Original subtitles

I NEVER DID GET THE OPPORTUNITY

TO MEET VERNON BAKER.

OUR GEOGRAPHY JUST NEVER ALIGNED,

BUT I ALWAYS HAD KIND OF A DAYDREAM.

VERNON BAKER LIVED IN THE NORTHWEST WOODS

UP IN IDAHO.

AND I'D GO UP TO HIS HOUSE

AND I'D KNOCK ON THE DOOR

AND HE'D COME TO THE DOOR,

AND HE'D ALWAYS HAVE HIS M1 IN HIS HAND.

AND I'D SAY, "HELLO, MR. BAKER, SIR.

MY NAME IS STEPHEN LANG,

AND I'M GOING TO BE PORTRAYING YOU

IN 'BEYOND GLORY.'"

AND VERNON BAKER WOULD LOOK AT ME

AND SAY,

"WELL...

I ALWAYS FIGURED IT WOULD BE MORGAN."

"OR MAYBE DENZEL.

BUT YOU WOULD CERTAINLY BE MY THIRD CHOICE."

A WELL-KNOWN ACTOR.

A LOT OF PRODUCTIONS ON BROADWAY.

A MOVIE CALLED, "AVATAR."

AND HE'S HERE TO PRESENT A PORTION

OF WHAT'S CALLED, "BEYOND GLORY."

AND IT RECOGNIZES THE GREAT ACHIEVEMENTS

OF MEDAL OF HONOR RECIPIENTS.

SO WITHOUT FURTHER ADO, I'D LIKE TO TURN THE MICROPHONE

OVER TO MR. STEPHEN LANG.

BASTARDS!

BASTARDS! BASTARDS!

BASTARDS! BASTARDS!

BASTARDS! BASTARDS!

BASTARDS! BASTARDS!

BASTARDS!

SCREWED UP MY NOOKY ON A SUNDAY MORNING.

I WAS AFTER SOME LOVE WITH MY BEAUTIFUL WIFE.

WELL, THAT'S HONEST TO GOD

WHAT I WAS DOING WHEN THEY CALLED.

WELL, EVERYBODY SAID LATER THAT SO-AND-SO COME AND AWAKEN ME.

HELL, THE ONLY PEOPLE ASLEEP ARE THE MORONS

IN WASHINGTON, WHO DIDN'T ADVISE THE ADMIRAL

AS TO WHAT WAS COMING UP.

IT WAS MY LITTLE PAL, WOODROW, AWAKENED ME THAT MORNING.

"CITATION FOR EXTRAORDINARY HEROISM

AND DEVOTION ABOVE AND BEYOND..."

WHOA, WHOA, WHOA. HOLD ON THERE, "SUNSHINE."

THERE'S NO RUSH THROUGH THE DAMN THING.

LIKE I SAID, ABOUT THE TIME I SAW THE PLANE

FLASH BY THE WINDOW, I'M LAYIN' IN BED

WITH A "PUP TENT" SITUATION. YEAH, YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN.

AND MY WIFE, ALICE, OH! SHE JUMPS OUT OF BED

AND SHE'S LOOKING OUT THE WINDOW

AT HAWAIIALOH HILL AND SHE SAYS,

"OOH, JOHN, IT'S BEAUTIFUL."

AND I'M LOOKING AT HER BEAUTIFUL LITTLE ASS

AND I SAID, "IT SURE IS."

"ABOVE AND BEYOND THE CALL OF DUTY."

BELAY THAT, SAILOR. BY GOD, MY NAME IS JOHN FINN.

I'M 97 YEARS OLD

AND IT'S MY TURN TO TALK FOR A WHILE

THEN YOU MAKE THE GODDAMN FUSS OVER ME.

- THAT WORK FOR YOU? - SIR.

ALL RIGHT, THEN.

GODDAMN, HE LOOK LIKE HE ABOUT...

I'M ACTUALLY NOT SURE THAT I WOULD CALL IT A PLAY.

I MEAN, IT'S DEFINITELY THEATER.

HOW MANY TIMES HAVE YOU DONE THE SHOW?

I'VE PERFORMED IT, OH, SOMEWHERE BETWEEN

400 AND 500 TIMES.

TELL US ONE THING ABOUT THE TOUR.

THE TOUR IS A CHANCE TO TAKE IT

TO THE HEARTLAND OF AMERICA

AND TO BRING IT BACK TO THE TROOPS.

HOW DID YOU COME ABOUT IT?

WELL, A JOURNALIST BUDDY OF MINE,

LARRY SMITH, GAVE ME AN UNCORRECTED COPY

OF A BOOK ABOUT TO BE PUBLISHED

BASED ON FIRSTHAND ACCOUNTS

FROM MEDAL OF HONOR RECIPIENTS.

I JUST STARTED NOODLING AROUND WITH IT,

AND THIS IS WHAT CAME OUT.

I'VE PERFORMED IT ALL OVER THE WORLD...

FROM PEARL HARBOR TO THE PERSIAN GULF,

FROM GUANTANAMO. FROM AFGHANISTAN...

WHEN I WENT DOWN TO THEIR RECRUITING STATION,

I THOUGHT, "AW, SHIT, A FEW WEEKS DON'T MAKE ANY DIFFERENCE."

SO THEY GIVE ME AN EXAM, GIMME THE PHYSICAL.

RECRUITER SAYS, "HOW ARE YOUR TEETH?"

I SAID, "I GOT PRETTY GOOD TEETH." I HAD BEAUTIFUL TEETH.

YEAH, I STILL DO, YEAH. OKAY...

"ALL RIGHT, SONNY. YOU COME ON BACK IN TWO WEEKS,

AND YOU BRING YOUR MOTHER AND YOUR FATHER WITH YOU."

WELL, I COME BACK, I COME BACK ON THE 29th OF JULY, 1926.

I WAS JUST 17 AND I BROUGHT MY MOTHER WITH ME

AND OH, MY GOD, THEY TREATED HER LIKE SHE WAS A QUEEN.

YEAH, THEY GOT HER A CUP OF COFFEE

AND SIT HER DOWN IN A CHAIR. IT WAS WONDERFUL.

NOW COME THIS TOUGH-LOOKIN' SAILOR.

"SON," HE SAYS, "YOU SURE YOU WANNA JOIN THE NAVY?

YOU KNOW YOU GOT TO SCRUB YOUR OWN CLOTHES.

YOU REALIZE IN THE NAVY YOU GOT TO STAND

A LOT OF WATCHES? YOU DON'T GET TO SLEEP

ALL NIGHT, ALL THE TIME. YOU UNDERSTAND THAT?"

YEAH, YEAH, YEAH. NONE OF THAT BOTHERED ME.

ONLY ONE THING WORRIED ME.

THEY'D GIVE YOU A LEAFLET, AND IT SAYS,

"THE NAVY FOOD IS WHOLESOME, BUT PLAIN."

YEAH, THAT WORRIED ME.

I THOUGHT I WAS GONNA BE EATIN' RICE AND BOILED POTATOES

WITH NO SALT FOR THREE YEARS.

BUT, WELL, I WANTED TO JOIN THE NAVY. AND THEN,

WHEN I GOT TO BOOT CAMP, OH, MY GOD, I LOVED THE NAVY.

SLICED ROAST BEEF. YEAH, AND GRAVY, LETTUCE AND TOMATO SALAD,

WATERMELON AND CORN ON THE COB.

I COULDN'T BELIEVE THE FOOD. OH, SURE.

SURE, I REMEMBER SOME NUMBNUTS COMPLAINING ABOUT

THE GODDAMN NAVY SLOP, BUT, SHIT, I NEVER GOT

SUCH GOOD FOOD IN MY LIFE AS I GOT IN THE NAVY.

I THOUGHT I'D DIED AND WENT TO HEAVEN.

GODDAMN RICE AND BOILED POTATOES.

YEAH.

'32, GOT BACK FROM CHINA.

SAW A BEAUTIFUL BLONDE IN SAN DIEGO.

AFTER ALL THEM LITTLE CHINEE GALS,

I SAW A BEAUTIFUL BLONDE, AND I SAID,

"GOTTA DO SOMETHING ABOUT THAT. ALICE,"

I SAID... HER NAME WAS ALICE.

"ALICE...

I'LL TAKE YOU ANYWHERE YOU WANT TO GO,

BUT I GOT TO TELL YOU, I HAVEN'T RIDDEN THIS BIKE MUCH HERE..."

I BOUGHT A BMW. IN CHINA.

"MAYBE YOU BETTER GO WITH BOBBY OR WITH SLIM."

AND SHE SAYS, "I WANT TO GO WITH YOU."

SO OFF WE GO AND WE JUST... WELL, WE JUST RODE AROUND

BUT THEN... THEN I FEEL A TREMOR

ON THE BACK OF THE BIKE. "WHAT THE HELL IS THAT?"

WELL, DO YOU KNOW THIS GIRL WAS NOW STANDING UP

ON THE PACK RACK ON THE BIKE?

GOT THE TIPS OF HER FINGERS ON MY SHOULDERS

AND SHE WAS STANDIN' UP. I'M THINKIN', "JESUS CHRIST,

SHE GOT SOME GUTS!"

THIS BEAUTIFUL BLONDE IS THE LAST GIRL

IN THE WORLD TO BE PLAYING TRICKS ON A MOTORCYCLE.

WELL, WE JUST, WE RODE ALONG LIKE THAT.

NOT GOIN' FAST. MAYBE 20,

OH, 25 MILES AN HOUR, AND OH, MY.

SHE WAS...

MUSCULAR.

AND STRONG AND GRACEFUL...

AND EVERYTHING.

WE GOT MARRIED IN '33.

SO, YOU GOT TO UNDERSTAND, ON THAT MORNING...

DECEMBER 7, 1941...

I'D BEEN IN THE NAVY 15 YEAR

AND I PARTICIPATED IN ALL KINDA WAR GAMES.

I MEAN, YOU LIVE AT A NAVAL STATION,

YOU HEAR PLANES FLYIN'. BUT THEN...

THEN I HEAR THEM MACHINE GUNS.

"WHO THE HELL IS FIRING MACHINE GUNS?

I'M CHIEF ORDINANCE MAN AROUND HERE.

IF ANYBODY GONNA BE FIRIN' MACHINE GUNS

I WOULD KNOW ABOUT IT." AND THEN I THOUGHT,

"HEY, HEY, HEY, WHAT THE HELL IS HAPPENING HERE?

IT'S SUNDAY."

OOH. "OKAY, "SUNSHINE,"

YOU CAN FILL IN A FEW DETAILS NOW."

SIR, LIEUTENANT FINN PROMPTLY SECURED

AND MANNED A 50-CALLIBER MACHINE GUN

-IN A COMPLETELY EXPOSED AREA -NO, NO...

WHICH WAS UNDER HEAVY MACHINE GUN STRAFING FIRE.

- ALTHOUGH PAINFULLY... - ALL RIGHT, THAT'S FINE.

THAT'S RIGHT. IT WAS PRETTY MUCH RIGHT. BUT YOU GOT TO UNDERSTAND,

BY THE TIME I GOT TO THE HANGARS,

THE ENEMY WERE REDUCING EVERY PLANE ON THE FIELD

TO A RUBBLE OF SMOKE AND MELTED ALUMINUM.

AND THEN, THEN TO HEAR A PLANE ROARING IN

ASTERN OF ME AND I LOOK UP

AND I SEE THE BIG OLD "RED MEATBALL"...

THE RISING SUN INSIGNIA ON THE UNDERSIDE OF THE WINGS.

SO, WHAT I DID WAS, I GRABBED A 30.

IT WAS A 30-CALLIBER MACHINE GUN, AND OH, MY GOD,

DID THEY FIRE FAST. AND I DRUG THAT SON OF A GUN

OUT MAYBE 20 YARDS UNDER THE TARMAC

SO'S I COULD SEE OVER THE HANGARS.

AND I STARTED FIRING, AND FOR THE NEXT TWO HOURS AND A HALF

I FIRED THAT GUN. I FIRED THAT GUN.

TILL THE LAST OF 'EM LEFT.

AND NOT EVERYONE OF THEM DID LEAVE.

AND THAT'S A FACT.

NOW, THERE WAS SOME LULLS, AT WHICH TIMES I WOULD

HASTEN BACK TO MY ARMORY AND ASSESS THE DAMAGE

AND KICK SOMEBODY IN THE ASSHOLE.

NOW, NOW I'M SLAPPING A FRESH BELT ON THAT 30

AND I LOOK UP, AND I SEE THESE LITTLE BLACK MICE TURDS

COMIN' TOWARDS ME. AND I SAID, "FUCK!"

AND I OUTRUN THOSE BUMS. I JUMPED IN A STAIRWELL.

I DIDN'T EVEN HIT THE DECK 'FORE I HEARD

THESE THREE BIG CRASH AND ROLLIN'

HORRENDOUS EXPLOSIONS... BA-BA-BA-BA-VOOM!

BA-BA-BA-BA-VOOM.

GLASS WAS COMING DOWN. A TON OF GLASS FELL ON ME!

ALTHOUGH PAINFULLY WOUNDED MANY TIMES...

UNDERSTAND I'M NOT THE ONLY SAILOR CATCHING THIS SHIT.

NO, NO, NO. BY NO MEANS.

CHRISTIAN GUINESS AND BUCKY WALTERS

WERE BOTH BADLY INJURED. OH, YES, CHRISTIAN...

WAS TRYIN' TO JERK THE HANGAR DOORS OPEN WHEN THE BOMBS HIT

AND THE CONCUSSION FROM THE BLAST BLEW THE DOORS

ALL TO HELL AND SMASHED EVERY DAMN BONE IN...

ALTHOUGH PAINFULLY WOUNDED MANY TIMES,

HE CONTINUED TO MAN HIS GUN

AND RETURN THE ENEMY'S FIRE VIGOROUSLY

AND WITH COMPLETE DISREGARD FOR HIS OWN SAFETY.

WELL, I WAS MADDER THAN HELL.

I WASN'T BEING COURAGEOUS. ALL I WAS DOING WHAT I...

I'M PISSED OFF.

I WAS DOING EXACTLY WHAT I THOUGHT I WOULD DO

IF THERE EVER COME A WAR.

NOW MAYBE I DIDN'T HAVE SENSE ENOUGH TO COME IN

OUT OF THE RAIN, BUT I CAN TRUTHFULLY SAY

I DON'T REMEMBER BEING SCARED TO DEATH.

BUT I WAS GODDAMN MAD.

NO SEX, NO BREAKFAST.

ANGER, HUNGER, SEX.

GREATEST INSTINCTS WE GOT.

THINGS WE'RE BORN WITH. WHAT ELSE IS THERE, HUH?

IT WAS NIMITZ.

ADMIRAL NIMITZ HUNG THE MEDAL AROUND MY NECK.

HE SAYS, "FINN, IT GIVES ME GREAT PLEASURE TO HANG

THIS MEDAL AROUND YOUR NECK."

SEPTEMBER 15, '42 ABOARD THE S.S. ENTERPRISE.

IN PEARL.

A LOT OF FELLERS GOT DECORATED THAT AFTERNOON

AND RIGHTFULLY SO,

BUT, MINE WAS THE ONLY MEDAL OF HONOR PRESENTED

TO AN INDIVIDUAL WHO FIRED BACK

AT THE ENEMY THAT DAY.

I AM PROUD OF THAT.

LET'S SEE. THAT'S ABOUT IT.

- SIR? - YEAH?

OH! TIME TO MOVE ON, IS IT?

FINN, JOHN WILLIAM, LIEUTENANT, U.S. NAVY.

HIS EXTRAORDINARY HEROISM AND CONDUCT IN THIS ACTION

AT NAVAL AIR STATION KANEOHE BAY,

TERRITORY OF HAWAII, 7 DECEMBER 1941,

WERE IN KEEPING WITH THE HIGHEST TRADITIONS

OF THE U.S. NAVAL SERVICE.

THAT'S MY STORY. GOOD ONE, AIN'T IT?

IT'S NOT VERY GLAMOROUS.

NO, SIR, IT ISN'T. IT IS NOT A GOOD STORY,

BUT THEN...

I GUESS IT'S CONSISTENT WITH WAR.

LAYING IN THE RICE PADDY THAT NIGHT,

THE LITTLE GROUP I WAS IN...

MAYBE SIX OR SEVEN GUYS...

THEY TOLD ME I DID A GOOD JOB.

THEY TOLD ME THEY WERE GOING TO SEE THAT I GET A MEDAL.

YEAH, WELL, YOU TAKE THAT WITH A GRAIN OF SALT.

I DID WHAT I DID BECAUSE IT WAS MY JOB.

AND IF I DIDN'T DO IT...

NONE OF US WERE GOING TO GET OUT.

AT LEAST THAT'S WHAT I FELT.

I STILL STAND WITH THAT.

I HAVE NO IDEA AT WHAT POINT

THE OTHER MEDICS WERE KILLED.

CLARENCE SASSER, HE'S A REMARKABLE GUY.

HE'S INSIGHTFUL, HE'S REFLECTIVE.

LIKE SO MANY SOLDIERS FROM SO MANY DIFFERENT WARS,

VIETNAM LEFT CLARENCE WOUNDED, SCARED PSYCHOLOGICALLY,

EMOTIONALLY, AND PHYSICALLY.

BUT HE'S PERSEVERED AND HE'S HEALED HIMSELF OVER THE YEARS.

IT'S BEEN A LONG JOURNEY SINCE THAT DAY IN THE RICE PADDY

WHEN HE WAS WITH ALPHA COMPANY.

THAT'S 106 MEN IN A RICE PADDY

- IN VIETNAM... - JANUARY 10, 1968.

WE PART OF A BATTALION SIZE SEARCH-AND-DESTROY MISSION.

THIRD BATTALION, 60th INFANTRY.

MY COMPANY, ALPHA COMPANY, 106 MEN.

YEAH, WE'RE SET TO BE BACKUP.

WE WERE GONNA HAVE AN EASY TIME OF IT THAT DAY.

BUT IT GOT BAD PRETTY QUICK.

THEY HAD US SURROUNDED ON THREE SIDES

AND ALL THEM MORTARS,

THAT'S PRIMARILY WHAT THEY HAD... MORTARS

WAS ZEROED IN ON THE RICE PADDY

ALONG WITH THE .30-CALIBER MACHINE GUNS

AND OF... OF COURSE, THE AK-47s. AND, MAN, WHOO!

THEY STARTED CHOPPING US UP IMMEDIATELY.

GUYS ARE DROPPIN' LIKE FLIES,

HOLLERIN', "MEDIC! MEDIC!" "DOC! DOC!"

FIRST GUY I GOT TO WAS BADLY HURT.

SHOT THROUGH THE CHEST. SUCKIN' CHEST WOUND.

AFTER I BANDAGED HIM, I TOLD HIM TO TRY TO KEEP HIS HEAD ABOVE WATER,

EXCEPT THIS GUY'S HALF IN AND HALF OUT OF CONSCIOUSNESS.

YEAH, BUT THAT'S ALL YOU CAN DO... STABILIZE

A TRAUMA SITUATION AND MOVE ON.

I WENT FROM ONE GUY AND ON TO THE NEXT

AND ON TO THE NEXT AND ALL SO ON

AND THEN I WOULD GO BACK TO CHECK ON THEM.

NOW, THE WATER IN THE RICE PADDY IS KNEE DEEP

AND THE MUCK IS SUCKIN' THE BOOTS OFF YOUR FEET

SO YOU CAN'T MOVE WITH ANY DISPATCH, UH-UH.

HAD TO BELLY CRAWL LIKE I'M A REPTILE.

GRAB HANDFULS OF RICE PADDY, DRAG MYSELF ALONG.

AND THE WHOLE TIME THE BULLETS ARE FLYIN',

MORTARS ARE COMIN' IN, SNIPERS ALL 'ROUND ME.

AND IT'S NOT LIKE YOU CAN RETURN FIRE,

'CAUSE YOU CAN'T SET YOUR MORTAR OR YOUR MACHINE GUN

IN THAT MUCK. UH-UH.

ONLY THING YOU CAN DO IS KEEP YOUR HEAD DOWN...

WAIT FOR NIGHT TO FALL.

HOPE THAT THE MOON AIN'T FULL.

WE OUT THERE MORE THAN 12 HOURS.

AND ONLY 12...

THAT'S WRONG.

14.14 MEN.

14 MEN OUT OF 106

COME IN WITHOUT BEIN' KILLED OR WOUNDED.

I WAS THE ONLIEST MEDIC THAT LIVED, YEAH.

I GOT A BULLET IN THE BACK OF THE LEG

AT THE OUTSET. NOT TOO BAD.

COUPLE HOURS INTO IT I GOT SPRAYED WITH SHRAPNEL

FROM A MORTAR HIT... MY SHOULDER,

MY BACK, MY HIP AND MY LEG. THAT HURTING WAS SOMETHIN'

FOR YOU KNOW WHEN A MORTAR SHELL EXPLODES, THAT SHIT'S HOT.

IT'S REAL HOT AND RAGGED.

THOSE FRAGMENTS TEARIN', BURNIN'.

BUT, UNLESS A SHELL FRAGMENT HITS A ARTERY OR A NERVE,

IT'S MORE AGGRAVATION AND PAIN,

THAN LIFE THREATENIN'.

AFTER A WHILE IT GOT SO QUIET.

THE FIGHTING WOULD WAX AND WANE,

SO I RAISED UP TO LOOK.

THIS WHEN A SNIPER GOT ME RIGHT HERE,

ON THE TOP OF THE SKULL, AND THE BULLET BOUNCED OFF.

I WAS NOT WEARING A HELMET.

BUT I WAS HIT AND THE BULLET BOUNCED JUST THE WAY

THE ANGLE IT... IT GLANCED OFF.

IT BLED LIKE CRAZY, MAN,

AND LEFT ME WITH ONE HELL OF A HEADACHE, YEAH.

DO YOU KNOW WHAT THE HARDEST THING WAS?

THE HARDEST THING WAS LAYING THERE ALL NIGHT

LISTENING TO THEM BEG FOR THEIR MAMAS.

ALL THESE... YOUNG MEN

CRYING OUT FOR THEIR MOMMIES.

THAT'S THE PERVERSITY OF IT, YOU SEE.

THEM TELLING ME I DID A GOOD JOB...

WHEN ALL THESE YOUNG MEN ARE DYING.

IT'S NOT VERY GLAMOROUS. NO, SIR,

IT IS NOT A GOOD STORY,

BUT, THEN...

I GUESS IT'S CONSISTENT WITH WAR. MM-HMM.

I THINK THE BIGGEST THING YOU FIND

IF YOU READ THE CITATIONS

IS THERE WAS A FEELING THAT SOMEBODY HAD TO DO SOMETHING.

I DID WHAT I DID BECAUSE IT WAS MY JOB.

AND IF I DIDN'T DO IT,

NONE OF US WERE GOING TO GET OUT.

I DESERTED THE U.S. ARMY

IN OCTOBER 1941.

I DESERTED RIGHT AFTER PRESIDENT ROOSEVELT

MADE A SPEECH SAYING THAT NO AMERICANS

WOULD BE FIGHTING ON FOREIGN SOIL,

I DESERTED. HITCHHIKED ACROSS THE BORDER.

ENLISTED IN THE CANADIAN ARMY.

THEY SENT ME TO ENGLAND TO BE A RADAR SPECIALIST,

BUT BY THE TIME I GOT THERE, WOULDN'T YOU KNOW

THE U.S. HAD ENTERED THE WAR.

I WENT TO THE EMBASSY IN LONDON.

I SAID...

"EXCUSE ME..."

"HOW DO I GET BACK IN THE AMERICAN ARMY?"

SEE, THEY DIDN'T KNOW THEY HAD A DESERTER ON THEIR HANDS.

AND OF COURSE, IT TOOK A WHILE FOR MY RECORDS TO PROCESS.

THERE'S A LOT OF RED TAPE IN THE ARMY.

IN THE MEANTIME, THEY SENT ME TO NORTH AFRICA.

FIRST CONTACT WITH THE ENEMY IN MEDJEZ EL-BAB, TUNISIA.

WE WERE TRYING TO TAKE TUNIS,

BUT THEY WERE SENDING US IN PIECEMEAL

AND ROMMEL CREAMED OUR ASS.

NOW, DURING THE FRACAS, A HALF-TRACK,

WHICH IS A VERY LARGE TANK-LIKE VEHICLE, FULL OF AMMO

GOT CAUGHT IN THE SHELLING AND IT WAS ON FIRE.

WELL, I GOT INTO IT, DROVE IT AWAY FROM OUR TROOPS.

SOON AS I GOT IT CLEAR OF OUR PEOPLE

I ROLLED OUT, AND IT BLEW UP.

THEY GAVE ME A SILVER STAR FOR THAT.

SOME MONTHS LATER AT THE KASSERINE PASS

I SHOT DOWN A MESSERSCHMITT WITH A .50-CALIBER MACHINE GUN

JURY-RIGGED ON THE BACK OF A HALF-TRACK.

WHICH IS A VERY LARGE TANK-LIKE VEHICLE.

THEY MADE ME CORPORAL AFTER THAT.

EVENTUALLY I RECEIVED THE EUROPEAN AFRICAN CAMPAIGN RIBBON

WITH SEVEN CAMPAIGNS AND THREE AMPHIBIOUS ASSAULT LANDINGS...

NORTH AFRICA, SALERNO, AND ANZIO, ITALY.

I... OH, OH, OH, YOU KNOW,

YOU KNOW... I RECENTLY WATCHED THE MOVIE

"ANZIO," WITH THAT ACTOR...

ROBERT MITCHUM.

IT'S A PRETTY GOOD MOVIE.

AND THAT BOBBY MITCHUM,

HE REMINDS ME OF ME.

NOW, THIS WHOLE TIME I'M RECEIVING PARTIAL PAY

BECAUSE THEY DON'T HAVE MY RECORDS. MIND YOU,

I'D ALREADY FOUGHT SIX MONTHS IN AFRICA,

SIX MONTHS IN ITALY, I HAD THE SILVER STAR.

I WAS A BUCK SERGEANT. FINALLY, MY RECORDS COME IN,

I GET $2000 IN BACK PAY AND THEY COURT-MARTIAL ME.

I WAS IN NAPLES, AND THE LIEUTENANT, GEORGE CRICK,

SAID, "SERGEANT MILLETT, YOU WERE COURT-MARTIALED YESTERDAY.

FOUND GUILTY OF DESERTION,

FINED $52."

A WEEK LATER, THEY MADE ME SECOND LIEUTENANT.

THAT'S THE ARMY.

THE WAR IN ITALY ENDED APRIL 29, 1945.

AND I WAS HOME BY THE FIRST OF JUNE.

IN '49, THE ARMY CALLED FOR VOLUNTEERS.

I VOLUNTEERED.

INCHON, OSAN, PUSAN,

KAESONG, UNGOK...

THE KOREAN CONFLICT.

"THE FORGOTTEN WAR."

NOW, THIS IS DECEMBER 1950. IN THIS PERIOD OF TIME,

THE ENEMY SAID THAT AMERICANS WERE AFRAID OF THE BAYONET.

SO I SAID, "WELL, LET'S JUST TEACH THOSE BASTARDS SOMETHING."

'CAUSE BOTH MY GREAT-GRANDFATHERS

FOUGHT IN THE CIVIL WAR AND YOU KNOW DAMN WELL

THEY USED THE BAYONET ALL THE TIME. SO I SAID,

"NEXT ATTACK WE MAKE, IT'S BAYONETS."

THEY WERE DUG IN HIGH ATOP A RIDGE.

THEY OPENED FIRE. I DIRECTED THE GUNNER

TO LAY DOWN COVERING FIRE, AND I ALERTED THE MEN,

"FIX BAYONETS AND FOLLOW ME!" WE CHARGED

ACROSS A HUNDRED YARDS OF ICY RICE PADDY,

YELLING AND SCREAMING, "I TAUGHT MY PEOPLE. 'SHE LIE SANI!'"

OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT. I GOT IT OUT OF A PAMPHLET.

IT MEANS,

"I'M GOING TO KILL YOU WITH MY BAYONET!"

OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT. ANYWAY, WE MADE THE CHARGE... UPHILL.

RIGHT AT THE CREST, I GOT THREE OF 'EM...

THE FIRST TWO THROUGH THE THROAT.

THE THIRD I LUNGED,

AND THE BAYONET WENT INTO HIS FOREHEAD

LIKE IT WAS A WATERMELON.

WE LEFT A BAYONET UP THE ASS OF THE ENEMY COMMANDER,

WITH A SIGN THAT SAID,

"COMPLIMENTS OF EASY COMPANY."

IT IS WAR, YOU KNOW.

I'VE HAD A CRIPPLED LEG

EVER SINCE I GOT SHOT DOWN AND MAULED

BY A MOB IN THE STREET IN NORTH VIETNAM.

I DON'T USE CANES. I JUST...

WHEW... I JUST LIMP ALONG.

I CAN'T RAISE MY LEFT ARM ABOVE THE SHOULDER.

MY NAME...

MY NAME'S JIM STOCKDALE

AND...

IF YOU RECOGNIZE ME, IT IS PERHAPS

BECAUSE I RAN FOR VICE PRESIDENT

IN '92.

I WAS ON THE TICKET WITH ROSS PEROT.

POLITICS...

NOT MY LINE.

VIETNAM WAR STARTED AUGUST 4, 1964. I KNOW.

I LED THE STRIKE THAT STARTED IT. WING COMMANDER.

FLEW ALMOST 200 MISSIONS IN VIETNAM. I WAS DROPPING BOMBS.

GOT SHOT DOWN SEPTEMBER 9, 1965.

I EJECTED SHORTLY AFTER MY AIRCRAFT, A CRUSADER...

A CROWN JEWEL... A CROWN JEWEL OF THE TIME,

I BAILED SHORTLY AFTER I WAS HEADING OUT.

I HAD BEEN FLYING LOW, 100 FEET, SO...

THAT'S LOW. SO WHEN I HIT...

I HIT HARD. MAIN STREET OF THIS TOWN.

LOCALS, ESTIMATE 25 OR 30 OF 'EM, THEY JUST HAMMERED ME.

JUST TWISTED, BENT, BUSTED ME UP.

FINALLY SOME GUY WITH A PITH HELMET BLOWS A WHISTLE.

SIGNALS, "GET UP, GET UP." I CAN'T GET UP.

MY LEG'S TOO BADLY DAMAGED. IT WAS BROKE AT THE KNEE.

WIND UP ON A PING-PONG TABLE. LITTLE SHORT FELLA COMES IN,

THE DOCTOR. REACHES INTO HIS BAG, TAKES OUT A HAMMER.

THEN HE TAKES OUT A SAW. THEN I SAID, "NO, SIR.

NO, NO, NO!

NO CUT THE LEG."

SEE, THERE WAS THIS MYTH OUT THERE AT THE TIME,

OR MAYBE IT WASN'T, BUT SUPPOSEDLY

THEY NEVER RELEASED EX-PRISONERS WITH AMPUTATIONS.

NOW, I DON'T HAVE ANY KNEE,

BUT, WELL, THAT LITTLE FELLA

FOUND A WAY TO FUSE THE BONES, SO...

I SPENT THE NEXT SEVEN AND A HALF YEARS

AS A PRISONER OF WAR.

I THINK WE SHOULD TREAD LIGHTLY HERE.

THE PURPOSE OF TORTURE...

INTIMIDATE AND HUMILIATE, INTIMIDATE AND HUMILIATE,

INTIMIDATE AND HUMILIATE INTO RECITING ANTI-AMERICAN

PROPAGANDA ON A STAGE IN DOWNTOWN HANOI.

UNDERSTAND, BECAUSE THE U.S. NEVER DECLARED WAR

ON NORTH VIETNAM, THE COMMUNISTS REFUSED

TO HONOR THE GENEVA GUIDELINES REGARDING POWs.

INSTEAD THEY ROUTINELY TORTURED PRISONERS

TO THE BRINK OF DEATH AND CONSTANTLY TRIED

TO GET YOU TO CONFESS TO BEING WAR CRIMINALS

AGAINST THE PEOPLE OF VIETNAM.

THE WAY IT WORKED... BY WAY OF EXAMPLE...

WAS TWO PEOPLE, THEY MARCH INTO YOUR CELL

CARRYING HEAVY IRON POLE

WHICH THEY DROP WITH A DRAMATIC CLANG.

THEN YOU GET "TATCHED" AT THE ANKLES TO THAT POLE.

THEY PUT LUGS ON YOUR ANKLES.

RUN THAT POLE RIGHT THROUGH THE LUGS

AND THEN THEY WEAVE ROPES 'ROUND YOUR SHOULDERS

AND UNDER YOUR ARMS AND RIGHT DOWN UNDER THAT POLE.

AND THEN THEY BEGIN PULL ON THOSE ROPES

FROM SEVERAL DIRECTIONS.

THEY'RE PULLING YOU OVER, AT THE SAME TIME

YOUR ARMS GETTING SPLAYED BACK

SO YOUR BREASTBONE'S ON THE VERGE OF CRACKING.

YOU'RE ACTUALLY... YOU'RE DISAPPEARING...

YOU'RE DISAPPEARING INTO A V-SHAPE.

AND THEN ONE OF THEM MOUNTS ON YOU,

PUTS HIS HEEL IN THE BACK OF YOUR HEAD.

AND MASHES YOUR FACE RIGHT DOWN INTO THIS

CEMEN... CEMEN... YEAH. YOU FOLLOW?

I WAS...

I WAS RANKING NAVAL OFFICER.

HOA LO, PRISON. THAT'S THE "HANOI HILTON."

I WAS MY FELLOW PRISONERS' CHOICE FOR LEADERSHIP.

I... I SET THE RULES, BUT MY RULES WOULD NOT

ALLOW A PRISONER TO FAKE SUBMISSION TO THE ROPES.

YOU HAD TO ENDURE CONSIDERABLE PAIN

BEFORE YOU COULD SUBMIT. NOW, EVENTUALLY, YOU DO SUBMIT.

YOU CAN'T BEAT 'EM.

YOU CAN'T BEAT THE ROPES. YOU SUBMIT.

OR YOU DIE.

I WENT THROUGH THE ROPES 15 TIMES.

BUT I NEVER MADE THAT TRIP DOWNTOWN.

I'D FIND SOMETHING... MAYBE A STOOL

OR MAYBE JUST MY OWN FISTS... AND BEAT MYSELF.

COULDN'T EVEN OPEN MY EYES

SO THEY COULDN'T DISPLAY ME,

NOW, COULD THEY?

I GOT TO BE QUITE A THORN IN THEIR SIDE

AND AS A CONSEQUENCE I GOT HANDLED ROUGHLY.

ON ONE OCCASION THEY SHACKLED ME

TO A RUSTY PUMP IN THE COURTYARD

FOR A PERIOD OF SEVERAL WEEKS.

AND THIS ONE...

PARTICULARLY IRATE INDIVIDUAL

PERIODICALLY BEAT THE LIVIN' HELL OUT OF ME

WHENEVER THE SPIRIT SO MOVED HIM.

YOU KNOW WHAT KEPT ME GOIN'?

AT SOME POINT, I HEARD...

I HEARD THE UNMISTAKABLE SOUND

OF... SNAPPING TOWELS.

YEAH.

IT'S LIKE I'M BACK IN THE LOCKER ROOM

AT ANNAPOLIS.

IT WAS MY MATES

SNAPPING OUT LETTERS, "G-B-U-J-S."

THAT'S "GOD BLESS YOU, JIM STOCKDALE," SO...

GOOD BOYS.

BUT THE INCIDENT I MEAN TO TELL YOU ABOUT

IS THE DAY THEY TAKE ME TO THE MAIN TORTURE ROOM

AT HOA LO PRISON AND THE CHIEF INTERROGATOR,

THIS LITTLE SHIT

OF AN OFFICER SAYS, "TODAY IS THE DAY

WE BRING YOU DOWN."

AND THEY PUT ME IN A HARDBACK CHAIR...

OOH.

YOU KNOW...

IT DOESN'T SOUND REASONABLE WHEN I DESCRIBE IT,

BUT PLEASE UNDERSTAND, I'M THE LEADER.

GOT TO SHOW RESOLVE.

THE ROOM HAD PLATE GLASS WINDOWS

AND IT... AT SOME POINT THE GUARD, HE STEPPED OUTSIDE

AND I HOBBLED OVER TO THOSE WINDOWS

AND I MANAGED TO BREAK THE GLASS

WITH THE HEEL OF MY HAND AND I TOOK THE LONGEST SHARDS

AND I BEGAN STABBING MY WRISTS

AND MY BLOOD RAN... BLUE.

THEN IT RAN RED. THEN IT RAN HARD

AND THEN, THEN I BLACKED OUT.

AND WHEN I CAME TO,

THE ROOM WAS FILLED WITH SOLDIERS

AND THEY ALL LOOKED SO DEEPLY ASHAMED

THAT THIS WOULD HAPPEN, EVEN TO AN AMERICAN.

AND THEN THEY BANDAGED UP MY WRISTS

AND THEY SCRUBBED THAT ROOM DOWN

WITH A DISINFECTANT.

AND THEN THEY LEFT.

AND THEN I GOT PUT BACK INTO SOLITARY.

PARENTHETICALLY, I SPENT FOUR YEARS IN SOLITARY.

THIS TIME, I WAS IN FOR THREE MONTHS

WHILE MY ARMS HEALED UP, YOU SEE.

AND THE POINT IS THAT... THE POINT IS...

THE POINT IS... THE POINT IS

THAT WHEN I GOT BACK OUT, WHEN I GOT BACK OUT

INTO THE REGULAR PRISON SYSTEM

I LEARNED THAT SINCE I HAD DONE THIS... THING,

NO PRISONERS HAD BEEN PUT THROUGH THE ROPES

OR ANY TORTURE OF ANY SIGNIFICANT VARIETY,

SO...

GOOD.

I REMAINED A PRISONER FOR ANOTHER THREE AND A HALF YEARS,

AND IT WASN'T UNTIL I WAS RELEASED

IN THE SPRING OF '73 THAT I LEARNED THAT MY WIFE,

MY SYBIL, HAD LED A GROUP TO PARIS IN '69

AND URGED THE NORTH VIETNAMESE

TO GRANT BETTER TREATMENT TO THE POWs

AND I THINK THAT SHE MUST HAVE MADE QUITE A LOT OF NOISE.

OH, YES, I BELIEVE THAT SHE SAVED MY LIFE,

BECAUSE I BELIEVE THAT THE LAST THING

THAT THEY WANTED ON THEIR HANDS

WAS SYBIL STOCKDALE'S DEAD HUSBAND!

HA!

WE'D BEEN MARRIED 18 YEARS

TIME I GOT SHOT DOWN, SEE?

WHEN I WENT AWAY, MY BOYS, THEY WERE 14 AND 10,

AND FIVE, AND... THREE.

SO, OF COURSE, WHEN I GOT BACK,

OF COURSE, THEY DIDN'T... THEY DIDN'T KNOW ME...

AS FATHER, BUT, YOU KNOW,

OVER THE NEXT FEW YEARS, EACH ONE OF 'EM CAME TO ME,

EACH IN HIS OWN TIME, AND EACH IN HIS OWN WAY.

AND HE TOLD ME,

"I'M GLAD YOU'RE MY FATHER."

GOOD BOYS.

OUR FIRST SUPPER TOGETHER,

FIRST TIME WE SAT DOWN AS A FAMILY

IN EIGHT YEARS.

AND SYBIL SAID, "JIM, DO YOU WANT TO SAY GRACE?"

AND I BOWED MY HEAD, BUT I JUST... I JUST...

I STARTED TO SHAKE, AND I SAID, "SYB, I CAN'T."

AND SHE SAID, "WELL, LET'S JUST SAY OUR FAMILY GRACE."

AND DO YOU KNOW, THAT'S WHAT WE DID.

WE ALL HELD HANDS, AND...

AND WE SAID,

"GOD IS GREAT.

GOD IS GOOD.

LET US THANK HIM FOR OUR FOOD."

I DON'T DO IMPRESSIONS VERY WELL.

BUT ED WYNN, I CAN DO.

MY ED WYNN IS "HOO-HOO!

I'M YOUR FAIRY GODFATHER, OH!"

THAT'S THE ONLY ONE I CAN DO.

I DON'T... I CAN'T...

YEAH.

LET'S GO... LET'S GO SEE WHAT WE GOT HERE.

BY MYSELF, OKAY,

WITHOUT COMING IN. ALL RIGHT?

MY MOTHER'S BROTHER WAS WOUNDED IN EUROPE

IN WORLD WAR II.

HE WAS ALWAYS A HERO TO ME. ALWAYS...

RED, WHITE AND BLUE, YEAH.

HIS NAME WAS HERSCHEL MEADOWS,

BUT WE CALLED HIM "UNCLE PEEWEE."

HE WAS TINY,

BUT HE WAS TOUGH AS A RAILROAD SPIKE.

HE WOULDN'T TELL YOU TOO MUCH ABOUT WHAT HE DID.

WE'D SAY, "SO HOW'D YOU GET SHOT?" UNCLE PEEWEE'D SAY,

"WELL...

I WAS IN THE WRONG PLACE...

AT THE WRONG TIME."

I'M NICK BACON.

I WAS BORN NOVEMBER 24th, 1945

IN CARAWAY, ARKANSAS, YEAH.

WHEN I WAS SIX, WE LOST THE FARM.

COTTON PRICES FELL AND WE MOVED ON, UH-HUH,

IT'S PRETTY "GRAPES OF WRATH" STUFF.

UH, FIVE SISTERS, TWO BROTHERS, AND MY MOTHER.

SHE TOOK CARE OF ALL THE KIDS, THE WASHIN',

IRONIN', WORKIN' THE FIELDS, ANYTHING.

SUPPORT, MAINTAIN THE FAMILY.

SEE, MY FATHER WAS VERY SICK WITH POLIO, YEAH.

HE SPENT 18 MONTHS IN A HOSPITAL IRON LUNG.

MAN, I DON'T KNOW HOW THEY PAID FOR THAT.

THERE WAS NO HELP WITH MONEY, NO HELP WITH THE RENT OR ANYTHING.

SO, I DROPPED OUT OF SCHOOL AFTER NINTH GRADE.

I WENT TO WORK BUCKIN' BALES, DRIVIN' TRACTORS, IRRIGATIN'...

EVERYTHING YOU GOT TO DO ON A FARM.

75 CENTS AN HOUR.

HEY, HEY, HEY.

I'LL TELL YOU ONE THING I HATE.

I HATED PICKING COTTON. AND I GUARANTEE YOU ONE THING,

I NEVER WENT BACK TO IT ONCE I WAS OLD ENOUGH TO HOLD A MAN'S JOB.

I'LL DO SHEET ROCK, I'LL DO CONCRETE WORK.

I'LL DO ANY KIND OF HEAVY WORK,

I'M NOT PICKIN' NO DAMN COTTON.

SO...

I WENT IN THE ARMY WHEN I WAS 17,

JUST TO GET THE HELL OUTTA DODGE, YEAH.

I WENT INTO HEAVY WEAPONS 'CAUSE, WELL, I FIGURED

I WOULDN'T HAVE TO WALK SO MUCH. HA-HA-HA.

I SPENT A BUNCH OF TIME ON FREEZING COLD EXERCISES

IN THE MOUNTAINS OF GERMANY.

YOU KNOW, GERMANY, IN THE WRONG PLACES,

IS A VERY COLD COUNTRY.

THE WIND BLOWS, THE SNOW...

MAN, IT'S COLD.

I WAS MAKIN' $84 A MONTH. I SENT HALF OF IT HOME.

SO, BY EARLY JANUARY '66 I WAS IN COUNTRY...

VIETNAM!

ASSIGNED SECOND 16th RANGER RECON PLATOON.

OH, I NEVER GOT TO USE ALL MY GREAT TALENTS

AND SKILLS IN HEAVY WEAPONS. I WAS A GRUNT.

WE RANGED ALL OVER THE CENTRAL HIGHLANDS, THE OLD PLANTATIONS.

WE VENTURED INTO CAMBODIA

WHEN WE WERE NOT SUPPOSED TO BE THERE.

WE WENT DOWN THE MEKONG DELTA ANY NUMBER OF TIMES,

AND, MAN, I HATED IT DOWN THERE. I REMEMBER THE MUD.

I REMEMBER CRAWLING IN THE MUD WAITING FOR THE MOBILE RIVERINE FORCE

TO GET US OUT OF THERE AFTER THE ENEMY HAD ATTACKED US

WITH GRENADES. YOU KNOW, MUD AIN'T GONNA STOP A GRENADE.

OH, MAN, THAT WAS SOME CRAZY SHI... SITUATIONS.

LOOK, I BEEN IN A TON OF AMBUSHES,

I SEEN A LOT OF GUYS GET BLOWED UP BY BOOBY TRAPS.

BUT I NEVER WAS IN ANYTHING I HATED MORE,

OR FELT MORE HELPLESS THAN I DID IN THAT MUD.

YOU CAN'T DO A DAMN THING IN THE MUD.

LOTTA MEN DIED IN THE MUD.

I NEVER, EVER FELT ANYTHING ABOUT KILLING THE ENEMY.

NO, NO, I LOOKED AT THEM AS THEY WERE THE ENEMY.

WHY, I HAVE COMPASSION FOR THE PEOPLE,

THE WOMEN AND THE CHILDREN. I LIKE THE VIETNAMESE PEOPLE.

I'VE BEEN OVER THERE SINCE.

I GOT NO HATRED.

WAR, NEVER PERSONAL.

WITH ME, IT WAS ABSOLUTELY A GAME OF SURVIVAL.

I MEAN, I GUESS I THOUGHT ABOUT GETTING KILLED MYSELF, AT FIRST.

BUT A PERSON GETS CALLOUSED TO THAT AFTER A WHILE.

YOU GET, UM... YOU GET, UH, WELL, YOU KNOW, CALLOUSED.

YOU KIND OF ACCEPT THE FACT THERE'S A PRETTY GOOD CHANCE

YOU NOT GONNA MAKE IT OUT OF THERE.

I MEAN, YOU ARE INFANTRY.

WELL, THERE'S AN EQUALLY GOOD CHANCE

YOU WILL MAKE IT OUT OF THERE WOUNDED.

WE CALL THAT "EARLY OUT." YEAH.

SEE, I THINK, MAYBE YOU WORRY THAT FIRST TWO MONTHS

AND THAT LAST TWO MONTHS. AND THAT BIG IN-BETWEEN,

WELL, YOU REALLY DON'T GIVE A SHIT. EXCUSE ME, MA'AM.

- WEST OF TAM KY, REPUBLIC OF VIETNAM... - WHOA!

- 26 AUGUST, 1968... - THAT'S RIGHT.

STAFF SERGEANT BACON DISTINGUISHED HIMSELF

WHILE SERVING AS A SQUAD LEADER.

STAFF SERGEANT BACON QUICKLY ORGANIZED.

HE LED HIS MEN FORWARD. HE ADVANCED.

HE DESTROYED. HE ASSUMED COMMAND.

HE ASSAULTED. WITHOUT HESITATION.

HE IGNORED HOSTILE FIRE.

HE EXPOSED HIMSELF TO INTENSE FIRE.

HE DIRECTED FIRE. HE ELIMINATED THE ENEMY.

HE EVACUATED THE MEN. HE RESCUED THE MEN.

I READ SOMETHIN' ONE TIME SAID SOMETHIN' LIKE,

"WAR IS A YOUNG MAN'S GAME."

NOW, AS YOU GET OLDER...

YOU LIKE TO THINK YOU STILL TOUGH,

YOU CAN STILL STRAP IT ALL ON

AND HEAD FOR THE BOONIES, BUT YOU CAN'T DO IT.

WARS ARE FOUGHT BY YOUNG MEN.

STRONG, BRAVE YOUNG MEN.

AND WOMEN.

I WAS A GREAT JUNGLE WARRIOR... HEY, HEY, HEY.

I'M STILL A PRETTY ROUGH, TOUGH OLD FART,

BUT I'LL TELL YOU WHAT, I COULDN'T HUMP THE BOONIES VERY LONG TODAY.

IT IS A YOUNG MAN'S GAME.

AND YOU KNOW,

EVERY DAY, I LOOK AT THEM

AND I ENVY THEM.

I WAS NEVER PROUDER.

I WAS NEVER MORE SURE I STOOD FOR SOMETHIN' IN MY LIFE

THAN I WAS WHEN I WORE THE UNIFORM.

SIR, MAY I ASK YOU A QUESTION?

SURE.

DID YOU ENJOY COMBAT?

YOU DON'T...

I ENJOYED THE GAME.

I MEAN, NOT JUST SOMETHIN' YOU GONNA DREAM UP TO DO EVERY DAY.

HONESTLY, I WAS GOOD AT IT.

IT'S THE SIMPLE THINGS MAKE YOU GOOD.

IT'S NOT THAT YOU CAN SHOOT STRAIGHTER THAN ANYBODY

OR RUN FASTER, NO, NO, NO, NO.

IT'S YOUR SENSES... THEY GET VERY... VERY SHARP.

YOU LEARN TO COOK AND TO EAT WHAT'S OUT THERE

YOU LEARN WHERE TO FIND WATER.

YOU KNOW WHERE NOT TO WALK. IT'S SIMPLE AS THAT.

IF IT'S TOO EASY, DON'T DO IT.

THERE'S GONNA BE SOMETHIN' YOU GONNA STEP ON

AND SOMEBODY'S GONNA GET BLOWN TO HELL.

IF IT LOOKS TOO EASY, IT IS.

YES, SIR. THANK YOU, SIR.

HEY, SON, DON'T YOU LET NOBODY SMOKE AROUND YOU

WHEN YOU'RE IN A DENSE AREA.

JUST...

JUST DON'T NEVER LIGHT UP IN THE JUNGLE.

AND DON'T YOU LEAVE ANYTHING BEHIND THAT THEY CAN USE.

AND YOU USE EVERYTHING YOU CAN THAT THEY LEAVE BEHIND.

AND DON'T LET YOUR RADIO ANTENNA STICK UP ABOVE YOUR HEAD.

TIE THAT SON OF A BITCH DOWN. THROW YOUR PONCHO OVER IT

SO IT DON'T LOOK LIKE A RADIO, YEAH.

AND DON'T BE RUNNIN' UP TO ME WITH A HANDSET IN YOUR HAND.

JUST DON'T NEVER RUN BEHIND MY ASS,

AND DON'T YOU NEVER HOLLER "MEDIC" AND CALL HIM OUT IN THE OPEN

OR I'LL SHOOT YOU MYSELF. NOW,

YOU SURE DON'T WANNA PUT A NEW MAN ON POINT

AND I DON'T CARE WHAT YOU SEE ON TV OR IN THE MOVIES.

AND NEVER, NEVER, NEVER PUT A DUMBASS ON YOUR BEST WEAPON,

YOUR M-60 MACHINE GUN.

YOU WANT SOMEBODY'S THAT'S STRONG ENOUGH TO HANDLE THAT GUN.

SOMEBODY THAT'S GOOD ENOUGH AND BRAVE ENOUGH

TO STAY WITH THAT GUN 'CAUSE IT WILL DRAW FIRE.

YOU SURE GONNA WANNA HAVE TWO GOOD AMMO CARRIERS WITH HIM

'CAUSE A RAPID RATE OF FIRE CAN BE A LIFESAVER.

YOU GONNA WANT A BLOOPER GUNNER AND AN M-79 GRENADE LAUNCHER.

MAN, YOU GOT TO KNOW, WHO YOUR SKILLED PEOPLE ARE.

YOU GOT TO KNOW HOW TO USE THEM. YOU GOT TO PROTECT THEM,

YOU GOTTA...

COUNT PACES SO YOU KNOW HOW FAR YOU'VE COME.

EVEN IF YOU'RE CRAWLIN', YOU'RE COUNTIN' PACES.

IF YOU'RE SMART YOU'RE GONNA CARRY A LITTLE ROPE

SO YOU CAN TIE KNOTS IN IT EVERY TIME YOU GO A HUNDRED PACES,

A HUNDRED METERS, YOU TIE A KNOT, THAT'S HOW YOU DO IT,

WHEN YOU CAN'T SEE NOTHIN'.

MAN, THERE'S A HUNDRED THOUSAND WAYS TO MAKE A BOOBY TRAP.

YOU BETTER LEARN TO RECOGNIZE THEM, 'CAUSE IF YOU DON'T,

BOUNCIN' BETTY, SHE GONNA TAKE YOU OFF AT THE WAISTLINE

AND YOU GONNA BE A DOUBLE AMPUTEE.

YEAH.

UH-HUH.

YES, I ENJOYED COMBAT.

I ENJOYED THE GAME.

YES, SIR. THANK YOU, SIR.

THE ACTION STARTED THAT DAY WHEN THEY SUCKERED US IN.

SEE, THEY WAS DUG IN. WE WAS OUT IN THE OPEN

AND THEY INFLICTED, OH, CONSIDERABLE DAMAGE.

AND I GUESS AT SOME POINT, I JUST... "YEE-HOO!"

TOOK OFF, BABY!

BULLETS BLAZIN', GRENADES FLYIN'.

YOU TELL ME IT'S A DUMB WAY TO DO IT,

I'LL TELL YOU IT'S THE ONLY WAY TO DO IT.

SEE, THE PROBLEM WAS...

THE PROBLEM WAS GETTIN' THE WOUNDED OUT,

'CAUSE WE COULDN'T CALL ANY F-100s

TILL WE GOT THE WOUNDED OUT, AND THAT TOOK ALL DAY.

AND THE WHOLE TIME WE'RE ALL GETTING OUR ASSES WASTED

FROM THE FLAMES, BUT WE GOT 'EM OUT.

AND THEN WE WASTED THEM...

WITH NAPALM.

THEY SAY WE KILLED 700, SEE?

I CAN'T NEVER REMEMBER

IF WE KILLED 760...

OR 670.

I DON'T KNOW HOW ANYBODY EVER COUNTED THEM.

I DO KNOW,

I RECEIVED THE MEDAL OF HONOR,

NOVEMBER 25th, 1969, IN THE WHITE HOUSE

FROM PRESIDENT NIXON WITH MY FAMILY THERE.

YEAH, MY FATHER, HE COME ALL THE WAY TO WASHINGTON.

HE WAS SO... SO SICK BY THIS TIME.

HE'S JUST OVERWHELMED BY EVERYTHING.

I MEAN, MY WHOLE... MY WHOLE FAMILY WAS... BUT...

DAD WAS PROUD.

SO WAS MY MOTHER, AND MY BROTHERS, AND MY SON.

COUNTRY PEOPLE. THEY GIVE US THE FULL VIP TREATMENT.

WINED AND DINED,

THE NICEST HOTELS, CHAUFFEURED LIMOUSINE.

HEY, HEY, HEY, HEY.

WE WAS IN HIGH COTTON.

IT WAS BIG STUFF.

DECIDEDLY BIG STUFF.

AH, I WAS GONNA PREPARE SOME REMARKS,

BUT UH, EH, BASICALLY, I NEVER GOT AROUND TO IT,

AND QUITE FRANKLY,

PUBLIC SPEAKING,

MEMORIZATION, AH!

IT'S NOT MY FORTE.

SO I THOUGHT, YOU KNOW, IT'D BE ALL RIGHT,

MAYBE I WOULD JUST, IF IT'S OKAY,

READ A FEW EXCERPTS FROM THE CITATION.

I MEAN, IF THAT WOULD BE ALL RIGHT. THAT BE ALL RIGHT?

IF THAT'S WHAT YOU PREFER, MR. CAFFERATA.

OH, YEAH. YEAH, I THINK THAT IS WHAT I PREFER,

WHOEVER THE HELL YOU ARE.

ALL RIGHT, WITH NO FURTHER ADO, HUH? CITATION.

AW, SH...

"CITATION. CAFFERATA, HECTOR, A. JR.,

PRIVATE, U.S. MARINE CORPS."

I DON'T KNOW, MAYBE I SHOULD. YEAH.

YEAH, I THINK MAYBE I SHOULD PREFACE THINGS BY TELLING YOU

I WAS A MARINE-HAPPY KID.

I WAS ALWAYS GONNA BE A MARINE, BUT WWII WAS OVER.

I DIDN'T THINK THERE'D EVER BE ANOTHER ONE. SHIT.

I'LL NEVER FORGET HOW SAD I WAS THE DAY THE WAR ENDED.

I MEAN, LOOK, MY OLD MAN IS OVER THERE

AND I'M SAD BECAUSE THE WAR ENDED?

WHAT A "IGNATZ," HUH? BUT, YOU KNOW,

I COULDN'T SEE BEING A PEACETIME MARINE.

"MARINE CORPS RESERVE COMPANY "F." THAT'S FOR "FOX" COMPANY.

ACTUALLY, THEY ENDED UP CALLING THE HILL,

"FOX HILL" AFTER FOX COMPANY.

ALTHOUGH, I BELIEVE THE CORRECT NAME

IS TOKTONG PASS, OH, YEAH.

IT'S AT THE SOUTH END OF CHOSIN RESERVOIR.

YOU KNOW, "FROZEN CHOSIN"?

IT'S ABOUT EIGHT MILES FROM HAGARU-RI

JUST DOWN THE LINE FROM YUDAM-NI?

ANY WAY YOU SLICE IT, IT'S A LONG WAY FROM JERSEY.

HA-HA. UH...

"WHEN ALL THE OTHER MEMBERS OF HIS FIRE TEAM

BECAME CASUALTIES DURING THE INITIAL PHASE

OF A VICIOUS ATTACK BY A FANATICAL ENEMY

OF REGIMENTAL STRENGTH..." OH, YEAH. OH, YEAH.

THESE WERE SOME TOUGH FORTUNE COOKIES.

THEY WERE TOUGH AND... AND TENACIOUS

AND COURAGEOUS, BUT CONFIDENTIALLY SPEAKING,

I DON'T THINK THAT THEY WERE ALL THAT WELL ORGANIZED

OR ALL THAT HIGHLY TRAINED,

BUT THERE SURE WERE A LOT OF THEM, AND I MEAN A LOT,

AS IN OVER A THOUSAND, HA!

"SO, PRIVATE CAFFERATA WAGED A LONG BATTLE

WITH GRENADES AND RIFLE FIRE." THAT'S NOT STRICTLY TRUE.

SEE, BENSON WAS RIGHT THERE BESIDE ME THE WHOLE TIME.

HE WAS LOWERING RIFLES. HE COULDN'T SEE NOTHING

BECAUSE HE GOT FLASH BLINDED BY A GRENADE,

BUT HE COULD LOAD RIFLES BY FEEL.

I MEAN, HELL, HE COULD LOAD RIFLES IN HIS SLEEP. WHO COULDN'T? HUH?

YEAH, KENNETH BENSON WAS A PISSER.

WENT TO HIGH SCHOOL RIGHT NEAR ME.

WE BOTH PLAYED SOME SEMI-PRO FOOTBALL. OH, YEAH.

HATED EACH OTHER'S GUTS. USED TO BEAT THE SHIT OUT OF EACH OTHER.

WE WIND UP IN THE SAME FOXHOLE. GO FIGURE.

SEE, THING IS, THING IS, HE DIDN'T PANIC.

IF HE'D HAVE PANICKED, I THINK I'D HAVE PANICKED

RIGHT ALONG WITH HIM, BUT, NO, NO, NOT BENSON.

HE WAS AS COOL AS...

"THE OTHER SIDE OF THE PILLOW." HA-HA.

KENNETH BENSON,

HE WAS A GREAT GUY.

"MAKING A TARGET OF HIMSELF UNDER DEVASTATING FIRE

FROM AUTOMATIC WEAPON, RIFLE GRENADE, AND MORTAR,

HE MANEUVERED UP AND DOWN THE LINE DELIVERING FIRE

AGAINST THE ONRUSHING ENEMY." AH, WHAT I DID WAS

I PLUGGED THE LINE, I PLUGGED THE LINE.

HEY, HEY, YOU KNOW THAT STORY ABOUT THAT DUTCH KID

WHO SHOVED HIS FINGER INTO A DIKE,

THEREBY SAVED HOLLAND?

I MEAN, THAT'S BASICALLY WHAT I DID.

I MEAN, NOT HOLLAND, BUT...

"KILLING..."

WHATEVER.

"WOUNDING MANY MORE." YEAH.

YEAH, YOU KNOW WHEN YOU LOOK 'EM RIGHT IN THE PUSS

AND YOU SHOOT THE POOR BASTARDS,

YOU FEEL LOUSY.

WHAT ARE YOU GONNA DO?

"A HOSTILE GRENADE LANDED IN A SHALLOW ENTRENCHMENT

OCCUPIED BY WOUNDED MARINES.

PRIVATE CAFFERATA..." WAS SCARED SHITLESS.

THAT'S WHAT PRIVATE CAFFERATA WAS. HA, HA. AHEM.

THERE WAS A DEBATE GOING ON

BETWEEN MY FEET AND MY BRAIN.

MY FEET SAID, "LET'S GET THE HELL OUT OF HERE."

I GUESS MY BRAIN MUST HAVE OUTRANKED MY FEET.

YEAH.

"CAFFERATA SEIZED THE DEADLY MISSILE

AND HURLED IT FREE OF HIS COMRADES AS IT DETONATED

SEVERING..." SEE, THEY ALWAYS MAKE MORE OF THIS

THAN THERE WAS. IT DIDN'T BLOW NO FINGERS OFF.

I MEAN, NOT THAT I'D HAVE NOTICED MY HAND BEING BASICALLY FROZEN.

I JUST KINDA BLEW THE MEAT OFF THE BONE.

I MEAN, IT COULD HAVE BEEN A LOT WORSE.

I MEAN, OH, THESE BASTARDS.

THEY'RE CHUCKIN' GRENADES THE WHOLE TIME.

YOU KNOW WHAT I DID?

I GRABBED AN ENTRENCHING TOOL...

THAT'S A LITTLE SHOVEL, DARLING. MM-HMM.

AND I STARTED BATTIN' 'EM AWAY

AND I MEAN, I AM JUST ABOUT THE WORST BASEBALL PLAYER

THAT YOU EVER SAW. FOOTBALL. FOOTBALL. THAT'S MY GAME.

I PLAYED SOME SOME SEMI-PRO,

WHICH I THINK I MIGHT HAVE ALREADY MENTIONED. ANYWAY...

I JUST START WHACKIN' 'EM AWAY LIKE I AM DiMAGGIO

OR SOMETHING, AND FOR SOME REASON,

PROBABLY BECAUSE I AM SCARED SHITLESS,

I BATTED A THOUSAND.

"COURAGEOUSLY IGNORING THE INTENSE PAIN,

HE STAUNCHLY FOUGHT ON..."

BY THE BY... ALL I HAD ON WAS MY SOCKS.

OH, STOP IT. I HAD MY PANTS ON.

BUT NO BOOTS AND NO PARKA, SEE?

I WAS A PRETTY BIG GUY BACK IN THOSE... OH, YEAH.

I WAS 6'2", 220. AND YOU KNOW,

YOU COULDN'T FIT INTO THE MUMMY BAG

WITH YOUR BOOTS OR YOUR PARKA ON.

HEY! GOOD PLANNIN', FELLAS.

ANYWAY, WHEN THE SHITSTORM STARTS,

I JUMP OUTTA THE BAG FIRING, AS DOES BENSON,

WHICH IS WHEN HE GETS BLINDED.

AND BY THE BY...

WHEW.

I FIRED SO MANY ROUNDS,

THE TOP OF MY RIFLE BARREL TURNED TO CHARCOAL.

WHOA.

THAT'S GOD TRUTH. THAT'S GOD'S TRUTH.

ANYWAY, THAT'S WHY I DIDN'T HAVE MY BOOTS ON.

"STOUTHEARTED." YEAH.

"AND INDOMITABLE IN THE FACE OF ALMOST CERTAIN DEATH."

YEAH, I REMEMBER THINKING, "BOY, IS MY MOTHER GONNA

BE PISSED OFF IF I GET KILLED."

"CONSPICUOUS GALLANTRY AND INTREPIDITY... IN..."

ONE WOULD THINK I'D BE ABLE TO PRONOUNCE IT BY NOW.

"INTREPIDITY. INTREPIDITY."

WOULD YOU BELIEVE, I DIDN'T EVEN KNOW

I WAS PUT UP FOR THE MEDAL OF HONOR?

YEAH. WHEN I GET OUTTA THE HOSPITAL,

OH, AND BY THE BY... BENSON'S SIGHT...

IT CAME BACK. YEAH. HE HELPED ME DOWN THE MOUNTAIN

WHEN WE FOUGHT OUR WAY TO HAGARU.

THEN HE GETS WOUNDED AGAIN, IN THE SHOULDER THIS TIME,

AND WE BOTH WIND UP IN THE SAME HOSPITAL.

ANYWAY. WHEN I GET OUTTA THE HOSPITAL

AFTER A LOT, A LOT OF OPERATIONS,

SEE THEY TRIED TO STRETCH THE NERVE ENDS...

TO SUTURE THEM, BUT NO DICE.

I COULD STILL MOVE MY TRIGGER FINGER.

YEAH, YEAH.

BUT I GOTTA USE MY LEFT HAND FOR... OTHER THINGS.

ANYWAY, I'M BACK IN JERSEY.

I GET A TELEGRAM SAYING, "YOU HAVE BEEN AWARDED THE MEDAL OF HONOR.

COME TO WASHINGTON AND GET IT."

I CALLED 'EM. I SAID, "SEND IT."

THEY SAID, "GET YOUR ASS DOWN HERE!" YEAH, I DID, YEAH.

TRUMAN, OOH, THAT LITTLE SON OF A... GUN.

HE RUINED MY SHOES. YOU KNOW HE WAS A RUNT OF A GUY.

RUNT. AND I MEAN, I'M 6'2", 220. I WAS.

AND I'M STANDING THERE AT RIGID ATTENTION,

AND MR. SHORTY PANTS WAS TRYING TO GET HIS ARMS AROUND ME

TO SNAP THE RIBBON ON AND IT AIN'T WORKIN',

SO I GOTTA KINDA SLINK DOWN. AND WHILST I'M SLINKING DOWN,

HE IS STANDING ALL OVER THE SPIT-SHINE SHOES,

SCUFFED THE HELL OUT OF THEM.

BUT YOU KNOW WHAT?

I NEVER SHINED THEM AGAIN.

OH, YEAH.

"ABOVE AND BEYOND THE CALL OF DUTY."

THAT'S WHAT IT SAYS.

YOU KNOW...

I'LL TELL YOU SOMETHIN'.

WHAT I JUST READ,

I DID IT, AND I KNOW I DID IT,

THOUGH I'LL BE DAMNED IF I KNOW HOW I DID IT,

BUT I COULD TELL YOU WHY I DID IT.

'CAUSE I'M A MARINE.

THAT'S JUST WHAT MARINES DO.

I NEVER DID GET THE OPPORTUNITY

TO MEET VERNON BAKER.

OUR GEOGRAPHY JUST NEVER ALIGNED...

BUT, I'VE... I'VE OFTEN HAD A DAYDREAM, THOUGH, ABOUT BAKER WHERE...

I'D KNOCK ON HIS DOOR

AND BAKER WOULD ANSWER THE DOOR

WITH HIS M1 IN HIS HAND.

AND VERNON LOOKS ME UP AND DOWN,

AND FINALLY HE SAYS,

"WELL...

I ALWAYS FIGURED IT WOULD BE MORGAN."

MY GRANDMOTHER, DORA BAKER,

HAD THE WORST DISPOSITION OF ANYBODY

I HAVE EVER SEEN IN MY LIFE.

SHE WAS THE MEANEST WOMAN I HAVE EVER RUN ACROSS.

SPITEFUL.

IT SEEMED LIKE SHE HATED EVERYBODY.

IT SURPRISED ME THAT GRANDPA WAS SO CALM AND COOL WITH HER.

I NEVER HEARD HIM RAISE HIS VOICE TO HER AT ALL.

AFTER I GREW UP, I REALIZED

SHE SUFFERED FROM RHEUMATOID ARTHRITIS.

COULDN'T WALK.

CONFINED TO A WHEELCHAIR FOR 22 YEARS.

SHE WAS IN PAIN 24 HOURS A DAY.

I GUESS THAT COULD RUIN ANYBODY'S DISPOSITION,

BUT WHEN I WAS A KID, I HATED HER.

MY NAME IS VERNON BAKER.

I WAS BORN IN 1919 IN CHEYENNE, WYOMIN'.

YEAH.

TO MANUEL CALDERA AND BEULAH BAKER,

WHO WERE BOTH KILLED IN AN AUTO WRECK

WHILE I WAS STILL AN INFANT,

SO I WAS REARED BY MY GRANDMOTHER, DORA,

AND BY MY GRANDFATHER, JOSEPH BAKER.

HE WAS A RAILROAD MAN.

NOW, AS MUCH AS I HATED MY GRANDMOTHER,

WELL, THAT'S HOW MUCH I LOVED MY GRANDFATHER.

I IDOLIZED HIM, YEAH.

ONE TIME... ONE TIME, I TOLD HIM, I SAID,

"GRANDPA, WHEN I GROW UP I WANT TO BE JUST LIKE YOU."

AND HE SAID, "NO, BOY,

YOU DON'T GROW UP TO BE ANYBODY ELSE.

YOU WANT TO BE YOURSELF."

I NEVER FORGOT THAT. "YOU WANT TO BE YOURSELF."

HE WAS A QUIET MAN, BUT HE WAS A TOUGH MAN.

HE CARRIED A .45 IN HIS OVERALLS

WHEN HE WENT TO WORK. HE TOOK NO SHIT FROM NOBODY.

IT WAS HIM TAUGHT ME TO SHOOT A DOUBLE-BARREL 12-GAUGE SHOTGUN.

TWIN HAMMERS. FIRST TIME I FIRED, IT KNOCKED ME ON MY ASS,

AND GRANDPA LAUGHED.

LATER ON IN BASIC, I QUALIFIED AS EXPERT MARKSMAN.

SERVED ME WELL IN ITALY, YEAH. LET'S SEE...

WELL, I BELIEVE IT'S FAIR TO SAY I WAS A PRETTY BRIGHT KID.

LEARNED TO READ EARLY, BUT I WAS IN AND OUT OF TROUBLE.

SPENT SOME TIME AT FATHER FLANAGAN'S BOYS HOME IN OMAHA.

DIDN'T CARE FOR THAT.

GOT CALLED HOME AFTER GRANDMOTHER DIED

AND I WENT TO WORK SHININ' SHOES.

I WAS MAKING $25 OR $30 A WEEK DURING THE DEPRESSION,

BUT I HATED IT.

IT ENTAILED TAKING TOO MUCH GUFF FROM ASSHOLES.

DID A STINT AS A REDCAP, YOU KNOW... PORTER, UNION PACIFIC.

SAME DEAL, TOO MUCH GUFF. TOO MANY ASSHOLES.

GRANDPA DIED IN 1940. COLON CANCER.

UH...

GENTLEMEN!

LISTEN TO YOUR CHILDREN.

LISTEN TO THE DOCTOR.

GET THE COLONOSCOPY.

IT'S NOT THAT BAD.

IT'S NOT THAT GOOD.

BUT IT'S NOT THAT BAD.

IT'S AN OUNCE OF PRE... THAT'S ALL I'LL SAY.

THEN THE WAR ROLLED IN. APRIL '41, I WENT DOWN

TO A RECRUITING STATION. BIG OLD FAT GUY LOOKS UP AT ME,

SAYS, "WHAT DO YOU WANT?"

I TOLD HIM I WANTED TO ENLIST.

HE SAID, "WE AIN'T GOT NO QUOTAS FOR YOU PEOPLE."

SO I WENT HOME FEELING KINDA...

EH, YOU KNOW, DESPAIRING.

BUT THAT DIDN'T SIT RIGHT.

MONTH LATER, I TRIED AGAIN...

DIFFERENT RECRUITING OFFICER.

HE JUST STARTED IN ASKIN' QUESTIONS AND WRITING THINGS DOWN.

HE ASKED ME, "WHAT BRANCH DO YOU WANT?"

I TOLD HIM. QUARTERMASTER.

AND I WATCHED UPSIDE DOWN AS HE WROTE...

"INFANTRY." HA! BUT I DIDN'T ARGUE WITH THE MAN,

'CAUSE I WAS IN.

I GOT TO SENT TO CAMP WOLTERS, TEXAS,

WHERE RACISM HIT ME SQUARE IN THE FACE.

A STUDY PRODUCED BY FIELD GRADE STUDENTS

AT THE ARMY WAR COLLEGE IN 1937, HAS CONCLUDED

THAT AS AN INDIVIDUAL, THE NEGRO IS DOCILE, TRACTABLE,

LIGHTHEARTED, CAREFREE, AND GOOD NATURED.

IF UNJUSTLY TREATED, HE IS LIKELY TO BECOME

SURLY AND STUBBORN,

THOUGH THIS IS USUALLY A TEMPORARY PHASE.

HE IS CARELESS, SHIFTLESS,

IRRESPONSIBLE, AND SECRETIVE.

HE RESENTS CENSURE AND IS BEST HANDLED

WITH PRAISE AND WITH RIDICULE.

HE IS UNMORAL, UNTRUTHFUL,

AND HIS SENSE OF RIGHT-DOING IS RELATIVELY INFERIOR.

ON THE OTHER HAND, THE NEGRO IS CHEERFUL, LOYAL,

AND USUALLY UNCOMPLAINING IF REASONABLY WELL FED.

HE HAS A MUSICAL NATURE AND A MARKED SENSE OF RHYTHM.

UH-HUH. HOW 'BOUT THAT SHIT?

I MEAN, YOU SEE WHAT I MEAN

'BOUT TAKIN' GUFF FROM ASSHOLES?

I MEAN, I WAS ON A BUS TO CAMP WOLTERS,

I PUT MY DUFFLE DOWN, AND I WENT TO TAKE A SHIT

AND THE DRIVER SAID, "GET OUT THAT SEAT, NIGGER.

GET IN BACK WHERE YOU BELONG, NOW."

IF IT HAD GONE TO FISTICUFFS, WHICH IT COULD HAVE,

I'D PROBABLY HAD GOT KILLED. THEY'D HAVE HANGED ME.

I MEAN, TEXAS WAS BAD BACK THEN.

BUT I KEPT MY TEMPER IN CHECK. WASN'T EASY

AT THE TIME, BUT I REMEMBERED SOMETHING ELSE MY GRANDFATHER TOLD ME.

HE TOLD ME, "DON'T HATE,

BECAUSE IF YOU HATE,

HATE WILL DESTROY YOU."

THEN SOMETIME IN '42, A WHITE OFFICER...

I CANNOT RECALL HIS NAME... WELL, HE TOLD ME,

"SIGN UP FOR THE OFFICER CANDIDATE SCHOOL." SO, I DID.

I WAS COMMISSIONED SECOND LIEUTENANT,

JANUARY 11, 1943.

YOU SEE, WHAT WAS HAPPENIN' WAS THEY WERE ORGANIZIN'

AN ALL-BLACK DIVISION.

THE 92nd, IT WAS THE BUFFALO DIVISION.

WE WERE BUFFALO SOLDIERS.

THAT'S THE NAME THEY GIVE THE BLACK UNITS

WAY BACK IN THE INDIAN WARS,

'CAUSE OUR BLACK SKIN AND NAPPY HAIR

MADE THEM THINK WE WERE LIKE BUFFALO, YEAH.

NOW AT THE TIME, IF YOU WERE BLACK,

AND YOU WENT TO DIVISION HEADQUARTERS,

EVEN IF YOU ARE AN OFFICER, MM-HMM...

YOU WENT IN THE BACK DOOR. YOU DON'T WALK IN

THE FRONT DOOR OF DIVISION HEADQUARTERS.

NOW, ON THIS PARTICULAR DAY, THEY WOULDN'T EVEN LET US

IN THE BACK DOOR. SO WE JUST SITTIN' THERE.

WE SITTIN' THERE, UNDER A TREE,

AND THE CHIEF OF STAFF,

AND I DON'T WANT TO RECALL HIS NAME.

HE GATHERED US ALL, HE SAYS,

"WELL, YOU KNOW WHY WE'RE HERE.

ALL THE WHITE FELLOWS HAVE GONE OVER THERE.

NOW IT'S TIME FOR YOU BLACK BOYS TO GO GET KILLED."

AND THAT'S WHAT HE SAID.

"IT'S TIME FOR YOU BLACK BOYS TO GO GET KILLED."

THE ENTIRE BUFFALO DIVISION CROSSED THE ATLANTIC

WITHOUT AN ESCORT. LANDED IN NAPLES.

AND FROM THERE, UP THE WEST COAST OF ITALY

TO LUCCA, PISA AND THE FRONT LINES.

OUR FIRST FOUR MONTHS IN COMBAT

NOTHING BUT NIGHT PATROL RECONNAISSANCE.

MIND YOU, THEY SAY "BLACKS COULDN'T FIGHT AT NIGHT."

THAT'S ALL WE DID.

I LOST THREE MEN EARLY ON. I MEAN, I LOST THEM.

I PUT THEM IN A BAD SITUATION.

STUPIDITY ON MY PART.

I STILL FEEL IT.

COMBAT IS A LEARNIN' THING.

WHEN YOU GIVE AN ORDER, SOMEBODY GETS HURT OR KILLED,

WELL, YOU BETTER LEARN FROM THAT

AND KEEP THAT IN THE BACK OF YOUR MIND

AND WATCH OUT FOR THAT KIND OF SITUATION

AND DON'T REPEAT YOUR MISTAKE.

YOU REPEAT YOUR MISTAKE, YOU SHOULDN'T BE GIVIN' ORDERS,

BECAUSE SOMEBODY IS GOING TO GET KILLED.

IT'S THAT SIMPLE CASE CLOSED.

IT'S LIKE MY WEAPON OF CHOICE...

HUH, THE M-1 GARAND!

BUT, OF COURSE, IT TOOK A WHILE TO SETTLE ON THAT,

'CAUSE IT'S A LEARNIN' THING.

WHEN WE TRAINED, OF COURSE WE TRAINED

WITH THE 1902 BOLT-ACTION SPRINGFIELD.

THEN, WHEN I GOT TO ITALY, THEY GAVE ME A .30-CALIBER CARBINE

I THOUGHT THAT WAS A PRETTY SPIFFY LITTLE PIECE,

TILL I SAW AN ENEMY SOLDIER TAKE SIX ROUNDS FROM ONE

AND KEEP ON COMIN'. AND I SAID, "UH-UH,"

AND I TRADED THAT IN FOR THE .45-CALIBER THOMPSON SUBMACHINE GUN.

NEXT FIREFIGHT I WAS IN, I THREW UP THAT THOMPSON...

[IMITATING GUNFIRE]

I COULDN'T HIT A THING. AND I SAID, "UH-UH."

FINALLY, FINALLY! I GOT THE M-1.

I GOT THE .30-06 WITH THE EIGHT-SHOT CLIP

THAT EJECTED AUTOMATICALLY WHEN IT WAS EMPTY.

OH, YES, I LOVED IT.

IT IS A BEAUTIFUL RIFLE. IT REALLY IS.

I GOT ONE STILL. I USUALLY KEEP THIS ONE

SITTING IN MY BEDROOM.

FOR CONSPICUOUS GALLANTRY AND INTREPIDITY

AT THE RISK OF HIS OWN LIFE,

ABOVE AND BEYOND THE CALL OF DUTY

IN ACTION ON 5 AND 6, APRIL 1945.

LIEUTENANT BAKER ADVANCED...

I HAD 26 GUYS. THE OBJECTIVE,

THE CASTLE AGHINOLFI.

CAPTAIN WILLIAM B. BANYON HAD JOINED THE COMPANY ABOUT A WEEK BEFORE.

SEE, WHITE OFFICERS WERE ALWAYS COMING THROUGH

TO GET THEIR TICKETS PUNCHED,

GET SOME COMBAT EXPERIENCE IN. MOVE ON.

WELL, CAPTAIN BANYON, HE HAD BEEN LEADING US,

BUT SOMEHOW HE JUST FADED AWAY, MAN.

I DON'T KNOW WHAT HAPPENED TO HIM.

MOVING MORE RAPIDLY THAN THE REST OF THE COMPANY,

LIEUTENANT BAKER CAME WITHIN 250 YARDS OF THE CASTLE.

YEAH, WE GOT PRETTY CLOSE TO THAT CASTLE.

BUT THERE WAS A DEEP-ASS DRAW BETWEEN US AND IT...

A COUPLE 100 FEET DOWN, ACROSS, AND UP A HILL.

AND I'M STANDING THERE ON THE EDGE OF THAT DRAW

WHEN, WELL, CAPTAIN BANYON SHOWS UP.

SO WE'RE TRYING TO FIGURE HOW TO GET ACROSS THAT DRAW

WHEN AN ENEMY SOLDIER STEPS OUT THE BRUSH

AND LOBS THIS DAMN GRENADE.

AND CAPTAIN BANYON, HE GOES, "EEP!"

AND HE DISAPPEARS AGAIN.

AND THAT GRENADE LANDS AT MY FEET.

BUT NOTHIN' HAPPENED.

AND THAT ENEMY SOLDIER, HE DISAPPEARED, TOO.

LIEUTENANT BAKER SHOT THE ENEMY TWICE

AS HE TRIED TO FLEE.

LIEUTENANT BAKER THEN WENT DOWN INTO THE DRAW ALONE.

THERE HE BLASTED OPEN THE CONCEALED ENTRANCE

TO ANOTHER DUGOUT WITH A HAND GRENADE

AND ENTERED FIRING.

AS LIEUTENANT BAKER CLIMBED OUT OF THE DRAW,

ENEMY MACHINE GUN AND MORTAR FIRE

BEGAN TO INFLICT HEAVY CASUALTIES

AMONG THE GROUP OF 25 SOLDIERS,

KILLING OR WOUNDING ABOUT TWO-THIRDS OF THEM.

SHIT, EVERY TIME A MAN DIED I TOOK THE DOG TAGS OFF OF HIM.

I HAD A POCKET FULL OF THEM WHEN I GOT BACK.

NOW, AFTER A WHILE, THE ENEMY SENDS SOME GUYS OUT

WITH STRETCHERS AND BLANKETS

AND THE FLAG WITH THE RED CROSS ON IT.

AND MY MEN, THEY WANTED TO SHOOT, BUT I SAID,

"NO, NO, YOU HANG STEADY." 'CAUSE IF THEY WERE MEDICS,

WELL, YOU DON'T WANT ANYBODY FIRIN' ON YOUR MEDICS.

AND WHEN THEY DROPPED THOSE STRETCHERS

AND TOOK THOSE BLANKETS AWAY,

THERE WERE MACHINE GUNS.

I SAW WHERE THERE WERE SOME DIRTY THINGS DONE,

BUT THAT WAS THE DIRTIEST THING I EVER SAW.

I TOLD MY MEN,

"HIT THE BASTARDS! HIT THE BASTARDS!

HIT THE BASTARDS! HIT THE BASTARDS!

HIT THE BASTARDS!"

LIEUTENANT BAKER SINGLEHANDEDLY KILLED

17 OF THE ENEMY, TAKING OUT FOUR MACHINE GUN NESTS,

AN OBSERVATION POST, TWO BUNKERS, AND...

AND THEN I WENT AND I VOMITED MY GUTS OUT.

SON, I DIDN'T COUNT THE NUMBER I KILLED.

19 OF MY MEN DIED ON THAT HILLSIDE.

I LOST TWO MORE ON THE WAY IN.

SO WHEN WE GOT BACK...

WE WERE SIX.

AND WHEN WE GOT BACK,

CAPTAIN BANYON WAS THERE.

HE'D GIVE US UP FOR DEAD.

BANYON RECEIVED A SILVER STAR.

HOW 'BOUT THAT?

I WENT BACK DOWN THAT DRAW.

UP THAT HILL THE NEXT DAY.

ONLY PEOPLE LEFT ON THAT HILLSIDE

WERE MY DEAD MEN.

AND THEY WERE ALL...

BAREFOOT.

THE ENEMY WERE GONE, BUT THEY'D TAKEN THE BOOTS

AND THE SOCKS OFF OF DEAD MEN.

LIEUTENANT BAKER'S FIGHTING SPIRIT

AND DARING LEADERSHIP WERE AN INSPIRATION TO HIS MEN

AND EXEMPLIFIED THE HIGHEST TRADITIONS

OF THE MILITARY SERVICE.

MY COMMISSION EXPIRED IN '47, BUT I RE-UPPED.

IN ORDER TO STAY IN,

I HAD TO GO DOWN TO MASTER SERGEANT.

BUT I HAVE NO COMPLAINTS.

LOOK...

THIS WAS THE ONLY COUNTRY I HAD,

AND I FELT IN MY HEART

THAT THINGS WOULD GET BETTER.

THAT AMERICA, THE UNITED STATES,

WAS GROWING UP.

YEAH.

I RETIRED IN '68. THEN...

THEN IN '96

I GET A CALL FROM A UNIVERSITY PROFESSOR

WHO ASKED ME, "WHAT DO YOU KNOW ABOUT THE MEDAL OF HONOR?"

AND I THOUGHT, "WHO THE HELL IS THIS NUT?"

BUT HE TOLD ME THE ARMY WAS INVESTIGATING

WHY NO BLACK AMERICANS RECEIVED THE MEDAL OF HONOR

DURING WORLD WAR II,

AND HE WOULD LIKE TO COME AND TALK TO ME.

AND I RECEIVED THE MEDAL OF HONOR

ON A COLD JANUARY AFTERNOON

IN 1997

FROM PRESIDENT CLINTON.

SEVEN WERE AWARDED THAT DAY,

BUT I WAS THE ONLY ONE STILL WALKIN' AROUND.

WHEN THE PRESIDENT PUT THAT BLUE RIBBON 'ROUND MY NECK...

I WAS THINKING OF 19 BOOTLESS MEN

LEFT ON A HILLSIDE.

MR. BAKER,

ONE THING I WILL NEVER FORGET.

WHEN I WAS WOUNDED,

THE HOSPITAL WAS IN THE ALL-BLACK 92nd DIVISION SECTOR

AND I DON'T KNOW WHETHER IT WAS CUSTOMARY OR REGULATION,

BUT EVERY TIME THEY GAVE ME A TRANSFUSION,

THEY SHOWED ME THE BOTTLE, AND THE BOTTLE HAD THE NAME,

RANK, SERIAL NUMBER, AND UNIT OF THE DONOR.

EVERY ONE WAS 92nd DIVISION.

I HAD 17 TRANSFUSIONS.

WELL, IT SOUND TO ME

LIKE YOU GOT SOME BUFFALO SOLDIER IN YOU THERE.

I'M SURPRISED YOUR HAIR DIDN'T GET A LITTLE NAPPY.

I DON'T KNOW ABOUT THAT.

I JUST THANK GOD THAT BLOOD WAS AVAILABLE,

OTHERWISE, I WOULD BE DEAD.

OH, YEAH, YEAH. IT'S LIKE I TOLD

QUITE A FEW OF THE WHITE FELLAS

AFTER THE ARMY GOT INTEGRATED IN '48

AND THEY HAD A PROBLEM WITH THAT.

I TOLD THEM, "YOU LOOK AT ME

AND YOU SEE THE COLOR OF MY SKIN.

BUT I TELL YOU ONE DAMN THING.

WE GET OUT THERE, SOMETHIN' HAPPENS,

YOUR BLOOD IS JUST AS RED AS MINE,

AND MY BLOOD IS JUST AS RED AS YOURS.

WE ALL BLEED THE SAME COLOR."

YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT THE 442nd.

THAT IS THE MOST DECORATED UNIT

IN THE HISTORY... THE HISTORY...

OF THE AMERICAN ARMY. ISN'T THAT A FACT?

I BELIEVE THAT IS THE CASE, YES.

WELL, SENATOR INOUYE, IT APPEARS TO ME

THAT QUITE A FEW OF YOU FELLAS

MUST HAVE GOT TRANSFUSED BY THE BUFFALO SOLDIERS.

THERE WERE QUITE A FEW OF US.

THERE WERE SPACES FOR 4,500 MEN IN THE 442nd,

BUT OVER 12,000 JAPANESE-AMERICANS

PASSED THROUGH BECAUSE OF THE HIGH TURNOVER

FROM DEATH AND INJURY IN COMBAT.

KIND OF IRONIC WHEN YOU CONSIDER

THE GOVERNMENT DID NOT WELCOME OUR SERVICE.

THE NISEI, THAT IS SECOND-GENERATION JAPANESE-AMERICAN

WERE ASSUMED TO BE SPIES FOR JAPAN,

CLASSIFIED "4C ENEMY ALIEN."

BUT SOMEBODY GOT UP A PETITION AND IT SAID,

"WE WILL DO WHATEVER YOU WANT US TO DO...

FIGHT, DITCH DIGGING LABOR BATTALION.

WE'LL DO WHATEVER YOU WANT."

IN THE EXECUTIVE ORDER THAT ESTABLISHED

THE 442nd REGIMENTAL COMBAT TEAM,

PRESIDENT ROOSEVELT SAID, "AMERICANISM IS NOT

AND NEVER HAS BEEN A MATTER OF RACE OR COLOR.

AMERICANISM IS A MATTER OF MIND AND HEART."

THAT PHRASE MEANT A LOT TO ME.

IT MEANT A LOT TO MANY OTHERS.

IT MEANT BOOT CAMP,

INSTEAD OF CONCENTRATION CAMP.

I DON'T THAT I COULD HAVE STOOD BEING INTERNED

FOR THE DURATION OF THE WAR,

AS WERE 120,000 OF MY BROTHERS AND SISTERS.

I DO KNOW, THAT AFTER PEARL HARBOR,

SO VERY MANY NISEI FELT AN OVERWHELMING

SENSE OF SHAME AND GUILT.

AND WHO KNOWS, MAYBE SOME OF THEM EVEN THOUGHT

THEY DESERVED TO BE IN THOSE CAMPS.

MY FATHER AND I STOOD OUTSIDE OUR HOME IN HONOLULU

WATCHING THE DIVE BOMBERS ZOOMING IN,

FLASHING THE RED BALL OF THE EMPIRE,

THE RISING SUN INSIGNIA.

MY OWN PEOPLE WERE JUST A GENERATION REMOVED

FROM THE LAND THAT SPAWNED THESE BOMBERS

AND SENT THEM TO DROP DEATH ON HAWAII, ON MY HOME.

I SCREAMED AT THE SKY, "YOU DIRTY JAPS!"

I WANTED TO KILL THEM!

I AM SO THANKFUL THAT WHEN I WENT INTO COMBAT,

WHEN THE 442nd WENT INTO COMBAT IN JUNE, 1943,

IT WAS AGAINST THE ENEMY IN EUROPE,

AND NOT THE PACIFIC, BUT...

BUT I DO RECALL AN INCIDENT THAT MADE ME REALIZE

THAT MEN ARE MEN.

JAPANESE, AMERICAN, GERMAN...

JUST MEN.

WE WERE APPROACHING WHAT WE THOUGHT

WAS AN EMPTY FARMHOUSE,

WHEN A MACHINE GUN OPENED UP FROM THE SECOND FLOOR.

IT KILLED MY LEAD SCOUT, MY BEST FRIEND.

I FIRED A BAZOOKA THROUGH THE OPEN WINDOW

AND SILENCED THE MACHINE GUN.

I RUSHED TO THE SECOND FLOOR TO MAKE SURE

THE GUN WAS OUT OF COMMISSION.

THERE WERE THREE SOLDIERS. TWO DEAD, ONE BADLY INJURED.

HIS LEGS, HIS ARMS WERE IN THE AIR.

AND HE SAID, "KAMERAD." I HAD MY M-1 TRAINED ON HIM,

AND THEN ALL OF A SUDDEN HE REACHED INTO HIS JACKET POCKET...

AN INNER POCKET... AND I THOUGHT HE WAS GOING FOR A PISTOL,

AND I BROUGHT THE BUTT OF MY RIFLE AROUND

AND I HIT HIM, AND... NO.

NO, NO.

I SMASHED HIS HEAD IN, ACTUALLY.

AND THE HAND FLEW OUT WITH A BATCH OF PHOTOGRAPHS.

A YOUNG WOMAN, A LITTLE GIRL.

AND SO, YES, THIS IS THE ENEMY.

THIS IS SOMEONE'S HUSBAND, A FATHER.

SOMEBODY'S SON.

BUT I FELT WE HAD A MISSION. AN UGLY MISSION.

AND THE SOONER ACCOMPLISHED, THE BETTER.

ON APRIL 20, 1945, ON A HIGH RIDGE

CALLED COLLE MUSATELLO NEAR SAN TERENZO, ITALY,

I PULLED THE PIN ON A GRENADE, STOOD UP TO THROW IT,

AND I GOT SHOT IN THE ABDOMEN.

AND THE BULLET CAME OUT THE MIDDLE OF MY BACK

AND I FELT LIKE SOMEONE HAD SLUGGED ME

BUT THERE WAS NO PAIN, TO SPEAK OF.

AND I TOSSED THE GRENADE INTO A BUNKER,

AND THEN I TOSSED ANOTHER GRENADE,

AND... I CARRIED A BAG FULL OF GRENADES,

SORT OF LIKE A SCHOOLBAG, AND AS I PULLED THE PIN,

ON YET ANOTHER GRENADE, AN ENEMY SOLDIER STOOD UP

FROM 10 YARDS AWAY AND FIRED A RIFLE GRENADE

AND THAT GRENADE PRACTICALLY TORE MY ARM OFF.

IT DANGLED BY... I MEAN, I KNEW IT WAS GONE.

AND I THOUGHT... I THOUGHT, "WHAT ABOUT THE GRENADE?"

MY GRENADE. I HAD PULLED THE PIN.

I KNEW IT WAS ARMED, AND, OH, MY LORD, IT WAS THERE.

IT WAS IN THE HAND, IN MY HAND...

AND THE FINGERS...

MY OWN FINGERS HAD FROZEN AROUND IT

AND I HAD TO PRY THE GRENADE FREE

FROM MY OWN FINGERS. AND AS I DID SO,

THE LEVER SNAPPED OPEN, AND I FLIPPED THE GRENADE

INTO THE FACE OF THE ENEMY SOLDIER

WHO WAS RELOADING HIS WEAPON,

AND THE GRENADE FOUND ITS TARGET AND THEN...

I CAN'T... I CAN'T REMEMBER WHAT HAPPENED AFTER THAT.

I CAN'T REMEMBER.

THEY TELL ME, AFTER I...

THREW THE GRENADE, I PICKED UP MY TOMMY GUN

WITH MY LEFT HAND. MIND YOU, MY RIGHT WAS GONE.

AND I CHARGED, AND I GUESS

I TOOK OUT SEVERAL GUN EMPLACEMENTS.

AND THEN I WAS WOUNDED AGAIN, IN THE LEGS, THIS TIME.

AND THEY WANTED TO EVACUATE ME,

AND I SAID, "NO, NO. NO."

AND I CALLED MY FIRST SERGEANT OVER

AND I TOLD HIM I WANT SO-AND-SO PLACED HERE

AND I WANT SO-AND-SO PLACED HERE

"BECAUSE IT IS ELEMENTARY AFTER A SUCCESSFUL ATTACK,

THE ODDS ARE THERE WILL BE A COUNTERATTACK

AND I WANT THESE MEN READY TO DEFEND THIS RIDGE."

THEY TOOK MY ARM OFF JUST ABOVE THE ELBOW.

THE DAY AFTER SURGERY I'M STILL GROGGY

AND THE NURSE COMES BY AND SHE SAYS,

"WELCOME BACK."

AND I SAID, "CAN I GET A CIGARETTE?"

AND SHE LOOKED AT ME AND SHE SAID,

"SMOKING IS NO GOOD, YOU KNOW.

JUST A MINUTE." THEN SHE WALKED AWAY.

CAME BACK WITH A NEW PACK OF CAMELS.

TOSSED THEM ON MY CHEST AND WALKED AWAY AGAIN.

AND I HAD NEVER OPENED A PACK OF CIGARETTES ONE-HANDED.

I USED MY TEETH. WELL, I FINALLY...

I GOT ONE OUT ALL MASHED UP.

AND WHEN THE NURSE RETURNED SHE SAID, "GOOD SMOKE?"

AND I SAID, "I NEED A LIGHT."

AND SHE SAID, "OH, I'M SORRY."

WALKED AWAY, CAME BACK WITH A BOOK OF MATCHES...

TOSSED THEM ON MY CHEST AND WALKED AWAY AGAIN.

AND WHEN SHE FINALLY CAME BACK,

SHE SAID, "GIVE ME THE MATCHES."

AND SHE SHOWED ME THE ONE-HAND LIGHT.

AND THEN SHE LOOKED AT ME,

AND SHE SAID, "YOU KNOW,

I'M NOT GOING TO BE HERE FOR THE REST OF YOUR LIFE.

I'M NOT GOING TO BE HERE TO FEED YOU, OR BATHE YOU,

OR TIE YOUR SHOELACES, OR...

OR LIGHT YOUR CIGARETTES."

"YOU BETTER GET STARTED."

I NEVER KNEW HER NAME.

IT WAS ALWAYS, "NURSE."

SHE WAS FROM EAGLE PASS, TEXAS.

I WILL ALWAYS LOVE HER.

THE DAY I WENT OFF TO WAR...

MY FATHER ACCOMPANIED ME TO THE MILITARY PICKUP POINT.

WE RODE THE STREETCAR ALL THE WAY FROM HOME.

DURING THE RIDE MY FATHER NEVER SAID A WORD.

HE WAS NOT A TALKATIVE FELLA.

HE JUST LOOKED STRAIGHT AHEAD.

AND I LOOKED STRAIGHT AHEAD.

AND FINALLY MY FATHER CLEARED HIS THROAT AND HE SAID,

"AMERICA HAS BEEN VERY GOOD TO US.

AMERICA HAS GIVEN ME TWO JOBS.

GIVEN YOU, AND YOUR SISTERS, AND BROTHERS EDUCATION.

WE ALL LOVE THIS COUNTRY.

WHATEVER YOU DO, DO NOT DISHONOR YOUR COUNTRY.

REMEMBER, NEVER DISHONOR YOUR FAMILY.

AND IF YOU MUST GIVE YOUR LIFE...

DO SO WITH HONOR.

I KNEW EXACTLY WHAT HE MEANT.

I SAID...

"YES, SIR.

GOODBYE."

I'M ASKED QUITE OFTEN,

"WHY DO YOU DO THIS SHOW?"

AND THERE ARE A LOT OF REASONS,

BUT I THINK THE MAIN REASON I DID IT

IS BECAUSE I LOVE A GOOD STORY.

I THINK STORIES TELL US WHERE WE CAME FROM.

THEY... THEY ILLUMINATE THE PAST.

THEY LIGHT OUR ROAD TO THE FUTURE

AND I THINK I THINK SOMETIMES THEY MAKE THE PRESENT

JUST A LITTLE BIT EASIER TO BEAR.

WE'RE ALWAYS GONNA TELL STORIES,

WE ALWAYS HAVE TOLD STORIES...

AROUND THE CAMPFIRE,

AT BEDTIME,

TO THE TRIBE,

TO THE FAMILY,

TO THE KIDS,

AND SOMETIMES TO THE TROOPS.

SO THANK YOU... FOR HOSTING "BEYOND GLORY."

THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA,

AUTHORIZED BY ACT OF CONGRESS,

MARCH 3, 1863,

HAS AWARDED IN THE NAME OF THE CONGRESS,

THE MEDAL OF HONOR TO SPECIALIST FIVE,

CLARENCE E. SASSER, UNITED STATES ARMY,

"FOR CONSPICUOUS GALLANTRY AND INTREPIDITY IN ACTION

AT THE RISK OF HIS LIFE,

ABOVE AND BEYOND THE CALL OF DUTY.

SPECIALIST FIVE, CLARENCE E. SASSER

DISTINGUISHED HIMSELF ON JANUARY 10, 1968

IN THE REPUBLIC OF VIETNAM.

WITHOUT HESITATION, SPECIALIST SASSER

RAN ACROSS AN OPEN RICE PADDY,

THROUGH A HAIL OF FIRE TO ASSIST THE WOUNDED.

AFTER HELPING ONE MAN TO SAFETY,

HE, HIMSELF WAS PAINFULLY WOUNDED

IN THE LEFT SHOULDER BY FRAGMENTS

OF AN EXPLODING ROCKET.

ALTHOUGH IN AGONIZING PAIN AND FAINT FROM LOSS OF BLOOD,

SPECIALIST SASSER REACHED THE MAN,

TREATED HIM AND PROCEEDED ON

TO ENCOURAGE ANOTHER GROUP OF SOLDIERS

TO CRAWL 200 METERS TO RELATIVE SAFETY.

SPECIALIST SASSER'S CONSPICUOUS GALLANTRY

AND EXTRAORDINARY HEROISM ARE IN KEEPING

WITH THE HIGHEST TRADITIONS OF THE MILITARY SERVICE

AND REFLECT GREAT CREDIT..."

THE THING ABOUT IT THAT I'M MOST PROUD OF

WAS THAT MY MEDAL WAS FOR SAVIN' LIVES

RATHER THAN TAKIN' LIVES.

AND NOT THAT I... NOT THAT I HAVE A PROBLEM

WITH TAKIN' LIVES OR ANYTHING.

IF THAT HAD BEEN MY JOB I WOULD HAVE TAKEN THOSE LIVES.

I DON'T... I DON'T HAVE A PROBLEM WITH THAT.

IT'S JUST THAT I'M PROUD THAT THAT WAS FOR SAVING LIVES.

IT'S MORE MY CHARACTER THAN TAKING LIVES.

LET'S MOVE OUT.