Barry Sadler facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Barry Sadler
Barry Sadler in 1966
Born	(1940-11-01)November 1, 1940 Carlsbad, New Mexico, U.S.
Died	November 5, 1989(1989-11-05) (aged 49) Murfreesboro, Tennessee, U.S.
Allegiance	United States of America
Service/branch	United States Air Force (1958–1962)  United States Army (1962–1967)
Years of service	1958–1967
Rank	Staff Sergeant A1C
Unit	U.S. Army Special Forces    7th Special Forces Group (Airborne)
Battles/wars	Vietnam War

Barry Allen Sadler (November 1, 1940 – November 5, 1989) was an American soldier, singer, and author. He was a Green Beret medic in the U.S. Army. He reached the rank of Staff Sergeant.

Sadler served in the Vietnam War from late 1964 to mid-1965. He is most famous for his patriotic song, "The Ballad of the Green Berets." This song became a number one hit in 1966. He passed away at age 49 after being injured in Guatemala City.

Early Life

Barry Sadler was born in Carlsbad, New Mexico. He was the second son of John Sadler and Bebe Littlefield. His father owned a successful plumbing and electrical business. He also had several farms.

His mother managed restaurants, bars, and sometimes games in casinos. Barry's family moved around often. His parents divorced when he was five years old. His father died shortly after from a rare illness. His mother continued to move the family for her temporary jobs. They lived in Arizona, California, Colorado, New Mexico, and Texas.

Career

Air Force photo of Barry Sadler in 1961 wearing the rank insignia at the time known as airman first class

Joining the Military

Sadler left high school in the tenth grade. This was in Leadville, Colorado. In 1958, at 17, he joined the U.S. Air Force. While in the Air Force, he earned his high school equivalency diploma. He trained as a radar technician in 1958 and was stationed in Japan.

After leaving the Air Force in 1961, Sadler joined the U.S. Army. He volunteered for Airborne and Special Forces training. He chose to become a medic.

Injured in Action

After Airborne training, he became a combat medic. He trained at Fort Sam Houston, Texas, Fort Jackson, South Carolina, and Fort Bragg, North Carolina. In May 1965, he was on patrol in Vietnam. He was badly wounded in the knee by a sharp stick.

Sadler treated his wound himself and finished the patrol. However, his leg became seriously infected. He was sent to a hospital in The Philippines. Doctors had to perform surgery to clean the wound. They also gave him a lot of medicine. Sadler returned to Fort Bragg and fully recovered.

The Ballad of the Green Berets

Sadler performing with his guitar in 1969

Sadler recorded his famous song, "The Ballad of the Green Berets," in December 1965. This patriotic song was about the Special Forces. The writer Robin Moore helped Sadler with the lyrics. Moore also helped him get a recording contract. Moore wrote the book The Green Berets, which became a movie starring John Wayne.

"The Ballad of the Green Berets" was released in January 1966. It quickly became a best-selling song. It was number one on the Billboard Hot 100 chart for five weeks. The song sold over nine million copies. Sadler sang it on The Ed Sullivan Show in January 1966. He also released an album of similar songs called Ballads of the Green Berets. It sold a million copies in its first five weeks.

Awards and Decorations

Barry Sadler received several awards for his military service. These include the Purple Heart Medal, which is given to soldiers wounded in combat. He also received the Army Good Conduct Medal and the Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal.

Other awards included the Air Force Longevity Service Award and the Combat Infantryman Badge. He also earned the Parachutist Badge. He was also entitled to the National Defense Service Medal and the Vietnam Campaign Medal.

Later Years

Writing Books

Sadler did not have another big music hit after "The 'A' Team." He was honorably discharged from the Army in May 1967. He then moved with his family to Tucson, Arizona. He had small acting roles in TV shows like Death Valley Days and The High Chaparral. He also appeared in the 1968 movie Dayton's Devils.

Later, he moved to Nashville and started writing adventure novels. His popular Casca series is about a Roman soldier named Casca. This character is cursed to remain a soldier forever. The books follow Casca's adventures from ancient times to the 20th century. Sadler wrote the first 22 books in the series. Other authors continued the series after his passing.

• List of works in the Casca novel series

Passing Away

Sadler moved to Guatemala City in 1984. He continued to write and publish his Casca books. On September 7, 1988, he was injured while in a taxi in Guatemala City. Friends flew him to the United States for medical care.

He had surgery at a hospital in Nashville. He was in a coma for about six weeks. After waking up, Sadler had serious injuries and brain damage. He was released from the hospital in January 1989. He was later moved to another hospital for special treatment.

Barry Sadler never fully recovered from his injury. He passed away on November 5, 1989, in Murfreesboro, Tennessee. He was 49 years old. He was survived by his wife, Lavona, and his children, Brooke, Thor, and Baron. His son, Thor, served in the U.S. Army.

Images for kids

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  Barry Sadler in 1966

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  Air Force photo of Barry Sadler in 1961

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  Sadler performing with his guitar in 1969

Discography

Albums

Singles