In 1965 Vietnam seemed like just another foreign war
But it wasn't
It was different in many ways
And so were tose that did the fighting.

In World War II the average age of the combat soldier was 26
In Vietnam he was nineteen
Ininininininin Vietnam he was nineteen.

Ininininininin Vietnam he was nineteen
Ininininininin Vietnam he was nineteen
Ni-ni-ni-ni-nineteen.

The shooting and fighting of the past two weeks continued today
25 miles northwest of Saigon.

I really wasn't sure what was going on.

Nininini nineteen, nineteen, nineteen, nineteen.

In Vietnam the combat soldier typically served a twelve month tour of duty
But was exposed to hostile fire almost everyday.

Nininininininininini nineteen (4x).

In Saigon a U.S military spokesman said today more than 700 enemy troops
Were killed last week in that sensitive border area
Throughout all of South Vietnam the enemy lost a total 2689 soldiers.

(All those who remember the war
They won't forget what they've seen
Destruction of men in their prime
Whose average was nineteen).

(Dedededededede-destruction
Dedededededede-destruction).

According to a Veteran's Administration study
Half of the Vietnam combat veterans suffered from what psychiatrists call
Post Traumatic Stress Disorder
Many vets complain of alienation, rage or guilt
Some succumb to suicidal thoughts
Eight to ten years after coming home
Almost eight-hundred-thousand men are still fighting the VietNam war

None of them received the hero's welcome.

(Nineteen) Saigon, Saigon, S-s-s-s-saigon
(Saigon, S-s-s-s-s-s-s-s-s-saigon)
(Nineteen) Ninininini-nineteen
Ninininini-nineteen.

(Nineteen) Ninininini-nineteen
Ninininini-nineteen.

Vietnam (S-s-saigon) (4x).

Purple heart (Saigon)
Purple heart (S-s-saigon)

I wasn't really sure what was going on (2x).