Season 1: Episode 2: Notes from the Underground
From Bravo 3/44th
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Contents |
Overview
- Directed by
- Bill L. Norton
- Written by
- Bill L. Norton
- Guest Stars
- Clyde R. Jones ... "Point Man" Clyde Ferguson
- James Pax ... NVA doctor
- Alfie Wise ... "Top Rat" Stone
- Also Starring
- Winston Omega ... Peg Leg
- Anthony T. Mason ... Sgt. 1st Squad
- Roland Nip ... 1st NVA Soldier
- Colin Fong ... 2nd NVA Soldier
- Dung Tan Nguyen ... NVA Officer
- Vincent Thinh Nguyen ... NVA Commander
- George Marshall Ruge ... Capt. of Engineers
- Original Air Date
- 01 October 1987
- Title Card
- The Vietnam War was the longest war in American history.
Episode Summary
Those sneaky NVA are up to no good again. This time, they use an underground tunnel network to attack the Americans by surprise, and then disappear. Taylor ends up disappearing, too, going missing after getting shot during a sniper attack. Once again, Ruiz makes the all-important discovery, hitting the nail on the head, or at least some part of it. Goldman and Anderson get another argument in before going down into the tunnels together, and have a real blast. Taylor's time in the tunnels is as much about physical captivity as it is mind-opening, and though he lays the enemy to rest, will the experience be a hint of things to come for him before the end of his tour? (summary by Erika)
This was a great story on the bonding that was prevalent in the Vietnam war. Over there, people became friends for life and considered each other as family and we greet each other as brother or sister. This was the time for a bonding between the platoon leaders, Goldman and Anderson. It was also a time of unique bonding between two representations of the war enemies, Taylor and the North Vietnamese Doctor. The issue of bonding was dealt with early in Tour of Duty and by the end of your tour, you are close personal friends with some great people. (By Ernie...)
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Transcript (see transcript listing)
Excerpt from [0:00 / 0:00] Teaser. The Bush
RADIO [WALLACE]: Bravo Three Six, this is Bravo Six. Request situation in your AO. Over.
SQUAD LEADER: Bravo Three Two, we're about 3-0-0 mike to Sierra of Lima Zulu. Over.
NVA SOLDIER: Không sao, không sao [trans. it's okay, it's okay].
SQUAD LEADER: Let's get some fire, one o'clock!
RADIO [GOLDMAN]: Bravo Three Two, Bravo Three Two, over.
SQUAD LEADER: I'm taking heavy fire on my left flank! I got people down!
SQUAD LEADER: They're pulling out. We got 'em on the run, over!
RADIO [GOLDMAN]: All right, which way are they headed, over?
SQUAD LEADER: West, towards you.
ANDERSON: All right, hasty ambush. Ruiz, get up here with the '60, come on now.
GOLDMAN: All right, they're comin' through right over here, right over here.
SQUAD LEADER: Move out, move out!
FERGUSON [POINT MAN]: Come on! Go, run! ...Let's go!
SOLDIERS: Let's go! ...Ambush! Let's get some! Let's get some!
GOLDMAN: Right over here. Let's move it.
GOLDMAN: And here, and here.
GOLDMAN: Sergeant, get your helmet on.
GOLDMAN: Come on, do it!
ANDERSON: All right. Hold your fire now. Hold your fire.
SOLDIER: [?] (sounds like 'stay low, stay low,')
ANDERSON: All right, hold your fire. Wait 'til you see 'em, wait 'til you see 'em now...
GOLDMAN: Fire!
ANDERSON: No, no, no, no, no! Hold your fire! Hold your fire! Cease firing! Stop shooting!
RUIZ: It's a VC!
ANDERSON: Hold your fire--!
FERGUSON: You idiots!
GOLDMAN: Cease fire--!
FERGUSON: You idiots! You idiots! You dumb--You almost killed us, man!
FERGUSON: Who's got the '60?!
GOLDMAN: Oh, God.
FERGUSON: Who has the damn machine gun?!
RUIZ: Madre...
FERGUSON: Who has the '60? Who has the '60?
SOLDIER: Hey, man!
ANDERSON: Nobody got hurt, nobody got--
RUIZ: I didn't know! It was an accident!
RUIZ: You were supposed to be gooks!
FERGUSON: Listen, my man, they were right in front of us, and they just disappeared!
Song Listing (see full series listing)
- "For What It's Worth" (S. Stills). Performed by Buffalo Springfield. Buffalo Springfield. Atco, 1967.
Scene: A medevac chopper comes in, and the unit load up their wounded. They continue on, entering a vacated village.
Buy Song / Listen via iTunes
- "Wipe Out" (Berryhill/P. Connolly/J. Fuller/R. Wilson). Performed by The Surfaris. The Surfaris Play Wipe Out. Decca, 1963.
Scene: An errant pig runs off with Baker's protein powder, and he gives chase while the guys cheer him on.
Buy Song / Listen via iTunes
- "Reach Out (I'll Be There)" (L. Dozier/B. Holland/E. Holland). Performed by The Four Tops. The Four Tops Live. Motown, 1966.
Scene: Ruiz serves up spit-roasted pig; Goldman and Anderson humor the Captain of Engineers; and Taylor says goodbye to his NVA friend before rejoining the outfit.
Buy Song / Listen via iTunes
Trivia
- Anderson, Zeke
- did tunnels in III Corps
- can speak Vietnamese, enough to swear
- is divorced. Has a young daughter.
- Baker, Scott
- is a vegetarian
- stocks up on Super Power Growth supplement
- is familiar with Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs
- Goldman, Myron
- hates snakes
- Johnson, Marvin
- considers Taylor his "main man"
- Ruiz, Alberto
- knows what a Bronx sewer smells like
- Taylor, Marcus
- not personal friends with Malcolm X
- was drafted
- has four months left in his tour
Favorite Quotes
RUIZ: That's ham. Ham is pig, and he ain't no cannibal.
NVA DOCTOR: ...And that is an irony of this war that I will never understand. How a lumpen proletariat, descendent of the slaves, can be induced to give up their lives to protect the capital of the ruling class.
TAYLOR: Are you some kind of Communist or something?
ANDERSON: You know, rank is sumptin' you wear. Respect is somethin' you're gonna have to earn.
GOLDMAN: Oh yeah, I saw that movie too.
ANDERSON: You all right?
GOLDMAN [curt]: I'm fine.
ANDERSON [sarcastic]: That's reassuring.
ANDERSON: You're lucky. It was a two-step.
GOLDMAN: A what?
ANDERSON: A two-step, that's the name of the snake. If it bites you, you go two steps... and then you die!
RUIZ: I walk in the Valley of Death, I fear no evil. I am the baddest madre that ever--Aaagh!
ANDERSON: Look at this stuff. This is American stuff. They've got more stuff than we do.
ANDERSON: Why, that's the best bad air I ever smelled in my life.
Screenshots (see Screenshots page)
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