The Michael Berry Show.

This is my lucky start to be living here today because the flag still stands for freedom and they can't take that away.

I'm proud to be an American where at least I know I'm free.

Then I won't forget the men who died who gave that fight to me and I gladly stand up next to you and it may hurt still today.

But there ain't no doubt I love this land.

God bless the USA.

From the legs of Minnesota to the hills of Tennessee

across the plains of Texas, I'm sea to shining sea.

Gunnery Sergeant Nick Poppeditch had a moment of fame during the Iraq War.

Then Staff Sergeant Poppeditch was assigned as a tank commander and platoon sergeant,

dissipating in the 2003 invasion of Iraq.

His unit gained fame when it helped topple the Statue of Saddam Hussein on April 9, 2003.

Poppeditch was photographed in his tank's cupola, smoking a cigar with the Statue of Saddam looming in the background.

The image which earned him the nickname the cigar marine appeared on the front pages of newspapers around the world to describe the battle of Baghdad.

He would later reveal that his smoking was a celebration of his and his wife's 12th wedding anniversary as well as the victory.

Following his return to the US, he was promoted to Gunnery Sergeant and volunteered to return to Iraq

in 2004 the following year.

During his second deployment, Poppeditch commanded tanks again in the first battle of Fallujah in April of 04.

During the Battle of April 7, supported dismounted infantry with a pair of M1A1 Abrams and turning on to a narrow street.

He opened his hatch for better visibility despite the constant RPG-7 attacks.

He was wounded in action in an ambush when a rocket propelled grenades struck him in the head.

Blinded and deafened, he struggled to maintain consciousness until his tank was moved out of danger.

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