Vietnam Veteran, Songwriter, and Performer Recognized

By Misty Cryer

Lt. Col. James H. “Jim” Ground came to town to celebrate Veterans Day and to dedicate “Adopt-A-Highway” signage at th

e four major highway entrances into town, acknowledging that Carlsbad is the birthplace of SSgt. Barry Sadler, songwriter and performer of the hit, “Ballad of the Green Berets,” co-written with Robin Moore.

“The recognition of SSgt. Barry Sadler started when MSgt. George Hurd, Carlsbad native and graduate of the Class of ’62, saw that Barry Sadler was born in Carlsbad,” said Ground. He said Hurd saw that there was no recognition for Sadler and wanted to get a group together to champion the initiative.

Termed “The Three Amigos,” Ground, Hurd, and Major James E. “Jim” Bayless, US Air Force retirees and graduates of the Class of ’62, took on the challenge. Several graduates of the class also contributed to the Class of ’62 scholarship in memory of Barry A. Sadler, as published in the August 2024 issue of The Catalyst, Carlsbad Community Foundation’s newsletter.

Hurd said he and Bayless were unable to travel for the dedication, but they, with Ground, strove to get this accomplished by Veterans Day.

“We got a hold of Candace Barela, the Public Information Officer for the New Mexico Department of Transportation District 2,” said Ground. He said they learned that with Adopt-A-Highway sponsors, signs could be placed to acknowledge Carlsbad as the birthplace of Sadler.

Ground voiced his appreciation to the Carlsbad Downtown, Heights, and Community Lions Clubs; Rotary Club; Bryan Mudgett and TJ Trevino Post 7 of the American Legion; and VFW-Post 8703 for volunteering to provide some of their “Adopt-A-Highway” signs to honor Sadler.

Barela confirmed that the signs are placed at the following locations: US 285 mm 38-39; US 285 mm 27-28; US 62/180 mm 28-29; and US 62/180 mm 39-40.

Acknowledging that Sadler may have been overlooked because he had an imperfect life, which Ground said we all do, he recognized Sadler for being in the Air Force first, where he served as a radar technician, rejoining the Army after a taste of civilian life. “He served with the Green Berets for a number of years,” Ground said.

He added that while in Vietnam, Sadler was wounded severely when a punji stick planted by the enemy along the trail went into his knee. “He was in the hospital for a long time recovering from that,” Ground said.

Thinking about his studies with the Green Berets, Ground said Sadler wrote the song, “Ballad of the Green Berets.”

“He sang it on the Ed Sullivan Show for the first time, and that really took off. It sold millions of copies and made him famous,” said Ground. He said Sadler donated the proceeds to charities, keeping very little if any for himself.

Ground said Sadler had three children, a daughter and two sons. One of his sons wrote a letter to Carlsbad while the other, Baron, spoke with Ground. “He had the same feelings as his brother Thor,” Ground said.

That letter reads:

“On behalf of the Sadler family, I want to thank the community of Carlsbad for welcoming my father to the place where his journey began.

“Many of you know my father, Staff Sergeant Barry Sadler, through his music, his writing, or his service as a Green Beret combat medic in Vietnam. When people think of him, they often picture the uniform, the green beret, and the sudden whirlwind of fame that came with ‘The Ballad of the Green Berets.’

“But to look at him strictly through the lens of that singular, historic moment is to miss the full scope of who he was. Long before he was a household name, he was a boy born in Carlsbad. The grit, independence, and resilience that carried him through the jungles of Southeast Asia and the complex chapters of his later life were forged in the spirit of the American Southwest.

“My father’s life was anything but simple. It was marked by incredible highs, deep personal trials, and an unwavering commitment to honoring his fellow soldiers. He wrote his anthem not for commercial acclaim, but as a genuine tribute to the quiet bravery of the men he served alongside—the ones who didn’t make it back.

“By recognizing his roots today, Carlsbad isn’t just celebrating a chart-topping track from 1966. You are honoring a native son who lived fully, fought hard, and left an undeniable mark on American culture. Thank you for ensuring that the boy from Carlsbad is remembered not just for how he shook the world, but for where he came from.

LTC (R) Thor Sadler, U. S. Army”