D                              Bm 
My name is Dodge  but then you know that 
     G                                 D                      A 
It's written on the chart there at the foot end of the of the bed 
     D                            Bm 
They think I'm blind that I can't read it 
     G                            D               A 
I've read it every word and every word it says is death 
   Bm                      G               D 
So confession Is that the reason that you came 
       Bm                    G                A 
Get it off my chest before I check out of the game 
          Bm                      G                    D 
Since you mention it well there's thirteen things I'll name 
Em       Em/F#        G              A            Bm 
Thirteen crosses high above the cold Missouri waters 
D               Bm 
August 49 North Montana 
    G                         D             A 
The hottest day on record the forest tinder dry 
          D                 Bm 
Lightning strikes in the mountains 
      G  
I was crew chief at the jump base 
  D                     A 
I prepared the boys to fly 
         Bm         G            D 
Pick the drop zone C   comes in low 
         Bm            G                  A  
Feel the tap upon your leg that tells you go 
         Bm           G         D 
See the circle of the fire down below 
Em      Em/F# G                 A             Bm 
Fifteen of us dropped above the cold Missouri waters 
           D             Bm 
Gauged the fire I'd seen bigger 
     G                              D              A 
So I ordered them to side hill we'd fight it from below 
     D                      Bm 
We'd have our backs to the river 
             G                      D             A 
We'd have it licked by morning even if we took it slow 
        Bm                      G           D 
But the fire crowned jumped the valley just ahead 
          Bm                 G               A 
There was no way down headed for the ridge instead 
    Bm                           G                D 
Too big to fight it we'd have to fight that slope instead 
Em     Em/F#    G                A             Bm 
Flames one step behind above the cold Missouri waters 
        D                    Bm 
Sky had turned red smoke was boiling 
    G 
Two hundred yards to saftey 
          D               A 
Death was fifty yards behind 
        D               Bm 
I don't know why I just thought it 
  G                                  D              A 
I struck a match to waist high grass running out of time 
         Bm             G                   D         
Tried to tell them step into this fire I've set 
         Bm                  G                  A 
We can't make it this is the only chance you'll get 
         Bm 
But they cursed me 
            G            D 
Ran for the rocks above instead 
Em    Em/F#         G                A             Bm  
I lay face down and prayed above the cold Missouri waters 
     D                    Bm 
Then when I rose like the phoenix 
        G 
In that world reduced to ashes 
          D               A  
There was none but two survived 
  D                             Bm 
I stayed that night and one day after 
        G 
Carried bodies to the river 
          D            A 
Wondering how I stayed alive 
          Bm             G                    D 
Thirteen stations of the cross to mark their fall 
     Bm             G                   A                          
I've had my say I'll confess to nothing more 
     Bm                            G            D  
I'll join them now those that they left me long before 
Em       Em/F#   G              A             Bm 
Thirteen crosses high above the cold Missouri waters