One-Hit Wonder: Barry Sadler

Today, Sept. 11, is Patriot Day and Remember Freedom Day. Many songs are patriotic, some were written by soldiers like Barry Sadler, according to remember911.albertarose.org.

Barry Sadler, from New Mexico, grew up traveling with his mother and brother. His father died of a rare nervous system cancer.

Sadler joined the U.S. Air Force as a teen and went to Japan. He later joined the Army. His achieved the rank of staff sergeant.

In 1965, he served in Vietnam. While on antibotics for dysentery, he was wounded with a feces-covered punji stick (spike made of bamboo or wood). Sadler bandaged his wound and finished his patrol. He was sent home and had surgery to clean the infection.

Sadler wrote and recorded "Ballad of The Green Beret," and it reached No. 1 in 1966. Author Robin Moore wrote The Green Beret, which became a movie starring John Wayne. Sadler also recorded an album of military-themed songs. The "A-Team" reached Top 30, others did not do as well.

Sadler then wrote a few novels in a Casa series. Sadler wrote his autobiography, I'm a Lucky One. That is also a title of a song he recorded.

Sadler served time in prison and, after being released, moved to Guatemala City. He wrote a few more novels, helped with vaccinations in villages. There was talk that he sold arms to their military or Contras.

One night in 1989, Sadler was shot in the head. He was brought to the U.S. and was in a coma for months. He died at age 47. It remains an unsolved mystery as to what happened.