Just 18, growing up on the wrong side of the law

Somewhere, someday knew he'd have to rise above it all

Told his family he's gonna go fight for his land

Little brother can hold down the farm, and mama please understand

Mama begged him not to go

Mama lost her little boy, but a country gained a hero

The desert air hit him square in the face, and boy you were right

Somewhere in between the fight he finally new what it meant to be alive

He was just 3 years shy of 21, and they gave that boy a gun

Mama begged him not to go

Mama lost her little boy, but a country gained a hero

Yeah, well, some say a hero is born to be brave

But i'm here to tell you that a hero is a scared man that don't walk away

Mama sits by the flag of the usa

Tears well up in her eyes as she bows her head to pray

And she says, "son, i know you had to go"

But mama lost her little boy, but a country gained a hero

Yeah, gained a hero

Well, it gained a hero

We gained a hero

Yeah, gained a hero

Gained a hero

For the usa

Oh, for the usa