a legal drink down at the American Legion Bar
Kids so young they didn't have stubble enough to shave were sent so early to their grave
 

We got a local Bar  named after one boy, now ain't that fine he was an old school buddy of mine
We drink our beer an shake our heads and wonder why a good boy like Johnny is to soon dead
Why hell I knew him most all my life and I can't  remember him getting into a fight
Boys right out of high school and ready to shine each thinking this old world is mine
 

My little sister married one and until he died none of us knew he was a hero to the Red White & Blue
He left a box of medals for his only kid and died with a head full of whisky in a burning bed
My nephew is a upstanding young man and I pray to god he never goes to place in hell like Vietnam
Kids to young to get a loan down at the bank but sent to die alone or walking in rank
 

Another young boy I knew by the name of Paul was never in any trouble at all
He lived just outside of town and had a horse and did well in school and never fought
Always polite and had a gentle hand then they sent  that little boy to place in hell called Vietnam
Where under orders from a crazy ####### he shot old men, women and kids in a ditch
 
 

Culture shock well I'd say so man sent for our home town to a place in hell called Vietnam
Boys so young and naive they'd not been around never more than a day or so from our town
Then we find some innocent by way of time are sent to heaven in a box or to hell in their mind
Heroes toasted in a bar that bares their name or broken boys hung on life's wall of shame
 
 

Old man toast a man to young to buy a hard drink for going to die for what you think
In your heart try to understand that place in hell you sent at least one adolescent young man
We love our country and will defend her that is true but the same does not hold true for you
You will not send your children or risk your ass and babies dieing for you is in the past
 

If wars are fought let it be with men of season all volunteers  not  boys all to young  in years
By men who would gladly shoot the ####### that told them to kill people in a ditch
When a sad young man stood brave to tell it all they would stand beside him when he took the fall
Understand where he came from and what he had been and what hell had been done to him