Featuring: Helen Gossett Mckenna

I am so proud of that little boy

I used to rock upon my knee.
He is all grown up and is a soldier now
And like so many others in uniform,

He is fighting to help keep his country free.

I will never forget before he left to enlist,

He said to me, ?Mom, there are some things
We cannot explain that will always be true.
This is just a calling and a purpose I have

And something I have to do!?

I remember the smiles and the cake on his face

At each and every birthday party.
I could never forget all the mischief
This little kid seemed to have a knack for getting into.

I remember how on Christmas mornings,
He only wanted a new gun and holster set
So he could pretend he was one of the Few,

The Proud, and one of our nation's finest Marines.

[Chorus]


I will never forget how I felt when I answered the door.
There was a man in uniform who handed me a letter

And said it was something I needed to see.
He said he was sorry to have to tell me
But your son was wounded and killed in battle

And he had served his country well!

Like every mother before me,

I am so proud of that little boy,
I used to rock upon my knee.
I will never forget before he left to go off to war,

He said to me, ?Mom, there are some things
We cannot explain that will always be true.
This is just a calling and a purpose I have

And something I have to do!?

There are some things we just have to do.

There are some things we have to do.