19 (1985)    (video)

    

1. (Speaker : ) In 1965 Vietnam seemed like just another foreign war,

    but it wasn't. It was different in many ways, and so were those who

    did the fighting.

    In World War II the average age of the combat soldier was 26.

    In Vietnam he was 19. In Vietnam he was 19.

 

Em                               A  - Em                                       - A

    In Vietnam he was 19.          In  Vietnam he was 19.         19.

 

                                              Em

2. (TV announcer's :)  The shooting and fighting of the past two

                     A                                                   Em

    weeks continued today 25 miles west of Saigon.

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    (Vet's Voice : )   I wasn't really sure what was going on.

Em                  A           - Em - A

    19, 19, 19, 19, 19.

 

3. (Speaker : ) In Vietnam the combat soldier typically served a twelve

    month tour of duty, but was exposed to hostile fire almost every day.

 

Em - A        - Em  - A

            19,                 19. (2x)

 

4. (TV announcer's : )  In Saigon a US military spokesman said

    today : "More then 700 enemy troops were killed last week in that

    sensitive border area. Throughout all of South Vietnam the enemy

    lost a total of 2,689 soldiers."

 

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(Singing Girls : )       All those who remember the war,

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    they won't forget what they've seen,

           Em             A                         - Em                                         A

    destruction of men in their prime,        whose average age was 19.

Em            A     - Em                A      - Em

    Destruction.           Destruction.

 

(Trumpet signal)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

5. (Speaker : ) 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 800,000 men are

    still fighting the Vietnam War.

 

+  Em - A - Em - A (2x)

 

     Em                                                                - A

+  None of them received the hero's welcome.

 

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+  (Singing girls ; ) Nineteen !                   (3x)

 

(shooting noises)

 

     Em           A           Em            A

+  Vietnam, Saigon , Vietnam , Saigon. (2x)

 

      Em                 A          Em                 A

+  Purple Heart, Saigon, Purple Heart, Saigon.

 

       Em                                                A           - Em

+  Wasn't really sure what was going on. (2x)

 

    (Paul Hardcastle)