I didn't want to see men die,
I didn't want to kill,
But Uncle Sam called on me
And said, "Son, yes you will."

So off I went to Vietnam,
To lend a helping hand
To those who fought for freedom
In a foreign land.

Then one day I was told
My tour there now was done,
So I packed up and headed home
Where another battle had begun.

A battle to feel welcome
In a country I called home,
But I was shunned and made to feel
Forever all alone.

There were those who called me coward,
There were those who turned away,
And so my battles still are fought,
To this very day.

I battle to make sense of it
And peace I cannot find,
For all the sights and sounds of war,
Remain here in my mind.

And so to honor those
Who died helping others to be free,
I say to all who turned away,
These heartfelt words from me.

You didn't fight the battles,
In the jungles and the rain,
You didn't go to fight a war
That left you with such pain.

You didn't look into the eyes
Of a brother lying still,
As he asked you, "Tell my loved ones,
My death is our Lord's will."

You didn't welcome us back home,
You didn't really care,
So the crosses of our battles fought,
With you we cannot share.

We live each day with memories
Of things not fond ... but true,
We did it all with pride inside,
‘Cuz that's what U.S. soldiers do.

We were told by our Country
That we must do our part,
To fight for freedom anywhere,
Though war would break our hearts.