SSgt. Barry Sadler

Decorated Vietnam war veteran Barry Sadler is known for his best-selling single Ballad Of The Green Berets released in 1966. His album of similar material titled Ballads Of The Green Berets also sold a million copies and launched Sadler into the public eye as an American hero. Ballad Of The Green Berets was co-written by one of Sadler's army colleagues Robin Moore and borrowed its melody and structure from The Butcher Boy, a traditional American folk song. Although Sadler's subsequent recordings never repeated the commercial success of his first release he did go on to become a successful author. His colourful life was, however, marred by tragedy. In 1978 he shot and killed love rival Lee Emerson Bellamy after a dispute over Bellamy's former girlfriend. His five year jail sentence was reduced on appeal to 30 days and a couple of years later Sadler moved to Guatemala City. In 1988 whilst travelling in a taxi in Guatemala he received a serious gunshot wound to the head, although it was unclear at the time whether the wound was accidentally self-inflicted or the work of a third party. He survived the injury and returned to the US but brain damage left him severely disabled. He never recovered from the shooting and died aged 49 of a heart attack whilst in a Tennessee hospital.