Only last June he got his diploma
In just a short while trainin'
in Oklahoma
Learnin' to shoot, to salute,
shine a boot
Takin' orders, fixin' mortars,
guardin' our borders
He was only a boy,
but had a man's job to do,
willing to die for me, for you.
Set sail for Vietnam,
to help out our nation,
trying to put down the red infiltration.
Fightin' in trenches,
out in drenches and stenches
Shootin' headlong at a throng
of yet cong
He was only a boy
but had a man's job to do
Willing to die not just for me but for you
He thought about his folks,
he sure missed his girl
As bullets and shells around
him started to swirl
One ripped through his shirt,
blood spurred, man it hurt
He spun around, fell face down,
head to the ground
He was only a boy but had
a man's job to do,
willing to die for me, for you.
So his parents got a medal,
so his girl got his ring,
but to his country he left
one very special thing.
He helped people stay free
from the misery of tyranny
Yeah, he died without fright in a fight
That he knew was right
He was only a boy
that had a man's job to do
Willing to die, not just for me, but for you you