Original subtitles

I thought Ripps was taking us out on this one.

Last minute switch, he got some bug.

Look, I hope this isn't gonna be a long one.

You got something better to do?

Yeah, it's my mom's birthday.

First one I haven't been there for.

The whole family's coming over to our place in the morning,

and they're calling me as a surprise for her.

That's nice. Yeah.

So long as I watch what I say. She worries a lot.

My dad was a chopper jock in Korea,

and he went down

bringing wounded into a MASH unit in Pusan.

Must've been tough on her, huh?

Yeah, well, she hated it when I went to flight school.

I guess she still sees me as 10 years old

and grinning behind a plate of pot roast.

Listen, uh, no music on this one.

You know where we're going.

Yeah. Spencer, cut the symphony!

Okay.

Where are we headed? Body-retrieval detail.

Delta Squad got ambushed last night, no survivors.

It's one of them times I'd rather be fighting Charlie.

I hear them boys didn't know what hit them.

Charlie doesn't call time-out for us to get our dead,

so let's stay alert now.

Good luck!

We'll call you when we're ready.

All right, let's go.

Stick together. Good luck.

Do you know him? Yes, sir.

This here is... Staff Sergeant Earl Hawkins.

Doc. Everybody just used to just call him Doc.

Me and him, we went to our first tour together.

Hell, I was the best man at his wedding in Saigon last year.

And, Doctor, he's a good man.

Baker, I'm being rushed.

I see 'em!

Let's go! They're taking off!

Three, this is two-six, over.

Go ahead, over.

Made contact. Charlie's broken contact.

Will follow, out. Roger.

All right, watch out. This could be a trap.

Let's go.

What have we got here?

Red Dog, this is Blue Velvet, over.

Go ahead, Blue Velvet, over.

I have spotted some purple smoke

at coordinates Romeo-Lima 1-niner-7-6-4-4.

Do we have anybody in this Alpha-Oscar, over?

Uh, that's a negative, Blue Velvet, over.

Well, I'm gonna check it out, Red Dog.

Blue Velvet, out.

We're hit! We're hit! Get it!

I can't pull power!

Mayday, mayday! Red Dog, this is Blue Velvet.

We're going in! We're going in!

On a rotate, Blue Velvet.

On a rotate now!

We're goin' down!

Is everybody okay?

Okay, let's get outta here.

Whoa! Sir, get back. Whoa!

Spencer, let's get the hell out of here.

Come on! Move it, let's go!

Benchman, get out! Come on!

Take cover, men!

Let's go, right here.

Oh.

Ah!

Do you think it's just those three?

Or you think there's more waiting?

That's the trouble. There's no way of knowing.

I don't wanna call artillery.

There may be friendlies.

Let's move in. Taylor, Percell, you got it.

We got VC!

Return fire!

Harris, you got another clip?

Whoo!

Coming in!

What have we got here?! That's the question, Myron.

We got fire coming from mortars.

- Come with me. - Grine, move up, man!

Go, go, go!

Come on!

Oh!

Move up!

Concentrate fire!

Oh!

Hold your fire! Hold your fire!

Wait!

Don't shoot! I'm an American!

Hold your fire! Damn it!

No!

No! Oh, no, no, no!

I almost blew you away! Let me go!

Let me go!

Are you crazy? Go where?

That Vietcong has an American doctor

and a little girl in there.

All he wants to do is get away. Forget it!

Forget it!

Please!

Hold it! Hold it! Hold your fire!

Oh, no.

Abigail, no! Get back!

Ooh!

Oh!

All right, move up, come on.

W-why didn't you listen to me?

They're dead!

It's all right. It's gonna be okay.

Just come with me.

Ears up. Go, go, go.

- Got him. - We got him.

You mind telling me what the hell you're doing out here?

Dr. Richards and I came out two days ago.

It was part of a rural inoculation program.

You aware this is VC territory?

Yes.

When the Vietcong came into the village,

they scared everyone away.

But this little girl was too sick to move, so we stayed.

Where's her mother?

In Saigon, on the streets.

You run around enemy territory

with no protection, no weapon?

We don't believe in weapons. We're Friends.

Quakers.

Yeah, well, not carrying weapons around here ain't real bright.

The Vietcong know we're neutral.

They leave us alone.

Sergeant!

Before you came in here with your weapons,

the doctor and I were in no danger.

I can't raise McKay.

Operations said they'd lost contact with his chopper too.

Maybe it's a malfunction. I hope so.

All right, let's grab these civilians

and get the hell out of here.

We got work to do.

Yeah. I heard that.

All right, Ruiz, Taylor, come on.

Please hump these bodies.

Where are they taking her?

Well, if you like, I'll show you.

Please.

Myron. Myron!

McKay's chopper is missing.

I know. I lost radio contact.

I was hoping it was a malfunction.

That's what Operations thought,

but he still hasn't come back.

I'm worried, Myron.

He was supposed to get a call at 7:30 from his mother.

He wouldn't miss that.

Did the roadrunners go out yet?

They just listed him as missing.

They're still in there getting ready.

Getting ready? He left over two hours ago.

What are they waiting for?

McKay's chopper went down.

I know that. Why aren't you out there yet?

Take it easy, lieutenant.

I've only got eight crews, and they've all been busy

hauling wounded out of An Loc all day.

What about you? You're still here.

And we're about ready to go out.

Right now we're trying to pinpoint where he might be.

Well, he dropped us off

near November-Charlie 3-2-6-4-7-niner.

Was he headed back to base? I don't know.

We lost radio contact after about 10, 12 minutes,

so he's gotta be somewhere between here and here.

Okay.

Stubbs, Christie, let's do it.

All right.

Find him.

If he's out there, we will.

How is she?

She's dehydrated,

but the doctor says she'll be okay.

Can I ask you something?

How did you wind up in the middle of all this?

I know if I didn't need to be here,

I'd sure be somewhere else.

When Kennedy was president, I joined Vista.

I worked as a nurse

and I had training in the inner cities.

Then I started seeing news of the war.

I was ashamed of what my country was doing.

Spraying chemicals, killing by remote control.

Hey, w-wait a minute.

You know, Charlie does shoot back.

Plenty of our guys die too.

Our guys can go home.

Where can these people go?

Is it true?

The Quakers help the Vietcong?

We supply food, clothing and medical supplies

to the victims on both sides.

Which we find in the supplies of the N.V.A. troops.

We're trying to help innocent civilians.

If a few bandages get diverted,

that doesn't affect what we have to do.

You know, if I know McKay,

he's gonna come out of this thing

smelling like a rose.

If he went down in the area you're talking about,

it's wall-to-wall VC.

You said so yourself.

Yeah, but, Alex, he's got a survival kit,

he's got his backups for his radio.

Yeah, and all those things are in the pilot's flak jacket.

You know as well as I do that Johnny never wears his.

He thinks it would be tempting fate.

Alex, if anybody can come out of this thing,

McKay will.

I pray to God you're right.

How long have you been here?

Seven months.

But I think we're making a difference,

however small.

Are you?

Are you?

The only difference I see is the one in myself.

Killing doesn't seem to bother me as much as it used to.

That's a horrible way to have to survive.

No argument there.

How long are you gonna be on the base?

Long enough to find that little girl's mother.

She works a street in the Cho Lon district,

a place called Khoi Do.

You don't want to go down there.

Trust me. That'd be another dumb move.

Finding the little girl's mother...

it's a small thing,

but it matters.

Mi Dep? You remember me?

Sergeant Anderson, uh, from your wedding?

Doc's friend.

Yes, ma'am, Doc's friend.

Uh, may I come in for a second here?

Something happened to Doc?

Yes, ma'am. Doc was killed in action.

How?

I-I don't know all the particulars.

I understand his unit was overrun by VC.

Uh... I brought the body back.

He was a good man.

Thank you for telling me.

Wait a minute here.

Please, I must go now.

That's it? That's all you've gotta say?

"He was a good man. I gotta go"?

What do you want me to say?

He was a soldier. He died in the war.

I loved him and I'm a widow now, okay?

Have I said enough?

Is there a problem here, sergeant?

The lady's husband was killed in action, sir.

I'm sorry to hear that.

Anything else?

No, sir. There's nothing else.

Okay. You've delivered the message.

Now I suggest you take a hike.

Yes, sir.

Captain.

What's the matter, man?

Thinking about McKay?

Yeah, I guess we're all pretty upset about that, Marcus,

but that ain't it.

I keep thinking about that lady in the ville today.

The Quaker.

I almost blew her away.

I had my finger on the trigger.

I could tell she was an American

but I seen them black pajamas

and I almost... did her anyway.

Hey, man, it don't mean nothing.

You thought she was the enemy.

Everyone's become my enemy.

Every face I don't know.

I killed children, man.

Now, that was an accident,

and it happened a long time ago.

You thought the kid was VC.

Don't you ever wonder

what it's gonna be like if we get to go home?

Will we take back the same disregard for life

that we've learned over here?

If some badass takes a poke at me in a bar,

am I gonna settle it by blowing his head off?

Routine in my neighborhood, Danny.

Routine.

And there's something else bothering you, man.

That lady... Abigail,

she went into Saigon, Khoi Do Street alone,

and I let her.

And you want to go get her.

So let's go.

I'm down with you, brother.

Any word on McKay?

Yeah.

Avery's crew found the wreckage.

Anything else?

They didn't find McKay.

Oh, I don't like that at all.

Yeah, I know.

You find your friend's wife?

Yes, sir.

She was busy.

You mean with another guy?

Yeah.

I ought to know by now.

I mean, waiting for some soldier's

no life for a woman,

but... just for some reason

I thought Doc had somebody who cared about him.

I thought he was, I don't know, a lucky guy.

I don't know why it bothers me so much.

Because you were his friend.

If it didn't bother you, I'd...

I'd be worried.

All right. Last stop, Danny.

We done been to every bar in Khoi Do.

We done had a drink in every one of them too.

Just go ask the guy, all right?

Okay, but after this, we'll go.

He said about half an hour ago

there was an American girl in here, blond hair.

Probably our girl.

Let me talk to him myself.

Okay. I'll take care of this.

No! No! Please don't!

No! No!

No! Stop!

Please! No!

No! Please stop!

No!

No! Stop!

You son of a...

He's dead.

Murderer!

Lady, it's his gun. He was trying to kill me.

You lie!

Easy, lady, easy!

Hey, hey, hey, come on!

Hey, come on! I'm the good guy here.

What happened?

I was speaking with the mother

of a child in my care,

and these two men came in and hit me

and knocked me down.

He was trying to help.

Was it self-defense?

I don't know that.

What do you mean you don't know that?

Of course it was self-defense. Tell them!

They were trying to rape you!

Tell them, lady!

Look, Danny wouldn't lie.

Was it self-defense?

I'm sorry.

I'm sorry. I just can't.

- Get it over here. - Here you go.

Who? Who is it?

Spencer, Carney and Long.

We didn't find McKay.

His body probably...

He's still alive, you son of a bitch!

What the lieutenant is saying is, until we find McKay's body,

we can't just assume that he's dead.

Look, I know how you feel.

But we searched that area.

Now, if I take my guys out there again

when I know there's no reason...

maybe I lose a couple.

Am I doing right?

Look, you just take us out, you drop us off,

and we'll do the rest.

Yeah, with all respect, sir,

if this was one of your men,

wouldn't you want him to have every chance?

All right, but it's getting dark.

I can put the running lights on,

but they'd shoot us out of the sky.

You're gonna have to wait until the morning.

The lady was being raped, sarge.

That's the Quaker. Yeah.

I came in and pulled the guy off her.

Next thing I know, he pulls a gun,

we get into a struggle and it goes off.

Well, now, can't she help you? She won't.

What do you mean she won't? She won't.

She says she never actually saw the guy pull the gun.

The only other guy seen it was that gook, and he's lying.

Sarge, what's gonna happen to me?

You're being charged with manslaughter.

That's... That's 10 years in Leavenworth

and dishonorable discharge.

Well, I really stepped in it this time, didn't I?

Hip-deep, Percell.

Hip-deep.

Sergeant.

Yeah.

Sergeant.

I need your help. About what?

Well, I tried to get in to see Abigail Curtis,

and they wouldn't let me.

The CO's a Captain Reynolds.

Lieutenant Goldman told me you know him.

Yeah, I know him,

but the CID's getting a little skittish

about you reporters butting in on their cases.

Look, I'm not trying to do a story here.

I know her. I met her last spring.

You know her? Yeah.

I'd be interested in knowing

what makes that lady tick.

Well, she's one of a kind.

And I never met anybody that was so dedicated

in helping people in need.

I saw her treat an entire ville...

People in need?

All right, well, Percell needs help. Bad.

I know.

And maybe I can help if you can get me in.

Look, I know why you're here.

And I'd like nothing more than to help Percell.

But I can't testify that what I saw him do was self-defense.

All right, what about the attack?

If you can just clear up what happened before the shooting,

then the police can draw their own conclusions.

So they can execute the other man?

Abigail, that's the law here.

No, but I can't be a part of that.

No matter what he's done to me or anyone else.

Well, that's great, ain't it?

I mean, the guy who attacks you is gonna get off free

while the man who risked his life trying to save you

is gonna go to jail, lose his career and ruin his life.

You figure out if that makes sense.

Don't you think I've tried?

But I can't change the way I was brought up

just so it would be convenient for Danny Percell.

Resistance to evil only leads to more evil.

That's what happened.

When Percell was hitting that man and I saw his face,

I thought he was going to kill him with his bare hands.

Well, what did you want him to do,

just turn around and walk out?

If he had, that man would still be alive, wouldn't he?

As things stand, I don't know why he was killed,

just that he's dead and I feel responsible.

Hello, Mrs. McKay.

Yeah. Yeah. Yeah.

No, John isn't here right now. He wanted to be.

He wanted me to tell you how sorry he is

that he's missing this call.

I know. I miss you too.

I'm a friend of his, Myron Goldman.

I'm a friend of John's.

No, no, nothing's wrong. He's out on a mission.

One of the other pilots got sick,

so he decided to take his mission.

No, it's not dangerous.

You can't believe everything you hear on the TV news.

It's really not that bad over here.

And John's the best there is, and...

Yeah, I'm sure he'll be very careful.

Yeah.

Yes, I'm sure he'll come back safe and sound too.

He always does.

And I know that he'll call you

just as soon as he does.

Oh, and, ma'am?

Happy birthday.

Bye.

I haven't changed my mind, if that's why you've come.

I just wanted to talk.

We didn't get much chance to talk before.

You haven't come to try and convince me

to change my story for Percell's benefit?

No.

Actually, I'm more worried about you right now.

I'm fine. It's over.

Well, then, let's talk about Percell.

Because it's not over for him.

Alex, please.

You say you're interested

in the innocent victims in this war.

I am.

Well, they're not all civilians.

Maybe you're right.

Maybe Percell and all these other guys

should have refused to be drafted,

refused to fight.

But they don't see it that way.

The same God that speaks so clearly to you

says something else to them.

He says, "Your country needs you."

So here they are, risking their lives to save people

who may not even want to be saved,

just like Percell saved you.

I understand that.

I'm not asking you to thank Percell.

I'm just saying give the guy a break.

Don't destroy his whole life.

You don't understand.

I came to this country to try to live my faith,

because that's the only way that I can see

to help tip the scales towards peace.

Your faith.

Well, you're right. I... I guess I don't understand.

What's...?

What's the Quaker policy on saving an innocent man's life?

Alex, please.

Percell wanted to kill that man,

no matter how it actually happened.

I can't swear that that was self-defense.

Well, then, tell me...

did you fight back when that bastard had you on the ground?

Yes!

And that's okay?

Maybe you better go back to your rule book.

I think you missed the chapter that says

you can save somebody else's life as well as your own.

I can't lie, Alex.

Well, how am I doing, sarge?

Not great.

That Miss Curtis won't change her story.

Well, then, that's it.

A dishonorable discharge, my life's through.

Now, hold on, hold on.

I want you to go through the whole thing again for me,

see if there's anything you can remember that might help you.

Like what? The other rapist?

He ain't gonna help me much.

Taylor showed up too late.

What about the madam?

Oh, she'd like to see me hang.

Wait a minute.

Sarge, there was another chick.

Who's that?

The one that was screaming.

Yeah. Yeah.

Sarge, I saw her sneak out

right before the White Mice showed up.

She must have been the woman that Abigail was looking for.

Sarge, the little girl's mama!

I know you've seen her. Her name's Li Thang.

She comes in here all the time. She hangs out in here.

Come on, give me a break. I know you know who she is.

And I know you speak English.

I can help, maybe.

Mi Dep.

What are you doing here?

When you saw that soldier in my room,

did you think it was love?

You work in here.

When I married Doc, I thought he would take me off the street,

maybe take me home with him.

But he sign on for another tour.

Yeah, well, we do that sometimes.

Mi Dep, I owe you an apology.

I'm sorry I came down on you so hard.

I had no right to judge you like that.

You did.

You were Doc's friend.

A good friend.

And now you are here for your friend Percell.

Li Thang is here.

Can you get her to help Percell?

Will she tell the MPs what she saw?

Wait here.

And how are you this afternoon? I like your jacket.

Is that her pimp?

He is why Li Thang refused to take part in the investigation.

One question lead to many other.

Doesn't she want to see her daughter?

She ask if you are holding the child

until she come forward.

Oh, no. God, no.

Tell her that her daughter is getting well, that she's safe

and that she wants to see her mom.

She say she go tell the police what happened

if you take her to her daughter and help them get out of Saigon.

You got it. Yes. Yes.

All right, now, listen to me.

I'm real tired.

I've been running and killing all day.

I haven't even had time to stop and have my dinner.

You understand?

I'm hungry.

And when I get hungry, I get kind of mean.

You know the feeling, don't you?

So now you really want to fight

over these little ladies?

That what you want to do?

All right, we'll fight over the little ladies.

But I want to promise you something now.

I'm gonna kill you.

I'll kill you

and then I'll kill your friend here, as fast as I can,

so I can go home and eat.

So now you want some of this?

Come on.

Hmm?

I like your style.

All right, now, everybody listen up.

LT's got something to say here.

Hey, what's that I smell? Fresh mission?

Strictly voluntary.

I knew it.

What are we gonna do,

bust Danny out of the MP station?

Taylor.

This doesn't have anything to do with Percell.

Now, listen to what the LT's gotta say now.

The Army's ready to list Lieutenant McKay as missing.

I'm not.

I think he's still out there, and I think he's alive.

And despite the flaws in his nature,

my gut tells me that he'd be out there flying

if it was any one of us.

Do I have any volunteers?

Oh, come on.

Come on.

Damn it!

I gotta warn them.

No flare.

We're getting out here. You orbit for a while.

We'll call you back when we need you.

You're out of your mind, Goldman.

Come on. Come on. Come on.

Let's go.

What in the hell is that?

It's gotta be McKay.

The boy has lost his mind.

He's gonna attract every VC in the area with that.

Wait a minute. Wait a minute.

Maybe he's trying to let us know they're there.

All right, let's go.

All right, everybody.

I got a feeling Charlie's in the area.

Men, over here!

Yeah!

Pull! Ready? Throw them.

The Tops. Ain't they great?

Can you move?

Can I move?

First prize, Gary, Indiana, twist contest,

two years in a row.

You're sick, McKay.

Yeah, I think I am.

Sergeant...

He won't hurt you.

What is she afraid of?

She knows she could have hurt you by staying silent.

I don't believe I got around to thanking you for saving my life.

Twice.

I wish I could have helped you too.

That's okay.

It worked out.

Mr. Percell...

Danny.

Danny.

I never meant to hurt you.

I was only trying to do what I thought was right.

But if your life had been ruined...

I don't think my principles

would have made me feel much better.

Listen, you didn't compromise your beliefs,

not even a little bit,

and that takes a hell of a lot of courage.

Actually, I admire you for that.

Thank you.

I better be going.

Where to?

Da Lat.

There's a Quaker-run clinic there.

As soon as I get Li Thang settled in...

I don't know, maybe I'll go home.

Home?

What about your work?

I just don't know.

With all the atrocities and horror

I've seen on both sides...

it seems there are some situations

that no matter what choice I make, I'm wrong,

and I don't like that.

I feel as if I failed somehow.

Abigail.

Now, don't get me wrong,

I wouldn't suggest anyone stay in this hellhole

if they had a choice.

But I want you to know something.

That kid and her mama,

they don't think you failed.

And neither do I.

You think about that.

I will.

Danny...

Thank you.

Goodbye.

Goodbye, Abigail.