All language subtitles for Cog6

You may hear the bombs now. If you're
still with us, you can hear the bombs now.

They are hitting the centre of the city.

Now, we can hear explosions off
in the distance to the west of central Baghdad.

Clearly I've never been there,
but this feels like we're in the centre of hell.

The 28 countries with forces in the Gulf area

have exhausted all reasonable efforts
to reach a peaceful resolution,

have no choice but to drive
Saddam from Kuwait by force.

A great battle has been initiated.
The mother of all battles.

Our objectives in the Persian Gulf
are clear, our goals defined.

Iraq must withdraw from Kuwait completely,
immediately, and without condition.

The liberation of Kuwait
has now entered a final phase.

I have therefore directed
to use all forces available,

including ground forces,
to eject the Iraqi army from Kuwait.

At this point it seems inevitable
that the ground war is only hours away.

Peter Arnett, Baghdad.

Don't ever for one minute
underestimate the enemy,

but remember this, we're better soldiers,
we're fighting with better equipment,

we're better trained
and we're hell of a lot smarter.

Sleep deprivation. Remember,
our soldiers been up 46, 48 hours,

so let's stay on top of 'em,
maintain your intervals.

Any questions?

Let's get together, have a little prayer.

Dear God, protect us as we protect
our country we so dearly love.

Keep us safe that we'll all get home
to see our families and our children. Amen.

Let's kill 'em all.

You all right, Boylar?

Hell, yeah.

- Let's heat 'em up, Nat.
- See you in Baghdad.

Yes, sir.

Battle-carry Sabot.

Sabot bullet coming up, sir.

- Sabot loaded.
- Indexed.

- Crew report.
- Driver ready.

Loader ready.

Gunner ready to give old Saddam Insane
a whole new way to hurt.

- All right, Boylar?
- All Cougar elements, this is Cougar-6.

Report Red Con 1. Over.

All Sabre elements,
this is Sabre-6. Move out.

Sabre-6, this is Cougar-6.
There is no joy over here.

Request permission
to try an alternate route. Over.

Roger that, Cougar-6.
Work your way forward to phase line hammer.

- I don't want any surprises out there. Copy?
- Roger that.

I'm taking up the right flank.
I'll get back to you. Out.

Contact. I see flashes.
3,500 metres, sir.

- All right, baby.
- Hold on, son. They got no range.

2,500 metres and closing, sir.
Ready to lase and blaze.

Contact, sir. He's in range.
Come on, let me kill his ass.

- Fire.
- On the way.

Yeah.

Calm down, son.
Find me another target, Patella.

- Loaded.
- Identified.

- Up
- Fire.

Fire.

Got them.
We got them.

Sabre-6, Liberty-6. We got enemy tangos
retreating vicinity grid 2-4-9er-8.

Your pursuit should intercept
their retreat grid 7 -6-5-4.

- Keep after them.
- Roger that, Liberty-6.

Troops.

All Sabre elements, cease fire.

Come on.

- Sabre-6, this is Cougar-6.
- Go ahead, Cougar-6.

I have got mines. Repeat, mines.
I gotta get the fuck out of here. Over.

Cougar-6, work your way to grid line Charlie.

Cougar-6 to all Cougar elements.
Let's get the hell out of here.

- Whoa. What the...?
- Oh, shit.

All Sabre units, this is Sabre-6.
We just lost one of our tanks.

- Did anybody see the shooter?
- I didn't see anything.

Where the hell that come from?

- Goddamn it. Who the hell is shooting at us?
- We got enemy tanks retreating grid 7 -6 5-4...

- Patella, is that one of our tanks?
- Hard to tell, sir..

Well, make it out, and fast.

- Thermal's browning out.
- Nat, what's happening?

Liberty-6, we got enemy tanks on our flank.
We have contact. Out.

This is Cougar-6.
Enemy tangos at phase line delta. Over.

- Find me a target.
- I think I got one.

- Do you or do you not have a target?
- I think so.

- Gunner, Sabot, tank.
- Identify. Up.

Fire.

He just fired, sir.
They're firing at us.

- Loader.
- Up.

- Sir?
- Fire.

- Sabre-6, we just lost Cougar-6.
- Roger that. We got him.

- Say again, you just lit up a friendly.
- I heard you. We... what?

- Oh, my God.
- You just lit up Boylar, goddamn it.

Sabre-6, Nat, what's happening out there?

- Patella, was that one of our tanks?
- He fired, sir.

- At us or at the T-72s?
- I don't know.

- Oh, Jesus fucking Christ.
- Colonel Serling, report status now.

They have range on us, sir.

Oh, Christ, Colonel...

I gave the order to fire.

So with your thermal equipment,
confused by the burning tanks

and smoke obscuring your visual ID,

you couldn't tell the difference
between the T-54 and the Abrams.

I believe that we... that I should have known
the difference, even with the night scope.

Now, if we weren't under attack...

But, under the circumstances,
there was no way to tell the difference.

Under the circumstances, I suppose that
there was no way to tell the difference, but...

There was no way to tell the difference.
Thank you, Colonel.

That's all we need.

- Thermal's browning out.
- Liberty-6, we got enemy tanks on our flank.

- We just lost Cougar-6.
- Roger that. We got him.

You just lit up a friendly.

Colonel Serling?

- You OK? Can I get you something?
- Yes, I'm fine.

You can give me a cup of coffee.
That would save my life.

You got it.

We missed you and Meredith
at Banacek's party last night.

I'm too old to dance with you youngsters.

Meredith's not, so you tell her
to come without you next time.

OK, I will do just that next time.

- Hershberg in five. Coffee's coming.
- Thanks, Maria.

The Washington Post?

About?

Yes, I was there.
That's a matter of public record.

Well, thank you very much, Mr... Gartner.

Thank you very much, Mr Gartner,
but I have nothing to say.

No, sir.

No, sir.

Well, I'll do just that. Right.

Colonel Serling's here, sir.

Ban.

I'm not talking to you, Colonel.
Won't even come to my anniversary party?

You and Sylvia been together,
what, one month?

The way she was dancing with that marine,
it won't last another week.

It may be my last anniversary party ever.
Were you there for me?

What's up?

Hey, Nat.
I've got to talk to you.

- How we holding, Ban?
- Running late, sir.

- May I run a few things by you, sir?
- Quickly.

- Lieutenant Boylar's parents...
- Boylar?

Tom Boylar. He died in Al Bathra.
He'd been with me a long time.

- From Virginia, right?
- Roger that, sir.

- His parents wrote to me about the rumours...
- You know we can't discuss it.

- You have to put them off.
- Yes, sir, but...

Tell them he died in action. He's a hero.
That's all they want to know.

Roger that, sir, but it's not just his parents.
We got a call from The Washington Post.

- A reporter named Gartner.
- A reporter called you about Al Bathra?

- You didn't talk?
- Of course not.

Nat, nobody's gonna hang you out to dry.
I won't let them.

- Did you listen to the tape, sir?
- Colonel, the war's over.

You and I have been given
the great responsibility

and privilege of investigating
combat medals for our victorious army.

- In other words, we've been passed over.
- I prefer to think of it as a second chance.

We understand each other?

- Yes, sir.
- OK.

The White House has heard we're considering
the Medal of Honour for this chopper pilot

who saved a bunch of guys
on a downed Blackhawk.

- Naturally, they want it for Veterans Day.
- Naturally.

Which is why you're taking over the inquiry.
Hillerman's good. You're better.

We've got the rescued soldiers
in there for debriefing.

Attention.

Morning, gentlemen. Take your seats.
Everything in order?

- Just going over the sequence of events.
- Bring Colonel Serling up to speed.

Morning, sir.
Good to see you again.

Could we get a quick picture
of you and the survivors?

No, thank you.
Keep me in the loop, Nat.

Thank you, sir.

- Morning.
- Morning.

Doug Bruno, White House.

Just do everything my way
and we'll get along fine.

- Nat Serling.
- Well, I'll get out of your way.

- Major.
- Sir.

25 February, these men
were part of a refuelling convoy.

Their Blackhawk was shot down
by an SA-7 west of Al Kufan.

Five seconds after it locked on,
we were down and eating sand.

- We didn't know what hit us.
- Our lines were surrounding them so fast,

we got caught
in one of those pockets of resistance.

Iraqi ground troops on the ridge above
kept them completely pinned down.

Did any of you discuss surrendering?

Yes, sir, we did.
We were all wounded one way or another.

We weren't trained
for that kind of situation, sir.

Don't have to make excuses to me, soldier.
Go on, Sam.

That's about all we got so far, sir.

OK.

Lieutenant Chelli.

Yes, sir. Well, as if things
weren't bad enough already,

one of their T-54s
joins the ragheads up on the ridge.

Incoming. Get down.

That round kills the medic, Releno,
Gerspach, and Egan here lost his leg.

So we figure that's it.
We're dead.

- But then we hear it.
- Nothing like the sound of an inbound Huey.

- This inbound Huey, did it take any fire?
- Right off the bat.

But this time when the Huey comes back,
it returns fire.

- Ground troops go for cover.
- Then the Huey circles back over the tank...

That's when they threw something overboard.

- Threw something, or something fell off?
- I couldn't tell, sir, but the tank blew.

Man, did it ever blow.

We never did see
what knocked the Huey down.

We couldn't see the crash.

That night we caught sporadic ground fire.

See, the Huey was down below, between us
and the enemy, so they caught most of it.

Any communications
between you and them?

No, sir. As I said, our radio was wasted.
Shouting just draws enemy fire.

So the Iraqis start to close in on the Huey
under cover fire, and the Huey returns fire.

We figure it's all over, and that's when
we hear the sound of the rescue team.

- Cobras, Hueys...
- And a big-ass A-10 Thunderbolt.

I swear I never heard such a sweet sound.
But now the fuckers are...

I'm sorry, sir. The Iraqis are
letting loose with everything they got.

You were right the first time.

Plus the Huey crew is still banging away.

We load our wounded aboard, and that's
when somebody decided to leave the dead.

I guess that was
the commander of the rescue.

And this Huey crew, they returned fire
all through the final rescue?

Yes, sir. I think so.
I couldn't see much of anything though.

I heard it. Nothing else sounds
like an M-16. Not no A-K or M-60.

I heard it, too.

The last thing we see is the Thunderbolt
dropping napalm on the downed choppers.

I don't know if it was Captain Walden, sir,
but that Huey saved our lives.

It sure sounds like it.

OK.

Thank you for all your help.
I'll look over your statements.

- Thank you, sir.
- Thank you, Colonel.

That'll be all.
Got something for me?

I do, sir. Walden's 201 file.
Evaluation reports.

I need you to help me get
some background on these guys.

Gotta make sure we don't have a wife-beater,
an illegal alien or gays, or anything like that.

That would blow it. Now, about
this Congressional Medal of Honour.

It's not the Congressional Medal of Honour.
It's just the Medal of Honour.

Tell that to Congress.
If Captain Walden wins this medal...

You don't win it. You receive it.

- It's not a contest.
- See, that is perfect. That's what I'm here for.

I'm not here to get down your throat, make
you crazy, take these facts and twist them.

I just want to get these nuances out of
your head and get it straight from you.

- It's a woman.
- You didn't know?

What did you think
all the hoopla was about?

Banacek's got the information
on three of Walden's men.

- The crew chief we're still tracking.
- This is Captain Karen Emma Walden.

She's the first woman in history to be
nominated for a Medal of Honour for combat.

I mean, this is gold.
It's gold.

Unfortunately, it's posthumous,
but I've got her little daughter.

I got the President of the United States.
It's all set in the Rose Garden.

The President's going to lean down and hang
that pretty ribbon round that pretty little face.

There is not going to be
a dry eye from Nashua to Sacramento.

Excuse us.

It was 5 to 1...

- Hook shot.
- And me and her are cheerleaders.

- More mashed potatoes, please.
- I'm sorry, there are no more potatoes,

but how about some bread?

Daddy, can I have your mashed potatoes?

Daddy? Sir?

Can I have your mashed potatoes?

Yeah, sure.

Yeah, soldier.

You want 'em all?

That enough?

More?

Hallo? Yes.

Who is calling, please?
Just a minute.

- It's for you.
- Who is it?

Somebody Gartner.

Want some more peas?

Excuse me.

- Where are you going?
- Fort Hood.

General Hershberg's got me
investigating a Medal of Honour.

- It's a woman.
- Good for her.

- Posthumous.
- Too bad, but still good for her.

Yeah, too bad.

You talk to the investigators today?

Right.

It's all right, isn't it, Nat?

Yeah, fine.

- How long are you gone for?
- Couple of days.

Then why
are you emptying your sock drawer?

I may be gone more than a couple of days.

- Nat.
- Yes.

- I don't know what's happening here.
- Everything's fine.

I'm handling it.

Mr Rady, you were Captain Walden's copilot.

That's right.

Can you tell me
what you remember about Al Kufan?

I remember the earth.

I remember Ilario's face.

I wish...

- She hadn't needed to be a hero so bad.
- That's not fair.

We were just doing our job.

It's not Ren's fault I got hit.

She sure as hell saved the lives
of those guys on the Blackhawk.

- You always defend her.
- Why didn't you like her?

- She was so butch.
- Honey, shut up.

She was, you know.

One of those women
who wanna be officers...

Annie, shut up.

She gave her life for those men.

She was a soldier.

There she blows.

- We're taking fire.
- Holy shit.

- Kill that motherfucker, Monfriez.
- I might as well be pissing on that sucker.

- We need a fucking air strike.
- We ain't got any fucking bombs.

- Making another pass, Ren?
- Yep.

No, we should go for altitude,
call for support and get the fuck outta here.

After we slow down that tank.

- How the fuck we gonna do that?
- Shut up and listen, soldier.

Altameyer, unhook the aux fuel bladder
port side. Get ready to push it overboard.

- Push it overboard, ma'am?
- Ilario, unhook the flare gun.

- What the fuck?
- Do it.

It's a bomb, asshole.

Target coming up.

- Gimme more, damn it.
- Ready here.

- You got it?
- I got it.

- Let us know when you're there. He'll kick it.
- Allow for the speed of the craft.

- The pod will drop at the same velocity.
- He knows, damn it.

- Pick your moment.
- Now.

Shit.

Oh, God.

- Hang on, Ilario. Grab ahold of me.
- Don't let go of me. Pull me in.

Do something.

Rady, call in a Mayday.

Ilario, call it in.

Mayday, Mayday. Dustoff-3.
We're going down.

Mayday, Mayday. This is Dustoff-3.
We are going down.

Mayday, Mayday. This is Dustoff-3.
We're going down. We're going down...

That's it.

I woke up three days later
on a hospital ship.

Nearly bought it, that's sure.

Where along the line did you decide the type
of career in the Army you wanted?

Well, I think that probably happened about
my third year at West Point when I was...

You know, I could have gone in the Air Force.
I stood high enough in my class...

You can't get away from that guy.
He's everywhere.

- Hell of a soldier, though, isn't he?
- You think so?

- I know so.
- Really. How?

- I was with him in the Gulf.
- No shit. Doing what?

Armoured cavalry.

Once upon a time,
I was humping in the delta.

- With who?
- The 9th.

You guys kicked
some serious butt over there.

- One for my friend...
- Colonel Nat Serling.

Make it a double for Colonel Serling.
Tony Gartner, Washington Post.

They're not going to find any criminal
culpability in the Al Bathra incident.

You got nothing to worry about.

- Those were my men.
- I put that badly. I'm sorry.

Look, I went to Virginia
and spoke with Mr and Mrs Boylar.

You what?

I'm sorry, but they got a right to know
what happened to their son.

I'll take that.

And this Huey crew,
they returned fire all through the final rescue?

Yes, sir. I think so.
I couldn't see much of anything though.

I heard it. Nothing else sounds
like an M-16. Not no A-K or M-60.

Last thing we see is the Thunderbolt dropping
napalm on the two downed choppers.

All right. This is antifungal cream,
but, look, you want to kill the athlete's foot,

when you're in the shower,
just piss on your feet.

- That's disgusting.
- What've you got for me today?

Here, you want to get rid of the allergies
to bee pollen, then no caffeine, no chocolate.

Jesus. I give up coffee,
you can bury me now.

- Morning, Colonel.
- Morning. You got some aspirins?

How many do you want?
I take eight of these every day.

Four's good.
I need to talk to you, Specialist.

Sir?

I'm running an inquiry
on the recommendation

to award a Medal of Honour
to Captain Karen Walden.

Rowtero? Can you cover for me?
I'm going to go feed the cancer genes.

Do you really need to... I mean...

It's fine.

What do you want to know?

- How long were you with Captain Walden?
- Over two years.

Quite a long time.

- You were her medic.
- Yes, sir.

I don't fly any more though.

- Well, don't miss it, do you?
- Never.

- Never again.
- That's quite a habit you got there.

It's one of the few things I can call my own.

So, tell me what happened at Al Kufan.

See, I'd...

I'd never been in combat.

Mayday, Mayday. This is Dustoff-3.
We're going down.

- Ilario?
- I'm OK.

Rady's hurt.

- Monfriez?
- 100%.

- Altameyer?
- Functioning.

Fire in the hold.

Come here, buddy.

This is Dustoff-3.
Acknowledge. This is Dustoff-3.

This is Dustoff-3. Acknowledge.
Altameyer, how's that fire?

Fire's under control.
Fuel tank's intact.

Enemy at the back door.

- Monfriez, get that saw working.
- Come on. Get down.

I've got the M-16.

- Ilario?
- He's bad. It's the lung.

We gotta get him out of here.

- Head wound?
- Superficial. How's the radio?

Dead. So's the ADT.

Monfriez, easy on the ammo.
We might be here a while.

Captain.

Hang in there. You've seen me do this
a million times. You're gonna be fine.

- Ammo?
- I got this belt and three more boxes.

Altameyer, rip out everything you can
from the inside. Seats, litters, all of it.

We're gonna make us a perimeter.
Monfriez, cover us.

Go.

Where's our Kevlar?

I got one.

Well, put it on.

- How's he doing?
- He's the same. I need a hook.

As soon as it gets dark, we dig in.
Then we wait.

- For what?
- For the good guys.

You won't think it's so funny
when I nail your fucking ass.

Yeah, they were laughing.

You about...
You done?

So tell me what happened during the night.

You were there. You saw the nights.
You know, it was black. Just black.

Tell me what happened that night.

Well, she put us on two-hour watches.

It's not like any of us
were going to sleep anyway.

Keep your head down, Altameyer.
You might lose it.

- You OK, Captain?
- Shit in my eye.

- You think our guys'll come tonight?
- They'll be here.

Dust is blowing pretty bad out there.

I don't know how much longer
Rady can hang on.

I can hear the ragheads moving
when you people aren't gabbing.

Well, then I suggest that everybody just...

They're going away.
It was just a probe.

- Ilario?
- I'm OK.

- Altameyer?
- My ear.

- Monfriez?
- I took one.

- Rady?
- Hanging in. How about you, Cap?

Oh, shit.

Stay with Rady.

I like to come here.

It's not just the bikinis,
although they ain't bad.

It's these kids.
I like to watch them.

My folks used to have this place
out on Calaveras Lake.

I still go out there sometimes,
watch 'em dive.

They do the damnedest things.
They never think about the consequences.

Imagine that. Imagine going through life
without thinking about the consequences?

Imagine that.

Are we done?

After the attack, during the night...

What?

I mean, we waited. I still don't...
I guess I don't know what you...

Just go on with what happened.

Well, Karen... the captain was hurt pretty bad.

- How many rounds left?
- Just a sec.

- How many rounds?
- I just opened up my last can of ammo.

Five mags for the M-16,
9-mil's full.

Mine's empty.

Fire a couple of rounds off.
Let 'em know we're still alive and kicking.

Roger that, Captain.

Now save your ammo
for something you can see.

During the course of the incident,
did she display any doubt, any fear

when she had to make
these life-and-death decisions?

No. No, never.

- She just made 'em.
- Just like that?

Just like that.

Karen... the captain, she had this quality.
The heavier the pressure, the calmer she got.

We knew they were out there,
sneaking up on us.

But we also knew
at first light they were going to attack.

I don't know why people think only
good things happen when the sun comes up.

Incoming.

- How many?
- 1 00. Maybe more.

You any good at hand-to-hand?

Wait till they get closer.
Make every round count.

- Shit.
- Quiet.

What in Christ for?
They know we're here.

Quiet. I hear something.

Choppers.

Let's get out of here.
Ilario, get the captain.

There's the rescue.

Help Rady.

- Pick him up.
- Let's go.

Come on, let's move it.

- We gotta go.
- Come back for me with a stretcher.

Ilario, let's get the fuck outta here.

Get the fuck outta here.

Medic.

Come on.

Move. Let's go.

Where's Walden?

Captain Walden is dead.

Strike leader, this is Dustoff-6.

We have got all the friendlies here.
You're clear and hot.

So...

Is she gonna get it?
Is he gonna get the medal?

Well, I sincerely hope so.

I just... I don't want to tell that story again.
Not one more time.

I understand.

- May I be excused?
- Yes, you can.

Oh, one more thing
I'm confused about though.

This M-16...

- What?
- Did it run out of ammo?

What did I say?

I don't remember.
That's why I'm asking.

I guess... I guess it ran out of ammo
some time during the morning.

Or, no, some time during the night...
I don't know.

See, the Blackhawk crew said they heard
M-16 fire during the rescue that morning.

- Did they?
- That's right.

- Must've been wrong, then.
- Them or you?

- Who? Them or you?
- Them. They must have been wrong.

OK.

What about the letter?

A what?

You and Walden traded letters to send home
in case anything happened to you.

- Oh, yeah. Yes, sir.
- Who was hers to?

- Her folks.
- So you sent it?

Yeah.

Her folks are good people.
They got a farm out there in Abilene.

They used to come over to Hood, look after
her kid while we went out on exercises.

OK.

- Thank you, Specialist.
- Thank you very much, sir.

I read somewhere
that if a child doesn't see a person die,

or dead, like in a casket,

that the person isn't really dead for them.

That'd be nice, wouldn't it?

Yes, ma'am.

It was... unusual, wasn't it,
for Karen to want to be a helicopter pilot?

I guess that's my fault.
I took her to the fair when she was 1 1.

1 2. Seventh grade.

Anyway, there was a helicopter there.
Small one with a bubble up front.

The pilot was selling rides.

I bought Karen a ticket.

It was a short ride,
but when she came down...

Well, I don't think
she ever came down, actually.

She showed up
at the dinner table one day...

just after she finished TCU.

She's joined the Army.
She wants to fly helicopters.

- She was real stubborn about it, too.
- That's our Karen, stubborn.

So's Anne Marie here.

Come here, honey.
Excuse me.

The young men, the ones
that came to tell us about Karen,

they were dressed just like you.

Oh, I see.

Major Teegarden,
her commanding officer, he came, too,

when he came back from the Gulf.

Brought this photo back for Anne Marie.

Meant a lot to us
him coming to see us,

telling us in person
how it was that Karen died.

I lost men over there, too.

I spoke to the major.

Everybody thought
the world of your daughter.

So did Specialist Ilario.

It would sure help if I could see her letter.
I mean, if it's not too private.

- Letter?
- From Ilario?

I'll check my notes.
Must be my mistake.

- This her husband here?
- No. That's Karen's older brother Billy.

Her husband's up in Michigan.

He and Karen divorced
after only a year or so.

He never... Well...

It was no picnic.
Karen raised Anne Marie on her own.

Hell, we would have been thrilled
to have Anne Marie with us all the time,

what with the Army and all.

But Karen was a real good mom.

Never asked for help
unless she really needed it.

You can't imagine how hard it was for her to
go off and leave that little girl to fight in a war,

but it was important to Karen
to do her duty, so she went.

You've been sitting out here 20 minutes since
I spotted you. How much longer before that?

Fifteen.

I see you got the new refrigerator.

Do you think the kids are going to understand
why their daddy is sitting out here

around the corner in a Chevy instead
of playing with them in the front yard?

Or at Fort Hood,
like you told me you were?

Are you back?

I'm in transit.

You know, it took me a long time
to figure out how to be an Army wife

without totally obliterating myself.
It wasn't easy, but I did it.

I know you did, Mer.

So it wouldn't be a hardship for me
to learn how not to be an Army wife

if, say, my husband
wasn't in the Army any more.

The Army's my life, Mer.

And so are we.

You don't have to figure it all out, Nat.
You just have to admit that you can't.

You have to want to be here with us, that's all.

We'll be here.

For a while.

Now go away.

If you're not gonna stay,
I don't want the kids to see you.

- This M-16, did it run out of ammo?
- What did I say?

- Colonel Serling, you can go in now.
- I don't remember.

- Hey, Nat, what's up?
- General. It's the Walden file.

- One or two discrepancies.
- Discrepancies?

I knew those clowns
at the White House were up to something.

- If she doesn't deserve it, she doesn't get it.
- It's not Captain Walden.

It's some of the details of the stories
that I'm getting from her crew.

- Now, I don't know how significant it is...
- I'm drowning in paper here.

They're crawling all over my ass
for combat assessments, deposition reports...

I just wanted to let you know
that this is not just a rubber-stamp situation.

This specialist... this Ilario, there's
something real funny about his story.

We're not giving the medal to Ilario.
We're giving it to Walden, right?

Splendid.
Move forward, Colonel.

OK, the discrepancies specifically
relate to use of an M-16 rifle...

Come on, Nat. No two eyewitnesses
ever agree about every detail.

You know that just as well as I do.

When do we get that report?
I want the White House off my back.

A few days, sir.

You agree that this report should be
as detailed and accurate as possible?

Which means exactly what, Colonel?

Which means exactly what I said, sir.

Sorry, sir. This is the second copy
of Colonel Serling's Al Bathra deposition.

The investigators seemed to have
misplaced the last one.

Rise above.
This will all be over soon.

Will there be a public statement of the facts
when the Al Bathra investigation is over?

There's been a decision
not to release any of these findings

until every case has been
thoroughly reviewed.

Well, how long do you
imagine that will be, sir?

Next time I see Lieutenant Boylar's parents,
I'd like to be able to tell them the whole truth.

You know how many grieving parents
I had to deal with during Vietnam?

With all due respect, sir,
this is not Vietnam.

Now, Lieutenant Boylar's tank
was hit by uranium-depleted shells.

We're the only country
in the world that uses them.

We got these reporters sniffing around
his parents looking for the truth,

and the only person that knows the truth
is not allowed to say it,

because these investigators
are dragging their backsides.

Someone has got to be
accountable for this, sir.

Take a seat.

Nat, I'm gonna give you
all the rope in the world.

First you imply that I'm not interested
in an accurate report on Captain Walden.

Now you're suggesting that there must be
some cover-up going on about Al Bathra.

So how do you want me to respond?
As your commanding officer?

Or as your friend, who nursed you,
patted your back, pushed promotions,

and fucking burped your kids
at their baptisms?

Just how should I respond?

I'm sorry, sir.

I should hope by God you would be.

Now, losing a man like your friend Boylar...

I've been there.

And this whole mess...

It's my ass on the line
right there beside yours.

I can feel the chill in the air
as well as you can.

Yes, sir.

And I know about the drinking.

And if I have to write you up, it's just going
to be one more big bite out of your record.

Clean it up.
Get yourself in a programme.

I'll be looking for that report. Soon.

- This is the Serling residence.
- We're not in right now.

- But at the tone leave a message and...
- We'll call you when we get home.

You better get your head into this, or I'll drop
you from this programme like a hot rock.

Morning, sir. Monfriez is right
over there. I'll get him for you.

Thank you.

What the fuck do you think you're doing?
Where are your men?

- Right there, sir.
- Yeah? What do you call that?

You and he are brothers.
He depends on you. You depend on him.

You never leave a man behind.

- Yes, Drill Sergeant.
- Now get the fuck outta here.

- You were in Panama?
- Yes, sir.

- Were you there, sir?
- Yes, I was.

- And you were also in Desert Storm?
- Roger that, sir.

How'd you come to be
on Captain Walden's chopper?

- I used to hang around the medevac unit.
- Wanted to be a medic?

Wanted to hump a nurse once.
That count, sir?

I play poker.

These medevac folks, between missions,
they had a lot of time on their hands.

- Want to know a poker secret, sir?
- Always.

The people you play against,
find out what they're interested in.

Pretend you're interested.

They start running off at the mouth,
don't pay no attention to their cards.

Medevac folks,
they love to talk about their choppers.

Paid for this baby.

So, talk to me about 25 February.

25 February? Yes, sir.

I had some phys rehab time.
Got into boxing.

- Want a soda pop, son?
- No, sir. No, I'm good.

- 25 February.
- So, 25 February...

Major...
What's his butt? Garden Party...

- Major Teegarden.
- Right.

Asked me to go with Walden, said she
might need some guns, so I said, why not?

Grabbed me a saw, bungeed one of
the Huey doorways and away we went.

Yeah.

And the captain was a big hero.

She died tragically in the desert,
and Major... Teegarden

wants her to get the Medal of Honour,
so she's gonna get it.

When did the M-16 ammo run out?

- What?
- M-16 ammo?

Blackhawk crew said they heard M-16 fire
during the rescue. When did it run out?

- I wouldn't know anything about that, sir.
- You wouldn't?

As I recall, and I'm not really sure, but the
M-16 ammo ran out first thing in the morning.

First thing in the morning.
But you're not really sure?

Now I'm confused.
You were there, weren't you?

That's affirmative, sir.
But I was on the saw.

- Altameyer would know, sir.
- Altameyer?

- Yes, sir. He was manning the M-16.
- Oh, I see. OK.

OK. Let's back up, then.

When that tank fired on your chopper,
you said that...

"You should go for altitude
and call for support", right?

Sir?

You knew that men were going to die, so
you wanted to get the hell outta there, right?

Who told you that, sir?
Tea Party? Ilario?

It doesn't matter who told me that.
You tell me.

- You don't wanna know what happened there.
- Yes, I do.

You just want me to sign off on the story, so
you can finish your job and she gets a medal.

Are you refusing to tell me, soldier?

You know what to do when you pull
the trigger and the round doesn't go off?

- Yes, I do.
- You wait,

with your weapon pointed in a safe direction,
because sometimes the primer burns slow.

You open your weapon and take
the round out, it blows up in your face.

Leave this round in the chamber, Colonel.

I work at the Pentagon, Sergeant,
so I admit I'm a little slow on the uptake.

Otherwise I'd say
that you just threatened me.

Did you just threaten me, soldier?

Because, if you did, let me respond to you.

Let me respond to you this way.

I'm an officer, and therefore, by proclamation,
a gentleman, but don't abuse that, son.

Don't get in my cross hairs,
because I'll have no compunction whatsoever

about getting up to my neck in your ass.
Do you understand me?

She was afraid, Colonel.

That's the bottom line on your Captain
Walden. She was a fucking coward, sir.

Get me around so I can fire.

- Go back. Let me have another shot.
- I don't know.

- I'm going for altitude, call for support.
- There's no time.

All right, one more.
But then I'm calling for support.

Altameyer, unhook the aux fuel cells. Prepare
to toss them overboard. Ilario, the flare gun.

- So it was your idea to use the fuel cell?
- Yeah. Me, Rady, somebody.

The adrenaline was pumping.
You can't expect me to remember everything.

Try.

Now.

So what happened during the night?

Walden and Ilario
wouldn't shut up about being rescued.

Like the Army had nothing else to do,
or something.

- Dust is blowing pretty hard out there.
- Think they'll find us tonight?

AWACS lost us when the ADT got hit.

SOP is for search and rescue
to begin looking...

- Christ, Captain, are you crying?
- It's OK. It's just tension.

Hey, you're going to be OK.
They'll find us. It'll be OK.

I can hear the ragheads moving out there,
as soon as you girls stop gabbing.

They're going away.
It was just a probe.

- Shit.
- I'm OK.

- I took one.
- How's Rady?

Hanging in.
Captain?

So the rest of the night
went without incident?

Yeah. What?
Wasn't that enough for one night?

You want to continue this tomorrow?

I don't get emotional about this shit.
I've been there, you know?

OK. Go on.

After the firefight, we argued mainly.
Ilario was freaked out by the dark,

and Walden wanted to surrender at first light.

She was a wreck. Kept asking about
the ammo, worrying we didn't have enough.

I knew they'd attack at dawn.

So what happened during the evacuation?

The evacuation.

All right, let's go.
There's the rescue.

Altameyer, give me a hand with Rady.

- Come on, Captain. Suck it up.
- Don't touch me.

I got you covered. Ready?

Go. Go. Go.

- Ilario, get a move on.
- Not without the Captain.

I'll get her.

I'm not leaving.
It's not safe.

They're taking fire.
The choppers are waiting.

Get the fuck outta here.

- She fired at you?
- Near us, yeah.

Well, then why did you lie to the
investigators about how she performed?

They'd already put together
their own bullshit version of the story

before they ever bothered to talk to me.
I just told them what they wanted to hear.

We all did.

But that's way it went down, so just
forget about the medal, or leave it as it is.

I really don't give a fuck.

So nobody from your Huey crew fired
an M-16 any time during the rescue?

- That's affirmative, sir.
- Monfriez, you ready?

- You sure about that?
- That's affirmative, sir. We had no ammo.

So how about it, Colonel?
Want to go a few rounds?

- Are you threatening me, soldier?
- Where's your brain bucket?

- I don't need it.
- You don't step into my ring without one.

I have to tell you again,
you won't have a head to stick it on.

Come on, Jersey.
Come on, man. Right here.

- Let's see what you got.
- You got nothing, man.

- Hello.
- Hello? Baby?

- How're you doing?
- Hi.

- How's it going?
- Outstanding.

Outstanding.
I was calling, I wanted...

What size T-shirts do the kids wear?
I want to get the kids some T-shirts.

You know their sizes as well as I do.

Are you OK? Nat?

I got a pint of Scotch here in a paper bag.

I don't want to drink any of it.

Can you tell me why you need it?

Want me to prattle on for a minute?
I can do that.

- Please.
- OK.

The new refrigerator doesn't work. The light
doesn't come on when you open the door.

I had to drive all the way
over to Wagner, 1 2 blocks,

just so that Brian
could practise riding his bike.

He's afraid of falling in front of his friends.

And he refuses to let anyone
see him riding with training wheels.

They've both taken to sleeping
in our bed since you left.

- It's like sleeping between two tornadoes.
- I better go, baby.

- Don Boylar called.
- Jesus.

- I better go.
- Nat, talk to me.

- I can't.
- Why not?

- I can't.
- Bullshit. Bull. Talk to me.

Oh, Christ.

Colonel?

Can we get some coffee, please?

You're not a happy man.

Is it a woman? The Army?

Al Bathra?

Talk to me.

Off the record, if you want.
Way, way off the record. Rangers' honour.

Serling...

How long you been back?

- Six months.
- And you've been in the service how long?

1 7 years.

They got me running this inquiry
on this girl pilot.

Captain Karen Walden.

She'll be the first woman
to get the Medal of Honour for combat.

Oh, boy.

And everybody in the beltway
wants a piece of this one, right?

I just want to get something clear.
This time, just want somebody to be a hero.

I want to get something right.

Cos Al Bathra...

Al Bathra.
You talked to Boylar's parents?

Yeah.

- Do they know?
- They heard from a few of his friends.

Jesus...

The Army, they...

They told Boylar's parents he died
from enemy fire. I told them that.

I carried the message, went to the funeral,
watched his mother cry her eyes out.

I stood there and looked his father in the eye
and told him his son died brave under fire.

And I was the one who gave
the order to fire. I did it.

Then the Army gave me a medal
for bravery and valour.

Then they buried me...

in medals.

Got a sense of humour, don't they?

Can't remember anything else
except being in the Army.

Either being in it or wanting to be in it.

It's all I know.

Look, you need to sleep.

You call me any time. Anything you want
to say about anything, on or off the record.

I'm going to leave you alone for a while.

Ilario. Are you saying that you can't find him
or that he's absent without leave?

- That's an I-L...
- That's right, specialist Ilario.

- Well, we contacted the MPs.
- Roger.

An apprehension team's out there
looking for him now.

Roger that.

Thank you.

Did she display any fear when she had
to make these life-and-death decisions?

No. No, never.

Karen... the captain, she had this quality.
The heavier the pressure, the calmer she got.

And she put up
with a lot of shit to become an officer.

You know, had to work twice as hard
as everybody else, be twice as good.

She'd never let her guard down,
show any sign of weakness.

But she was tough.
She could handle it.

And so, ladies and gentlemen,
what I have to say to you in closing

is to go forth, to command wisely,
to advise prudently,

to protect with vigilance
and to judge with care.

And above all,

to defend with all your heart,
all your soul and all your courage

the lives of the men and women under your
command, and the United States of America.

Are you now telling me you gonna
report against her getting the medal?

As I tried to explain to the White House,

there should be a further investigation
before we move forward. The discrepancies...

Another matter completely.
Write up a second report. We'll investigate.

That's my point, sir.
Ilario's disappeared.

- Altameyer's missing.
- Who?

Altameyer, sir.
Walden's crew chief.

VA hospital's transferred him out three weeks
ago. Paperwork's missing, the computers...

- Doesn't he have any family?
- Negative.

Fucking VA.
We can't wait, Nat.

You cannot imagine
the kind of heat I'm getting on this.

Everybody wants it.
Senators, congressmen...

One little shiny piece of something
for people to believe in.

- Whole episode.
- Walden or Al Bathra?

Both, damn it, both.

- Submit your report today.
- I'm sorry, sir.

I won't put my name
on an incomplete report.

Should I remind you who recommended you
for this when no-one else'd touch you?

Are you saying that you chose me
because I wouldn't rock the boat?

Dereliction of duty, drunk and disorderly,
conduct unbecoming.

At best, a dishonourable discharge.

At worst, Al Bathra alone
gives us plenty of grounds if we want.

At least somebody is finally
willing to come out and say it.

Nat, don't do this. I could give you
a direct order to submit your report.

Yes, you could.

Put Hillerman back on the Walden file.

I handed this to you, Nat, as a way back.
You could've had one hell of a career.

And you give Meredith my best.
Tell her I didn't have any choice.

I'm going to finish this report.

On my own, if I have to.

I'm going to get this one right.

- You want one?
- No, thank you.

Why is it people never want to eat
when they got something important to say?

I always want to eat.

Need you to help me find somebody.

- You want my help?
- Name's Altameyer. Steven Altameyer.

He was the crew chief on the medevac
chopper that was piloted by Karen Walden.

- One supposed to get a Medal of Honour?
- The very one.

The Army's usually very tidy about its people.

Yeah, usually, but not this time.

First he demobbed.

Then they had him in a VA hospital, they
transferred him, now no-one can find him.

Why do you need me?
Can't someone in the Pentagon help?

I'm out of the loop.

Somebody pissed at you?

- I'm out of the loop.
- Somebody important?

- Hey, look. You want to help me or not?
- Hey, who called who here?

Yeah, sure, I'll help.
Just tell me why I'm doing it.

When you go after stories,
you want them to be right, yes?

Yeah.

- So do I.
- OK.

So, I help you find this Altameyer,
and in return...?

There's a tape.

- Sweet Jesus. There's always a tape.
- D'you want to hear this?

Yeah, go on.

There's a tape of all communications
between our tanks that night in Al Bathra.

Are they trying to make this tape disappear?

I don't think so,
but they're not advertising its existence either.

The Army and its image.

Where do I reach you
when I find this Altameyer?

- The Bethesda Arms.
- A motel?

- Bet everything's great in your life, right?
- Outstanding.

Serling, eat something.

You look awful.

Make me an angel

Flies from Montgomery

Make me a poster

From an old rodeo

Just give me one thing

That I can hold on to

To believe in this livin'

It's just a hard way to go

To believe in this livin'

It's just a...

Hard way to go

- Hello.
- Found Altameyer.

- Got any complaints?
- Excuse me?

Rashes, fatigue, diarrhoea,
bleeding gums, muscle and joint pain,

Ioss of weight, loss of appetite,
insomnia, reactions to bright sunlight.

- You name it, we're seeing it.
- I drink too much. Does that count?

Hell, we all drink too much.
Here he is.

Altameyer, you want a shave?

A gentleman here to see you.
You want a shave?

What's wrong with him?

Abdominal cancer.
At least, that's what's killing him.

There's all kinds of things wrong with him.

He's never awake very long
with all the pain.

- I'll leave you two, then.
- Thank you.

How you doing, Steven?

I'm Colonel Nat Serling.

I want to talk to you
about Captain Karen Walden.

They want to give her the Medal of Honour,

and I know that you were there
in Al Kufan with her. Roger?

I was... hit.

In the back. Roger.

But you were still able to get Rady out.

- Rady.
- Yeah.

Good man Rady.

I was afraid.

I understand, son.

- That's OK. Take your time.
- She was afraid.

She was afraid.

The Captain was afraid?

Not the Captain.

Who then? Was it Rady or Ilario?
Was Ilario afraid?

Me.

Didn't tell.

You didn't tell what, son?

The major...

Monfriez...

You didn't tell the major...

- You and Monfriez didn't tell the major?
- He...

and then they...

- You and Monfriez didn't tell the major.
- Then they...

You and Monfriez what, Steven?

- Oh, Jesus.
- What is it? Tell me, son. Please.

- What?
- The fire.

- What fire?
- Oh, Jesus, the fire.

What fire?
The napalm fire?

- Jesus.
- You see the napalm fire.

Tell me what you see.
Tell me about the fire, Steven.

You and Monfriez
didn't tell the major what about the fire?

- Please, Jesus.
- Steven?

Is it napalm fire?

- What's he doing?
- He's upping his meds. Self-medication.

Can you get him to stop?
I need to talk to him.

Give him a break, man.
He's feeling no pain now.

Get off my car, sir.

Think you got
something to tell me, Sergeant.

I called around. You're off this inquiry,
so what are you doing here, Serling?

Karen Walden sent me.

I just left Altameyer.

What happened out there
that was so bad

that it would have Altameyer
laying up in a hospital praying to die,

that's got Ilario on the run?

That's right, he went AWOL.

What do you think he's gonna tell them
about you when they catch him?

Now, you can tell them,
or you can tell me.

- What happened out there?
- Nothing happened.

Nothing happened, sir.
It was a war.

Don't lie to me, soldier.

Don't lie to me.

Now, it doesn't matter
whether she gets this award or not.

It doesn't matter whether I'm on this inquiry,
or whether I'm in this Army or not.

I'm going to find out the truth.
I guarantee you that.

You said you were a good poker player.
Well, look me in the eye.

You think I'm bluffing?

No, thank you.

You want it. I can smell how much you
want it. It's coming out of your pores.

Tell me about the fire.

I like trains.

Since I was a kid.

Big... Tough... Iron.

Used to be iron, anyway.

When I got to boxing pro, I was gonna
call myself Johnny "Night Train" Monfriez.

- Don't that have a nice ring to it?
- Very nice.

- Don't humour me, man.
- Don't humour me, either.

Tell me about the fire.

Where's my other bottle?

You ever kill anyone
at close range with a small arm, sir?

It's messy.

No. We're not talking one of
your great big tank guns here.

Oh, that's OK.
I know what you did.

Your own men.
Guys under your command.

How'd it feel?

- Bad, right?
- Very bad, son.

Very bad.

And you didn't even mean to kill them.

I've been a good soldier.
A good soldier.

Listen to that whistle.

Johnny "Night Train" Monfriez.

Say it.

Johnny "Night Train" Monfriez.

- Now get out.
- You don't want to do this. Let me help you.

- It's too late.
- It's never too late. Look at me.

Things get fucked up in war. I don't give
a damn what happened to you over there.

- You can't do this.
- Wrong.

- I can't do anything else.
- Yes, you can.

You can put the car in reverse.
Put the gun down. We can help each other.

I don't want to lose another good soldier.

I strongly urge you
to dismount the vehicle, sir.

Monfriez.

Imagine going through life without
thinking about the consequences.

It's not the doing shit that gets to you,
it's the consequences.

My folks used to have this place
out on Calaveras Lake.

I still go out there sometimes.

Guess you told me about this place
so I'd know where to find you.

It's beautiful.

The MPs at Fort Stewart
found your stash in your locker.

Pretty ingenious place to keep it, huh?

Not if you wanted it to be found.

- Where'd you hide the needle tracks?
- I shoot up between my toes.

Monfriez is dead.
He killed himself.

Altameyer is dying.

Aren't we all?

Mayday, Mayday.
Dustoff-3. We're going down...

And the chopper went down.
What happened next?

What happened next isn't important.
It's what happened that night.

Monfriez wanted to make a run for it.

You know at dawn we're dead.
They'll have reinforcements.

Escape and evasion, Captain.

Now's the time to do it.
Maybe we slip by them in the dark.

I told you,
Rady can't be moved. Right, Ilario?

That lung - any movement might kill him.
Then again, he may die just lying here.

You see?
Rady will never make it. I say we go.

Oh, great.
The Captain's crying.

It's just tension, asshole.

It doesn't mean shit.

Come on, Captain.
I don't want to wait here to die.

Ilario?

- I don't know.
- Come on. It's a majority.

Well, that'd be great if this
was a democracy, but it isn't.

We stay with Rady.
I wouldn't risk your life. I won't risk his.

So maybe if we surrender,
the Iraqis would doctor him up.

No surrender.

- I hear something moving out there.
- I say we make for the chopper now.

And I say I heard enough of that shit.

You don't have to go with us.
We don't even need your permission.

I am in command here.

Well, maybe not any more.

Give me the saw, Monfriez.

I can't stop you from running,
but you're not taking our fire power with you.

You're not taking away my weapon.

Yes, I am.

Hey, I can make a white flag, all right?

There's no way
you're taking away my weapon, cunt.

Section 28-J,
code of military justice.

Mutiny, an offence punishable by death.

- Jesus, Monfriez.
- Shut up. She's trying to get us killed.

Ilario, who you with?

Come on, shithead.
Do you want to die?

Please, Captain.

They're going away.
It was just a probe.

Shit.

- Are you all right?
- Shit.

Oh, my God.

Shit. I don't fucking believe it.

- Give me your weapon.
- Christ, I thought you were firing at me.

You're wounded, ma'am.
Let me see.

You're with him.

You got to let me look at it.

Jesus Christ, let him look at it.

I gave birth to a nine-pound baby, asshole.
I think I can handle it.

Cap, we got to get you out of here.

We stay with Rady.

- And then?
- And then...

Incoming.

150 metres and closing.

140.

- 130.
- Give me my weapon.

- Ilario, how's Rady?
- He's dead.

- No, he's alive.
- 1 00 metres. Captain, give him his weapon.

- This is insane. Give me my weapon.
- Shut up.

90 metres and closing. 80...

I'm sorry.

OK. We'll get you out of here, Captain.
It's all over.

No, Monfriez, it's not over.

There will be a reckoning.
Count on it.

What's that?

There's the rescue.

Let's move it.
Move it.

No. Wait.

Help Rady.

We're pinned down here.

Ilario, give me the M-16.

Give me the goddamn M-16.

I'll cover you.

Go.

- I'll cover you.
- Negative, ma'am.

Come back for me
with a stretcher and more guns.

- Karen, please.
- Go. It's an order.

- Karen, please.
- Go.

Wait.

Wait.

Where's Walden?

She's dead.

No.

Monfriez said she would
have court-martialled us.

Altameyer was too fucked up to say anything.

She was probably killed by small arms
before the napalm ever hit.

Either way, she never could have
survived that stomach wound.

You think that matters?

No.

No.

I couldn't bear to send this.

I didn't even want to touch it.

Can you get it to her parents for me?

Can you...? Please?

- Listen, I'm going to have to call you back.
- You got off the phone for me?

- You're gonna want me there for this.
- Meaning?

Remember that stereo system you told me not
to buy cos who needs a dual cassette deck?

When does anyone ever
have a reason to copy a tape?

Nat, just the man I wanted to see.
Do you know Colonel Serling?

This is Tony Gartner of The Washington Post.
He was with the 9th in Vietnam.

- Mr Gartner.
- Colonel.

Take a seat, Nat.

He's following up
our investigation of Al Bathra,

and it seems that he has
a few questions that he'd like to ask us.

- Let's give him every facility.
- I appreciate that, General.

Some ground rules though.
I insist that we be allowed to schedule

the release of all information
to the public regarding casualties.

I really wish I could accommodate you, sir,
but, unfortunately,

we'll be going with a story
based on a tape that I've acquired

of all radio communications that night.

So, I'd like you to listen
and then comment for the record.

I can't comment for the record.
This is an ongoing investigation.

Reverse right.

Sabre-6, this is Bobcat-5. Enemy tangos.
Enemy tanks in our lines. Over.

Sabre,-6, this is Cougar-6. Confirm that
I have enemy tangos at phase line delta...

- I don't think any more of this...
- This is what happened, General.

Liberty-6, this is Sabre-6.
We got enemy tanks in our flank. Out.

- Patella, find me a target.
- I think I got one, sir.

- Do you or do you not have a target?
- It must be. They're firing at us.

- Loader.
- Up, sir.

- Fire.
- On the way.

Target. We got that sucker.

Sabre-6, we just lost Cougar-6.
Repeat, we just lost Boylar.

- Roger that. We got him.
- Say again, you just lit up a friendly.

- Roger that. We... what?
- You just lit up a friendly, goddamn it.

Cougar-6 was one of your own Abrams,
Colonel Serling. Is that correct?

Yes, that's correct.

Sabre-6, Nat, what's happening out there?
Sabre-6, report.

- Patella, was that one of our tanks?
- They fired.

- At us or at the T-72s?
- I don't know.

- At us or at the T-72s, Patella?
- I don't know.

Colonel Serling, report status now.

- They have range on us.
- All Sabre elements, this is Sabre-6.

Stop all tanks, turn on your lights. I say again,
stop all tanks and turn on your lights.

Sabre-6, Nat, what's happening out there?

Load us up.

Patella, find me a target.
Snap out of it. Find me a target.

Patella, come on.

- Target.
- We're up.

- Lights on or off?
- Off.

- Fire.
- On the way.

- Sir?
- Fire.

Colonel Serling, report status now.

Sabre-6.
Situation under control, General.

General, Colonel Serling's order
to activate lights,

was that a standard response
to enemy infiltration of the lines?

At the critical moment,
in spite of terrible losses,

Colonel Serling didn't hesitate to act.

Ordering those tanks to turn on their lights

saved the lives of God knows
how many of our men.

Heroic acts arise
out of desperate circumstances.

I have no trouble at all
believing that Colonel Serling is a hero.

Like Captain Karen Walden.

Did you know that for the first time
a woman is being considered

for the Medal of Honour
for her performance under fire? And...

Colonel Serling
is just finishing up the inquiry.

How's that going, Nat?

I think...

in order to honour
a soldier like Karen Walden,

we have to tell the truth, General,
about what happened over there.

The whole, hard, cold truth.

And until we do that,
we dishonour her...

and every soldier who died,
who gave their life for their country.

My full report, General.

Few of us are given the opportunity,
even fewer the courage,

to sacrifice ourselves
for the lives of our comrades.

In daily life, even as in battle,

each one of us is mysteriously
and irrevocably bound to our fellow man.

And yet, it is only in death
that the power of this bond

is finally tested and proven.

And who among us really knows how he
might respond when that moment comes?

I guess we've been expecting you.

First of all, let me...

Let me just say that
there was nothing that...

Tom and I wouldn't do
for each other. Nothing.

He was a good soldier.

He was like a brother to me.

That night, 25 February...

there were enemy tanks in our lines.

We thought...

I thought that...

Tom's tank was an enemy tank.

And...

I gave the order to fire.

God help me. I...

Yeah, I killed him.

As for the funeral...

the lies the Army told...

and the lies that I told...

to you, I can only...

beg for your forgiveness.

As far as the...

As far as that night...

I guess there's no way that
I can even begin to ask you to forgive me.

I know that, but it's a burden
you're going to have to put down sometime.

Thank you, sir.

Mr President.

Dear Mom and Dad,

well, this is it - the big push.

Looks like it's gonna really happen.

And I'm afraid,

not of being hurt or killed,
well, kind of, but not much.

My only regret will be
to never see you two again,

or not see Anne Marie grow up.

But I know she's in good hands, the best.

What I'm really afraid of is
that I might let my people down, my crew.

These people depend on me.
They put their lives in my hands.

I just can't fail 'em.

Now, I know if you get this letter
it means I'm dead.

I only hope that I've made you proud,
that I did my job,

and I didn't let down my country,
my crew, my fellow soldiers.

I love you guys.

Never stop telling Anne Marie
how much I love her.

Your daughter, Karen.

- Got it?
- Yeah.