Big & Rich - 8th Of November
Not new music, but a very good song with a better story behind it.
This is county music duo Big & Rich and the song is ‘8th of November’ from their 2006 Comin’ to Your City album. The beginning starts off with Kris Kristofferson talking about Nile Harris, a soldier in the 173rd Airborne Brigade of the United States Army during Operation Hump in South Vietnam on November 8, 1965.
Kris Kristofferson narrates “On November 8th, 1965, the 173rd Airborne Brigade on “Operation Hump”, war zone “D” in Vietnam, were ambushed by over 1200 VC. Forty-eight American soldiers lost their lives that day. Severely wounded and risking his own life, Lawrence Joel, a medic, was the first living black man since the Spanish–American War to receive the United States Medal of Honor for saving so many lives in the midst of battle that day. Our friend, Niles Harris, retired 25 years United States Army, the guy who gave Big Kenny his top hat, was one of the wounded who lived. This song is his story. Caught in the action of kill or be killed, greater love hath no man than to lay down his life for his brother.”
Niles is one of the few survivors from the U.S. side. We lost 49 (with 83 wounded) and the VC lost somewhere between 400-700.
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You can read more about this battle on this website
