We Were Soldiers - English Transcript

These are the true events of November, 1965-- The la Drang Valley of Vietnam-- a place our country does not remember... in a war it does not understand. This story's a testament to the young Americans... who died in the Valley of Death... and a tribute to the young men of the Peoples Army of Vietnam... who died by our hand in that place. To tell this story, l must start at the beginning. But where does it begin? Maybe in June of 1954, when French Group Mobile 100... moved into the same Central Highlands of Vietnam... where we would go 11 years later. Maybe the story begins in America... when the army first realized a new kind of war was coming its way. The White House anticipates a buildup and wants a victory... over cavemen in black pajamas. We wouldn't be there if they hadn't already beaten the French Army. The French Army? What's that? The problem in Vietnam is terrain-- jungles, mountains, rivers. Maneuver's a nightmare. We have a plan to use helicopters-- leap in and out of battle. They want you to run the test on the idea. It'll take a hell of a combat leader. I know a young light colonel named Hal Moore. He led a combat company in Korea. After that, he volunteered to test experimental parachutes. Experimental parachutes? Sounds like just the guy. The other side of the mountain was all that he could see Was all that he could see Was all that he could see The other side of the mountain was all that he could see The bear went over the mountain The bear went over the mountain The bear went over the mountain How about we go back to ''Bingo''? What do you say? ''Bingo.'' B-l-N-G-O B-l-N-G-O B-l-N-G-O And Bingo was his name-o Tom, how much you know about our new colonel? He was in Korea... has a master's in international relations from Harvard. Harvard? He's not one of those academic ***, is he? Hal Moore? Want me to get one of those? Come on, Too Tall. Gimme your best shot! Did you see that, sports fans? Did you see that? Snakeshit drives that one to the moon, baby! Hit the cutoff man! Hit the cutoff man! And he's coming around! - Here he comes! - No, he's not. You're out! You're out! Horseshit! No wonder you can't fly. You can't see. I believe you're out. - You're a pilot? - Too Tall, sir. - Yeah, I can see that. - You call, we haul. - Can I speak to you, Crandall? - Yes, sir. - Out. - Safe. - Out. - Safe. - Can I buy you a drink? - Sure. Thanks. So, your men call you ''Snakeshit.'' That's an affectionate appellation of my comrades-in-arms, sir... 'cause I fly lower than snake ***. Well, I got a problem, Snakeshit, and I think you're the solution. I've been called a lot of things, Colonel, never a solution. You know what air cavalry really means? You fly into hostile territory, outnumbered, 10,000 miles from home. Sometimes the battleground's no bigger than a football field. And if the choppers stop comin', we all get slaughtered. Now, I figure chopper pilots won't fly into hell for strangers... so... I'm Hal Moore. I know, sir. Why us? Well, you guys look like ***, but your equipment is immaculate. Yesterday was Sunday. You didn't have to be training, but you were. You got pilots like that Too Tall character. He's way outside the limits of army regs. They wanna fly with you for some reason. I guess it's 'cause they think you're the best. It's 'cause I only recruit the dumb ones, sir. I don't suppose I have a choice in all this. You sure don't. Wouldn't miss it for the world. To the Air Cav. Good mornin', Sergeant-Major. How do you know what kind of *** day it is? Group! Atten-hut! At ease, gentlemen. Welcome to the new cavalry. We will ride into battle. And this... will be our horse. You don't have to catch it. You don't have to feed it. But I can assure you... that neither the new technology nor your status as officers... will keep you above the danger. Sergeant-Major Plumley and I come from the paratroopers... where the offiicer is always the fiirst one out of the plane. Because to follow your instincts... and to inspire your men by your example... you have to be with them where the metal meets the meat. Sergeant-Major Plumley made all four combat jumps... in the 82nd Airborne during World War II. Sicily, Salerno, Normandy... and Holland, plus one more in Korea. He answers to me and to me alone. Now, I hope you gentlemen like training... 'cause me and the sergeant-major-- we love it. Three strikes and you're not out! There is always one more thing you can do. Here we go, boys. Move! Move! Go! Now! - Two. - Let's go! Three. We're outta here! - Pretty good, huh? - Pretty good. There's only one thing wrong. Be sharp! We will be the best platoon in this battalion! Be ready in there! Let's go! Let's go! All right! Your offiicer's dead! - What do you do? What do you do? - First-- All right, he hesitated. He's dead. What do you do? - Get off the chopper! - Get off of the chopper. Hold off the third one. Come on in. Savage, you learn the job of the man above you... and you teach your job to the man below you in rank. That goes for every man in this outfit. - Understood? - Yes, sir! We'll be landing under fiire, gentlemen. Men will die. Have you said your prayers? Come on. I'll say them with you. - Fall in. - Gimme that bear. All right. Ready. Set. In the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Ghost. Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee. Blessed art thou amongst women... and blessed is the fruit of thy womb Jesus. Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners-- Cecile, I don't hear you praying, honey. I don't wanna be Catholic. I wanna be a ''Nethodist'' like Mommy. You do? And why is that, honey? So I can pray whatever I want. That's a sin. No, that's not a sin. God just made you hardheaded. It's not a sin. I'll tell you what. You wanna-- You wanna pray and thank God for our family? - Yes, sir. - That's good. Let's do it. Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee. Blessed art thou among women... and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus. I can hear you laughing, you know, even in here. I'm not laughing, I'm marveling. Marveling? At what? That you can fiind stubbornness in your children... and think it comes from anybody but you. - Yeah? - Mm-hmm. I'll give you something to marvel at. He's a wild man. - When I pray-- - Mm-hmm. whatever I want-- I thank God for you. Beautiful morning, Sergeant-Major. What are you, a ***' weatherman now? Look what I found for the new baseball player. - Sent us another bunch of offiicers. - Uh-huh. Real green. Gotta train 'em up. Makes me think I'm starting a new unit. They sent new rifles too. The M-16. That's supposed to be a pretty good weapon. Lots of plastic. Feels like a BB gun to me. Believe I'll stick with my pistol. You think we're gonna get close enough to the enemy to use that? What do you think, sir? A leader must remain cool and calm. And second, he must learn to ignore explosions... the heat and dust, the screams of the wounded. This is normal on a battlefiield. Normal! Fortran, you need to get a company over to reinforce the left flank. - Where is that coming from? - That's our advisors in Vietnam. The new radio's picking up atmospheric bounce. When Crazy Horse was a baby... he nursed from the breast of every woman in the tribe. The Sioux raised their children that way. Every warrior... called every woman in the tribe ''mother.'' Every older warrior, they called him ''grandfather.'' Now, the point here is that they fought as a family. Take care of your men. Teach them to take care of each other. 'Cause when this starts... each other is all we're gonna have. - Did you tune that in? - Yes, sir. Well, that's fiine. You're my radio operator. You'll be fiine. You'll work it out. Any of you sons of *** calls me Grandpa... I'll kill ya. Godboldt, take your boots off. Go on. Everybody, take your boots off. Everybody. Socks too. I want you to draw fresh socks from supply. Keep your feet dusted with powder. Everybody check each other's feet like Godboldt and me. Now, that young man's a leader. Yes, sir. That other fella-- that big, strong one there-- he wants to win medals. Why were you in the back? *** it, why were you in the back? He's eager. Ladies, I'm really, really glad you're here today. Some of you are new to the army and all of us are new to this post. I thought we'd pool our resources and cover questions we have. So, why don't we start with item number one-- food. Where's the best place to shop? Well, I tried Big Star, and it's okay. But I keep thinking my water's gonna break right in the checkout aisle. That takes care of food shopping. So, item number two-- laundry. The base washing machines don't work. They're full of sand from the swamp missions. I'll take care of that. - I've already complained. - We'll just go to the general. In the meantime, the Laundromat in town's okay... but they won't let you wash your colored things in their machines. - At a public Laundromat? - Didn't make sense to me either. I'm telling you, they have a sign right in the window... says ''Whites Only.'' - What? - They mean white people only. That's awful. Your husband is wearing the uniform of a country that allows a place... to say his laundry's not good enough, when he could die for-- - I'm sorry. I just-- - That's all right, honey. I know what my husband's fiighting for, and that's why I can smile. My husband will never ask for respect... and he'll give respect to no man who hasn't earned it. The rest of his family is the same way. Anybody who doesn't respect that can keep his washing machine... 'cause my baby's clothes are gonna be clean anyway. Well, I guess that takes care of item number two. Are you all right? I think-- I think my water just broke. We're all calm. We're all calm. A car! A car! - Colonel. - At ease. At ease. I heard one of my new lieutenants just became a father. - I came to say congratulations. - Thank you, sir. So, I didn't wanna disturb you. No, it's fiine. It's all right. Please. Well, how's your wife? She's okay. She's okay. She's sleeping. So is my daughter. I just... wanted to be here for a while before I held her. Well, tag her already? - What's that say? - Camille. Sorry about this, sir. Don't take that off. Leave that where it is. That's an order. - Colonel, may I ask you a question? - Sure. What do you think about being a soldier and a father? I hope that being good at the one... makes me better at the other. Why? What about you? I don't know, sir. Between college and here... Barbara and I spent a year in Africa. We helped build a school for orphans. They were orphans because the warlord across the border... didn't like their tribe. I know God has a plan for me. I just hope it's to help protect orphans... not make any. Well, why don't we ask him? Come on. Let's go ask him. Our Father in Heaven, before we go into battle... every soldier among us will approach you each in his own way. Our enemies too... according to their own understanding... will ask for protection and for victory. And so, we bow before your infiinite wisdom. We offer our prayers as best we can. I pray you watch over the young men, like Jack Geoghegan... that I lead into battle. You use me as your instrument in this awful hell of war... to watch over them. Especially if they're men like this one beside me... deserving of a future in your blessing and good will. - Amen. - Amen. Yes, and one more thing, dear Lord... about our enemies-- ignore their heathen prayers... and help us blow those little *** straight to hell. Amen again. Amen. Thank you. There's one about the kid with the apple tree, or the flying horse... or the fairy tales with the deer and stuff in 'em. Daddy, what is a war? A war is a-- Well, it's-- It's something that shouldn't happen, but it does. It's when... some people-- in another country or any country-- try to take the lives of other people. And then soldiers like your daddy have to-- It's my job to go over there and stop them. Are they gonna try to take your life away, Daddy? Well, yes, they're gonna try. But I'm not gonna let 'em. Okay? Can't sleep? The men are so young and-- Now they sent me a new crop even greener. When I look at them, I... see our boys. Well, then you're just the man to lead them. I guess. We intend to convince the Communists... that we cannot be defeated by force of arms. l have asked the commanding general, General Westmoreland... what more he needs to meet this mounting aggression. He has told me... and we will meet his needs. l have today ordered to Vietnam the airmobile division... and certain other forces which will raise our fighting strength... from 75,000 to... 125,000 men almost immediately. Additional forces will be needed later. Get out your best dresses, ladies. They're gonna want to celebrate. Don't you ever be sad Lean on me when the times are bad I didn't hear the president mention a state of emergency. No, he didn't. Well, without that declaration our enlistments won't be extended. I'm sorry, Hal. Forgive me, sir, but let me get this straight. We form a division using techniques never attempted in battle... against an enemy with 20 years of combat experience on his ground... 12,000 miles away from our ground. And right before the army sends us into the fiight... they take away a third of my most experienced men, including offiicers. I don't like it any better than you do, Hal. You saw this coming, didn't you? Yes. That's why you gave me that new crop of platoon leaders. Korea didn't teach 'em anything. - Politicians? - Politicians. Hold me, hold me Never let me go Until you've told me told me What l want to know and then just hold me Hold me Make me tell you l'm in love with you Thrill me, thrill me Thank you, sir. By the way, Hal, since we're being deployed... they're renumbering the units. You're now the commanding offiicer... of the 1st Battalion of the 7th Cavalry. The 7th. The same regiment as Custer. Thank you, sir. Be sensible with your new love Don't be fooled thinking This is the last you'll find But they never stood in the dark With you, love When you take me in your arms And drive me slowly out of my mind Kiss me, kiss me And when you do l'll know Look around you. In the 7th Cavalry... we got a captain from the Ukraine. Another from Puerto Rico. We've got Japanese, Chinese... Blacks, Hispanics, Cherokee Indians. Jews and gentiles. All Americans. Now, here in the States... some men in this unit... may experience discrimination because of race or creed. But for you and me now... all that is gone. We're moving into the Valley of the Shadow of Death... where you will watch the back of the man next to you... as he will watch yours. And you won't care what color he is... or by what name he calls God. They say we're leaving home. We're going to what home was always supposed to be. So let us understand the situation. We are going into battle... against a tough and determined enemy. I can't promise you... that I will bring you all home alive. But this I swear-- before you and before Almighty God-- that when we go into battle... I will be the first to set foot on the field... and I will be the last to step off. And I will leave no one behind. Dead or alive... we will all come home together. So help me God. I love you. Hal, last night the enemy hit our camp at Plaei Me. - How many casualties? - None. The enemy forces withdrew toward this mountain... near the Cambodian border. How many men do you have battle-ready? - Sergeant Major? - Three hundred ninety-fiive, sir. Exactly. What do you estimate the enemy strength? We appraise their numbers as manageable, Colonel. You have no idea. We have no idea. Simple orders, Hal. Find the enemy and kill him. They attack us, no casualties. They run and hide in the mountains. Naturally we chase them, of course. Smell like an ambush to you? They get close enough to kill us, we'll be close enough to kill them. Round trip by chopper, 30 minutes. So the fiirst 60 men on the ground will be there a half an hour alone. Son of a ***. I think maybe you ought to get yourself that M-16. Time comes I need one, there'll be plenty of'em lying on the ground. Well, let's go do what we came here to do. Yes, sir. Garry Owen! lt was a Sunday. November 14, 1965. Before that day, the soldiers of North Vietnam... and those of America... never met each other in a major battle. Two miles out. Dropping to nap of the earth. First Platoon, let's move! This is Trojan Two. All units maintain perimeter contact. Over. It's a scout! Let's take him prisoner! Hey! Lieutenant! There he goes! Come on! Come on! Captain, I want you to keep in contact with all patrols. Hey, I got something here. I got a boy! here. Boy, hell. That ain't no boy. - He say he a deserter. - ***, he's a lookout. Ask him where his friends are. He say this is base camp of whole division. - Four thousand men. - Where? That mountain. Same army destroyed French. And he say they want kill American very badly. Just not been able to fiind any yet. Captain Metsker, tell all patrols to hold their positions. You, take the radio! - Where are they? - Sir, we gotta get that guy! Call in all the patrols! We have to engage the enemy as far away from the LZ as possible! Net Call, Net Call, this is Trojan-Two. Grab the wounded! Break contact! Fall back! Get to high ground! Cover fiire! Get to high ground! Come on! Come on! Get up here! Bring the wounded up to the middle! Move it, move it! Cover fire! Cover fire! Everybody down! Down! Check your ammo! Everybody check ammo! Come on! I'll get us out of here! Grab the wounded! We'll make a run - Sarge! - We gotta get out of here! Stay down! Don't anybody move! Bungum, stay down! You're gonna be okay. Stay down. Form a perimeter! Conserve your ammo and stay down! What's happening with those patrols? I'm trying to reach them, sir! This is Trojan-Two! Come in! Over! Hey! Hey! Calm down! Understand the situation and communicate clearly! Pull the chain on all the fiirepower you can get on that mountain! Alert Crandall! We have a hot LZ!! Agent Serpent-Six, this is Trojan-Two. You're coming into a hot LZ. We are taking fire. Repeat. We are taking fire. No ***. This is Too Tall goin'down and dirty. Roger that! Trojan-Two, out! Herrick's platoon is cut off and under attack. Bravo Company's holding. They're gonna try and flank us. On the ground now! Move! - Watch him! - We gotta go. We're outta here. They're coming at us from the back now! Move! Savage. All right, all right, I got you. Sir? Don't let them get the signal codes. Roger that, sir. I'm glad I could die for my country. Doc. Bungum. Sarge? Tell my wife... I love her. This is Savage. I need artillery to these coordinates: niner-3-3-0-1 Ernie! Ernie, help! We got more coming! We are cut off. Copy? We are cut off. - Fire! - Fire! - Fire! - Fire! They're getting closer! They're getting closer! A hundred more, sir! They're right on top of us, sir! Bring it in close! It's a hot LZ! We'll be jumping! We will not touch down. They're trying to break right through us! I want you to reinforce Alpha Company there! Now! Move! Follow me! Charlie Company, up on the ridge! Doc, the wounded are over by that termite mound! Go! Sir, if you don't fiind some cover, you're gonna go down! If you go down, we all go down! Come on! Cobain! I want the M-60 right here! Radio! Sir, it's Captain Edwards on the ridge, sir! - Bob! - Colonel, these guys are regulars! Heavily armed! AK-47s and pouches of grenades! Heavy machine guns and shoulder-fiired rockets! Captain Nadal! That creek bed is vital. Vital! They'll be coming right at you! Do not let them flank! l repeat, do not let them flank! Secure the creek bed! Tom, I want you to keep trying to raise those Medevac boys. I'm all right. Charlie, come here. Get me all the air support you can get me on that mountain! Now! Requesting immediate close air support! I need you to burn 'em out... on hilltop Alpha, shift to Alpha Bravo! Coordinates: Golf-4-5-0-9! - Get me something higher up! - Shifting to hilltop Bravo! Golf-4-5-7-2! I say again, 4-5-7-2! Medevac Command of the 7th Cavalry, are you inbound? Looks pretty hot down there. Yeah. You can make it, though. Watch our approach, follow us in. Copy that, 7th Cav. We will follow your approach. I want you to get over there and reinforce Charlie Company there! Medevac, abort! Abort! This is a hot LZ! You see that? My Medevac guys are buggin'out and leaving the wounded! We're going down! - Snake, get out of here! - Bring me the wounded! Wounded! Get the wounded! Come on! Come on! Okay, here! They're still trying to flank us! Stretch out along the line! Radio! Trojan-Six! We are in heavy contact! In danger of being overrun! lf they get into that LZ, we've all had it. Can you hold? We're spread thin, sir, but we'll give 'em hell! Crandall, this is Trojan-Six. lt's too hot down here. - l'm closing the LZ. - You copy that, Too Tall? Copy that, Snake. All 7th Cav air units.: LZ X-Ray is closed. I don't like it. First time out, a whole battalion massacred? You think this is a massacre? Losing draftees is a bad week. Losing a colonel is a massacre. Moore is still fiighting. He's under strength against more men than he can count. - He's got a whole platoon lost. - They're not lost. They're only cut off and surrounded. Then they're lost. - Sergeant Major! - Sir! We need to carve out an emergency LZ right over there. - Sir! - Blow the trees down! Fire in the hole! Colonel, this is Snakeshit and Too Tall. We're comin' in with two loads of ammo. Crandall, we've blown a new LZ. When you come in, come in from the east. Out. Colonel, it's Brigade Headquarters. They want you out. - Well, we can't get out, damn it! - Not all of us.Just you. Saigon wants to debrief you. - That doesn't make any sense. - Say again. Will you repeat that order? Too Tall, follow the colonel to the new LZ. I see him, Snake. He's right here! Let's go! Move! Let's move! Move! Oh, ***. - Come on! We'll give you a hand! - We're moving on board! All right, get that ammo off and get the wounded on! Bring 'em on! Get 'em on, boys! No, we're overloaded! - Leave him! - I'll get out! It's Ray! He's hurt worse than me! You hang on! I'll see you back there, Ray! You, me and Ouellette are all we have in reserve. Yeah, but it's slacking up a little. No, they're just regrouping for another assault. Distribute that ammo. Ouellette, tell Crandall he's got time to get one more flight in here. Yes, sir. Doc, you give this water to the wounded. Running out of water. Must be terrible for 'em. Those guys are cut off out there. Running low on ammo, Sarge! Pick your target. One shot, one kill. - Roger that, Sarge. - How we doin', Doc? Ernie, we're out of water. That's the last of it. My face is on fire! Help! Foster, hold still! Hold still! I'll cut your face! Hold still! Doc, Doc, it's Foster! Okay. Does anybody have any more bandages? Ernie, you hit too? You hit? No, no, I'm okay. Our guys are gonna come for us, aren't they? Yeah. When? Plug his wound. That's the main LZ, but it's closed. My face is on fire! Help! Foster, hold still! Hold still! I'll cut your face! Hold still! Doc, Doc, is Foster! Okay. Does anybody have any more bandages? Ernie, you hit too? You hit? No, no, I'm okay. Our guys are gonna come for us, aren't they? Yeah. When? Plug his wound. Thas the main LZ, but is closed. Go! Move! Go, Parker! Get up in there! This is too Tall. I'm clear.. Crandall's clear.. Colonel! Go over and reinforce that company! On that ridge there! Look! Yes, sir! Okay! Keep your head down! To the top of the ridge! Move it! Come on, les move! Move! Run! Come on! Captain Nadal, we've got to break through to that cutoff platoon! We got an American platoon out there. An Air Cav platoon cut off out there! Air Cav! Garry Owen! He said, "Really? Me too." I said, "I know. Your mama asked me to give you $600." Good luck to you. Hey, you got enough room for one more? Ifyou're crazy enough, get in. Yes, sir. Hey, what are those lights down there? Enemy soldiers. They use candles on the trail. They're moving into position to attack. Here we go! Unload that ***! Les go, les go, les go, les go! You and your boys have done a hell of a job today, Snake. Is the last flight for the night, but you need us, you call us. Who in the hell are you? I'm a reporter, sir. Yeah. Joe Galloway, UPI. How's it going, Colonel? We've been flat to the boards since last night, and we're outnumbered. More enemy coming too. I saw a chain of lights coming down the mountain. Is that so? Yes, sir. Well, I can't guarantee your safety. Yes, sir, I know. Where you from, son? Refugio, Texas, sir. Well, thas the first thing I heard all day that makes any sense. Captain, you see those lights coming down the trails on the mountain? On it right now, sir. You fry them sons of ***. Whiskey-Six, this is Trojan-Three. Fire mission. Tango Foxtrot: 4-niner-6-5-6-niner. All operations are suspended for the evening. Morning operations will be scheduled for 0530 hours. Where's Crandall? Where's Crandall? He's right there, sir. You led my men into a hot LZ. Somebody had to fly out the wounded. Don't you play hotshot with me. You know the rules. You suckered us in there. Do it again, I'll have you busted! You got the balls to face me, but not the balls to face the enemy? Get outta here. Whoa! I ever see you again, I'll kill you. Thas right. Quite a day, huh? Tomorrow will be worse. If they make it to tomorrow. Ernie, is pitch black. I can't see anything, but I can smell 'em. Dead bodies stink, Bungum. No, is not the dead ones. I can smell them crawling up on us. I'm telling you. I need illumination, 6-5-0, 1-5-0. I need artillery on previously established targets! Alpha, Bravo and Charlie! Fire for effect! Fire for effect! Save your ammo! Cease fire! Is anybody hit? Captain, ifyou guys are coming you gotta let us know. Is pitch black out here. I don't wanna shoot any of our own guys. Savage... we can't make it tonight. Don't worry. You're gonna make it. We'll come get you in the morning. Yes, sir. Out. You're doing a fine job, son. Don't worry. We gave them more than they gave us today. How you boys doing? Fine, sir. You keep doing what you're doing, we'll be fine. Your men have done a hell of a job today, Lieutenant Geoghegan. They won't get through us, sir. You can count on it. I know that, Jack. Keep it up, son. Is Rear Headquarters, sir. How is it out there, Colonel? We're surrounded, but we're holding on, sir. Sir, I need a confirmed count of our dead and wounded. I got to know where all my boys are. You'll get it, Hal. Here they come. Captain Edwards. We need illumination on the perimeter. Whiskey-Five, this is Hot Wire-Six-Alpha. We need illumination now. Kathy? A telegram. A cab delivers a telegram. "The Secretary of the Army... regrets..." Mrs. Moore? Colonel Moore's wife? Yes. I need help finding an address. I'm looking for... You ***! Do you know what this is? Do you know what you just did to me? I don't like this job, ma'am. I'm just trying to do it. Wait. Wait. I'll take it to her. And if there are any others, just bring them to me. Julie. I just went by to see Catherine. Everybody knows. No chaplains or counselors? Cab drivers? The Army wasn't ready. I'll go with you. Thanks. Who's it for? I thought she would hate me. Your husband didn't start the war. They all knew this could happen, and so did we. I'll take care of this. I'll go with you. We'll do one at a time. Okay? We won't look. Okay. Julie... do you think there'll be more telegrams tomorrow? If there are, come and get me. In the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Ghost, amen. Out of the depths I cry unto Thee, O Lord. Lord, hear my voice. Let Thine ears be attentive to the voice of my supplications. Thou, O Lord, shall mark our inequities. Lord, who can abide them? With Thee there is mercy. Grant them eternal rest, O Lord... and may perpetual light shine upon them. And through the mercy of God, may they rest in peace. Amen. In the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Ghost. Do you got a death wish, Galloway? No, sir. Well, then why are you here? 'Cause I knew these dead boys would be here, sir. Why aren't you a soldier? You got the guts for it. My daddy was a soldier. My granddaddy, two of my great-granddaddies was soldiers. Hell, thas how I came to be. Each of them lost a leg in the Civil War. My Great-granddaddy Galloway, he lost his left... and my Great-granddaddy Reid lost his right. They met in a shoe store in Galveston. Every year after that, same date, same store, they'd get together... and pick out a new pair of shoes for the two of them. You are shittin' me. No, sir. I swear to God. Anyway, one had a daughter, one had a son... my grandparents. What do you suppose the odds of them having the same shoe size was? I don't know, Colonel. It was meant to be, I guess. Yeah. Meant to be. Sir, Galloways have been in every war this country's ever fought. But when it came to this one, I didn't think I could stop the war. I just thought maybe I might try and understand one. Maybe help folks back home understand. I just figure I could do that better... shooting a camera than I could shooting a rifle. Well... I sure hope you make it through this one. You too, Colonel. Right 20! Put it right on 'em! Colonel, sir. Captain Nadal. Sir. What is it, sir? Nothing's wrong, except there's nothing wrong. Best get back to the termite mound. You'll be fine. Go on. Roger that, sir. Come on! All right, pass the word on. Every man fire three rounds at anything that looks suspicious. On my signal. They're gonna hit us like this along the whole perimeter. We gotta get back to that termite mound. Better hang here, sir! ***. We need a medic! Sir! Sir! Captain Edwards, Charlie Company, on the ridge. Bob. They're inside the artillery! I need... I need a grenade! Go, Willie! Come on, les go! Godboldt down! I'll get him! Willie! Get those guys help! Captain Dillon, get Bravo Company to send a platoon across the LZ... and support Charlie Company. Bravo-Six, this is Trojan-Three. And tell Charlie Company to get real small in their holes. I'm gonna drop some artillery right on top of'em! Charlie Company, get small. We got AT coming right on top of your position. We're being overrun! Nah, boys! We're gonna win this fight. Yes, sir, they brought a main force ofVC battalion against us too. Colonel, I request you dispatch another company of reinforcements... for movement as soon as it can be accomplished without undue risk. Done. How bad is it, Hal? Is getting pretty sporty down here, sir. Get out of the way! Medic! Get a medic over here! Whas your name, soldier? Jimmy Nakayama. I got a baby being born today. Oh, wow! Congratulations! Thanks! Medic! Medic! Can't take no pictures lying down there, sonny. Down, right there. I'm a noncombatant, sir. Ain't no such thing today, boy. ***. Why aren't those mortars firing? Whas the problem here? These tubes are red hot, sir. I'm afraid we're gonna cook a round off and blow us all up. We can't cool 'em off 'cause we're all out of water. Come on! What are you waiting for? Jimmy, come on. Go, go, go. Yeah, one more. Gentlemen... prepare to defend yourselves. Grenade! Negative! Negative! Stand by! My pilots do not see the enemy. They cannot pick out our friendlies. Bravo-Six, say again. You gotta tell your company commander to pop smoke now. They need to mark the lines now! We have no lines! We have enemies and friendlies mixed in all over the place. Sir, our perimeter is collapsing. Alpha Company and Bravo Company cannot hold. Charlie Company is being overrun. Net call! Net call! Keep this net clear! Hastings! Broken arrow! Broken arrow! I say again! Broken arrow! We have br.oken ar.r.ow! Confirm. Broken arrow. Broken arrow confirmed. Broken arrow? That means that an American unit has been overrun. It calls in every combat aircraft for support. My God, there's no hiding it now. Charlie Company, report! Signal is out! Bravo Company, report! Roger that! Planes are on their way, Colonel! Sir! Roger that! We have planes at every 1,000 feet... from 7,000 to 35,000... we'll get 'em, sir! Advancing north on our position at 1 -5-0. Nine-six-two-five-zero-seven-- They're getting closer in on 3-1 -5 degrees! Thas 0-5-0! Repeat, 0-5-0! *** it. Company sighted out in the open, advancing north on our position. They're advancing on 3-1 -5 degrees at 1 -5-0. Bring it closer in on 3-1 -5 degrees at 0-5-0... Charlie, call that son of a *** off! Call an abort now! Pull up! Get down! Charlie, listen to me. You're keeping us alive now. You forget about that one and you keep 'em coming in. You're doing well, son. Seven-oh-two... Attack against the tree line. Medic! Medic! Oh, God! Jimmy. You know this guy? You know him? Talk to him. Just talk to him! Jimmy, do you hear me? Is Joe. Is Joe Galloway. Doc's giving you morphine. We're gonna get you out of here. We gotta get him to the landing zone. Grab his legs! You gotta get him out of here. Hey! Hey! I can't help you! You gotta do it by yourself! Get him on that chopper, okay? Yes, sir. Tell my wife I love her... and my baby! You tell'em! Captain Nadal. Sir... Now that we put 'em back on their heels, we got us a lull. I want you to attack. I want you to go overthere and rescue that cut off platoon. Yes, sir! First Squad, move out! Come on, guys. Move it! Add fifty. Keep moving the artillery forward! Keep walking the artillery forward! Spread it out! Move it! Move it! Keep moving forward! Sergeant Savage, you guys still here? We have 40 KIA, we have two MIA. These are the latest numbers. Over. Thas a nice day, Sergeant Savage. Forty dead, two unaccounted for, sir. Right. All right, boys, les get 'em up and get 'em out. Les get 'em out of here and get 'em on the chopper! Since most of the men being loaded on the chopper... are from Charlie Company... I want you to take their place. I'll show you where. Follow me. Yes, sir! Les go! Captain, have your men dig some firing steps. Throw some dirt on those bodies, keep the smell down. Roger, Sergeant Major. Kind of makes you wish you'd signed up for submarines, don't it? Brigade headquarters wants you out on the first chopper at dawn. What idiot would keep ordering that in the middle of a *** battle? Gen. Westmoreland wants a briefing. Give me the horn. I am in a fight... and I object to this order to return to Saigon. Now, I will not leave my men. Is that clear? Out. There's two of my men unaccounted for out there... and is where the worst of the fighting was... so they'll be out there someplace. Les go out and get 'em. I'm with you, sir. All right. Les go. They... brought another... Oh, God. Julie, is yours. He died keeping my promise. Sir, they're ordering us all out. All of us. They're gonna march reinforcements in. They don't understand a damn thing, do they? Can't get out. He's waiting up there in a cave, and thas what he wants. The minute he sees live soldiers hopping on a helicopter... he'll be all over us and then he'll get what he wants. He'll get his massacre. Requesting permission to rejoin the lines, sir. All right, son. Garry Owen, sir. I wonder what was going through Custer's mind when he realized... he'd led his men into a slaughter. Sir, Custer was a ***. You ain't. ***. Hell. Right now they're planning their final attack... the one that will finish us off. They'll nibble at us all night, then... come dawn they'll hit us with everything they got. Thas what I'd do if I was him. Sergeant Major, hand out the last of the ammunition. Yes, sir. Fix bayonets. You were wondering how Custer felt, sir. You ought to ask him. Sergeant Savage! Checking the dead enemies for documents... and I found this on the guy that tried to bayonet you. Translated some of it, mostly personal. Thought you might wanna have a look at it. What was that? Is American artillery. Friendly fire. How many casualties? What the hell happened here, Joe? Hey, Joe. Colonel Moore! Colonel! Colonel Moore! What is the key to your victory? Sir, tell us how you feel. Do you feel the States will be forced... to take the North Vietnamese more seriously? How do you feel about the loss ofyour men, sir? Have you notified the families, sir? I'm glad you made it, son. Thankyou, sir. You too. I'll never forgive myself. For what, sir? That my men... That my men died and I didn't. Sir, I don't... I don't know how to tell this story. Well, you got to, Joe. You tell the American people what these men did here. You tell 'em how my troopers died. Yes, sir. Thank you. All of our men, living and dead, are off the field, sir. Well done, Sergeant Major. In Saigon, Hal Moore's superiors congratulated him... for killing over 1800 enemy soldiers. Then ordered him to lead the men of the 7th Cavalry... back into the Valley of Death. He led them... and fought beside them... for 235 more days. Kids, go to bed. Isn't there someone at the door? Go to bed! Children, your daddy's home! Daddy! Some had families waiting. For others, their only family would be the men they bled beside. There were no bands, no flags... no honor guards to welcome them home. They went to war because their country ordered them to. But in the end they fought not for their country or their flag. They fought for each other... Dear Barbara... I have no words to express to you my sadness of the loss of Jack. The world is a lesser place without him. But I know he is with God and the angels. And even heaven is improved by his presence there. I know you, too, are sure of this... and yet this knowledge can't diminish his loss... and your grief. With abiding respect and affection, Hal Moore. We who have seen war... will never stop seeing it. In the silence of the night, we will always hear the screams. So this is our story... for we were soldiers once... and young.