The Ballad of the Green Berets was written by Robin Moore and SSgt. Barry Sadler, who while writing the song, was recuperating from a leg wound sustained as a field medic in Vietnam. On January 30, 1966, Sadler debuted the song on television on The Ed Sullivan Show. Many Americans did not support the war effort in Vietnam, however, the Ballad of the Green Berets was one of very few songs that portrayed the United States military as a band of heroic men, and despite the extreme opposition to the war in Vietnam, the song became a hit and spent five weeks atop the Billboard Hot 100 and four weeks on top of Cashbox magazine's charts. It was also a crossover hit, reaching the top of Billboard's Easy Listening chart and second on Billboard's Country survey. The song was the Number one hit on the Billboard Hot 100's end of the year chart for 1966, and was the number 21 song of the 1960s, even though the Vietnam War was so unpopular. The Ballad of the Green Berets has sold over nine million singles and albums and was the top single of a year in which the British Invasion, led by the Beatles and the Rolling Stones, continued to dominate the U.S. charts.
Commeration of the songs success: http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/staff-sergeant-barry-sadler-hits-1-with-quotballad-of-the-green-beretsquot
The lyrics to the Ballad of the Green Berets were were written in honor of Green Beret James Gabriel, Jr., the first native Hawaiian who died in Vietnam. He was executed by the Viet Cong while on a training mission on April 8, 1962.
Commeration of the songs success: http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/staff-sergeant-barry-sadler-hits-1-with-quotballad-of-the-green-beretsquot
The lyrics to the Ballad of the Green Berets were were written in honor of Green Beret James Gabriel, Jr., the first native Hawaiian who died in Vietnam. He was executed by the Viet Cong while on a training mission on April 8, 1962.
Ballad Of The Green Berets
As Written & Performed by SSgt Barry Sadler
Fighting soldiers from the sky
Fearless men who jump and die
Men who mean just what they say
The brave men of the Green Beret
Silver wings upon their chest
These are men, America's best
One hundred men we'll test today
But only three win the Green Beret
Trained to live, off nature's land
Trained in combat, hand to hand
Men who fight by night and day
Courage deep, from the Green Beret
Silver wings upon their chest
These are men, America's best
One hundred men we'll test today
But only three win the Green Beret
Back at home a young wife waits
Her Green Beret has met his fate
He has died for those oppressed
Leaving her this last request
Put silver wings on my son's chest
Make him one of America's best
He'll be a man they'll test one day
Have him win the Green Beret
As Written & Performed by SSgt Barry Sadler
Fighting soldiers from the sky
Fearless men who jump and die
Men who mean just what they say
The brave men of the Green Beret
Silver wings upon their chest
These are men, America's best
One hundred men we'll test today
But only three win the Green Beret
Trained to live, off nature's land
Trained in combat, hand to hand
Men who fight by night and day
Courage deep, from the Green Beret
Silver wings upon their chest
These are men, America's best
One hundred men we'll test today
But only three win the Green Beret
Back at home a young wife waits
Her Green Beret has met his fate
He has died for those oppressed
Leaving her this last request
Put silver wings on my son's chest
Make him one of America's best
He'll be a man they'll test one day
Have him win the Green Beret