Ring of Steel (ca. 1941)

[Music] I am the American Soldier for the American people my family my fellows my sons to come I carry [Music] arms remember how I began born of explorers colonists hunters and deer schooled in the wilderness fighting for a [Applause] continent remember Concord Bridge 1775 here it was here at this bridge I fired the shot her round the world then I was the Minuteman the embattled farmer the son of Liberty Raw militian Hardy Continental I was the hope of freedom on the frontier I carried arms for the Rights of [Music] Man remember Valley Forge I was the Winter Soldier starving marching freezing fighting and praying at night alone in the [Music] no I planted the flag of 13 stars at the Mississippi at the Great Lakes on these our hard one Shores our flag still flies and again here at Yorktown I was in The Splendid ranks when we won our freedom and our Contin I fought the revolution I won this Liberty look at my battlefields Bunker Hill taond deroga [Music] Niagara Lake Champlain Manhattan clenton and [Music] manma Kings Mountain and cpin Yorktown marching I made America great North to the parallel 49 South to the Rio Grand West to the mountains marching I made America free working at peace I built America explored with Lewis and Clark with zebulun Pike with Kit Carson and cracket 1860 1865 I was the blue I was the gray marching I made America free marching I gave America peace marching I found the American Spirit I led the way I called to America follow me follow the American Soldier follow the trail I blad I convoyed the wagon trains moving West fought the tribes with kuster rode the Oregon Trail patrolled the wild American [Music] continent my lonely outposts grew my camps became Crossroads my Frontier forts took Route Rose from the Prairies into [Music] cities my infantry marching made paths my Cavalry riding made Trails where cities rise I made the hikes to lay the ties and drive the spikes uniting my country with rails give me the hardest job [Music] remember I brought America to the Pacific pun the railroad tunnels through the Rockets I licked the Mississippi floods conquered the Yellow Jack in Cuba joined the oceans at Panama held like a rock on the marn I am the American Soldier Pioneer Samaritan Vanguard wherever I was needed whenever I was called I stood and delivered I came through I was America on the [Music] March and now today here I come again marching again at the same old job same old brand new job marching again with all free men I'm the Ring Of Steel around democracy I'm the ramp parts that you sing about I'm the Citizen Soldier the nation in arms I'm snap and precision West Point Pride I'm the regular strictly GI I'm the rookie maid [Music] Soldier I'm up from the ranks hell for leather right on the line straight from the eye I'm The Rifleman caner Trooper skier engineer Gunner Scout marks driver signalman Sentry mechanic fly [Music] I'm the eyes of the cannon the marching refrain the brains of the tank the nerves of the plane I'm the heart of the shell the courage of truth I'm the Liberty Bell I'm the song of our [Music] [Applause] youth I'm the fighting man at every Outpost from Alaska to Hawaii to the Philippines and Beyond from Panama to Puerto Rico to Iceland and Beyond remember my yesterday would Washington winning this Liberty once I was only a [Music] thousand today I am 1,800,000 out of 130 million Americans figure that out America I'm about 1 in 100 1 in 100 Americans tomorrow I'll be two in 100 or three in 100 whatever it takes whatever the need for the spirit we're living for the future we're making I the American Soldier and The Shield [Music]