Original subtitles

[♪♪♪]

[SPEAKING VIETNAMESE]

Yeah, he's down!

I'll talk to you later, dude.

Wait here.

[FUNK MUSIC PLAYING]

Welcome, Colonel Brewster.

I give you drink, you stay all night.

My girls do everything for you.

Kaboom-boom.

My girls number one. Clean.

Give GIs good time.

Your girls give GIs the clap.

[SIGHS]

What's your name, soldier?

Sergeant Wolf, sir.

How long you been over here, Wolf?

Three months, sir.

You ever had gonorrhea?

Only twice, sir.

Wolf, what if I told you

that the army considers gonorrhea to be

one of its most pressing problems,

and has therefore ordered me to place this bar off limits?

I'm waiting.

The-- the truth, sir?

Truth.

If you close this bar,

I'd start looking

for another boom-boom bar.

As you were, gentlemen.

[MAN SPEAKING LATIN]

Lieutenant Goldman.

Lieutenant McKay,

would you like to say a few words?

It's all right.

Alex Devlin...

was my friend.

She died...

because she had one more story to write...

[♪♪♪]

Because she wanted the people back home...

to know the truth about this war,

and because she cared.

Alex, uh...

brought light to everyone's life...

and...

we were all the better for her being here.

I'll miss you, Alex.

We all will.

Welcome to Camp Barnett, boys.

It's the same as Tan Son Nhut.

Called "olive drab."

Really.

One thing's different though.

We got our promotions to Spec-4.

Yeah.

Promoted and transferred all in the same week.

Now, that must be some kind of a record.

What do you say we make ourselves at home?

Hey, so what is SOG, anyway?

I heard it stands

for "Study and Observations Group."

Father told me it was a joint intelligence operation,

CIA gig.

I guess he was right. Look at all these green beanies.

Yeah. McKay said all these guys are specially trained.

Minimum five weeks of recon school up in Natron.

Charging Carl Brewster's the project commander.

Yeah. The guy's a legend.

He got shot so many times in Korea,

they say he's three pounds overweight

from all the metal he's carrying around.

What about the medals on his chest?

One distinguished service cross,

and a handful of silver stars,

bronze stars, and purple hearts.

No offense, guys,

but if this Camp Barnett is so elite,

do you mind telling me what the hell we're doing here?

[KNOCK ON DOOR]

Come in.

Private Hockenbury.

Sergeant Anderson.

So, this is how you sergeants live, huh?

What is this, man?

You could grow silicide in here.

Hockenbury, Colonel Brewster needs a medic

for a special assignment.

Oh, come on. I hear that guy's crazy, man.

He, like, flies his chopper into hot LZs for fun.

On his day off.

From what the LT tells me,

you're not going to be doing anything

hazardous to your health as long as you keep your pants on.

Mm.

So I hear this Brewster guy's

a hardcore S.O.B.

He's a West Pointer, kicked butt in Korea,

went through Special Forces training at 40.

Hell, guys half his age

drop dead from stuff like that.

I don't know about you,

but I think this could be very exciting.

Hey, did I tell you

that he was a P.O.W. in Korea

for over two years?

Goldman, I mean, if you want to talk or anything--

McKay...

don't you have something to do,

like alphabetizing your record collection?

Okay.

I just thought

maybe you'd want to talk, you know.

Hell, look.

Goldman,

the fact is that I need to talk-- McKay!

Alex is dead.

People die.

I lost two guys last week.

You get used to it.

Yeah, well, Alex isn't one of your guys.

See, you can't tell me that it's that easy.

I've got a meeting with Colonel Brewster.

Don't be here when I get back.

LT, I been thinking, maybe, uh,

maybe I ought to take those three weeks' leave

I got saved up.

LT?

You hear what I said?

Use it or lose it, sergeant.

Well, it's a little more complicated than that.

I mean, my daughter Katie just turned 6.

She's growing up without me.

If you're looking for my approval, you got it.

Go on home.

Be with your daughter.

Well, maybe now's not the best time to be going home.

If you're worried about the men, don't be.

I made some decisions myself.

I'm going to stick around.

I'll look after the guys.

To be real honest with you, lieutenant,

I'm more concerned with who's going to look after you.

MAN: Alpha Project is averaging

several cases of gonorrhea

per week, Carl.

Now, I'm ordering you to place those bars

on Pasteur Street off limits.

I can't do that, general.

Can't or won't?

When my men are in the bush,

I don't want their minds off elsewhere,

because they're dreaming about getting their ashes hauled.

I didn't get my ashes hauled for 18 months in Korea,

and I was a damned fine soldier with only one thing on my mind:

winning the war.

What your men need is discipline,

and since they're clearly not getting it

from their project commander,

they're going to get it from MAC-V headquarters.

You know, if we want to win this war, we better damn well understand

that these are human beings and not machines.

They can't be on army time 24 hours a day.

The men of Project Alpha

risk their lives for the country, daily.

That kind of commitment deserves to be rewarded.

My boys are going to have their human time.

See this, Carl.

This uniform

makes us men who follow orders.

Now, I am ordering you to place those bars off limits

effective immediately.

Is that clear?

Yes, sir.

Lieutenant Goldman, Sergeant Anderson,

come in.

I've read your 201 files,

and as far as the army's concerned,

I know all there is to know about you.

However, I tend to agree with George Patton.

Files don't inform as to how the man reacts.

What do you know about MAC-V SOG, lieutenant?

That SOG's

an unconventional warfare task group

involved in highly classified operations

throughout Southeast Asia.

"Studies and Observation Group"

is a title given to it as a cover.

Just hearsay.

At least the army's rumor mill is alive and kicking.

Two thousand Americans are assigned to SOG,

mostly Special Forces,

plus 8,000 highly trained indigenous troops.

That's good company.

Past tense, sergeant.

I've been informed by MAC-V headquarters

that qualified Special Forces personnel

are no longer available.

That's why they sent me your unit.

We're here because of our availability?

Your unit has a lot to prove, lieutenant.

Begging your pardon, sir,

I believe my unit has proved itself.

Lieutenant's right, sir.

I've never served with better men,

special training or no special training.

We'll see.

Welcome aboard.

Hope the chow's better than Tan Son Nhut.

It can't be worse.

You know, I hear they got Vietnamese cooks--

Look out!

Damn!

Hey!

Who's that guy think he is,

Jackie Stewart?

You get a good look at him?

Yeah. He looked just like...

Nah. Couldn't be.

You know what I hate most about the army?

Having to fraternize with dudes from California.

Yeah. All that sun fried their brains.

What brains?

All they got going for them is muscle.

They can't drive.

Guys!

ALL: Baker!

How's it going, man?

Whoo-hoo!

[ALL LAUGHING]

Yeah, right.

You look strapped there, Baker.

Thanks, bro. Man, new job's got me stoked.

So how do you like driving for the general?

Oh, yeah. Yeah, man. I just...

I just close my eyes, pretend I'm in my woody,

just cruising Highway 1, bro.

Only Baker would drive with his eyes closed.

Hey, hey, General Elliott would let me too, man.

The guy graduated from the same high school I did.

Not-- not in the same year, though, but, um...

Yeah, that guy and I

got a lot in common, man.

Dude's into health food.

Loves the Beach Boys.

You know, "Surfin' Safari,"

"California Girls."

Found your problem, Baker.

A leak in the radiator.

All right, I'll be there in a minute, Monks.

You know, I meant to write you guys,

but you know how it is.

Right?

So, what are you guys doing here at Camp Barnett, huh?

Well, this unit's been transferred

to MAC-V SOG.

That's Special Forces, man.

Congratulations.

How's LT and sarge too?

Why don't you find out for yourself?

Percell's throwing himself a birthday party tomorrow night.

Hey, you got to be there, Baker.

Dude, I wouldn't miss it, man.

We got a lot of catching up to do, guys.

My girls clean. My girls number one.

Army number 10.

Army put me out of business.

The nurses are here

to give you an examination.

The medic is here to give you penicillin shots.

Let's get started.

Hello.

Hello.

You doctor?

No. I'm a medic.

My name is Francis Hockenbury,

but my friends call me Doc Hock.

GIs call me Number One.

Is that right?

Okay, Number One.

Would you please turn around and lift your skirt?

Uh...

turn around and lift your skirt.

No.

Okay.

You sit here.

Okay?

I'm you.

Turn around...

and lift...

[WOMEN GIGGLING]

your skirt.

Seven dollar MPC, please.

No.

[SPEAKING VIETNAMESE]

Okay?

Okay.

Oh!

Next.

You sure you can handle this, doc?

Yeah.

I mean, I know it's a dirty job,

but I'm just kind of glad

somebody's got to do it.

Oh!

Next.

[ROCK AND ROLL PLAYING]

All right!

All right, all right.

Danny, Danny, what'd you wish for?

Oh, come on, Johnson.

If I tell you, it won't come true.

If he'd wished for what I wished for,

Lieutenant Camille Patterson

would be coming through that door right now.

[ALL LAUGHING]

Cowabunga!

[ALL WHOOPING]

Sa-- sarge!

Baker, no wonder we haven't won the war yet.

Baker, you're looking good.

Well, thanks, man.

Since I've seen you guys last,

I've really gotten into

transcendental meditation.

You know, in fact,

as soon as my tour is over,

I'm going straight to England

to study with the Beatles' maharishi.

Baker, that's very interesting.

Hey, Baker, Baker, come here!

Leave sarge alone. Sorry, Serge.

Hey, hey, hey. Happy birthday, man.

That's something you can definitely use.

PERCELL: Well, hey, Baker, thanks a lot.

It's a little too big for me to take it back to the world.

Come on, come on. Open it up.

It's Laughman's High Energy Muscle Building Protein Pills.

Hot dog! I can use those.

I don't really know what to say, but hey, cowabunga!

Whoo!

Wait till you guys see

what I got planned for the rest of you.

[ALL LAUGHING]

Happy birthday, Percell.

Hey, LT, Thanks.

LT!

Baker.

LT, it's me.

I've been gone for six months.

Really?

Yeah!

It's good to see you, Baker.

I knew he was only joking, man.

LT--

LT, can I buy you a drink?

Uh, no. Thanks, Percell. Not tonight.

Uh...

look, you guys.

I don't mean to, uh, put a damper

on Percell's birthday reunion here,

but we got an orientation briefing

at 0800 hours tomorrow morning, so...

Sergeant Johnson,

you'll be standing in for Sergeant Anderson.

PERCELL: Hey, hey, sarge?

W-What's this all about?

You going somewhere?

I'm going home.

I got some leave time stored up, so I'm gonna use it.

You considering not extending your tour?

You coming back, right, sarge?

I'm not making any promises.

I mean, I got some thinking to do,

and, uh, I want to see my little girl.

Hey, this here's a party,

and y'all are going to have a good time,

and that's an order.

Ain't that right, lieutenant?

That's right, let's par-tay, gentlemen.

I'm sorry the LT sprung the news on you like that, Johnson.

It would have been a lot easier coming from you.

Yeah, it probably would have.

But it didn't, and I know you'll do a good job.

You'll make your mother proud.

Look, sarge, nothing back in Mississippi

prepared me for this.

That's because this ain't Mississippi.

Just trust your instincts, Johnson.

Same thing made you a good soldier's

gonna make you a good sergeant.

And that's it.

Mm-hmm.

Well, that and follow the three golden rules.

Watch your butt,

watch your butt,

and watch your butt.

Johnson...

it'll be all right.

[COINS FALL IN TRAY]

Erase search and destroy from your memory.

Your mission is, and I repeat,

not to engage the enemy.

You'll be choppered in to Bin Dong province

for a snatch operation,

at Checkpoint Echo,

a villa approximately five klicks from the LZ.

Target is a VC tax collector

with vital information

regarding the VC infrastructure.

It is imperative

that he be brought back alive

for interrogation.

As explained to you in your orientation,

you've been issued tiger stripes

and sterile weapons.

Nothing to I.D. you as American fighting men.

All non-American issue.

There it is. Good luck.

Snatch a VC tax collector?

What kind of chicken Special Forces mission is that?

You heard the man.

These VC tax collectors come into villages

and terrorize the locals,

into handing over all their money

and most of their food.

Yeah.

When you want to talk terrorist taxes, Johnson,

wait till you get your next paycheck,

see what Uncle Sam did to you.

[♪♪♪]

Zeke.

Hey, Carol.

How you doing?

I'm fine.

Yeah, me too.

Did you have any trouble finding the house?

No.

No, no, I just, uh...

I just took a taxi from the hotel.

This is uh...

This is a great neighborhood here.

Yeah, yeah.

We like it.

It has an excellent school system.

Speaking of which, uh...

where's my little girl?

Zeke, it's been two years since you've seen her.

Yes, ma'am.

August 19th, 1966.

What I'm trying to say is,

just take your time and don't expect too much.

She's just a little girl.

She doesn't understand about war.

Neither do I.

Katie.

Do you remember me?

Hmm?

I know it's been a while, but, uh...

you remember me, don't you?

I'm your dad.

You remember the game we used to play?

You'd count to 10,

and I'd go hide,

and then you'd come find me.

Tell you what.

You just close your eyes,

and I'm gonna go find a place to hide.

No, Daddy!

Don't go away again.

[QUIETLY] LT.

LT.

LT!

Two step.

Yeah. One bite, two steps, and you buy the farm.

I thought I told you to maintain noise discipline, Ruiz.

LT?

[CRACKLE]

TAYLOR: NVA.

[MAN SPEAKING VIETNAMESE]

[SPEAKING QUIETLY IN VIETNAMESE]

ELLIOTT: We've been friends

since the Point, Carl,

and as your friend, I'm warning you,

you are headed down a road of no return.

Last week, you accused

those visiting Pentagon officials

of treating the war as an opportunity

for the career management of its officers.

This week,

I ordered you to close those bars

in Pasteur Street,

and you chose instead

to use army personnel and medical supplies

to encourage prostitution!

If you're looking to check out of the net, Colonel,

you're to be commended.

General, I'm not looking to sacrifice

the lives or morale of my men for a star.

I'm not in 'Nam to advance my career

or win a popularity contest.

Hell, I'm here to win a war!

Now, the way I see it,

there are only a limited number of soldiers

that can win this one for us, and I want them,

and once they're mine,

I'm gonna do whatever it takes to keep them fit and proper.

I've gone to the mat for you for the last time.

I can't protect you anymore.

I understand that, general.

Sergeant major, in my office.

Bring this week's requisition.

Now, what's the status

of the T-bone steaks I ordered?

Sir, I've called every procurement officer I know

from here to Manila.

There are no T-bone steaks available for requisition.

You know, that's a crying shame.

Team Zeus has been hit hard by casualties.

Those steaks would be a big morale booster.

Sir, there are only two dozen T-bone steaks

this side of the 108th Parallel,

and they are being shipped to General Abrams.

Let me see the requisition report.

Sir, I understand

that General Abrams is as devoted to his beef

as he is to the defeat of communism

in Southeast Asia.

Sergeant major, right here on page 10,

item marked "steaks."

Those are tent stakes, sir.

S-T-A-K-E-S.

No, that's a homonym, sergeant major.

Now, you have those S-T-A-K-E-S re-routed to General Abrams,

and the S-T-E-A-K-S to Team Zeus.

Dismissed.

[SPEAKING VIETNAMESE]

[VOICES RECEDING]

Doc.

[SCORPION CRUNCHES]

Scorpion.

Did he sting you?

I don't think so.

Let me see.

All right.

If you drop dead

within the next half-hour,

you let me know, okay?

LT, we lost about an hour.

Right.

So what do you want us to do?

Try to make up time or abort?

Well, what do you want to do, sergeant?

Well, sir, there's a...

there's a ridge about a klick from here.

I think if we move over and down,

it'll put us right at Checkpoint Echo.

Tell the men we're moving out.

ANDERSON: That looks good.

Don't let it get on your dress, now.

So you like ice cream?

Yeah. I do too.

What else do you like?

You like school?

Only recess,

and Captain Kangaroo, and Laugh-In.

What's Laugh-In?

"Sock it to me!"

[CHUCKLES]

KATIE: And I like fishing.

Yeah? You went fishing?

I bet your mom took you fishing, didn't she?

How was it?

It was neat, especially the worms.

Harry showed me how to put them on the hook.

What's the matter?

Mommy said not to talk about Harry.

She said it would make you sad.

Are you sad, Daddy?

No, baby. No.

I'm glad Harry took you fishing.

You like Harry?

I love him.

That's good. That's real good.

You won't tell Mommy, will you?

No, that will be our little secret.

That's why you went away, isn't it?

Because I didn't listen to you and Mommy.

Katie, no, that's not right.

Katie, you're the best little girl

that a dad could ever want in this world.

The best, and I love you very much.

The reason I went away

didn't have anything to do with you.

Was it because of Mommy?

Oh, God. No, honey.

The last thing in the world I ever wanted to do

was to leave you and your mama.

You understand that?

I don't know if I can explain it to you now, but, uh...

I went away because my country needed me to.

See, I'm a soldier...

and I was doing my job.

Are you ever coming home?

You mean back here?

No, I don't think so,

but I'll tell you one thing.

I ain't ever gonna be very far away.

I love you, Daddy.

That's good.

That's real good.

[FOOTSTEPS CRUNCHING SOFTLY]

Come on.

In there?

Yeah, in there.

LT, it's a cemetery.

You're not superstitious, are you, Ru?

It's not superstition.

It's respect.

All right, you're my spotter.

The village is just beyond those trees.

[PEOPLE SPEAKING VIETNAMESE]

[MAN SHOUTS IN VIETNAMESE]

LT.

The tax collector and two escorts

just left the village.

All right.

Let's make this fast and clean.

Johnson,

you and Taylor take out the two escorts.

Percell, you snatch that tax collector,

and remember,

the colonel wants him alive for interrogation.

[CHUCKLES]

[♪♪♪]

[MAN YELLING IN VIETNAMESE]

[SCREAMS]

[SPEAKING VIETNAMESE]

LT!

LT, Charlie's no good to us dead.

Sir, you had your revenge.

Let it go.

Killing one more VC

ain't going to bring Alex back.

LT.

All right, maybe you don't give a damn

about your own life,

but I know you care about these guys.

They're your guys, LT.

Get him back to the LZ.

Well, it's easier

to get a platoon full of soldiers to bed

than a 6-year-old.

Did Katie ask you to read her a story?

Yeah, Winnie the Pooh,

but first she had to find

a warm bed for the new doll, and...

Harry's not back yet, huh?

No, not yet.

He-- he had a big trial coming up.

Yeah.

Would you like a drink?

I know he wants to meet you.

No, thanks.

I'd like to meet him too.

Just...

To be honest with you, I'm beat.

I'm going to get on back to the hotel.

Okay?

Carol.

I'm happy for you.

I mean, you and Katie

have the life that you deserve here.

Zeke--

You've done good, Carol,

and I care about you and Katie

an awful lot,

and if you ever need anything, anything,

I'll be here.

Looks like your mom sent you some more cookies, Percell.

Hey. Right on, Mom.

Your mom sends you cookies?

They're not just cookies, Doc.

His mom bakes the best cookies

in Montana.

Yeah, his mom's won more blue ribbons

than Brewster has medals.

Someone ate my cookies.

Don't look at me. I was with you.

[TIN CLATTERS]

Calm down, Percell.

There was a mix-up with your package.

It was picked up by another Spec-4

but returned unopened.

Well, does the Spec-4 have a name?

According to army regulations,

I'm not permitted to give out that information.

If you'd like to register a complaint,

do go through the proper channels.

I need you to fill out--

Does the Spec-4 have a name?

Al Monks. Motor Pool.

Where's Monks?

Who wants to know?

Spec-4 Daniel Percell, Monks.

Oh.

Your mother's a pretty good baker, Percell,

but, uh, next time,

how about some oatmeal raisin, huh?

[GROANS]

MAN: We got a problem?

RUIZ: All right, Danny.

Okay. Come on.

Okay, Danny. All right, now.

All right, Danny. That's enough, man.

RUIZ: Danny, come on, man. SOLDIER: Let him up!

Danny, come on. Let him go!

Come on! Danny!

[GASPS]

Get off me!

[MONKS COUGHS]

SOLDIER: Monks, you okay?

Cookies.

It's more than just cookies.

Yes, I'd like to make

some airline reservations, please.

From Fayetteville to San Antonio, Texas.

Yes, ma'am.

Tomorrow morning, if I could,

and that's one-way.

[CHAMBER MUSIC PLAYING]

Well, what do you guys think of my little surprise?

Number one, Baker. Number one.

You're the man.

It'd be real nice

if this lobster would quit staring at me.

Co-voo-say, Percell.

Gonna put a smile on your face.

"Co-voo-say"?

It's Courvoisier.

It's French.

Yeah, but I don't speak French.

I speak Spanish.

Oh, wow. Guys.

I never held a general's helmet before.

Put that thing on, sarge.

I'd like to see that on your head.

What if the general finds out?

You should've thought about that before you uncorked the champagne.

Now, go ahead. Put on the hat.

RUIZ: Oh, yeah. Oh, yeah.

TAYLOR: Yeah, boy!

Yeah, turn around, turn around.

You're the spitting image of John Wayne's...

shadow.

Just kidding, guy.

Baker, what is this?

That's, um, caviar.

You know, that stuff comes all the way from Iran.

Twenty dollars an ounce.

Are you kidding me?

I get a stupid little sea-wrapped pound cake

with a candle on it for my birthday,

and this guy's spending $20 an ounce on this stuff?

If you had the stars, it would be a whole different war.

Yeah. How do you eat it?

Put it on one of them crackers, Danny.

Kind of salty.

It's fish eggs.

RUIZ: Oh, that's disgusting.

Danny, Danny, man,

I got to clean that stuff up, man.

I can't take him anywhere.

[SPITS]

Twenty dollars an ounce.

You know, I don't know about you guys,

but I'm getting kind of tired

of being treated like a second-class citizen.

Join the club.

You think it's any different back in the world?

It's not. You have your haves and your have-nots.

Yo, not in the Army, Ru.

See, in the Army,

you got your same chance as the next guy

to try to make something out of yourself.

You know, that is a lot of crap, Johnson.

I mean, think about

how we live most of the time:

out in the bush like animals,

while General Elliott is at home enjoying the high life.

Danny, he is a general.

It goes with the territory.

Yeah, well, Baker, what about the General Elliotts back home?

What about the people back home

whose kids are not fighting this damn war?

Why they got it so good?

You know why?

Because we don't mean squat.

Let's face it, we're the hicks, the spics, and the niggers,

and that's why we're here.

[KNOCK ON DOOR]

Come.

How you doing?

Well, to tell you the truth,

I came about as close to the edge today as I care to get.

You want a drink?

Sure...

as long as you tell me

what you're going to put in it first.

The best scotch-whiskey money can buy.

Well, in that case, make mine a double.

To Alex?

To Alex.

MCKAY: What is this?

That's just some stuff she left behind.

I remember when she wrote this piece.

I couldn't understand what was so interesting

about guys humping their way through the war.

"After spending three months with Lieutenant Goldman's unit,

"I have come to the slow realization

"that in war, there is no time for tears.

"Slow, because I witnessed among these men

"a greater capacity for compassion,

"sincerity, and love

"than I have ever before encountered.

"D.H. Lawrence said, 'War only holds pain,'

"yet Lieutenant Goldman's men go on,

"without their buddies,

"without their innocence, without their tears.

"You ask why.

The answer is simple..."

"Like all good soldiers,

they save their grief for after the war."

[♪♪♪]