Would you like to inspect the original subtitles? These are the user uploaded subtitles that are being translated:
1
00:00:02,000 --> 00:00:07,000
Downloaded from
YTS.MX
2
00:00:08,000 --> 00:00:13,000
Official YIFY movies site:
YTS.MX
3
00:00:14,014 --> 00:00:16,549
BILL REYNOLDS: They took us
into some harsh terrain,
4
00:00:16,616 --> 00:00:18,318
in nasty, rotten places.
5
00:00:18,385 --> 00:00:19,986
♪ ♪
6
00:00:20,053 --> 00:00:22,889
And the more that we patrolled,
7
00:00:22,956 --> 00:00:25,558
the more we made contact
with the enemy.
8
00:00:25,625 --> 00:00:28,428
♪ ♪
9
00:00:28,495 --> 00:00:29,829
LARRY LILLEY: We thought
we were pretty tough,
10
00:00:29,896 --> 00:00:33,600
but when you get so many guys
killed or wounded,
11
00:00:33,666 --> 00:00:35,502
it's no longer a game.
12
00:00:38,571 --> 00:00:42,042
(explosions, gunfire)
13
00:00:42,108 --> 00:00:43,443
JOHN SCLIMENTI:
Bullets were going by us,
14
00:00:43,510 --> 00:00:45,378
we could see the water splashing
all over the place.
15
00:00:45,445 --> 00:00:49,149
(gunfire)
16
00:00:49,215 --> 00:00:50,316
STEVE HOPPER:
You can smell the blood,
17
00:00:50,383 --> 00:00:51,618
you can smell the explosions.
18
00:00:51,684 --> 00:00:55,088
(gunfire, explosions)
19
00:00:55,155 --> 00:00:56,723
REYNOLDS: I figured that was it.
20
00:00:56,790 --> 00:01:00,693
This is my last day in Vietnam;
this is my last day on Earth.
21
00:01:00,760 --> 00:01:03,463
(gunfire)
22
00:01:03,530 --> 00:01:05,598
WILLIE MCTEAR: We were trying
to keep each other safe
23
00:01:05,665 --> 00:01:06,966
and come back home alive.
24
00:01:07,033 --> 00:01:08,668
♪ ♪
25
00:01:08,735 --> 00:01:11,504
YOUNG: When we were almost
halfway through the tour,
26
00:01:11,571 --> 00:01:15,008
it dawned on all of us that
it didn't look like any of us
27
00:01:15,075 --> 00:01:16,976
were gonna be able
to make it the year.
28
00:01:17,043 --> 00:01:18,411
(jet passing)
29
00:01:18,478 --> 00:01:20,013
(blast)
30
00:01:20,080 --> 00:01:21,181
(explosion)
31
00:01:24,317 --> 00:01:29,923
♪ ♪
32
00:01:29,989 --> 00:01:35,662
(men yelling)
33
00:01:35,728 --> 00:01:39,165
♪ ♪
34
00:01:39,232 --> 00:01:41,668
NARRATOR: May 1966.
35
00:01:41,734 --> 00:01:45,338
Charlie Company, 4th Regiment,
47th Infantry,
36
00:01:45,405 --> 00:01:46,606
of the 9th Infantry Division
37
00:01:46,673 --> 00:01:48,875
is formed at
Fort Riley, Kansas.
38
00:01:48,942 --> 00:01:50,677
(whistle blows)
39
00:01:50,743 --> 00:01:52,745
♪ ♪
40
00:01:52,812 --> 00:01:55,281
99% of the men are draftees,
41
00:01:55,348 --> 00:01:57,283
pulled from nearly every state
in the nation
42
00:01:57,350 --> 00:01:58,818
as part of the largest
yearly draft call
43
00:01:58,885 --> 00:02:00,987
of the entire Vietnam War.
44
00:02:01,054 --> 00:02:04,057
(chanting)
45
00:02:04,124 --> 00:02:05,258
HOPPER: I was from Illinois,
46
00:02:05,325 --> 00:02:07,427
and I hadn't traveled far
from Illinois
47
00:02:07,494 --> 00:02:10,697
in my 19 years
I had been on Earth.
48
00:02:10,763 --> 00:02:14,701
And now here we were, brand-new
recruits from all walks of life.
49
00:02:14,767 --> 00:02:16,870
MAN: Come on. Get down there.
50
00:02:16,936 --> 00:02:19,672
MCTEAR: Being from the South, I
was accustomed to two Americas,
51
00:02:19,739 --> 00:02:21,841
a white America
and a black America.
52
00:02:21,908 --> 00:02:25,411
And this, being my first
integrated situation,
53
00:02:25,478 --> 00:02:28,648
I was more nervous about that
than I was about the training.
54
00:02:28,715 --> 00:02:30,917
♪ ♪
55
00:02:30,984 --> 00:02:33,386
(gunfire)
56
00:02:33,453 --> 00:02:38,658
LILLEY: We all had a job to do,
so we worked well together.
57
00:02:38,725 --> 00:02:41,594
It was a blending
that made us all better.
58
00:02:41,661 --> 00:02:43,763
It didn't divide us,
it made us better.
59
00:02:43,830 --> 00:02:47,901
♪ ♪
60
00:02:47,967 --> 00:02:49,235
HOPPER: We met some crazy guys.
61
00:02:49,302 --> 00:02:52,972
We had one of our guys,
Terry McBride,
62
00:02:53,039 --> 00:02:55,108
he had ridden with
the Hells Angels.
63
00:02:55,175 --> 00:02:59,512
He was kind of a bad dude,
you know.
64
00:02:59,579 --> 00:03:00,747
TERRY MCBRIDE:
I'm not going to say
65
00:03:00,813 --> 00:03:02,849
I had a problem with authority,
66
00:03:02,916 --> 00:03:04,284
I think they had
a problem with me,
67
00:03:04,350 --> 00:03:07,654
because I didn't want
to fit in their mold,
68
00:03:07,720 --> 00:03:09,656
and didn't mind vocalizing it.
69
00:03:09,722 --> 00:03:12,725
(laughs)
70
00:03:12,792 --> 00:03:15,695
LILLEY: Sclimenti was the
biggest jokester in the group.
71
00:03:15,762 --> 00:03:20,200
SCLIMENTI:
So, when I was in Vietnam,
72
00:03:20,266 --> 00:03:22,101
this is what happened.
73
00:03:22,168 --> 00:03:23,536
LILLEY: You might be asleep,
74
00:03:23,603 --> 00:03:24,871
he'd fill your hand
full of whipped cream
75
00:03:24,938 --> 00:03:27,073
and tickle and your nose
until you went...
76
00:03:27,140 --> 00:03:29,676
You know, every, ahh,
everybody bust out laughing.
77
00:03:29,742 --> 00:03:31,077
RICHARD RUBIO: We were
goofing off all the time,
78
00:03:31,144 --> 00:03:36,282
always getting in trouble,
and we had a lot of fun.
79
00:03:36,349 --> 00:03:38,551
♪ ♪
80
00:03:38,618 --> 00:03:40,653
MCBRIDE: I never knew
that a bunch of guys
81
00:03:40,720 --> 00:03:45,625
could get as tight as we did
in a short period of time.
82
00:03:49,062 --> 00:03:53,199
♪ ♪
83
00:03:53,266 --> 00:03:55,635
NARRATOR: Unlike the majority
of Vietnam-era soldiers,
84
00:03:55,702 --> 00:03:57,370
who would be sent as
individual replacements
85
00:03:57,437 --> 00:04:01,574
to existing military units,
Charlie Company is unique--
86
00:04:01,641 --> 00:04:03,776
one of the last American
combat infantry units
87
00:04:03,843 --> 00:04:08,681
to be drafted, trained,
and sent to war together.
88
00:04:08,748 --> 00:04:10,116
LILLEY: We were told
89
00:04:10,183 --> 00:04:12,485
that we were going to go
to Vietnam as a group,
90
00:04:12,552 --> 00:04:15,521
right from the start.
91
00:04:15,588 --> 00:04:16,756
Pretty soon,
through basic training,
92
00:04:16,823 --> 00:04:18,958
you realize,
oh, that won't be bad,
93
00:04:19,025 --> 00:04:20,326
I'll be with my buddies.
94
00:04:20,393 --> 00:04:22,095
♪ ♪
95
00:04:22,161 --> 00:04:25,098
But still, Vietnam hung over
our heads like a dark cloud.
96
00:04:26,666 --> 00:04:28,201
♪ ♪
97
00:04:28,268 --> 00:04:29,602
(gunfire)
98
00:04:29,669 --> 00:04:31,537
LYNDON JOHNSON: I have come here
to report to you
99
00:04:31,604 --> 00:04:35,742
that this is a time of testing
for our nation.
100
00:04:35,808 --> 00:04:37,076
RON NESSEN: The North Vietnamese
and Viet Cong
101
00:04:37,143 --> 00:04:38,778
are obviously
trying to stay away
102
00:04:38,845 --> 00:04:43,016
from any major head-on fights
with American combat units,
103
00:04:43,082 --> 00:04:45,318
but the Communists are
continuing their offensive
104
00:04:45,385 --> 00:04:49,055
in the form of terror
and guerrilla strikes.
105
00:04:49,122 --> 00:04:50,490
JOHNSON: I wish I could
report to you
106
00:04:50,556 --> 00:04:53,693
that the conflict
is almost over.
107
00:04:53,760 --> 00:04:55,862
This I cannot do.
108
00:04:55,928 --> 00:04:57,897
WALTER CRONKITE:
All 10 men aboard were killed
109
00:04:57,964 --> 00:04:59,899
when a U.S. Marine helicopter
crashed at sea
110
00:04:59,966 --> 00:05:01,567
along the central coast.
111
00:05:01,634 --> 00:05:06,572
Two other copters were down by
gunfire with three men wounded.
112
00:05:06,639 --> 00:05:12,078
JOHNSON: We face more cost,
more loss and more agony.
113
00:05:12,145 --> 00:05:15,081
♪ ♪
114
00:05:16,783 --> 00:05:20,620
HOPPER: In December of '66, we
had finished all of our training
115
00:05:20,687 --> 00:05:23,523
and declared to be ready
to go to Vietnam,
116
00:05:23,589 --> 00:05:26,125
but all of us got to
go home for Christmas
117
00:05:26,192 --> 00:05:28,394
and home leave, so to speak,
before we left.
118
00:05:28,461 --> 00:05:35,068
♪ ♪
119
00:05:35,134 --> 00:05:39,639
REYNOLDS: I remember coming home
and just seeing my mom and dad,
120
00:05:39,706 --> 00:05:44,043
my brother and sister, and
my girlfriend was there, and...
121
00:05:46,179 --> 00:05:47,847
you know, my mom was upset.
122
00:05:47,914 --> 00:05:51,351
You know, she was worried
about Vietnam.
123
00:05:51,417 --> 00:05:54,954
And I was just upset
to be leaving home.
124
00:05:55,021 --> 00:05:58,024
I wasn't really
in fear of my life.
125
00:05:58,091 --> 00:06:00,293
♪ ♪
126
00:06:00,360 --> 00:06:01,928
HOPPER: So I flew back
to Illinois,
127
00:06:01,994 --> 00:06:06,399
and first thing I did
was went out, and...
128
00:06:06,466 --> 00:06:11,938
I bought an engagement ring,
129
00:06:12,004 --> 00:06:16,476
because I wanted the girl
that I was dating,
130
00:06:16,542 --> 00:06:20,713
I guess, to give me
a real purpose for coming home.
131
00:06:22,849 --> 00:06:25,385
NARRATOR: On January 10, 1967,
132
00:06:25,451 --> 00:06:29,322
the 160 men of Charlie Company
depart San Francisco Harbor
133
00:06:29,389 --> 00:06:31,824
on board a World War II-era
transport.
134
00:06:31,891 --> 00:06:34,193
♪ ♪
135
00:06:34,260 --> 00:06:36,696
In three weeks' time,
they will land in South Vietnam
136
00:06:36,763 --> 00:06:39,399
and begin their
year-long combat tour.
137
00:06:41,401 --> 00:06:42,902
JACK BENEDICK:
We figured within a year,
138
00:06:42,969 --> 00:06:46,506
the war would be over with
once we got there.
139
00:06:46,572 --> 00:06:49,942
That sounds a little, maybe,
unrealistic to some people.
140
00:06:50,009 --> 00:06:55,915
But the training that
we had at Fort Riley
141
00:06:55,982 --> 00:07:00,319
instilled in our unit
this will to win,
142
00:07:00,386 --> 00:07:01,654
that we were going to
take care of this war
143
00:07:01,721 --> 00:07:02,889
and get it over with.
144
00:07:05,191 --> 00:07:07,326
REPORTER: Nicknamed
the Old Reliables
145
00:07:07,393 --> 00:07:10,229
for their distinguished
performance in World War II,
146
00:07:10,296 --> 00:07:11,798
the crack 9th Division
147
00:07:11,864 --> 00:07:14,867
will add an important plus
to U.S. operations
148
00:07:14,934 --> 00:07:17,837
and raise total troop strength
in Vietnam
149
00:07:17,904 --> 00:07:20,373
to another all-time high.
150
00:07:20,440 --> 00:07:27,847
♪ ♪
151
00:07:27,914 --> 00:07:30,817
[gulls squawking]
152
00:07:30,883 --> 00:07:34,854
♪ ♪
153
00:07:34,921 --> 00:07:37,056
GARY MAIBACH: When we got
closer to Vung Tau,
154
00:07:37,123 --> 00:07:39,692
you could see
the coastline of Vietnam.
155
00:07:39,759 --> 00:07:42,628
♪ ♪
156
00:07:42,695 --> 00:07:44,664
Shoreline with
a beautiful beach,
157
00:07:44,730 --> 00:07:46,799
I mean, it looked
more like somewhere
158
00:07:46,866 --> 00:07:49,869
you'd want to take a vacation
than you'd want to fight a war.
159
00:07:49,936 --> 00:07:52,872
♪ ♪
160
00:07:52,939 --> 00:07:57,109
HOPPER: We were out on the deck,
just talking and looking,
161
00:07:57,176 --> 00:08:02,849
and you'd see a stream of
tracers off in the distance
162
00:08:02,915 --> 00:08:04,750
coming down from a helicopter.
163
00:08:04,817 --> 00:08:06,853
♪ ♪
164
00:08:06,919 --> 00:08:09,288
And all of the sudden
you realize,
165
00:08:09,355 --> 00:08:11,891
wow, there's some stuff
going on here.
166
00:08:13,826 --> 00:08:16,496
REYNOLDS: You know,
it was kind of scary.
167
00:08:16,562 --> 00:08:18,998
We didn't know what to expect.
168
00:08:19,065 --> 00:08:21,734
♪ ♪
169
00:08:21,801 --> 00:08:25,371
They immediately loaded us
on deuce-and-a-halfs,
170
00:08:25,438 --> 00:08:26,906
and all of a sudden
we find ourselves
171
00:08:26,973 --> 00:08:31,043
busting down this dirt road,
dust flying everywhere.
172
00:08:31,110 --> 00:08:34,580
♪ ♪
173
00:08:34,647 --> 00:08:39,585
MAIBACH: The sights and
the sounds and the smells
174
00:08:39,652 --> 00:08:44,290
of a totally different
land and culture.
175
00:08:44,357 --> 00:08:47,126
It had a surreal aspect to it.
176
00:08:47,193 --> 00:08:53,566
♪ ♪
177
00:08:56,736 --> 00:08:59,238
HERB LIND: And they trucked us
to Camp Bear Cat,
178
00:08:59,305 --> 00:09:03,342
which was the 9th Infantry
Division base camp at that time.
179
00:09:03,409 --> 00:09:07,246
MAIBACH: And there we were,
no tents, no cots, no nothing.
180
00:09:07,313 --> 00:09:09,181
Welcome to Vietnam, guys.
181
00:09:09,248 --> 00:09:13,619
♪ ♪
182
00:09:13,686 --> 00:09:16,789
REYNOLDS: They had us digging
trenches, filling sandbags.
183
00:09:16,856 --> 00:09:18,824
We were instantly
working our tails off
184
00:09:18,891 --> 00:09:20,326
to build our base camp.
185
00:09:20,393 --> 00:09:24,530
♪ ♪
186
00:09:24,597 --> 00:09:26,098
HOSKINS: Hello, Mom and Dad.
187
00:09:26,165 --> 00:09:27,767
The Republic of Vietnam is not
188
00:09:27,833 --> 00:09:31,237
one of the most sought-after
vacation spots in the world.
189
00:09:31,304 --> 00:09:34,607
The curfew here at night is
from seven o'clock at night
190
00:09:34,674 --> 00:09:35,942
until seven o'clock
in the morning,
191
00:09:36,008 --> 00:09:37,443
and during that time
192
00:09:37,510 --> 00:09:39,445
no Vietnamese are allowed
to leave their villages
193
00:09:39,512 --> 00:09:41,013
or travel on the roads.
194
00:09:41,080 --> 00:09:43,516
And any Vietnamese you find
traveling at night
195
00:09:43,583 --> 00:09:47,286
is considered Viet Cong, and
you're authorized to kill them.
196
00:09:47,353 --> 00:09:54,527
♪ ♪
197
00:09:54,594 --> 00:09:55,895
NARRATOR: At Bear Cat,
198
00:09:55,962 --> 00:09:57,396
Charlie Company runs
its first patrols
199
00:09:57,463 --> 00:10:00,700
outside the base's perimeter.
200
00:10:00,766 --> 00:10:02,602
In this relatively safe area,
201
00:10:02,668 --> 00:10:05,571
they become acclimated to the
rigorous Vietnamese countryside
202
00:10:05,638 --> 00:10:08,908
and its oppressively
hot and humid climate.
203
00:10:08,975 --> 00:10:14,280
♪ ♪
204
00:10:14,347 --> 00:10:15,815
BILL RYAN:
At this time last year,
205
00:10:15,881 --> 00:10:19,385
there were 190,000 U.S. troops
in South Vietnam.
206
00:10:19,452 --> 00:10:22,088
Now there are 415,000.
207
00:10:22,154 --> 00:10:24,657
That build-up has changed
the nature of the war
208
00:10:24,724 --> 00:10:27,026
that U.S. forces
are able to fight.
209
00:10:27,093 --> 00:10:28,928
♪ ♪
210
00:10:28,995 --> 00:10:30,896
NARRATOR: In April of 1967,
211
00:10:30,963 --> 00:10:33,165
Charlie Company moves
to the Mekong Delta
212
00:10:33,232 --> 00:10:37,203
to become part of
the Mobile Riverine Force.
213
00:10:37,269 --> 00:10:40,406
The combined Army/Navy element
is the first American unit
214
00:10:40,473 --> 00:10:42,375
to be permanently stationed
in the delta.
215
00:10:42,441 --> 00:10:44,276
♪ ♪
216
00:10:44,343 --> 00:10:46,012
Charlie and
her sister companies
217
00:10:46,078 --> 00:10:48,214
will live on board
Navy barracks ships
218
00:10:48,280 --> 00:10:50,850
and will be transported into
battle by both helicopters,
219
00:10:50,916 --> 00:10:53,653
and by upgraded
World War II-era landing craft,
220
00:10:53,719 --> 00:10:56,522
called Armored Troop Carriers,
or ATCs.
221
00:10:56,589 --> 00:10:59,825
♪ ♪
222
00:10:59,892 --> 00:11:01,127
Their mission is to patrol
223
00:11:01,193 --> 00:11:04,196
the delta's 4,000 miles
of waterways,
224
00:11:04,263 --> 00:11:06,732
comb through
its 15,500 square miles
225
00:11:06,799 --> 00:11:09,402
of dense jungles
and rice paddies,
226
00:11:09,468 --> 00:11:12,471
and search out and destroy
the 82,000 enemy soldiers
227
00:11:12,538 --> 00:11:14,573
who pervade the region.
228
00:11:14,640 --> 00:11:17,910
♪ ♪
229
00:11:17,977 --> 00:11:19,679
REPORTER: This is where
the American war
230
00:11:19,745 --> 00:11:23,449
in the unpacified delta begins.
231
00:11:23,516 --> 00:11:25,384
Half of South Vietnam's
population
232
00:11:25,451 --> 00:11:27,920
lives in the delta.
233
00:11:27,987 --> 00:11:30,690
Until now, only
Vietnamese forces have tried
234
00:11:30,756 --> 00:11:33,259
and largely failed
to rout the Viet Cong
235
00:11:33,325 --> 00:11:35,995
from its strongest hold.
236
00:11:36,062 --> 00:11:37,663
In the last analysis,
237
00:11:37,730 --> 00:11:40,633
the war against the Viet Cong
will be won or lost there.
238
00:11:40,700 --> 00:11:46,672
♪ ♪
239
00:11:55,247 --> 00:11:58,117
♪ ♪
240
00:11:58,184 --> 00:12:00,653
NARRATOR: April 1967.
241
00:12:00,720 --> 00:12:04,223
Charlie Company begins
operations in the Mekong Delta.
242
00:12:04,290 --> 00:12:06,325
♪ ♪
243
00:12:06,392 --> 00:12:09,695
It is the largest stronghold
of the Viet Cong.
244
00:12:14,133 --> 00:12:15,768
YOUNG: The VC was
the military arm
245
00:12:15,835 --> 00:12:18,037
of the National
Liberation Front,
246
00:12:18,104 --> 00:12:20,639
which was
the political organization
247
00:12:20,706 --> 00:12:24,310
that worked for
the North Vietnamese.
248
00:12:24,376 --> 00:12:27,480
The kind of guys who would spend
their nights planting mines
249
00:12:27,546 --> 00:12:30,916
and booby traps, in the daytime
they're rice farmers.
250
00:12:30,983 --> 00:12:35,354
♪ ♪
251
00:12:35,421 --> 00:12:39,592
HOPPER: The enemy was
an expert in camouflage.
252
00:12:39,658 --> 00:12:42,661
♪ ♪
253
00:12:42,728 --> 00:12:44,730
You could be out
on a mission and...
254
00:12:47,466 --> 00:12:49,635
things go south real quick.
255
00:12:49,702 --> 00:12:52,605
(men yelling)
256
00:12:52,671 --> 00:12:56,509
We had a couple of guys fall
into some punji traps.
257
00:12:56,575 --> 00:12:59,411
You know, hidden underground,
and they stepped on it,
258
00:12:59,478 --> 00:13:00,946
and they went down
into the hole,
259
00:13:01,013 --> 00:13:05,351
and these punji sticks
would penetrate their leg.
260
00:13:05,417 --> 00:13:08,220
(yelling)
261
00:13:08,287 --> 00:13:12,758
SCLIMENTI: You could not get
the feeling how scary that was,
262
00:13:12,825 --> 00:13:16,762
because you didn't even know
where to step, where to kneel.
263
00:13:16,829 --> 00:13:19,198
♪ ♪
264
00:13:19,265 --> 00:13:22,902
YOUNG: You're always angry
and you're always scared,
265
00:13:22,968 --> 00:13:24,270
because you think that
could have been me
266
00:13:24,336 --> 00:13:26,405
just as well as him, and--
267
00:13:26,472 --> 00:13:28,174
♪ ♪
268
00:13:28,240 --> 00:13:32,344
and that's the bad thing
about mines and booby traps.
269
00:13:32,411 --> 00:13:38,017
You suffer and you can't do
any harm back against the enemy.
270
00:13:38,083 --> 00:13:39,785
♪ ♪
271
00:13:39,852 --> 00:13:43,322
And that builds up
inside soldiers
272
00:13:43,389 --> 00:13:47,993
to a level at which
something's going to happen.
273
00:13:48,060 --> 00:13:51,397
♪ ♪
274
00:13:51,463 --> 00:13:53,065
NARRATOR: On the morning
of May 15th,
275
00:13:53,132 --> 00:13:55,668
Charlie Company launches
its first large-scale operation
276
00:13:55,734 --> 00:13:57,336
in the delta.
277
00:13:57,403 --> 00:14:00,039
They are headed to an area
known to American forces
278
00:14:00,105 --> 00:14:03,542
as the Cam Son Secret Zone.
279
00:14:03,609 --> 00:14:05,344
U.S. intelligence has reported
280
00:14:05,411 --> 00:14:08,147
that approximately 200
Viet Cong soldiers
281
00:14:08,214 --> 00:14:09,715
are in the area
resting and recovering
282
00:14:09,782 --> 00:14:12,518
after a battle with
another American unit.
283
00:14:12,585 --> 00:14:13,953
♪ ♪
284
00:14:14,019 --> 00:14:16,622
Charlie Company's orders
are to pin the VC down
285
00:14:16,689 --> 00:14:18,424
and finish them off.
286
00:14:18,490 --> 00:14:24,630
♪ ♪
287
00:14:24,697 --> 00:14:26,031
HERB LIND: In a war like this,
288
00:14:26,098 --> 00:14:29,134
you don't fight to gain terrain
and control it.
289
00:14:29,201 --> 00:14:31,070
♪ ♪
290
00:14:31,136 --> 00:14:34,240
You are just trying
to eliminate the enemy.
291
00:14:34,306 --> 00:14:36,475
♪ ♪
292
00:14:36,542 --> 00:14:39,578
MCTEAR: We trained
as infantrymen
293
00:14:39,645 --> 00:14:43,115
to seek the enemy...
294
00:14:43,182 --> 00:14:45,718
and destroy him.
295
00:14:45,784 --> 00:14:47,286
Period.
296
00:14:47,353 --> 00:14:53,092
♪ ♪
297
00:14:53,158 --> 00:14:54,260
NESSEN: Companies
are broken down
298
00:14:54,326 --> 00:14:57,363
into platoons of 20 or 30 men.
299
00:14:57,429 --> 00:14:59,265
Separated by
considerable distance,
300
00:14:59,331 --> 00:15:00,766
the platoons are sent
into the bush
301
00:15:00,833 --> 00:15:03,202
to search for the Communists.
302
00:15:03,269 --> 00:15:05,938
The Viet Cong's refused to fight
bigger American units
303
00:15:06,005 --> 00:15:08,340
unless they are
taken by surprise.
304
00:15:08,407 --> 00:15:10,442
So, the idea is to entice
the Communists
305
00:15:10,509 --> 00:15:13,812
to jump an outnumbered platoon
then rush in reinforcements,
306
00:15:13,879 --> 00:15:15,981
artillery barrages,
and air strikes
307
00:15:16,048 --> 00:15:19,018
when the enemy shows himself.
308
00:15:19,084 --> 00:15:22,288
In the simplest terms,
the platoons are bait.
309
00:15:22,354 --> 00:15:25,624
♪ ♪
310
00:15:28,460 --> 00:15:31,397
JOHN BRADFIELD:
Then we continued to advance,
311
00:15:31,463 --> 00:15:35,634
and it was really quiet,
real quiet.
312
00:15:38,871 --> 00:15:41,473
(gunfire)
313
00:15:41,540 --> 00:15:42,608
JAMES NALL: All of a sudden
314
00:15:42,675 --> 00:15:45,311
everything started
opening up on us.
315
00:15:45,377 --> 00:15:46,578
(gunfire)
316
00:15:46,645 --> 00:15:47,980
SCLIMENTI:
Bullets were going by us,
317
00:15:48,047 --> 00:15:50,482
we could see the water splashing
all over the place.
318
00:15:50,549 --> 00:15:52,785
HOPPER: You can smell the blood,
you can smell the explosions.
319
00:15:52,851 --> 00:15:54,019
(gunfire)
320
00:15:54,086 --> 00:15:56,155
REYNOLDS:
It's amazing, it's chaotic!
321
00:15:56,221 --> 00:15:58,557
You just think, God,
this is not like the movies.
322
00:15:58,624 --> 00:16:00,693
(gunfire)
323
00:16:00,759 --> 00:16:05,164
YOUNG: We had just crossed
a rather large rice paddy dike,
324
00:16:05,230 --> 00:16:07,766
so we got on the defensive
side of that dike
325
00:16:07,833 --> 00:16:10,569
and took stock
of what was going on,
326
00:16:10,636 --> 00:16:12,171
and that's about the time
that we found out
327
00:16:12,237 --> 00:16:14,640
we had one entire squad
still out there
328
00:16:14,707 --> 00:16:16,976
in that rice paddy in the open,
329
00:16:17,042 --> 00:16:21,413
and that it appeared that
all of them were down and hit.
330
00:16:21,480 --> 00:16:25,417
(gunfire)
331
00:16:25,484 --> 00:16:26,852
SOLDIER ON RADIO: To your right,
and we'll come in
332
00:16:26,919 --> 00:16:28,020
behind you there.
333
00:16:28,087 --> 00:16:29,388
SCLIMENTI:
We could hear the radio
334
00:16:29,455 --> 00:16:30,889
starting to squawk
all over the place.
335
00:16:30,956 --> 00:16:33,125
You could hear the guys
screaming and yelling,
336
00:16:33,192 --> 00:16:36,095
and you could see one or two
guys flounder or flop around.
337
00:16:36,161 --> 00:16:41,367
(gunfire)
338
00:16:41,433 --> 00:16:43,836
One of the sergeants says,
"Hey, we need some volunteers
339
00:16:43,902 --> 00:16:46,672
to go out there
and get these guys."
340
00:16:46,739 --> 00:16:49,341
This group that was trained
341
00:16:49,408 --> 00:16:52,878
and knew their brothers
were out there
342
00:16:52,945 --> 00:16:54,947
just took it upon themself.
343
00:16:55,014 --> 00:16:58,350
And people would just jump up
and we off and ran.
344
00:16:58,417 --> 00:17:01,020
(gunfire)
345
00:17:03,255 --> 00:17:05,290
♪ ♪
346
00:17:05,357 --> 00:17:08,394
(gunfire)
347
00:17:08,460 --> 00:17:10,062
YOUNG: I was running
and running and running,
348
00:17:10,129 --> 00:17:16,535
and finally off to my right,
there was a GI lying there.
349
00:17:16,602 --> 00:17:17,903
I said,
"This is Sergeant Young,"
350
00:17:17,970 --> 00:17:20,539
I said, "I'm here
to take you back."
351
00:17:20,606 --> 00:17:22,141
And he said, "Okay," he said,
352
00:17:22,207 --> 00:17:25,444
"But," he said,
"I can't move my legs."
353
00:17:25,511 --> 00:17:28,213
And so I lay down
flat in the rice,
354
00:17:28,280 --> 00:17:30,349
and I said, "Can you crawl up
on my back?
355
00:17:30,416 --> 00:17:32,785
Can you pull yourself up
onto my back?"
356
00:17:32,851 --> 00:17:34,153
And he was able to do that.
357
00:17:34,219 --> 00:17:35,854
♪ ♪
358
00:17:35,921 --> 00:17:37,356
And I got up
on my hands and knees
359
00:17:37,423 --> 00:17:39,691
and started crawling back
towards the platoon.
360
00:17:39,758 --> 00:17:41,794
♪ ♪
361
00:17:41,860 --> 00:17:43,395
And I finally got back
362
00:17:43,462 --> 00:17:46,698
to where the men who were still
back at the rice paddy dike
363
00:17:46,765 --> 00:17:48,100
could see us.
364
00:17:48,167 --> 00:17:51,303
John Sclimenti saw me,
365
00:17:51,370 --> 00:17:54,273
and he came running out
to help me
366
00:17:54,339 --> 00:17:56,408
get him the last
few meters back.
367
00:17:56,475 --> 00:18:01,613
(gunfire)
368
00:18:01,680 --> 00:18:03,449
NARRATOR: With the wounded
out of the way,
369
00:18:03,515 --> 00:18:06,018
Charlie Company's commander
can call in helicopter gunships
370
00:18:06,085 --> 00:18:08,353
without fear of
hitting his own men.
371
00:18:08,420 --> 00:18:13,959
♪ ♪
372
00:18:14,026 --> 00:18:16,995
(radio chatter)
373
00:18:17,062 --> 00:18:20,799
♪ ♪
374
00:18:20,866 --> 00:18:23,635
(gunfire and shouting)
375
00:18:23,702 --> 00:18:25,804
SOLDIER ON RADIO: Roger,
that's the target area there.
376
00:18:25,871 --> 00:18:29,274
♪ ♪
377
00:18:29,341 --> 00:18:33,345
(gunfire)
378
00:18:33,412 --> 00:18:35,747
(radio chatter)
379
00:18:35,814 --> 00:18:42,888
♪ ♪
380
00:18:48,760 --> 00:18:52,131
♪ ♪
381
00:18:52,197 --> 00:18:53,732
SCLIMENTI:
When you're in battle,
382
00:18:53,799 --> 00:18:56,235
your training takes over;
383
00:18:56,301 --> 00:19:00,639
your emotions are on autopilot.
384
00:19:00,706 --> 00:19:05,844
What's tough for you
is when the battle stops.
385
00:19:05,911 --> 00:19:11,583
When the battle stops, all of a
sudden you start thinking about
386
00:19:11,650 --> 00:19:14,853
what could've happened to me.
387
00:19:14,920 --> 00:19:19,458
♪ ♪
388
00:19:19,525 --> 00:19:21,093
MAN: Oh, I got you.
Say again.
389
00:19:21,160 --> 00:19:25,297
YOUNG: And we knew for sure by
then that Don Peterson was dead.
390
00:19:25,364 --> 00:19:27,666
♪ ♪
391
00:19:27,733 --> 00:19:30,435
And two of the men
in our platoon
392
00:19:30,502 --> 00:19:33,539
who were good friends
of Don Peterson's
393
00:19:33,605 --> 00:19:37,042
were able to go out there
in the rice and find him,
394
00:19:37,109 --> 00:19:39,244
find his body,
395
00:19:39,311 --> 00:19:44,416
and carry him back
to the platoon positions.
396
00:19:44,483 --> 00:19:46,418
♪ ♪
397
00:19:46,485 --> 00:19:48,387
NALL: Emotionally,
it really hurt me,
398
00:19:48,453 --> 00:19:53,692
'cause I had never in my life
seen a guy die
399
00:19:53,759 --> 00:19:55,928
until Peterson died.
400
00:19:55,994 --> 00:19:59,598
♪ ♪
401
00:19:59,665 --> 00:20:03,335
MAIBACH: He was going home,
but not the way I wanted him to.
402
00:20:03,402 --> 00:20:05,103
♪ ♪
403
00:20:05,170 --> 00:20:08,273
REYNOLDS: They had a poncho
covering him.
404
00:20:08,340 --> 00:20:09,975
The chopper lifted off,
405
00:20:10,042 --> 00:20:12,844
and that poncho flew
right out the door.
406
00:20:14,112 --> 00:20:15,847
Just looking at him,
seeing him dead there
407
00:20:15,914 --> 00:20:20,352
just, was just, God, you know,
it was like, this is real.
408
00:20:20,419 --> 00:20:24,323
♪ ♪
409
00:20:24,389 --> 00:20:25,991
NARRATOR: In the final tally,
410
00:20:26,058 --> 00:20:30,362
American forces are credited
with over 100 enemy killed.
411
00:20:30,429 --> 00:20:32,364
By the military's
statistical standards,
412
00:20:32,431 --> 00:20:35,434
May 15th is considered
a clear U.S. victory.
413
00:20:35,500 --> 00:20:38,370
♪ ♪
414
00:20:38,437 --> 00:20:40,272
But like most battles
in Vietnam,
415
00:20:40,339 --> 00:20:44,977
May 15th is also considered
too small for an official name.
416
00:20:45,043 --> 00:20:48,580
Charlie Company's baptism
of fire will receive no press
417
00:20:48,647 --> 00:20:51,516
and will be recorded
simply as a date.
418
00:20:51,583 --> 00:20:59,358
♪ ♪
419
00:20:59,424 --> 00:21:01,827
HOPPER: May 15th.
420
00:21:01,893 --> 00:21:06,632
Such a important day to us.
421
00:21:06,698 --> 00:21:08,200
♪ ♪
422
00:21:08,267 --> 00:21:12,437
But I doubt if anyone back home
heard much about that.
423
00:21:12,504 --> 00:21:19,611
♪ ♪
424
00:21:19,678 --> 00:21:26,218
(radio tuning)
425
00:21:26,285 --> 00:21:27,753
NESSEN: Since I've been home
from Vietnam,
426
00:21:27,819 --> 00:21:31,089
dozens of people have asked me,
"What's really going on there?"
427
00:21:31,156 --> 00:21:33,125
♪ ♪
428
00:21:33,191 --> 00:21:35,127
If these questioners
are representative,
429
00:21:35,193 --> 00:21:37,663
it indicates that many
Americans are confused
430
00:21:37,729 --> 00:21:40,632
by conflicting reports
about the situation in Vietnam.
431
00:21:40,699 --> 00:21:42,868
♪ ♪
432
00:21:42,934 --> 00:21:47,139
Success in Washington is
measured in cold statistics--
433
00:21:47,205 --> 00:21:48,940
the number of Viet Cong killed,
434
00:21:49,007 --> 00:21:51,643
the number of pacification
cadres graduated.
435
00:21:51,710 --> 00:21:55,213
♪ ♪
436
00:21:55,280 --> 00:21:58,850
In Vietnam, success
is persuading one old man
437
00:21:58,917 --> 00:22:00,118
to point out
where the Communists
438
00:22:00,185 --> 00:22:02,654
have hidden a booby trap.
439
00:22:02,721 --> 00:22:04,289
It is talking one old woman
440
00:22:04,356 --> 00:22:07,392
into luring her son
away from the Viet Cong.
441
00:22:07,459 --> 00:22:12,831
♪ ♪
442
00:22:12,898 --> 00:22:14,466
YOUNG: I think the great
majority of the people
443
00:22:14,533 --> 00:22:17,369
of the delta were in
the really sad situation
444
00:22:17,436 --> 00:22:19,438
of being caught in the middle.
445
00:22:19,504 --> 00:22:22,808
If they cooperated
too much with us,
446
00:22:22,874 --> 00:22:27,245
it would cost them when
the VC showed up that night.
447
00:22:27,312 --> 00:22:30,716
And if they cooperated
too much with the VC,
448
00:22:30,782 --> 00:22:32,551
then if we found out about it,
449
00:22:32,617 --> 00:22:34,152
we were going to
make it hard on them.
450
00:22:34,219 --> 00:22:38,023
So no matter what they did,
they were going to lose.
451
00:22:43,328 --> 00:22:47,899
♪ ♪
452
00:22:47,966 --> 00:22:50,369
NARRATOR: On June 19, 1967,
453
00:22:50,435 --> 00:22:52,971
five months into their
year-long combat tour,
454
00:22:53,038 --> 00:22:55,006
Charlie Company launches
a massive operation
455
00:22:55,073 --> 00:22:58,543
with sister companies
Alpha and Bravo.
456
00:22:58,610 --> 00:23:00,045
This time, intelligence
has reported
457
00:23:00,112 --> 00:23:02,047
a sizeable Viet Cong force
458
00:23:02,114 --> 00:23:05,083
is near a small village
called Can Giouc.
459
00:23:05,150 --> 00:23:11,390
♪ ♪
460
00:23:11,456 --> 00:23:13,525
(creak)
461
00:23:13,592 --> 00:23:17,496
MAN: Head straight forward.
Let's go.
462
00:23:19,431 --> 00:23:22,267
SCLIMENTI: We were
sweeping an area.
463
00:23:22,334 --> 00:23:25,737
All of a sudden the radios
just went crazy.
464
00:23:25,804 --> 00:23:27,205
You could hear them all over.
465
00:23:27,272 --> 00:23:29,441
(radio chatter)
466
00:23:29,508 --> 00:23:33,211
♪ ♪
467
00:23:33,278 --> 00:23:35,580
LIND: What I'm attempting to do
is to draw out
468
00:23:35,647 --> 00:23:40,385
what the battle of 19 June
looked like from my perspective.
469
00:23:40,452 --> 00:23:44,289
So we were picked up
up here,
470
00:23:44,356 --> 00:23:46,158
put on the boats,
471
00:23:46,224 --> 00:23:48,059
brought down here,
472
00:23:48,126 --> 00:23:51,029
and reinserted right here.
473
00:23:51,096 --> 00:23:55,200
We believed that the enemy
was to the south
474
00:23:55,267 --> 00:23:57,536
and there would be
another American unit
475
00:23:57,602 --> 00:23:59,971
coming up from the south.
476
00:24:00,038 --> 00:24:01,840
And we were going to catch them
out in the open.
477
00:24:01,907 --> 00:24:05,510
♪ ♪
478
00:24:05,577 --> 00:24:07,045
YOUNG: We were headed off
in the direction
479
00:24:07,112 --> 00:24:12,818
of a scattered group of hooches,
480
00:24:12,884 --> 00:24:16,354
and from just across the canal
481
00:24:16,421 --> 00:24:18,957
a .50-caliber machine gun
opened up.
482
00:24:19,024 --> 00:24:24,629
(gunfire and shouting)
483
00:24:24,696 --> 00:24:28,633
♪ ♪
484
00:24:28,700 --> 00:24:32,471
LIND: I had not left
the vicinity of the boats.
485
00:24:32,537 --> 00:24:34,706
Lieutenant Benedick,
my second platoon leader,
486
00:24:34,773 --> 00:24:36,942
screamed on the radio,
"We're hit, we're hit!"
487
00:24:37,008 --> 00:24:40,111
(gunfire)
488
00:24:40,178 --> 00:24:45,584
BENEDICK: We had 15 or 16 guys
hit when the fire first started.
489
00:24:45,650 --> 00:24:47,652
They were definitely
waiting for us.
490
00:24:47,719 --> 00:24:51,189
(gunfire)
491
00:24:51,256 --> 00:24:52,591
REYNOLDS: And so there we were,
492
00:24:52,657 --> 00:24:54,392
trying to figure out where
the hell is the enemy.
493
00:24:54,459 --> 00:24:56,361
(gunfire)
494
00:24:56,428 --> 00:25:00,999
(yelling)
495
00:25:01,066 --> 00:25:05,604
LIND: What we discovered was
that the VC were not south of us
496
00:25:05,670 --> 00:25:08,039
but were north of us.
497
00:25:08,106 --> 00:25:11,209
There was
a machine gun bunker here,
498
00:25:11,276 --> 00:25:14,913
and a machine gun bunker here,
and another one here.
499
00:25:14,980 --> 00:25:17,282
Our best estimation
would be that it had to be
500
00:25:17,349 --> 00:25:20,719
at least a battalion-sized unit
or larger,
501
00:25:20,785 --> 00:25:23,054
and that would have been
in the Viet Cong,
502
00:25:23,121 --> 00:25:26,424
approximately 400 to 500 men.
503
00:25:26,491 --> 00:25:30,362
And our strength at that time
would have been right at 120.
504
00:25:30,428 --> 00:25:32,831
(gunfire)
505
00:25:32,898 --> 00:25:38,069
YOUNG: We're up against a
seriously oversized enemy unit.
506
00:25:38,136 --> 00:25:40,105
(gunfire)
507
00:25:40,171 --> 00:25:41,806
We were outnumbered
on the ground.
508
00:25:41,873 --> 00:25:46,478
(gunfire)
509
00:25:46,545 --> 00:25:47,812
LIND: Once we identified
510
00:25:47,879 --> 00:25:51,416
where the main machine gun fire
was coming from,
511
00:25:51,483 --> 00:25:53,785
we pretty much
could pin it down,
512
00:25:53,852 --> 00:25:55,987
but we didn't have
anything large enough
513
00:25:56,054 --> 00:26:00,058
to destroy the bunkers
that the VC had built up.
514
00:26:00,125 --> 00:26:03,061
We determined that we had
to call in heavier artillery.
515
00:26:05,864 --> 00:26:07,799
NARRATOR: Four and a half miles
to the southeast,
516
00:26:07,866 --> 00:26:09,901
the Riverine Force's
mobile artillery barges
517
00:26:09,968 --> 00:26:11,870
key in the enemy's coordinates
518
00:26:11,937 --> 00:26:13,972
and begin blasting
the VC bunkers.
519
00:26:14,039 --> 00:26:16,141
SOLDIER: Fire!
520
00:26:19,678 --> 00:26:21,513
LIND: And it looked
like direct hits.
521
00:26:21,580 --> 00:26:25,650
♪ ♪
522
00:26:25,717 --> 00:26:29,120
But not stopping
the machine guns from operating.
523
00:26:29,187 --> 00:26:32,924
♪ ♪
524
00:26:32,991 --> 00:26:35,694
(radio chatter)
525
00:26:35,760 --> 00:26:37,162
NARRATOR: With artillery
ineffective,
526
00:26:37,228 --> 00:26:39,631
Charlie Company calls
for air support.
527
00:26:39,698 --> 00:26:42,767
Within minutes, American
fighters are streaking overhead
528
00:26:42,834 --> 00:26:45,971
attacking the VC bunkers
less than 100 yards away.
529
00:26:46,037 --> 00:26:50,141
♪ ♪
530
00:26:50,208 --> 00:26:52,611
SCLIMENTI: The jets
flew by so close,
531
00:26:52,677 --> 00:26:56,281
you could see the guy's face
in the plane.
532
00:26:56,348 --> 00:27:00,552
You could see the moisture come
off the wings of the airplane.
533
00:27:00,619 --> 00:27:06,925
♪ ♪
534
00:27:14,699 --> 00:27:17,035
NARRATOR: But after two hours
of intense battle,
535
00:27:17,102 --> 00:27:20,271
the Viet Cong machine guns
have not been silenced,
536
00:27:20,338 --> 00:27:22,841
and the number of critically
wounded is growing.
537
00:27:22,907 --> 00:27:24,576
(gunfire)
538
00:27:24,643 --> 00:27:28,346
Captain Herb Lind radios a
nearby Navy squadron commander
539
00:27:28,413 --> 00:27:31,349
who suggests a risky plan.
540
00:27:31,416 --> 00:27:32,917
LIND: One of
the squadron commanders
541
00:27:32,984 --> 00:27:36,354
was a lieutenant commander
named Dusty Rhodes.
542
00:27:36,421 --> 00:27:38,957
He had what they called
a monitor gunboat.
543
00:27:39,024 --> 00:27:40,625
(radio chatter)
544
00:27:40,692 --> 00:27:43,962
Dusty Rhodes knew that
we were in trouble.
545
00:27:44,029 --> 00:27:45,597
He says, "I know that canal."
546
00:27:45,664 --> 00:27:49,267
He says, "It's high tide right
now, I think I can make it up."
547
00:27:49,334 --> 00:27:52,470
♪ ♪
548
00:27:52,537 --> 00:27:56,007
YOUNG: If he goes up the canal,
he's gonna have to back it down,
549
00:27:56,074 --> 00:28:01,146
'cause there isn't nearly enough
room for it to turn around.
550
00:28:01,212 --> 00:28:03,581
And if the tide gets down
too far while he's up there,
551
00:28:03,648 --> 00:28:04,883
he could be grounded.
552
00:28:04,949 --> 00:28:06,384
♪ ♪
553
00:28:06,451 --> 00:28:08,853
LIND: There was a risk,
a very definite risk,
554
00:28:08,920 --> 00:28:12,857
but what options do we have
in a situation like that?
555
00:28:12,924 --> 00:28:16,194
We tried artillery,
we tried the air.
556
00:28:16,261 --> 00:28:19,230
I would have welcomed anything
that day to help us out.
557
00:28:19,297 --> 00:28:23,401
And Dusty Rhodes was
willing to take the risk.
558
00:28:23,468 --> 00:28:28,373
One of the things he needed was
somebody to direct his fires.
559
00:28:28,440 --> 00:28:30,542
And when he came in,
I said I would do it.
560
00:28:30,608 --> 00:28:33,178
♪ ♪
561
00:28:33,244 --> 00:28:37,749
YOUNG: Captain Lind,
carrying his own radio,
562
00:28:37,816 --> 00:28:41,386
stood up and walked
alongside that monitor,
563
00:28:41,453 --> 00:28:43,688
selecting targets
for it to engage.
564
00:28:43,755 --> 00:28:50,295
♪ ♪
565
00:28:50,361 --> 00:28:52,864
I remember looking up there
and seeing him,
566
00:28:52,931 --> 00:28:55,767
and I thought, "If I've ever
seen a brave man in my life,
567
00:28:55,834 --> 00:28:57,402
there he is right there."
568
00:28:57,469 --> 00:29:02,607
♪ ♪
569
00:29:02,674 --> 00:29:04,943
LIND: He backed out before
the tide came back in,
570
00:29:05,009 --> 00:29:09,347
and that really alleviated the
situation for Charlie Company.
571
00:29:09,414 --> 00:29:10,648
♪ ♪
572
00:29:10,715 --> 00:29:13,485
So, Dusty Rhodes
is a hero to me.
573
00:29:13,551 --> 00:29:15,653
♪ ♪
574
00:29:15,720 --> 00:29:17,722
NARRATOR: With the machine guns
finally silenced,
575
00:29:17,789 --> 00:29:20,558
Charlie Company gains the
upper hand for the first time
576
00:29:20,625 --> 00:29:23,628
in nearly five hours.
577
00:29:23,695 --> 00:29:25,663
But with the remaining
Viet Cong still fighting
578
00:29:25,730 --> 00:29:28,166
from their position on
the north side of the canal,
579
00:29:28,233 --> 00:29:31,102
the battle is not yet over.
580
00:29:31,169 --> 00:29:32,637
First and second platoons
are ordered
581
00:29:32,704 --> 00:29:34,973
to pull back to the ATCs
582
00:29:35,039 --> 00:29:36,508
and prepare to cross the canal
583
00:29:36,574 --> 00:29:39,878
to launch a final
ground assault against the VC.
584
00:29:43,281 --> 00:29:48,853
♪ ♪
585
00:29:48,920 --> 00:29:52,824
REYNOLDS: As we boarded that
boat, I figured that was it.
586
00:29:52,891 --> 00:29:56,027
This is my last day in Vietnam;
this is my last day on Earth.
587
00:29:56,094 --> 00:30:01,366
♪ ♪
588
00:30:13,178 --> 00:30:16,981
(yelling)
589
00:30:17,048 --> 00:30:22,921
SCLIMENTI: We all got online
and we started rushing the fire.
590
00:30:22,987 --> 00:30:26,024
(gunfire)
591
00:30:26,090 --> 00:30:28,059
Everybody's shooting,
automatics are going.
592
00:30:28,126 --> 00:30:30,128
(gunfire)
593
00:30:30,195 --> 00:30:32,797
YOUNG: We were all advancing
as fast as we could,
594
00:30:32,864 --> 00:30:35,800
and firing weapons as fast
as we could.
595
00:30:35,867 --> 00:30:37,969
And I think at that moment,
596
00:30:38,036 --> 00:30:40,205
we all just went
a little bit crazy.
597
00:30:40,271 --> 00:30:43,741
(gunfire)
598
00:30:43,808 --> 00:30:46,411
I'm not sure how many we got.
599
00:30:46,477 --> 00:30:47,745
(gunfire)
600
00:30:47,812 --> 00:30:50,849
And then, almost that quickly...
601
00:30:50,915 --> 00:30:52,483
(gunfire)
602
00:30:52,550 --> 00:30:55,220
it was just over.
603
00:30:55,286 --> 00:30:57,422
♪ ♪
604
00:30:57,488 --> 00:30:59,190
LIND: We didn't really know
at that time how many of them
605
00:30:59,257 --> 00:31:02,594
we had killed or how bad
we had crippled them.
606
00:31:02,660 --> 00:31:04,262
♪ ♪
607
00:31:04,329 --> 00:31:08,032
And by that time
it was starting to get dark,
608
00:31:08,099 --> 00:31:09,400
and so we pulled back,
609
00:31:09,467 --> 00:31:12,370
and between myself
and the battalion commander
610
00:31:12,437 --> 00:31:14,539
we decided that we better
go into defensive posture
611
00:31:14,606 --> 00:31:15,707
for the night.
612
00:31:15,773 --> 00:31:19,644
♪ ♪
613
00:31:19,711 --> 00:31:23,548
MAIBACH: We had no idea if they
were going to assault us again,
614
00:31:23,615 --> 00:31:24,849
how many were there.
615
00:31:24,916 --> 00:31:27,352
♪ ♪
616
00:31:27,418 --> 00:31:29,988
We had no idea what
was going to happen.
617
00:31:30,054 --> 00:31:37,061
♪ ♪
618
00:31:37,128 --> 00:31:39,397
LIND: The next day
we were primed and ready.
619
00:31:39,464 --> 00:31:40,565
We thought we probably were
620
00:31:40,632 --> 00:31:43,501
going to have more
battle to face.
621
00:31:43,568 --> 00:31:46,738
And we eased up and started
to try to move forward
622
00:31:46,804 --> 00:31:52,243
and received no resistance,
no shots fired at us whatsoever.
623
00:31:52,310 --> 00:31:55,613
So eventually we got up
and spread out.
624
00:31:55,680 --> 00:31:57,148
♪ ♪
625
00:31:57,215 --> 00:32:00,752
Then we discovered that
during the hours of darkness
626
00:32:00,818 --> 00:32:02,754
the enemy retreated.
627
00:32:02,820 --> 00:32:06,224
♪ ♪
628
00:32:06,291 --> 00:32:07,692
NARRATOR: June 19th.
629
00:32:07,759 --> 00:32:09,961
Charlie Company's largest
battle in Vietnam
630
00:32:10,028 --> 00:32:13,598
would become known as
the Battle of Can Giouc.
631
00:32:13,665 --> 00:32:15,300
A decisive U.S. victory,
632
00:32:15,366 --> 00:32:17,435
the combined American forces
nearly wiped out
633
00:32:17,502 --> 00:32:20,138
two entire Viet Cong companies,
634
00:32:20,204 --> 00:32:24,309
killing over
250 enemy soldiers.
635
00:32:24,375 --> 00:32:26,878
Charlie Company
suffered 11 killed.
636
00:32:26,945 --> 00:32:30,648
♪ ♪
637
00:32:30,715 --> 00:32:34,085
Among the dead is second
platoon medic Bill Geier,
638
00:32:34,152 --> 00:32:37,522
who was shot while rushing
to save wounded soldiers.
639
00:32:37,588 --> 00:32:41,092
He died in the arms
of Bill Reynolds.
640
00:32:41,159 --> 00:32:44,228
REYNOLDS: There wasn't anything
he wouldn't do for his buddies.
641
00:32:44,295 --> 00:32:45,596
You know, somebody's
wounded somewhere,
642
00:32:45,663 --> 00:32:47,365
he's gonna go help them.
643
00:32:47,432 --> 00:32:51,703
And he was so brave, and for me
to see him laying there,
644
00:32:51,769 --> 00:32:55,106
you know, gasping for air
and dying right there,
645
00:32:55,173 --> 00:32:58,543
it was just unbearable.
646
00:32:58,609 --> 00:33:01,679
I wrote a letter
to his mom and dad
647
00:33:01,746 --> 00:33:04,615
and told them what
a wonderful guy he was.
648
00:33:05,616 --> 00:33:07,051
♪ ♪
649
00:33:07,118 --> 00:33:08,987
NARRATOR:
Including nearly 40 wounded,
650
00:33:09,053 --> 00:33:13,324
Charlie Company suffered almost
30% casualties on June 19th,
651
00:33:13,391 --> 00:33:15,526
making it their highest
single day of losses
652
00:33:15,593 --> 00:33:17,428
for the entire war.
653
00:33:17,495 --> 00:33:19,564
♪ ♪
654
00:33:19,630 --> 00:33:20,832
But the toll is even greater
655
00:33:20,898 --> 00:33:23,968
for their sister company,
Alpha.
656
00:33:24,035 --> 00:33:25,303
LIND: The reports were
that A Company
657
00:33:25,370 --> 00:33:27,839
took about 80% casualties.
658
00:33:27,905 --> 00:33:32,176
♪ ♪
659
00:33:32,243 --> 00:33:35,913
REYNOLDS: Several days later,
one of the guys got in the mail
660
00:33:35,980 --> 00:33:38,316
the front page of the L.A. Times
661
00:33:38,383 --> 00:33:42,186
where it reported that
an entire company was wiped out
662
00:33:42,253 --> 00:33:44,389
by the Viet Cong.
663
00:33:44,455 --> 00:33:48,559
Not once did they mention
we had killed 250 VC.
664
00:33:48,626 --> 00:33:50,995
Not once did it say
at the end of the battle,
665
00:33:51,062 --> 00:33:53,998
we were there,
and they were gone or dead.
666
00:33:54,065 --> 00:33:59,437
And, you know, I think that
was kind of like an eye-opener
667
00:33:59,504 --> 00:34:04,208
that America is not with us.
668
00:34:04,275 --> 00:34:07,812
FRANK MCGEE: Right or wrong,
for better or for worse,
669
00:34:07,879 --> 00:34:11,416
never have so many Americans
had so many doubts,
670
00:34:11,482 --> 00:34:14,919
and never have
we been less united.
671
00:34:14,986 --> 00:34:19,123
This attitude is not lost
on the men who fight in Vietnam.
672
00:34:19,190 --> 00:34:23,461
But for them, as for all men
who fight in all wars,
673
00:34:23,528 --> 00:34:26,831
there is only one
meaningful reality--
674
00:34:26,898 --> 00:34:29,133
life or death.
675
00:34:30,501 --> 00:34:33,137
MCTEAR: It was all about us
doing for each other
676
00:34:33,204 --> 00:34:36,574
what we couldn't do alone
for ourselves.
677
00:34:36,641 --> 00:34:40,211
We were trying to keep
each other safe
678
00:34:40,278 --> 00:34:42,747
and come back home alive.
679
00:34:42,814 --> 00:34:44,782
♪ ♪
680
00:34:47,318 --> 00:34:55,193
♪ ♪
681
00:34:55,259 --> 00:34:56,828
RUBIO: Hello, Sandy,
it's me again.
682
00:34:56,894 --> 00:35:00,932
I guess it's about time I got
around to sending another tape.
683
00:35:00,998 --> 00:35:02,767
It's been kind of bad
around here,
684
00:35:02,834 --> 00:35:04,769
the atmosphere and everything,
685
00:35:04,836 --> 00:35:08,940
'cause we've been getting hit
kind of hard lately.
686
00:35:09,006 --> 00:35:12,510
Watching all these guys,
these friends of mine,
687
00:35:12,577 --> 00:35:15,146
get killed and wounded,
688
00:35:15,213 --> 00:35:16,781
they're all so close to me
and everything,
689
00:35:16,848 --> 00:35:20,184
they're just like brothers,
and it really hurts a lot.
690
00:35:20,251 --> 00:35:21,686
But I've been trying
not to think about it
691
00:35:21,752 --> 00:35:24,155
so I won't go out of my head.
692
00:35:24,222 --> 00:35:27,592
♪ ♪
693
00:35:27,658 --> 00:35:33,698
SCLIMENTI: People don't
understand what happens
694
00:35:33,764 --> 00:35:38,169
to someone that is in
that kind of conflict,
695
00:35:38,236 --> 00:35:41,172
day in and day out.
696
00:35:41,239 --> 00:35:46,744
People's minds have to shut out
697
00:35:46,811 --> 00:35:49,013
a lot of bad things.
698
00:35:49,080 --> 00:35:52,016
♪ ♪
699
00:35:52,083 --> 00:35:54,952
NARRATOR: By September of '67,
nine months of combat
700
00:35:55,019 --> 00:35:57,889
is taking a visible toll
on Charlie Company.
701
00:36:00,024 --> 00:36:03,561
Of the 160 men who left
San Francisco in January,
702
00:36:03,628 --> 00:36:08,399
21 have been killed
and more than 75 wounded.
703
00:36:08,466 --> 00:36:10,701
Replacement soldiers
now outnumber
704
00:36:10,768 --> 00:36:13,871
original Charlie troopers.
705
00:36:13,938 --> 00:36:19,610
♪ ♪
706
00:36:19,677 --> 00:36:22,180
EDWIN NEWMAN: The war in Vietnam
has become the central issue
707
00:36:22,246 --> 00:36:25,049
here in the United States.
708
00:36:25,116 --> 00:36:28,052
This week, hundreds of people
demonstrated against it,
709
00:36:28,119 --> 00:36:31,455
tens of thousands
marched to support it.
710
00:36:31,522 --> 00:36:34,058
It's a political issue,
a moral issue,
711
00:36:34,125 --> 00:36:37,328
but most of all,
it has become a personal issue.
712
00:36:37,395 --> 00:36:40,031
Each person must come to grips
with it himself,
713
00:36:40,097 --> 00:36:41,866
for it affects each one of us.
714
00:36:41,933 --> 00:36:43,701
♪ ♪
715
00:36:43,768 --> 00:36:46,604
YOUNG: We're all accustomed to
choosing between right and wrong
716
00:36:46,671 --> 00:36:51,209
and good and evil, that's
an easy thing for people to do.
717
00:36:51,275 --> 00:36:53,578
War is a terrible thing.
718
00:36:53,644 --> 00:36:56,948
And it's terrible not only
because people get killed,
719
00:36:57,014 --> 00:37:00,751
it's terrible because you have
to make some kind of decision,
720
00:37:00,818 --> 00:37:02,820
and there aren't
any good options.
721
00:37:02,887 --> 00:37:05,790
You can do something
that's cruel and ugly,
722
00:37:05,856 --> 00:37:10,728
or something that's crueler yet
and uglier still.
723
00:37:10,795 --> 00:37:12,396
There's no good option to take.
724
00:37:12,463 --> 00:37:16,267
♪ ♪
725
00:37:16,334 --> 00:37:23,074
And I'd really rather
not have anybody
726
00:37:23,140 --> 00:37:27,245
who hasn't been through
something like that
727
00:37:27,311 --> 00:37:29,213
pass judgment on me.
728
00:37:29,280 --> 00:37:32,250
♪ ♪
729
00:37:32,316 --> 00:37:36,087
Don't be too sure about the
decision you would have made.
730
00:37:36,153 --> 00:37:38,256
♪ ♪
731
00:37:38,322 --> 00:37:40,124
And don't be smug
about your morality
732
00:37:40,191 --> 00:37:41,826
until you've had it tested.
733
00:37:41,892 --> 00:37:44,462
♪ ♪
734
00:37:44,528 --> 00:37:46,931
NARRATOR: November 1967.
735
00:37:46,998 --> 00:37:50,701
Charlie Company has just seven
weeks remaining in Vietnam.
736
00:37:50,768 --> 00:37:52,737
At home, the nation
they left behind
737
00:37:52,803 --> 00:37:54,639
is growing increasingly tired
738
00:37:54,705 --> 00:37:58,442
of a war in which they see
little evidence of progress.
739
00:37:58,509 --> 00:38:00,344
♪ ♪
740
00:38:00,411 --> 00:38:02,647
JOHNSON:
Our American people like,
741
00:38:02,713 --> 00:38:05,182
when we get in a contest
of any kind,
742
00:38:05,249 --> 00:38:10,988
they want it decided and decided
quickly, and get in or get out.
743
00:38:11,055 --> 00:38:13,291
Now, that, that's not
the kind of war
744
00:38:13,357 --> 00:38:15,960
we are fighting in Vietnam.
745
00:38:16,027 --> 00:38:18,062
♪ ♪
746
00:38:18,129 --> 00:38:19,630
We don't march out
747
00:38:19,697 --> 00:38:24,602
and have a big battle each day
in a guerrilla war.
748
00:38:24,669 --> 00:38:28,139
It's a new kind of war for us,
so it doesn't move that fast.
749
00:38:28,205 --> 00:38:29,940
♪ ♪
750
00:38:30,007 --> 00:38:32,910
We are making progress.
751
00:38:32,977 --> 00:38:35,513
We are pleased with the results
that we're getting.
752
00:38:35,579 --> 00:38:41,786
♪ ♪
753
00:38:41,852 --> 00:38:44,488
HOPPER: I didn't care
what the nation thought
754
00:38:44,555 --> 00:38:46,957
or what some protester
might have thought
755
00:38:47,024 --> 00:38:48,893
about what we were doing.
756
00:38:48,959 --> 00:38:53,764
I cared more about the purpose
that I had been given
757
00:38:53,831 --> 00:38:55,433
at that point in my life,
758
00:38:55,499 --> 00:38:57,401
and that was
to serve my country.
759
00:38:57,468 --> 00:39:04,008
♪ ♪
760
00:39:04,075 --> 00:39:06,210
NARRATOR: In January of 1968,
761
00:39:06,277 --> 00:39:07,712
the original members
of Charlie Company
762
00:39:07,778 --> 00:39:11,248
reach the end of their
year-long combat tour.
763
00:39:11,315 --> 00:39:13,784
♪ ♪
764
00:39:13,851 --> 00:39:19,023
(plane approaching)
765
00:39:19,090 --> 00:39:21,926
MCBRIDE: Seeing that
freedom plane come by
766
00:39:21,992 --> 00:39:23,761
and knowing that
we were getting on it,
767
00:39:23,828 --> 00:39:25,529
and that we were
gonna be leaving,
768
00:39:25,596 --> 00:39:29,433
that's like, it was probably
one of the better feelings
769
00:39:29,500 --> 00:39:31,769
that I've had in my life.
770
00:39:31,836 --> 00:39:33,137
♪ ♪
771
00:39:33,204 --> 00:39:36,140
I could remember
the pilot saying,
772
00:39:36,207 --> 00:39:38,909
"Well, guys, we'll be up
to about 200 miles an hour
773
00:39:38,976 --> 00:39:41,412
here in about 10 seconds,"
he says,
774
00:39:41,479 --> 00:39:44,715
"so you got 10 seconds
to die in this country,
775
00:39:44,782 --> 00:39:46,884
and I think we're all
gonna make it."
776
00:39:46,951 --> 00:39:49,353
Boy, he just powered that
and hit the thrusters
777
00:39:49,420 --> 00:39:51,222
and shove you back in the seat
in that airplane,
778
00:39:51,288 --> 00:39:54,925
and we were on our way home.
779
00:39:56,761 --> 00:39:59,029
LILLEY: When we touched down,
780
00:39:59,096 --> 00:40:02,299
I'd say 50% of us got
to the bottom of the stairs
781
00:40:02,366 --> 00:40:04,201
and kissed the ground.
782
00:40:04,268 --> 00:40:05,870
♪ ♪
783
00:40:05,936 --> 00:40:09,640
REYNOLDS: We didn't even stop
and think that this is it.
784
00:40:09,707 --> 00:40:11,208
♪ ♪
785
00:40:11,275 --> 00:40:15,212
We've been together
for 18 months, I guess.
786
00:40:15,279 --> 00:40:16,881
♪ ♪
787
00:40:16,947 --> 00:40:20,818
You're so young, and all you
can think about is get home
788
00:40:20,885 --> 00:40:24,522
and just pick up the life
that you had before.
789
00:40:24,588 --> 00:40:26,357
HOPPER: And you walked out
and you got in a taxi
790
00:40:26,424 --> 00:40:28,993
and all of a sudden...
791
00:40:29,059 --> 00:40:31,061
♪ ♪
792
00:40:31,128 --> 00:40:32,963
you were all separated again.
793
00:40:33,030 --> 00:40:34,932
♪ ♪
794
00:40:34,999 --> 00:40:36,333
YOUNG: When I left Vietnam,
795
00:40:36,400 --> 00:40:38,536
my parents had known
within a couple of days
796
00:40:38,602 --> 00:40:40,671
when I was due home,
797
00:40:40,738 --> 00:40:44,975
but I hadn't been able to be
any more exact than that.
798
00:40:45,042 --> 00:40:47,978
And once I landed,
I didn't call them either,
799
00:40:48,045 --> 00:40:50,948
I just continued on home
to Minnesota.
800
00:40:51,015 --> 00:40:52,817
When I got to Minneapolis,
I got off the aircraft
801
00:40:52,883 --> 00:40:56,086
and I took a taxi
to my parents' house.
802
00:40:56,153 --> 00:40:58,689
So, the first thing
my parents knew
803
00:40:58,756 --> 00:41:02,026
was that a taxi pulled
into the driveway
804
00:41:02,092 --> 00:41:04,495
and then suddenly I was home.
805
00:41:04,562 --> 00:41:08,766
♪ ♪
806
00:41:08,833 --> 00:41:13,003
NALL: I got to Mom and Daddy's
house, they just celebrated.
807
00:41:13,070 --> 00:41:17,308
They had the whole family,
everybody come over.
808
00:41:17,374 --> 00:41:22,379
It was like the prodigal son,
you know, come home, you know.
809
00:41:22,446 --> 00:41:26,450
♪ ♪
810
00:41:26,517 --> 00:41:29,119
HOPPER: I came home,
and I remember flying,
811
00:41:29,186 --> 00:41:30,454
landed at the airport.
812
00:41:30,521 --> 00:41:34,091
♪ ♪
813
00:41:34,158 --> 00:41:37,661
I walked into the terminal,
814
00:41:37,728 --> 00:41:40,064
and I heard a girl scream.
815
00:41:40,130 --> 00:41:41,899
♪ ♪
816
00:41:41,966 --> 00:41:44,034
And it was Jen.
817
00:41:45,936 --> 00:41:48,639
My fiancée.
818
00:41:48,706 --> 00:41:55,646
♪ ♪
819
00:41:55,713 --> 00:42:01,852
(no audio)
820
00:42:01,919 --> 00:42:08,926
♪ ♪
821
00:42:12,463 --> 00:42:16,700
♪ ♪
822
00:42:16,767 --> 00:42:21,372
REYNOLDS: After I returned back
to the world, as we called it,
823
00:42:21,438 --> 00:42:23,107
years roll by and, you know,
824
00:42:23,173 --> 00:42:24,675
you're busy moving forward
in your life--
825
00:42:24,742 --> 00:42:26,610
getting married, having kids,
responsibilities,
826
00:42:26,677 --> 00:42:29,713
home mortgage and so forth.
827
00:42:29,780 --> 00:42:33,150
And so, you know, you lose
contact with those guys.
828
00:42:33,217 --> 00:42:35,119
♪ ♪
829
00:42:35,185 --> 00:42:36,420
HOPPER: Because of the protests
830
00:42:36,487 --> 00:42:38,355
and because of the way
the country felt
831
00:42:38,422 --> 00:42:41,225
about the Vietnam War,
832
00:42:41,292 --> 00:42:44,028
we kind of hid all of those
inside of us
833
00:42:44,094 --> 00:42:45,896
for many, many, many years.
834
00:42:45,963 --> 00:42:47,965
♪ ♪
835
00:42:48,032 --> 00:42:50,901
MAIBACH: I didn't hear
from the guys,
836
00:42:50,968 --> 00:42:54,271
but maybe once or twice a year.
837
00:42:54,338 --> 00:42:58,242
And then it got
to the point where,
838
00:42:58,309 --> 00:43:01,845
"Doc, what do you think of
a reunion of some sort?"
839
00:43:01,912 --> 00:43:05,082
♪ ♪
840
00:43:05,149 --> 00:43:08,218
HOPPER: We finally get together
23 years later
841
00:43:08,285 --> 00:43:10,821
and start reminiscing
and sharing stories
842
00:43:10,888 --> 00:43:13,591
for the first time.
843
00:43:13,657 --> 00:43:15,559
It was pretty amazing.
844
00:43:15,626 --> 00:43:17,428
Pretty amazing.
845
00:43:17,494 --> 00:43:19,396
MAN: Alright, John Young.
846
00:43:19,463 --> 00:43:20,598
YOUNG: Oh, hello.
847
00:43:20,664 --> 00:43:21,765
MAN: How you doing?
848
00:43:21,832 --> 00:43:23,467
YOUNG: Meet my daughter Maggie.
849
00:43:23,534 --> 00:43:26,704
We had our first reunion
in 1989,
850
00:43:26,770 --> 00:43:30,441
and since that time we've had,
oh, I think a dozen or more.
851
00:43:30,507 --> 00:43:32,676
And we'll continue
to have reunions.
852
00:43:32,743 --> 00:43:38,215
♪ ♪
853
00:43:38,282 --> 00:43:41,051
"Brothers" is exactly
the right term.
854
00:43:42,553 --> 00:43:47,224
Those guys are everything,
just everything to me.
855
00:43:47,291 --> 00:43:49,193
It's as plain as that.
856
00:43:49,259 --> 00:43:56,266
♪ ♪
857
00:44:07,444 --> 00:44:09,446
Captioned by
National Captioning Institute
59222
Can't find what you're looking for?
Get subtitles in any language from opensubtitles.com, and translate them here.