I am A Soldier
I AM A SOLDIER, BOUND FOR A FARAWAY LAND
FOR MY COUNTRY NEEDED TO MAKE A STAND
JUST DID MY TRAINING, LIKE A GOOD SOLDIER SHOULD
I NEVER WONDERED WHY, JUST KNEW THAT I COULD
ON MY WAY TO THAT PLACE, I TURNED TO SAY GOODBYE
THAT’S THE FIRST TIME EVER I SAW MY MOTHER CRY
THAT WAS SO SAD, TEARS RUNNING DOWN HER FACE
THAT’S WHEN I REALIZED THAT VIETNAM WAS NOT JUST A PLACE
I NEVER ASKED FOR FORTUNE, I NEVER ASKED FOR FAME
BUT WHEN I CAME HOME FROM THAT VIETNAM
I KNEW I WOULD NEVER, NO NEVER BE THE SAME,
IT HAPPENED ONE FINE DAY ALONG THE TRAIL
DEEP IN MY GUT, I KNEW I MUST NOT FAIL
AS I HEARD THE HAUNTING SOUND OF THE WOUNDED WAIL
INCOMING, THE CRACKLING OF RIFLES, CHECK THE FLANK
THREE MEN DOWN, WHO CARES ABOUT RANK
I WAS ONLY NINETEEN, WHEN I LEARNED ABOUT FEAR
BACK IN “THE WORLD” I WAS TO YOUNG TO BUY BEER
I GREW UP FAST AT THAT TENDER AGE
THIRTY SOME YEARS LATER, MY EMOTIONS STILL RAGE
FOR THE GRACE OF GOD, MY NAME IS NOT ON THE “WALL”
TO SEE THE “WALL” TOUCH THE “WALL” MANY PEOPLE CAME
BUT FOR ME I KNEW I WOULD NEVER, NO NEVER BE THE SAME
YES I GREW UP FAST AT THAT TENDER AGE
BUT WHY THIRTY SOME YEARS LATER, DO I STILL FEEL THE RAGE
I SIT AT NIGHT, ALONE WITH NO ANSWER WHY
I SIT AT NIGHT ALONE AND CRY
I AM A SOLDIER TO THIS VERY DAY,
BUT AS A CIVILIAN THE MEMORIES WILL STAY
THERE IS NO WAY I CAN TURN THE PAGE
SOME THIRTY YEARS LATER MY EMOTIONS STILL RAGE
David Williamson
C Company 2/327th Infantry
101st Airborne Division
Republic of South Vietnam 1969-71
FOR MY COUNTRY NEEDED TO MAKE A STAND
JUST DID MY TRAINING, LIKE A GOOD SOLDIER SHOULD
I NEVER WONDERED WHY, JUST KNEW THAT I COULD
ON MY WAY TO THAT PLACE, I TURNED TO SAY GOODBYE
THAT’S THE FIRST TIME EVER I SAW MY MOTHER CRY
THAT WAS SO SAD, TEARS RUNNING DOWN HER FACE
THAT’S WHEN I REALIZED THAT VIETNAM WAS NOT JUST A PLACE
I NEVER ASKED FOR FORTUNE, I NEVER ASKED FOR FAME
BUT WHEN I CAME HOME FROM THAT VIETNAM
I KNEW I WOULD NEVER, NO NEVER BE THE SAME,
IT HAPPENED ONE FINE DAY ALONG THE TRAIL
DEEP IN MY GUT, I KNEW I MUST NOT FAIL
AS I HEARD THE HAUNTING SOUND OF THE WOUNDED WAIL
INCOMING, THE CRACKLING OF RIFLES, CHECK THE FLANK
THREE MEN DOWN, WHO CARES ABOUT RANK
I WAS ONLY NINETEEN, WHEN I LEARNED ABOUT FEAR
BACK IN “THE WORLD” I WAS TO YOUNG TO BUY BEER
I GREW UP FAST AT THAT TENDER AGE
THIRTY SOME YEARS LATER, MY EMOTIONS STILL RAGE
FOR THE GRACE OF GOD, MY NAME IS NOT ON THE “WALL”
TO SEE THE “WALL” TOUCH THE “WALL” MANY PEOPLE CAME
BUT FOR ME I KNEW I WOULD NEVER, NO NEVER BE THE SAME
YES I GREW UP FAST AT THAT TENDER AGE
BUT WHY THIRTY SOME YEARS LATER, DO I STILL FEEL THE RAGE
I SIT AT NIGHT, ALONE WITH NO ANSWER WHY
I SIT AT NIGHT ALONE AND CRY
I AM A SOLDIER TO THIS VERY DAY,
BUT AS A CIVILIAN THE MEMORIES WILL STAY
THERE IS NO WAY I CAN TURN THE PAGE
SOME THIRTY YEARS LATER MY EMOTIONS STILL RAGE
David Williamson
C Company 2/327th Infantry
101st Airborne Division
Republic of South Vietnam 1969-71