 The title phrase "If I die in a combat zone, box me up and ship me home" is a military marching cadence, dating back to the Second World War.Cadences such as "C-130 rolling down the strip" and "If I die in the combat zone" are also used by the United States Marine Corps.The full stanza that is most commonly used in these cadences goes " If i die in a combat zone, box me up and ship me home, pin my medals upon my chest, tell my momma I done my best."