He came home to Tennessee, a young man at the end of forty-five
Only one of seven men in his platoon, they'd made it back alive
He must have seen some tough times but he never talked too much about all that
Put his pictures and his memories in a cedar chest, everything but his old army hat
By the time I graduated, the winds of change had blown across our land
They were burning flags and draft cards when they'd bother to take some kind of stand
And we used to look at Grandpa like he was some old relic from the past
Cause he never left the house lest he was wearing that funny looking worn out army hat
Every eye was on him anytime he went anywhere
They whispered and they pointed, but you could tell my Grandpa didn't care
I ain't wearing this for them, he said, it's a whole lot more than that
For my buddies who gave everything, the least that I can do is keep on wearing this old army hat
He called me up one morning, said he'd seen it on the news on his TV
They've opened up a monument to World War II in Washington, D.C.
I ain't getting any younger and I wish someone would take me to see that
I couldn't help but think they're gonna laugh at you up there if you show up in that silly army hat
Two strangers both saluted as Grandpa walked up to the monument
One said, thank you soldier for a job well done, the other said, amen
And a young boy said, sir, my daddy went to war and never made it back
Would you take a picture standing here beside me and maybe let me wear your army hat
Every eye was on him and there was not a dry one in the crowd
They whispered and they pointed and Grandpa stood up extra tall and proud
He said, son, just keep it when the young boy tried his best to give it back
You're a brave little soldier, son, and every soldier needs his very own authentic army hat
For your daddy who gave everything, the least that I can do is pass on this old worn out army hat
Wow. Great. Great. Great.