Season 1: Episode 6: Burn Baby Burn
From Bravo 3/44th
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Contents |
Overview
- Directed by
- Reynaldo Villalobos
- Story by
- L. Travis Clark & Steve Duncan
- Teleplay by
- L. Travis Clark & Steve Duncan and Steven Phillip Smith
- Guest Stars
- Ving Rhames ... Spc. Tucker
- Mark Rolston ... Pvt. Innis
- Robert Knepper (as Rob Knepper) ... Pvt. Allen
- Also Starring
- Ronald William Lawrence ... Spc. Darden
- Hung Quoc Han ... Tam
- Michael Hasegawa ... Quang
- Tom Brady ... Hull
- Maurice Travis ... Pvt. Wolfe
- Original Air Date
- 5 November 1987
- Title Card
- The armed services were desegregated by President Harry S. Truman on July 26, 1948--Executive Order #9981.
Episode Summary
At the time of this story and the war in Vietnam, America was going through some major changes on the home front. War in the jungles of Southeast Asia was raging while racial tensions were raging in the states. As with most ideological views, the tensions spilled over into the Vietnam war. Racial tensions were manifested in the ranks of the American personnel in the battles of Vietnam. Oddly enough, Vietnam was all one race of people until we came along. We introduced the Amerasians; Eurasians; and Afriasians to the ranks of the Vietnamese people.
This is the story of the whites bringing the tokens of racism and bigotry to Vietnam and the blacks bringing anger and resentment with them. The two factors clashed and that fight affected the war in the jungles of Vietnam. Again, Tour of Duty tackles a volatile subject with honest candor and allows performances of strength and character by Percell; Johnson; Anderson and Goldman. The complexities of the enemy definitions mixed with the confusions of a divided military force will once again show us why this is the only war ever lost by the world greatest military power to a weak and inept force. Just who are we fighting and why are we fighting amongst ourselves? (By Ernie)
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Transcript (see transcript listing)
Excerpt from scene [15:26] Getting Hip at the Helipad
JOHNSON: Looks like our ride's here.
PERCELL: Hey, you guys ready for another one?
TUCKER: Ready for you to didi, white meat.
TAYLOR: Lighten up, dude. Percell don't play that trash. Besides, he's the best shot in the platoon.
TUCKER: So what? Why don't you go over with Innis and your other honky confederates?
PERCELL: 'Cause I'm over here. I don't think like those guys, Tucker, I was taught to judge a man by what he does, not his color.
TUCKER: What do you want, the Nobel Peace Prize?
PERCELL: Wow, Tucker. You and Innis got a lot more in common than you know. You guys aren't buyin' this stuff, right--?
TUCKER: Look, don't put me in the same breath as that cracker.
PERCELL: Then do me the same courtesy.
JOHNSON: Why don't you guys lay off, man. Now, look, he ain't got nothin' to do with it.
TUCKER: Get hip, farmer boy, before it's too late. The time is comin' when you're gonna have to choose sides.
JOHNSON: Time's here when we're goin' on a mission--together.
TAYLOR: Load up!
Song Listing (see full series listing)
- Rock Me Baby (J. Josea/B.B. King). Performed by Otis Redding. Otis Blue: Otis Redding Sings Soul. Atco, 1966.
Scene: Taylor, Darden, Tucker, and Johnson enter a bar, drawing the ire of Innis and Allen.
Buy Song / Listen via iTunes
- Ball of Confusion (B. Strong/N. Whitfield). Performed by The Temptations. Greatest Hits, Vol. 2. Motown, 1970.
Scene: The men load up to go on mission together, but racial hostility is about to tear them apart.
Buy Song / Listen via iTunes
- Bad Moon Rising (J. Fogerty) Performed by Creedence Clearwater Revival. Green River. Fantasy, 1969.
Scene: Tucker leaves the unit, but trouble is on the way.
Buy Song / Listen via iTunes
Trivia
- Anderson, Zeke
- has spent "a whole lifetime" around white trash
- Baker, Scott
- surfs
- Goldman, Myron
- first explicit mention that he is Jewish
- has a lot of respect for Southern courage and pride
- Johnson, Marvin
- best soldier in the platoon
- Percell, Daniel
- best shot in the platoon
- self-described "hick from Montana"
- Taylor, Marcus
- from Detroit. Has an uncle there.
Favorite Quotes
ANDERSON: You think you're an original, don't ya'? Huh? Well you ain't. I spent a whole lifetime around people like you. And what you got is a case of the white trash syndrome, boy. And you got it real bad.
TUCKER: The real storm is on the horizon.
Screenshots (see Screenshots page)
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