Interview with SSgt Barry Sadler's biographer

The price of fame: the end of his promising army career, alcoholism, a murder in Memphis, and his violent death in Guatemala:

https://www.stripes.com/living/ballad-of-the-green-berets-singer-s-biographer-talks-about-barry-sadler-s-meteoric-rise-murder-charge-violent-death-1.465731

And who knew he wrote historical fantasy pulp fiction? 22 novels in his "Casca: The Eternal Mercenary" series...

"Casca is a series of historical fantasy novels created by author Barry Sadler in 1979. The stories revolve around the exploits of Casca Rufio Longinus, the Roman legionary who drove the Holy Lance into the side of Jesus Christ on Golgotha. As a result of this action, Casca is cursed with immortality, and he is to wander the Earth aimlessly, always as a soldier, until the Second Coming." - Wikipedia

It's funny, a lot of SF guys revere the song. Most dislike the man, but for a huge variety of reasons. For my dad, he liked the song, but disliked Saddler because the other guys that wrote most of the song (according to them) got completely aced out. They hold serious grudges for what they consider a stab in the back.
I have fond memories of hearing it sung at SFA meetings as well as Blood Upon The Risers, and even lazing around in front of the record player/stereo on weekend mornings spinning that record among others. I've never felt particularly polarized about it, but then again I came waaaaay late to the debate!

I'm curious to read this book now, and at least one of his novels.

Read many of the CASCA novels. They covered various
wars and were really good.

That's good to know - I will seek them out.

Forgot to mention, he did one where Casca was a French
Legionnaire in Indochina!

Sounds good!