"Okay, gentlemen." "Let's form up." "Officers on the right." "Morning, sir." "Come on." "Let's hustle it up." "Welcome to the 'Nam, gentlemen." "You'll be going over to the mess hall, get you some chow, then you get squared away with your unit." "What are you gawking' at, newbie?" "You never seen a dead man before?" "Little action on the wire last night." "Nothing to worry about." "You men will be getting used to the smells of Vietnam." "Most of you will learn to love latrine duty, like that man over there." "It means you won't be in the field, getting shot at." "Now, grab your gear, and move it out." "Go!" "Well, LT, that's three sapper attacks in four days." "And four bicycle bombs in a week." "You think something's up?" "I wouldn't doubt it." "How's the leg?" "It's better." "They want me to stay off it for about a week." "So, stay off it for a week." "The war can get along without you for a few days." "Well, it may have to get along without me for good." "I've been doing some thinking." "I think I'm going to take a job in intelligence for the rest of my tour." "That's a good decision." "You've done your time out here." "Hi." "Should I come back?" "Uh, no, no." "Come on in, Miss Devlin." "We're about finished here." "I'll talk to you later." "Bad timing?" "Story of our relationship." "He looked sort of shell-shocked." "What's the matter with him?" "I just told him I was taking the job at S-2." "Good." "Good." "I, for one, am glad you're out of the field." "Uh, what is that?" "What?" "What is..." "This?" "Give me that." "Give it." "This?" "This is a little something to help the recovery process." "I like presents." "Yeah?" "Oh, wow." "You like it?" "It's beautiful." "Thank you." "You're welcome." "God, I missed you." "Mmm." "I missed you." "You know, um..." "Hmm?" "There was something I wanted to talk to you about earlier." "If you tell me you're in love with McKay," "I'm going to use this on both of you." "No, no, but I'm leaving the field too." "They're sending me to Paris to cover the peace talks." "Well, that's great." "You know, I always wanted to share a bottle of wine with you in some seedy Paris bistro." "How soon do you go?" "Um..." "Day after tomorrow." "And how long have you known this?" "Little while." "Look, I just..." "I wanted to make sure that... your recovery was okay." "Mmm." "We've got tonight." "We've got tomorrow night." "Oh, boy... two whole days." "Lieutenant Goldman, time for change and bath." "Could you give me about 10 minutes?" "We're talking." "No, Lieutenant." "In case you hadn't heard, this isn't the boonies." "Around here, we have schedules to maintain." "Down." "Uh, this is important." "And maybe I should stop the war while I'm at it." "Excuse me!" "Uh, excuse me." "Where did you learn your bedside manner... at jackhammer school?" "Listen, I'll talk to you later tonight." "No, wait a minute." "Just..." "Over." "Over!" "Boy." "Oh." "Up early or out late?" "Better save that humor for your "Dear Abby" column when the war's over." "How's he doing?" "Well, he's in the able hands of Nurse Pritchard as we speak." "Pritchard?" "Wait up." "I'll walk you back." "So, have you told Goldman yet about your leaving?" "Just now." "I take it he didn't do back flips." "No." "You know, I don't get it." "I mean, you bug the guy for months to check out of the boonies, and then, when he finally does, you pull something like this." "I am not pulling anything." "It's my job." "Come on, Johnny." "You make it sound like he's getting out of the field just because of me." "Well, I wouldn't say you're the whole reason, but I bet you're a big part of it." "So what?" "What are you saying?" "I should talk him into going back in so he can get shot at or maybe captured again?" "No, I'm just saying that, since he checked out, maybe you should stick around a little while." "Well, I wish life was that simple and neat." "Yeah, well, I'll see you." "Johnny!" "Gonna miss you." "Yeah, I'll miss you too." "Think about what I said." "First thing I'm going to do when I get back to the world is stay up past curfew and eat real pizza." "You got pizza down at Papa San's." "Yeah, if you like crust that tastes like rubber." "Well, now, if it's good enough for Charlie Cong sandals," "Got to be good enough for Papa San's crust." "Really?" "Those little slices of dog meat make it real tasty." "Hey, newbie." "Tone that down a bit, will you?" "Don't tell me you guys don't like Hendrix." "Yeah." "We just don't want to go deaf." "Maybe if you had some Merle Haggard or some Johnny Cash." "Or some Motown!" "Hoo-hoo, great." "Set down amongst the Philistines." "Hey, man, I ain't no Philistino." "I'm a Puerto Rican." "Is that the new dress code back in the world these days?" "Heh." "I get the idea the dress is the one thing he left at home." "Never be able to get that necklace, though." "Look at that." "Everyone wearing those, or are you just a sissy-boy?" "How long have you guys been here, anyway?" "I mean, don't you have any idea what's going on back in the States?" "Yeah." "All those college kids are giving aid and comfort to the enemy." "Yeah, well, actually, some of those guys are trying to bring you all back home." "Now, is that why them hippie, commie faggots are burning our flag?" "Well, you know, if they're on the streets, they won't be in the rice paddies, killing babies." "Percell, come on!" "Cool it, man!" "Cool it!" "It ain't worth it!" "Come on, man!" "Come on!" "That's all right, Danny." "This newbie's mine." "Come on, man." "I don't want this, all right?" "Yeah?" "Well, you're going to get it." "Taylor, come on!" "Break it up!" "Don't get into it." "Just let them do it, all right?" "Come on." "Just let them do it." "Stay out of it, Percell." "Get him!" "You got him!" "You got him!" "Hey!" "Hey!" "Knock it off!" "Now, what in the hell is going on here?" "I'm talking to you, Taylor." "This newbie's got a bad case of flap-jaw, sarge!" "Just a little difference of opinion." "Well, all right, then." "Why don't you all save a little of this energy for the NVA, huh?" "Come on." "Everybody get on back in there, now." "Taylor, please." "Hold it, soldier." "What is your name?" "Hockenbury, Francis Thurmond." "Hockenbury." "Well, look, I'm not saying this was your fault." "I'm not blaming you or anything, but you are new here, and I just want to tell you" "I'm not going to let anybody new come in here and upset my men." "Oh, gee, sarge, I'm..." "I'm sorry." "I didn't realize I was supposed to be nursemaid and chaplain to all the guys." "I guess I didn't read my MOS job description quite closely enough." "You got yourself a big mouth, you know that?" "No kidding." "I was born with it." "Well, you could die with it too." "You know that?" "Now, why don't you just get on in there and do something useful, like clean your weapon?" "I don't carry a weapon." "Say what?" "Say... since my MOS job description says I don't have to." "Trust me." "I did read the fine print on that one." "What is your MOS?" "91-alpha." "I'm your new medic." "Lord, Lord." "So this job of yours..." "It's like a promotion?" "Yeah, a big promotion." "Well, I guess I won't have to worry about you getting into fire fights in France." "Mmm." "Say, where are you going?" "It's a surprise." "No, wait a minute." "Wait." "Close your eyes." "Close." "Okay?" "Mm-hmm." "Now, you'd better appreciate this." "It cost me two dinners at the Caravelle bar." "Okay." "Open." "What the hell did you do?" "Well, you said one of your fantasies was wining and dining me in a Parisian bistro." "Voilà." "I don't believe you did this." "Of course, um..." "One of my fantasies has always been to make love..." "in a garret with a view of the Eiffel tower." "You wouldn't take advantage of a cripple, now, would you?" "I'm afraid so." "Character fault." "It runs in the family." "Mmm." "Well, we're going to have to do something about that." "Yes." "What is a garret, anyway?" "Come in." "Staff Sergeant Anderson, reporting as ordered, sir." "Tell me, sergeant," "How long have you been in this man's army?" "Sir?" "Quite a few years, sir." "Long enough to know how to report properly then, correct?" "Yes, sir." "Good." "Then let's try to get it right from here on out, shall we," "Sergeant First Class Anderson?" "Congratulations." "Thank you, sir." "Now, I wish we had time for a proper ceremony, but we've got a mission coming up." "We're going to need this time to prepare." "Now, I realize it won't be easy taking over for an officer as well respected as Goldman, so I'll be relying on you to help make that transition as smooth as possible." "We have some good soldiers, sir, and some very capable NCOs will help you through your first weeks." "Look, Sergeant," "I know you're probably thinking of me as another six-month wonder, but let me assure you," "I took OCS very seriously." "I'm ready to lead." "Yes, sir." "Now, get the troops squared away, and I'll be down to talk to them later." "They're already squared away, sir, but I will relay the information." "Miss Devlin." "What do you have?" "Very big tip..." "And expensive." "Okay." "Well, maybe you should tell me what this tip is, and I can decide how much it should cost." "I can take you to tunnels outside Saigon." "It is where Tet offensive was planned." "You will meet one of the men responsible." "Why me?" "You honest." "You will report truth." "Oh, listen, Muoi, I mean, I don't subscribe to the 5:00 follies on our own side." "I am not about to become some propaganda mouthpiece for the NVA or the VC." "You report truth." "You'll be my guide?" "Really dangerous." "Real expensive." "Very expensive." "Listen, I'd like to bring..." "No." "Only you." "I contact you." "What's that on your helmet there, soldier?" "Don't tell me it stands for "fun, travel, and adventure."" "Oh, no." "It's my initials, F.T.H." "It's Francis Thurmond Hockenbury." "Well, see, the "h" looks like an "a"" "because, uh, well, it's a round helmet, and it's a little difficult to get the, uh, the letters all..." "you know, straight." "You know, that mustache looks a little long to me." "Really?" "I just trimmed it." "Regulations stipulate that no mustache must drop below the corners of a soldier's lip." "Well, see, I think that's a little hard, sir, because I never really know exactly where the corner of my lip is, because I think that depends on whether I'm... like, I'm frowning or I'm smiling," "because smiling's up..." "Don't be goofing' with me, soldier." "No, I..." "I wouldn't be goofi" with you, sir." "Now, the next time I see you," "I want that mustache and that hair trimmed." "Now, get on your feet and render a proper salute." "And take those damn love beads off!" "This is Vietnam, not Haight-Ashbury." "Yes, sir." "I will, sir." "Now, damn it!" "I want them off." "Excuse me, sir." "Is there a problem here?" "Yes, there is." "I want these love beads off this soldier..." "What beads?" "These beads?" "The mustache and the hair, by the book, tomorrow." "You just destroyed my personal pro..." "No, what I did was I saved you from an Article 15." "Give me a break!" "You think I give a damn about some black mark on my record?" "What are they going to do..." "send me to 'Nam?" "I've seen your record." "Some people already figure you for a black mark." "Ah, here we go." "What's that..." "the conscientious objector bit?" "So I'm against the war." "Big deal." "If you feel so strongly about it, why didn't you go to jail?" "And spend two years as some hard-timer's old lady?" "Nah." "There's always Canada." "Moose meat gives me hives." "Hey, I'm asking you a straight question here." "Just give me a straight answer." "Canada and jail would be negative experiences." "I hate to be the one to tell you this," "But Charlie can be a real negative experience, and he will try to kill you." "I'll take that chance." "Look, I'm just here... to help patch people up, and I don't carry a weapon, and I don't shoot anybody." "Ever." "Hockenbury." "Do your medic training at, uh, Fort Sam Houston?" "Yep." "Did you ever, uh..." "Ahem." "Did you ever run into a Major Seymour there?" "You mean Jennifer Seymour in the shrink training program?" "Yeah." "Why?" "You think I need one?" "No more than the rest of us." "Bet you didn't think I'd survive." "Mmm." "Mm-hmm." "You like it?" "I thought I'd give it a test run around the base before I took it downtown tonight." "Hmm." "Um..." "That's what I wanted to talk to you about." "Mm-hmm?" "I can't make it tonight." "Alex, it's our last night." "Well, no, not exactly." "I'm not taking the flight in the morning." "You're staying?" "No..." "Just, uh, something's come up." "What do you mean, "something's come up"?" "A story?" "You'll stay in town a couple extra days for a story, but you won't stick around for me, is that it?" "No, it's not like that." "Well, what is it like, Alex?" "You tell me." "My editor decides when I go to Paris." "He doesn't feel that my love life is important enough to postpone the flight." "This story is." "And what story is that?" "I can't tell you." "Is it dangerous?" "Maybe." "What do you mean, "maybe"?" "Is it dangerous?" "Oh!" "I..." "Probably, maybe." "I don't know." "It could be a walk in the park." "It could be very dangerous." "I'm not going to know until I get there." "I don't believe this." "Why are you doing this?" "You're finally out of the field." "I'm finally out of the field." "We have got a life waiting." "Could we discuss this somewhere else, please?" "Why bother?" "Why not just let the whole world know that you're flushing our future down the drain?" "Myron, this is what I do." "I'm a reporter." "I find stories." "I can't change that." "You could try." "Now what?" "We wait." "How long?" "I retract the question." "What was that?" "Put hand behind." "Don't touch me!" "Don't make trouble!" "I don't want them thinking they can put their hands all over me whenever they want to!" "What?" "What was that?" "He say shut up!" "Please excuse the blindfolds." "It was a security measure." "I don't think you really need to worry." "We've been up and down so many passageways," "I don't think I could find it without a blindfold." "I have never regretted being cautious." "You are Miss Alex Devlin?" "Mm-hmm." "I'm General Lum Thuk." "The man who helped orchestrate the Tet offensive, if I'm to believe Muoi here." "Pardon my modesty, but Muoi speaks truthfully." "No." "This is quite a setup you have here." "The accommodations suffer, even by Vietnamese standards, but it is adequate for our purposes." "We have gasoline-powered generators, a hospital, an underground well, kitchens, armament rooms..." "Punji stakes, scorpions, booby traps." "I've talked to a few tunnel rats." "Security is a necessity." "We can't expect to compete against American firepowers." "We must use other resources to win the war." "You really believe you can win the war?" "The general offensive and uprising was a resounding success." "The Liberation Armed Forces rose up in 64 cities." "The People's Army... was responsible for killing or wounding more than 200,000 U.S. and satellite troops." "Wait a minute." "Don't you think you're exaggerating a little?" "My understanding is that the ranks of the Vietcong were decimated at Tet." "There was no general uprising, and the few objectives that you did capture are now back in government hands." "Please..." "Miss Devlin." "General Thuk... is a brave and decorated leader of the People's Army." "I appreciate that... but I'd also appreciate if the general saved his party line for his superiors." "What I'm more interested in is finding out how the People's Army fights and survives in these tunnels." "Miss Devlin... is right." "Come." "Let me show you my home." "You want any more of this, LT?" "LT?" "What?" "The men are going to be all right, LT." "I mean, they've had replacements before, you know." "As I recall," "You didn't exactly arrive over here seasoned and combat-ready yourself." "No, I guess not." "Guess we all got to be a cherry at some point or another." "So, uh, what about this new medic?" "Is he going to be a problem?" "Well, now, that's hard to tell." "A year ago, I would have tried to transfer him out of here, but anymore... hell, his replacement's liable to end up being worse." "Well, the war's changing, sergeant." "There it is." "Maybe it's not such a bad time to move on." "That could be." "The men are going to miss you." "Well, I am going to turn in." "Yeah, you got a big day tomorrow." "Hell, I hope not." "Zeke." "Yeah?" "Good luck." "Thank you." "Now, I hope you all ain't planning on staying here too late." "This kid's up at 0700." "Percell." "Why don't you save some of that for the other guys?" "I'm just trying to take the edge off, sarge." "Hell, your corner's so smooth now, you're going to roll off that edge." "Well, now, that's not such a bad idea, is it, Taylor?" "It sure beats going out with some C.O. medic and cherry butter bar." "Now, wait a minute." "What's the matter with you guys?" "You've been out with replacements before." "Hell, you were replacements once." "No, it's different this time, sarge." "Lieutenant Goldman was family." "Yeah." "No matter how old this new dude gets, he'll still be stepdad." "I ain't worried about that new lieutenant as much as I am the conscie medic." "Yeah, tell it, bro." "The first time he turn-tails and runs, he's going to buy the farm, Jack, and it ain't gonna be no AK-47, either." "Taylor!" "Now, I don't want to hear that kind of talk." "Taylor's right, sarge." "Newbies are scary enough." "You know it and I know it." "At least we deserve one who'd watch our backs." "But I'm still not so sure that your tunneling expertise will win the war for you." "It's not our expertise, but our resolve that will win... to live underground like this for days, sometimes months at a time." "Could you imagine any of your American soldiers making such sacrifices?" "Sure, if it was their country." "But it is not their country." "It is ours." "May I show you something?" "My family, in the north." "My daughter..." "I have not seen her for almost a year." "My wife was killed in a bombing raid several months ago." "I'm sorry." "You really think it's worth the sacrifice?" "We have no choice." "This is our land." "We have no place else to go." "Another glorious day in Vietnam!" "Nice of you to show up, doc!" "Yeah!" "You kind of surprised some of us!" "Wouldn't miss it!" "Always liked horror films and roller coasters." "Good!" "You might be starring in a horror flick... your own!" "Let's do it!" "Let's mount it up!" "Doc!" "How are you feeling?" "Never better." "Okay, listen." "Everybody is scared... everybody." "It's the same the first time or the 50th." "It never gets any different." "You save that macho garbage for when we hit the LZ, because if it hits us, we're gonna need you out there." "I'll be there." "Go!" "Hey, Goldman!" "Not now, McKay." "No, I don't want to talk." "Where's Alex, man?" "What happened to her going-away party?" "I don't know." "She's your girl, isn't she?" "Yeah, well, I'm not her keeper." "Now, I've got a platoon full of replacements being led into Indian country by a green lieutenant..." "Hold on, hold on." "That's Miller's platoon now." "You got to let that go." "All right." "She missed her flight." "She's on some hot story." "What kind of story?" "Where?" "I don't know." "She couldn't tell me." "Well, is it dangerous?" "Maybe." "She couldn't tell me." "And you let her go?" "What do you expect me to do, McKay, smack her over the head with my cane and drag her back to my hooch like a caveman?" "I don't know, you know?" "Maybe if you cared." "I do care about her." "What would you do?" "I don't know." "Here." "It's on me." "For when she gets back." "You know, you two deserve each other." "You're both crazy." "You still think you can beat American firepower, even now, after Tet?" "Wars are not always won on the battlefield." "In time, your public sentiment will demand your troops be brought back home." "What was that?" "No cause for alarm." "Merely another B-52 strike." "Arc light." "Somebody's in a world of hurt." "B-52 strike." "Come on." "Miss Devlin, you okay?" "All right." "They made the river." "Well, then, this map's screwed up." "We should still be two klicks to the south." "No, sir." "We started right there, see?" "Right." "So let's take a look." "So what do you think?" "I think it's a good spot for an ambush." "Look, we don't have time to find another crossing." "Hook-up with Delta's at 1600." "Better late than dead, lieutenant." "Look, sergeant, this is what we're going to do." "It is better you go now." "I admire your determination, General Thuk." "I don't know where all this... or the war will end, but I sure hope the suffering on both sides doesn't go on too much longer." "Your courage is admirable, as well." "I can't believe we survived." "VC survive every day." "I don't know how people live like that." "This is our land." "We live and die with the land." "How will the driver know when to find us?" "He'll know." "Percell, Taylor." "Watch your butts." "Oh!" "Miller!" "Get down!" "Move!" "Move!" "Get some bloopers on that machine gun!" "Three o'clock!" "Red Leg 3-1, this is Blackjack 2-6." "Over." "This is Red Leg 3-1." "Go, 6." "I need a fire mission ASAP at Yankee Foxtrot one-niner-6-2-0-5." "I request one HE ground burst for marking." "Over!" "Roger, 2-6." "Suggest Willie Pete air burst." "Over." "I'm losing people here, damn it!" "I say again, I need one high explosive burst!" "Over!" "Ground out." "Start round!" "Get out!" "Incoming!" "Aaah!" "Doc!" "Doc!" "Get down!" "Covering fire!" "Red Leg 3-1, this is 2-5!" "Fire correction requested at 200 mikes!" "November Echo!" "One round!" "Willie Peter!" "Over!" "You're not going to die!" "Let him go, man!" "He's dead!" "Get down!" "We don't need a dead medic out here!" "The poor man's still in the river!" "Wait for artillery, then!" "He's going to drown!" "Doc!" "Cover him!" "Cover him!" "Marker round, on target!" "Fire for effect!" "Damn it!" "This boy's going to get me killed." "Cover me!" "Doc!" "Get out of there!" "Get out of there!" "Hey." "You're all right." "Get down!" "Get down!" "Let's go!" "Let's go!" "Let's go!" "Come on!" "Move out!" "Move it out!" "Keep him up!" "Come on." "Let's go." "Hurry it up." "Go, go, go." "Come on." "Let's get outta here." "Come on." "Get on up there." "They're all right, Hockenbury." "They're gonna be all right." "They're in good hands." "Are you all right?" "No!" "I saw corpses at Fort Sam, but it was nothing like this, man!" "I mean... the guy's alive one minute, dead the next!" "It's a waste!" "Look here!" "There are a couple of guys on that chopper who aren't corpses because of you." "The way I figure it, you done good." "Hey, soldier." "I didn't exactly want you to see me like this, but..." "Mmm." "I couldn't wait to see you." "I'll take you any way I can get you." "Those your guys?" "Not anymore." "Listen, um..." "I'm going to go get cleaned up and file my story." "Why don't we pick this up at the Banzai later tonight, huh?" "Okay." "Okay. 7:00?" "Try and keep me away." "Come on, men!" "Let's go!" "I heard it was rough out there." "Yeah." "We lost Eckersley and Lieutenant Miller." "I know." "What happened?" "He miscalled an artillery barrage." "Map-reading wasn't his strong suit." "I'm sorry I wasn't there." "What about the medic?" "Not bad." "He's got nerve." "He put his butt on the line," "And you can't ask for more than that." "So he held up." "Up till now." "He's out behind the chopper losing his lunch." "On us, Doc." "You did good out there." "So, Hockenbury, you drinking alone these days or what?" "Thought we could have a talk." "Sarge, what do we have to talk about?" "Um... the immorality of the war, man's inhumanity to man?" "No." "Hell, no." "That's much too deep and complicated for me." "I leave that stuff for you college boys." "No." "Uh, I was wondering..." "You remember before, when I asked you about Major Seymour?" "Well, how's she doing?" "I mean, how does she look?" "Mommy, mommy." "Hey, hey, hey." "How you doing, huh?" "She's all right." "Hey, guys." "Hello." "Hello." "Whoo, yes!" "Thank you, guys, but..." "Lucky man!" "Alex!" "No!" "Alex?" "Oh, God." "We've got a soldier down." "He's alive." "Get his shirt open." "What's the matter?" "Is he breathing?" "Yeah, yeah." "Let's get him out of here." "LT?" "Listen, uh..." "I know there's nothing anybody can say to you... right now." "It's just that the men wanted me to tell you... how sorry we all are."