Barry Sadler - Ballad of the Green Beret

[Richard]

Barry Sadler...the rest of the story...

And so it goes...

Richard

SSgt Barry Sadler's 'Ballad of the Green Berets' No. 1 With a Bullet -- Twisted Tales
Spinner, 4 Feb 2011

The Beatles had a big year in 1966. So did the Stones and the Monkees. The Sinatras sold a lot of records, too -- both Nancy and Frank hit the No. 1 spot on the US pop charts that year.

But the biggest single of the year in America was recorded by one of the more unlikely pop stars of the modern era. Staff Sgt. Barry Sadler was a former Air Force enlistee and Green Beret medic who began recording songs when he was sent home from Vietnam after being wounded in action. Sadler's first single, 'The Ballad of the Green Berets,' hit the charts in early February of '66; a month later, it sent 'These Boots Are Made for Walkin'' on a hike from the top spot.

At a time when Americans were beginning to struggle with the question of whether it was right to be in Vietnam, the song – written, its author claimed, in a Mexican whorehouse – struck a chord with its unabashed patriotism. "Put silver wings on my son's chest," as the song's dead hero requests. "Make him one of America's best." 'The 'A' Team,' Sadler's second single from his debut album, also squeezed into the Top 40.

The crooning soldier led a wave of interest in the Army's Special Forces. His co-writer, author Robin Moore, had a best-selling paperback in 1966 with 'The Green Berets,' a controversial account of the force that included classified information. Sadler's autobiography, 'I'm a Lucky One,' came out in 1967, and in the following year 'The Green Berets' became a hit movie starring John Wayne.

However, Sadler ultimately proved to be a complicated spokesman for the military. Born in New Mexico to a pair of professional gamblers, he lived a life of mystery and confrontation. In the 1970s, he began writing a series of novels inspired by the legend of the Roman soldier who stabbed Jesus on the cross with the Holy Lance. Sadler's character, Casca, featured in dozens of books, many of which were ghostwritten, is cursed to live in eternity as a mercenary soldier. "No one writes slaughter like Sadler," the author bragged to his agent.

He had a big collection of Nazi memorabilia, named one of his sons Thor and once started a wrestling career wearing camouflage shorts. His penchant for hard living grew nearly as mythical as his hit song: "Barry would buy fun before he would buy bread," one friend told the Los Angeles Times.

Sadler's thirst for conflict led to a conviction for voluntary manslaughter in the late 1970s, when he shot and killed a country songwriter named Lee Emerson Bellamy after an ugly, weeks-long dispute over a girlfriend. Sentenced to four years in prison, Sadler served 22 days, later paying $10,000 in a wrongful-death suit.

In his later years, Sadler left his wife and sons to live outside Guatemala City, Guatemala, where friends suspected he was working as a mercenary. In the late 1980s, Sadler was critically wounded when he was shot in the head. Some said he attempted suicide; some believed he was targeted for secretly training the Contra rebels. Officials called it a robbery attempt. With money provided by Soldier of Fortune magazine, a few friends airlifted their buddy to the US. He died a year later in a hospital in Tennessee.

http://www.spinner.com/2011/02/04/ss...-green-berets/

[mojaveman]

He sounded like a pretty colorful person, but then many who serve in Special Forces are.

In phase I, we had to do push-ups and sing along whenever the song was played over the PA system.

Us AIMC, 18E wannabe, body nazis - super studs, would continue to do push up without recovering until playing the song only interrupted other training schdules. We had written and sang "loudly" about 10 additional versus.

I can only recite one:

Ahem....

"Back at home, a young wife waits,
her Green Beret, has met his fate,
he caught the clap, while TDY,
he can't come home, she know's not why."

----------------

Having said all that, I like the song, it gave SF a leg up in the social confusion of the Vietnam era, having been born in 64, it was a childhood warrior dream just to meet a real SF soldier. The fraternity, a song, a book, a movie, (by a legend), and a "hat", though not authorized at first, became a symbol, (now head gear, cover, one that was earned, not issued), bestowed upon us by a sitting US President.

[alright4u]

Originally Posted by Richard

Barry Sadler...the rest of the story...

And so it goes...

Richard

SSgt Barry Sadler's 'Ballad of the Green Berets' No. 1 With a Bullet -- Twisted Tales
Spinner, 4 Feb 2011

The Beatles had a big year in 1966. So did the Stones and the Monkees. The Sinatras sold a lot of records, too -- both Nancy and Frank hit the No. 1 spot on the US pop charts that year.

But the biggest single of the year in America was recorded by one of the more unlikely pop stars of the modern era. Staff Sgt. Barry Sadler was a former Air Force enlistee and Green Beret medic who began recording songs when he was sent home from Vietnam after being wounded in action. Sadler's first single, 'The Ballad of the Green Berets,' hit the charts in early February of '66; a month later, it sent 'These Boots Are Made for Walkin'' on a hike from the top spot.

At a time when Americans were beginning to struggle with the question of whether it was right to be in Vietnam, the song – written, its author claimed, in a Mexican whorehouse – struck a chord with its unabashed patriotism. "Put silver wings on my son's chest," as the song's dead hero requests. "Make him one of America's best." 'The 'A' Team,' Sadler's second single from his debut album, also squeezed into the Top 40.

The crooning soldier led a wave of interest in the Army's Special Forces. His co-writer, author Robin Moore, had a best-selling paperback in 1966 with 'The Green Berets,' a controversial account of the force that included classified information. Sadler's autobiography, 'I'm a Lucky One,' came out in 1967, and in the following year 'The Green Berets' became a hit movie starring John Wayne.

However, Sadler ultimately proved to be a complicated spokesman for the military. Born in New Mexico to a pair of professional gamblers, he lived a life of mystery and confrontation. In the 1970s, he began writing a series of novels inspired by the legend of the Roman soldier who stabbed Jesus on the cross with the Holy Lance. Sadler's character, Casca, featured in dozens of books, many of which were ghostwritten, is cursed to live in eternity as a mercenary soldier. "No one writes slaughter like Sadler," the author bragged to his agent.

He had a big collection of Nazi memorabilia, named one of his sons Thor and once started a wrestling career wearing camouflage shorts. His penchant for hard living grew nearly as mythical as his hit song: "Barry would buy fun before he would buy bread," one friend told the Los Angeles Times.

Sadler's thirst for conflict led to a conviction for voluntary manslaughter in the late 1970s, when he shot and killed a country songwriter named Lee Emerson Bellamy after an ugly, weeks-long dispute over a girlfriend. Sentenced to four years in prison, Sadler served 22 days, later paying $10,000 in a wrongful-death suit.

In his later years, Sadler left his wife and sons to live outside Guatemala City, Guatemala, where friends suspected he was working as a mercenary. In the late 1980s, Sadler was critically wounded when he was shot in the head. Some said he attempted suicide; some believed he was targeted for secretly training the Contra rebels. Officials called it a robbery attempt. With money provided by Soldier of Fortune magazine, a few friends airlifted their buddy to the US. He died a year later in a hospital in Tennessee.

http://www.spinner.com/2011/02/04/ss...-green-berets/

I was asked about him here. He was before me. I replied-" I did not know him."

http://articles.latimes.com/1989-01-...barry-sadler/8

[alelks]

I was told by one Vietnam Veteran that he was spineless and got a few fellow soldiers killed. I was also told that there were quite a few SF types that would have loved to meet him in a dark alley one day.

Can anyone here confirm that?

[mojaveman]

He was definately a controversial subject. For better or for worse, the ballad, the book, and the movie were actually very strong recruiting tools.

[twistedsquid]

my dad relates the story of Sadler visiting the 8th to promote his album...Col. Simons threw him out of his office and told him to get the fuck out of Panama...so says my dad

[Dozer523]

A very talented guy from my college days
penned this in honor of our MS 1 ROTC Instructor Major Jim Chapman.
Major Chapman was quite an inspiration. He is the young Captain ODA Commander featured at the Gabriel Demonstration in the Green Beret.

(this is to my knowledge the first time this "ballad" has been posted anywhere.)

Flying Saucers from the sky,
Little green men, with just one eye...
Better do just what they say,
or get shot down by Cosmic Ray!

Trained to fight from 9 to 5,
Trained to live on pizza pie,
Purple wings upon their chest...
These are men of Martian best.

One hundred men will drink today,
99... get drunk.
One hundred men will fight today,
and 99 wil run away

[Dusty]

lol Dozer, that's just plain kooky.

[greenberetTFS]

My only beef with the song was 100 men we'll test today,but only 3 "WIN" the Green Beret"..............I'd rather he use the term "EARNED"......... Make's more sense to use that word instead.............BTW I had the book and how he wrote the song details,it was about 50 pages long including pictures ................ Sold it to a guy in Minnesota for $100............

Big Teddy

[alright4u]

Originally Posted by twistedsquid

my dad relates the story of Sadler visiting the 8th to promote his album...Col. Simons threw him out of his office and told him to get the fuck out of Panama...so says my dad

Bull was no one to screw with. Most of the SF old timers disliked Barry. He supposedly hung around Music Row here with Kris Kristoferson and Waylon. Kristoferson was a Rhodes Schlolar. His father was a Gen. He was an Army chopper pilot in Germany. He got out.

[ZonieDiver]

While I was at Camp Mackall, one of the SF medics working there said he had been an "escort" for Sadler while he toured. He had a very low opinion of the man.

(I cannot remember his name, but... he drove a yellow Caddy convertible with a white leather interior and had this huge German shepherd...)

[Dusty]

Originally Posted by ZonieDiver

While I was at Camp Mackall, one of the SF medics working there said he had been an "escort" for Sadler while he toured. He had a very low opinion of the man.

(I cannot remember his name, but... he drove a yellow Caddy convertible with a white leather interior and had this huge German shepherd...)

Sounds like the bass player from ZZ Top.

[SPIIVEY]

The Famous Parkinson Pink Pimp Sled...LOL

[mac117]

[HTML][Kristoferson was a Rhodes Schlolar. His father was a Gen. He was an Army chopper pilot in Germany. He got out. /HTML]

Kristofferson volunteered for VN twice and was denied both times, being assigned to be an instructor at West Point instead....that's when he opted to get out.

I had always heard Sadler was on a C Team in VN and stepped on a pungy stake and the wound got infected and that was why he was returned to the US. I still have the 45 of that song...never bought his album, though!