Transcript: (1x12) Pushin' Too Hard

From Bravo 3/44th

Directed by: Bill L. Norton

Story by: David Hume Kennerly and Dennis Foley

Teleplay by: Steven Phillip Smith

See the Episode Guide

[1:40] Flamethrower!

GOLDMAN: Well, I won't have to trim my nose hairs for a while.

WALLACE: The Binh Khe Valley is a good place to use it. There's supposed to be some tunnels up there, possibly some caves.

ANDERSON: Isn't that where you got wounded?

WALLACE: Yeah, I'm feeling real sentimental about going back. Especially with the added fire power. Besides, it'll put on a good show for that reporter who's coming with us.

GOLDMAN: Reporter?

ANDERSON: Comin' with us?

WALLACE: You guys are gonna look real good on the evening news.

WALLACE: Come on.

[2:33] Who's Coming By Chopper?

BAKER: Who's that coming, Santa Claus or somethin'?

ANDERSON: No, some reporter. Wants a tour of the bush.

TAYLOR: That's all we need.

RUIZ: Yeah, probably some out of shape guy with three-inch thick glasses.

TAYLOR: I ain't babysitting the chump.

RUIZ: We'll get Horn to do it.

RUIZ: Oooooh, man!

TAYLOR: Forget what I said about babysitting, Sarge. I'll take her all to myself.

RUIZ: Oh Lord. She brushes her teeth with something nice.

BAKER: Yeah, I'd like to see her on an eight-foot wave at the Trestles.

RUIZ: Medic, Medic! Oh, I think I'm in love, man.

[3:27] Smile! You're On Camera!

VICKIE: Okay, you rolling, Khoi?

CAMERAMAN: Just a second. Okay, go.

VICKIE: Hi, I'm Vickie Adams and I'm here with Captain Rusty Wallace from the Bravo Company. We're here to ask him a few questions. Captain Wallace, can you tell us something about this mission?

WALLACE: Intelligence has picked up some NVA movement in the Binh Khe Valley. So, we're gonna take the, uh, whole company out, and do some recon, and maybe grab some prisoners.

VICKIE: Well that doesn't sound like much action.

ANDERSON: Well if that's not exciting enough for you, why don't ya call the Marines?

VICKIE: Well you look like you're pretty good at handling trouble, Sergeant.

ANDERSON: Yes ma'am, I am, but I don't go lookin' for it. We're not here to create stories for the press.

VICKIE: Great, okay. Khoi, cut it.

[4:11] Cut! Try Again!

VICKIE: I'm not asking you to create news. I'm just looking for the truth.

ANDERSON: We got plenty of that, ma'am. We got enough for you to take some home with ya.

VICKIE: I appreciate it.

ANDERSON: Don't speak too soon about that. Permission to check on the troops, sir.

WALLACE: Permission granted.

ANDERSON: Ma'am.

VICKIE: He's quite a guy.

WALLACE: He's probably one of the best sergeants around.

VICKIE: He's very direct.

GOLDMAN: Well we can always count on Sergeant Anderson to speak his mind. Besides that, we've found that being direct can be a very effective tool in the bush.

[4:43] Tell Baker To Change His Socks

ANDERSON: Alright, Johnson, check all the ammo and make sure all the weapons are clean. I don't want the rifles jammin', now.

JOHNSON: Anything else, Sarge?

ANDERSON: Yeah, tell Baker to change his socks, will ya please? The boy's gettin' a trifle musty.

[5:08] Sergeant, A Word, Please

VICKIE: Sergeant?

ANDERSON: Yeah.

VICKIE: I think this is gonna be a real interesting experience.

ANDERSON: Yeah, that's one way of lookin' at it. What's the matter? Those, uh, public information types in Saigon didn't give you enough news about the war?

VICKIE: At the press briefings? The Five O'clock Follies?

ANDERSON: That's what they call them now?

VICKIE: The truth is the last thing they wanna tell us, so I'm here to see it myself, firsthand.

ANDERSON: Miss Adams, the truth is, it's very hot and dirty out there, and very dangerous.

VICKIE: You think I can handle it?

ANDERSON: I think my men are gonna be very distracted about having a beautiful woman along.

VICKIE: Well thank you.

ANDERSON: I meant that as a fact, not as a compliment, now. And it is a fact. I'd rather my men be looking for booby traps than lookin' at, uh, lookin' at you.

VICKIE: Well, whatever. Uh, I just wanna make sure you give me a fair shake, just like you would some guy.

ANDERSON: I'll tell you what, Miss Adams. You do your thing. Just don't get in the way of me doin' mine.

VICKIE: My name's Vickie. What's yours?

ANDERSON: Sergeant.

[6:08] Dear John, or Rusty

No dialogue

[7:16] Need some help sir?

GOLDMAN: I don't think Walter Cronkite's going to want this footage.

VICKIE: Well, a little local color never hurts. So, whose idea was it to dispose of it this way?

GOLDMAN: I don't know. Some anonymous genius whose contribution to this war will be forgotten by history.

TAYLOR: LT! Need any help, sir?

RUIZ: Guided tour?

PERCELL: Maybe a demonstration of weaponry?

GOLDMAN: Tomorrow, guys, tomorrow. You can demonstrate all you know on the operation.

TAYLOR: Sir, could you ask her to say something?

VICKIE: Say what, soldier?

TAYLOR: Say anything.

RUIZ: Anything at all.

VICKIE: Well I'm Vickie Adams and I'm looking forward to getting to know you guys.

TAYLOR: I'm Marcus Taylor.

RUIZ: Alberto Ruiz.

PERCELL: Danny Percell.

TAYLOR: You don't know how nice that is, hearing your voice.

VICKIE: It's just a voice.

PERCELL: No, it's, it's an American woman's voice, ma'am.

TAYLOR: It's been nine months since I've heard an American woman's voice. Nine months! Thank you.

[8:03] Grooming and Hygiene

TAYLOR: You might as well give it up, Roo. You ain't never gonna get as pretty as me.

RUIZ: Yeah, you're pretty, alright. Pretty sorry and pretty apt to stay that way.

TAYLOR: Yeah, well, don't tell Miss Vickie. I think she's pretty partial to the kid.

PERCELL: Taylor, dream on.

TAYLOR: I was dreamin' last night, Jack. Whooo was I dreamin' last night.

COOK: Yeah, well, dreamin's about all you're gonna do where she's concerned, 'cause once she gets a look at me, oooh it's all over.

JOHNSON: Yeah, 'cause she'll probably drop dead.

BAKER: Hey, man, I just want to be on TV for the folks back home.

RUIZ: Yeah, me too. Ruiz the Terrible and his smokin' sixty. The nightmare of every Bronx gang.

TAYLOR: Your mug gonna be everybody's nightmare, ha.

RUIZ: Yeah? Well I hear they call you Double Ugly back on the block.

TAYLOR: Well you heard wrong, caveman. As a matter of fact, they call me coffee, 'cause I... grind so fine.

TAYLOR: I'm ready.

PERCELL (?): You're sick.

TAYLOR (?): Yeah.

[9:09] Operation Vickie

VICKIE: You ready?

CAMERAMAN: Mm-hmm. Action.

VICKIE: These are the young men of the second platoon of the Bravo Company preparing to go out on Operation... What are you calling this operation, Captain?

WALLACE: Uh... What about Operation Vickie?

VICKIE: Be serious.

WALLACE: No, I am serious. Operation Vickie it is. Look what you've done for morale, I've never seen these guys looking so good.

VICKIE: Alright then. Operation Vickie it is.

[9:41] Platoon, Ten Hut!

ANDERSON:

Platoon! Ten-hall! (?)

Well, well, well now, ain't this sweet, Percell? You look as clean as a Mississippi sheriff on election day, don't cha'?

Hey Cook, your boots are nice and shiny there. Why don't you go and scuff them up before Charlie sees us coming a mile away?

Did you shave, Ruiz? You did, didn't ya? You shaved, didn't you? I thought you didn't shave unless you were going to see mamasan Linda.

What do I smell? What do I smell? I smell after-shave lotion, that's what I smell. Y'all went and put on after-shave lotion, didn't ya? Didn't ya? Well don't get me wrong now, a handsomer group of fellas never existed. And I'm sure, I'm sure the nice lady there's gonna pass that on to the people back in The World, ain't you? Yeah.

But we do not go out to fight the enemy in the jungle smellin' like a house of ill repute on a Saturday night, no we do not. No, we wanna smell like dirty dogs and water buffalo so that the enemy doesn't get our scent and kill us.

So, you got sixty seconds here to go wipe that nice smell off your nice faces and get your butts back here smelling like the dirty dogs and animals I know and love.

Now, fall out! Go, go, go, go, move, move, move, move, move, move!

[11:31] To The Valley For Battle

(no dialogue)

[13:12] A Real Nice Kid from Kentucky

VICKIE: I guess the hardest part of being a commander is losing people.

WALLACE: Oh, someone told me I'd get used to it. No way.

VICKIE: Do the faces blur after a while?

WALLACE: I remember every one of them.

VICKIE: Anyone in particular you'd like to talk about?

WALLACE: Well, there was one guy up in the A Shau Valley a few months ago, a real nice kid from Kentucky. Mine took off both his legs. He was so calm about it, he just looked up at me and he said, "Sir, I'm gonna die, ain't I?"

VICKIE: I guess you have to encourage them.

WALLACE: Couldn't do it. Kid had these bright green eyes. They were so clean, they were the kind of eyes you just can't lie to. The doc offered him some morphine, said, said "here, this way you won't feel anything," but the kid waved him away. He looked up at the sky and he said, "It's a beautiful day, doc. I'd rather die feeling something." He was eighteen years old and he was dead in a minute and a half. You know, it tears you up when you see these brave young kids dying anonymously out here in the middle of nowhere, and the people back home just don't seem to give a damn.

VICKIE: They've got other concerns about the war.

WALLACE: But I wish they could see the kind of sacrifices these kids are making. And that's what you reporters have to do. You have to take people inside, so they can see and feel what's really going on, so that it means something. It's gotta mean something. It can't just all be for nothing... I'm sorry.

VICKIE: Okay, cut it, Khoi.

[14:40] Wading Through The Tall Grass

NVA SOLDIER: [speaking in Vietnamese] (transl: American soldiers!)

NVA SOLDIER: [speaking in Vietnamese] (transl: Coming this way, in this direction!)

JOHNSON: Don't move! I ain't in a good mood today.

[15:24] Talk To Me, Prisoner

INTERPRETER (?): (?)

WALLACE: Hey, no, no. You'd better turn this camera off now.

VICKIE: No, no, I can't.

WALLACE: What do you mean you can't do it? I asked you to turn the camera off.

VICKIE: Because, look, we just missed the capture. I'm not gonna miss the interrogation.

WALLACE: No, the camera's going off right now, lady.

VICKIE: Captain, listen you just—

WALLACE: Look you're gonna get plenty—

VICKIE: You're ruining the story.

WALLACE: No! No, that is not your story.

VICKIE: That is the story. That's just great. Ever heard of freedom of the press?

WALLACE [to interpreter]: Come on. What does he say?

INTERPRETER: Captain, he say you are surrounded by NVA battalion. No way out.

VICKIE: Is he serious?

ANDERSON: Well you wanna stick around and find out?

GOLDMAN: Sir, they could be getting into position right now.

WALLACE: Yeah, and maybe this joker's full of it. We still have a lot more area to recon.

ANDERSON: Look, Captain, I think we ought to take this man back in and turn him over to Brigade.

VICKIE: That's really your discretion isn't it, Captain? Then let's keep going; we've only been out half an hour.

[16:30] We Need A Better Story, Boys

WALLACE: Look, I know you guys don't like it, but this isn't much of a story.

ANDERSON: Well Captain, I didn't think we were out here to get a story.

WALLACE: Come on, Zeke, you know how it works. The folks back home haven't liked what they've been seeing on the evening news. Big operations haven't turned up much of anything.

GOLDMAN: So we're under orders to get good PR.

WALLACE: No, come on, you know they don't give orders to do things like that, but the pressure is on from Brigade, from Battalion, you name it. And it's heavy, believe me.

ANDERSON: Yeah, and it all rolls downhill, don't it? Right on top of the men there.

WALLACE: Sergeant.

ANDERSON: Sir.

WALLACE: I wouldn't be doin' this if it didn't make some good military sense.

ANDERSON: Yes, sir.

[17:15] All For The Show

VICKIE: Sergeant!

ANDERSON: Shhh—keep your voice down.

VICKIE: Sorry. What is the matter?

ANDERSON: The matter is we ought to be taking this prisoner back home.

VICKIE: Well, maybe you'll get more intelligence this way.

ANDERSON: Yeah, maybe we'll get shot up, too, but as long as you get your story, that's all that matters to you, isn't it?

VICKIE: Getting a good story's my job.

ANDERSON: And my job's keeping these men alive, and I'm happiest if nothin' happens out here.

[17:51] Sir, Don't Do This

GOLDMAN: Sir?

WALLACE: I'm gonna take Cook and Baker. I'm gonna recon in a semicircle up this trail for about eight hundred meters. I'm gonna circle around. I'll meet you right back here.

GOLDMAN: Sir, are you sure you wanna do this?

WALLACE: Yeah, I am.

GOLDMAN: Cook, Baker.

PERCELL: What's goin' on?

HORN: I don't know. It looks like the captain's taking out a patrol.

PERCELL: You don't see that very often.

JOHNSON: He must want these guys awfully bad.

GOLDMAN: Maybe too badly, Johnson. Take five, maintain security.

[18:51] Take A Break

VICKIE: Patrol should be back soon?

HORN: Well they'd better be, or we gotta go out there and find 'em.

RUIZ: So, uh, is it true the war protesters are spitting on GIs now?

TAYLOR: Anybody spit on me, they're gonna get the max, Jack.

VICKIE: Ah, those people aren't so much against you guys as they are against the war. So a lot of people don't think we should be here.

JOHNSON: Oh, so they're giving aid and comfort to the enemy, right?

PERCELL: They call that treason where I come from.

HORN: Oh, come on, man, you know a lot of folks think our involvement here is a lot of bull—

PERCELL: Horn, I don't think you and I ought to have this conversation again.

VICKIE: Anyway, people gotta stand up for what they believe.

RUIZ: Make love, not war, right?

TAYLOR: They got a point there, Roo. You know, the more I hear about all this free love, the more I like it. Maybe I ought to stop by off at this Haight-Ashbury on the way home. Introduce these hippie hammers to some real love. Love medicine of Marcus Taylor.

RUIZ: Yeah, just don't wear your uniform.

[19:57] I Found Lots of Tracks

WALLACE: Told you that yardbird was full of it. Nothing out there but some sandal prints and an old campfire that hasn't been used in a few days.

ANDERSON: Well, now, Captain, just because you didn't find them, doesn't mean they're not out there.

WALLACE: Oh they're there alright, but they're just not close. The two we rousted were doin' long range recon.

GOLDMAN: So we headin' back?

WALLACE: Oh no, Lieutenant, we're headed forward. We're gonna find these boys. Mount up!

[20:25] Cross The Wide River

GOLDMAN: Sir?

WALLACE: Yeah.

ANDERSON: Can we talk to you for a second?

WALLACE: So talk.

GOLDMAN: Are you okay, sir?

WALLACE: Why shouldn't I be?

GOLDMAN: Well, the mission, sir. It just seems like we're goin' overboard for no apparent reason.

WALLACE: Oh there's plenty of good reason.

ANDERSON: Well the press ain't exactly—

WALLACE: It ain't the press, Zeke.

GOLDMAN: Well what is it, sir?

WALLACE: I knew it was important when I was here in '67, but I forgot about it during those three weeks I was in the hospital.

ANDERSON: Captain, Charlie doesn't stay in one place. I mean, he moves around. He ain't gonna be right where you knew he was.

WALLACE: Unless he's got a real good hiding place, and unless we haven't done any recon. I think we may just surprise these buggers.

VICKIE: Seems like sound logic to me.

ANDERSON: I just hope the surprise ain't on us.

WALLACE: Nah. Come on, let's move out.

[21:32] This Is A Bridge?

VICKIE: Hey, look sharp, soldier; this might be on television.

ANDERSON: Hey, do you mind keeping your voice down, please?

WALLACE: Hey, lighten up, Zeke.

ANDERSON: Have it your own way. Yo, y'all, smile now, you might be on the TV.

PERCELL: My cousin Elmer. Say hi there to the folks back home, Elmer.

TAYLOR: War is hell. Somebody's gotta do it. Move! Caught a prisoner.

COOK: Hi, and welcome to scenic Vermont.

MATSUDA: Click-click.

RUIZ: Holá. ¿Que pasa?

[22:28] Break For Chow

TAYLOR: So, Miss Vickie, how did you get into this racket anyway?

VICKIE: Well, I covered homicide in Boston for two years and I—ouch!

TAYLOR: Ooooh weeee.

RUIZ: Your first war trophy.

TAYLOR: Yeah, that's a nasty leech. They usually go for me, but I guess this one found somethin' sweeter.

VICKIE: What?

RUIZ: Look at yourself. Eating ham and limas out of a can, covered with leeches. Why are you putting yourself through this jive for?

VICKIE: It's part of my career.

RUIZ: Girl, you're too beautiful to have a career. You should be holed up in some mansion, bringing beautiful little babies in the world, or at least working behind a desk.

VICKIE: What if I don't want that?

TAYLOR: Then you oughta have your head examined.

VICKIE: The world is changing, guys. A lot of women don't want to sit around the house any more. There's plenty of things we can do without being dependent on men.

TAYLOR: Fine, a woman that wanna work, that's cool with me. Then I'll sit home and eat bonbons and watch soap operas all day.

RUIZ: Hey, you know, I could see you barefoot and pregnant, too.

VICKIE: Yeah, well, I don't think that's quite what the women have in mind.

TAYLOR: Hey, wait, wait, wait. Where you goin'?

VICKIE: To answer a rather pressing call of nature.

TAYLOR: Yeah, but you can't go out in the jungle by yourself.

VICKIE: Well you wanna hold my hand?

RUIZ: I do.

VICKIE: You are.

TAYLOR: Hey Roo, pass me them lima beans.

RUIZ: Party time!

TAYLOR: Yeah.

[24:07] Is That A Monkey?

MATSUDA: What are you doin', man? You trying to sneak a peek at her or what?

COOK: Do I look that crude to you, Doc? I'm just up here to get the coconuts is all.

MATSUDA: You are coconuts.

VICKIE: I love coconut milk.

COOK: You like coconut milk? Then I'm gonna get you some. What you want is what I get.

VICKIE: Uh, Khoi, come here, I want you to film this. Get a tight shot.

COOK: I got you two. One for me, one for you. You like?

[25:15] Shot Rang Out!

ANDERSON: Down, down!

VICKIE: (screams)

SOLDIERS [o.s.]: Look out! . . . Where is he? . . . Watch that treeline! (?)

GOLDMAN: Defensive perimeter!

ANDERSON: Hold your fire!

WALLACE: How is he? Can you do anything?

ANDERSON: Hold your fire!

MATSUDA: He—he's dead, sir.

WALLACE: You've gotta do something.

MATSUDA: There's nothing I can do except zip him in a body bag.

[25:32] Taylor The Prisoner

WALLACE: Taylor, the prisoner! The prisoner!

ANDERSON: Percell, Taylor!

SOLDIERS [o.s.]: Come on, let's get him. . . . He's getting away!

WALLACE: Don't kill him, don't kill him! Damn! That's all we need.

GOLDMAN: Maybe they'll catch him—

WALLACE: And maybe they won't. I need a prisoner.

GOLDMAN: I think we're all aware of that, sir.

[25:58] We Lost Him

ANDERSON: It's like the jungle swallowed him up or somethin'.

WALLACE: Terrific!

ANDERSON: Yeah, and he's on his way back to warn his buddies, so we'd better didi outta here, I'd say.

WALLACE: Five minutes.

[26:16] Death On The Evening News

VICKIE: ...American soldier who lost his life for a peaceful gesture, and this is a very sad example of the irony of the war. Okay, Khoi.

ANDERSON: Did you get that all on film, did ya?

VICKIE: Khoi's a good cameraman, he doesn't miss much.

ANDERSON: So you're just addin' a little narration, huh?

VICKIE: I'd like to get some comments from you, too.

ANDERSON: Some comments, huh?

VICKIE: I'm sorry about your man, Sergeant, but the footage of his death is very dramatic.

ANDERSON: Yes, indeed, it was dramatic footage. But I'm afraid you can't use my comments on TV. Here, give me the camera.

CAMERAMAN: (?)

VICKIE: You can't take—you can't take the film, Sergeant.

CAMERAMAN: No, get back. (?)

VICKIE: Sergeant, don't do this—

ANDERSON: Get out of my face!

VICKIE: —it's a very good story! What about the First Amendment and our rights?

ANDERSON: What about Cook's rights?

VICKIE: We shot the story, that's our job dammit!

ANDERSON: And it's my job to protect my men and I'm gonna do that job even if it's only protecting a memory.

VICKIE: You're like everybody else in this war, doing whatever you can to keep the truth from the American people.

ANDERSON: Oh, come on, lady. You wouldn't know the truth if it bit you on the behind.

VICKIE: The film doesn't lie.

ANDERSON: Well what does the film say about the four months this boy spent over here soldiering? You gonna let the American people know he got killed getting you coconut milk?

WALLACE: Get the men ready, Sergeant. We're moving out.

ANDERSON: Back to the LZ?

WALLACE: No, we're not going back to the LZ. I don't even have a prisoner anymore, and I sure as hell ain't going back 'til I get one.

ANDERSON: Yeah, well, you had one!

VICKIE: And I don't have a story anymore since he ruined the film!

ANDERSON: No, hell, no. You got souvenirs, lady; you got coconuts.

VICKIE: You haven't heard the end of this, Sergeant, and if you don't do something about him, I'm taking it higher.

[27:38] Treat The Press With Respect

WALLACE: You are goin' to treat these people with respect and cooperation. I will not have you sabotaging their equipment. Is that clear? Is it?!

ANDERSON: Yes, sir.

WALLACE: Now let's get outta here!

[28:02] Don't Play With My Men's Lives

VICKIE: That was a lousy trick you pulled back there.

ANDERSON: All right, now, listen. I just didn't want Cook's parents to see him die like that.

VICKIE: You gonna tell them he died a hero?

ANDERSON: No, Cook's parents will be told he died from hostile fire. There's no need for them to see him die acting like a jackass for some—

VICKIE: What?

ANDERSON: Forget it, will ya'?

VICKIE: You blame it on me, don't you?

ANDERSON: You're damn right I blame it on you, I do. I blame it on you and I blame it on Captain Wallace. You don't play around with people's lives like that—

VICKIE: Play around? I'm out here risking my life, too.

ANDERSON: Yeah, right, and then when you get your little story, you go on back to livin' the good suburban life and you leave these guys out here in this crap.

VICKIE: Well what are you driving at, Sergeant?

ANDERSON: I ain't drivin' at nothin'. It's just I get the feeling that this, this whole thing is-is-is not real to you. It's like some experience that you go to the store, and you buy, and you take home, and you put it on your shelf.

VICKIE: I care about your men, Sergeant.

ANDERSON: You don't know squat about my men. You don't know squat. Most of these guys, they come from nothin'. They got no money to have fancy ideas about the war or lawyers to get 'em out of it. And most of 'em if they're lucky enough to get home, they ain't got nothin' waitin' for 'em.

VICKIE: I wish life weren't so unfair, I really do.

ANDERSON: Well I guess there's nobody to talk to about that, is there? You see, I'm gonna make it home, and I know I'm gonna drive by a VA cemetery some day, and I'm gonna look out there and I'm gonna get to think about what I did over here, and I gotta know that not one of those tombstones is out there because of somethin' I did. Not one of 'em. Can you say the same thing?

[29:47] We Have Found A Bunker

GOLDMAN: What you got, sir?

WALLACE: I think we got us a bunker. Halfway up that hill, my 11 o'clock. Pretty well concealed by vines, but it looks big. What do you think?

GOLDMAN: Well, it could be a storage space.

ANDERSON: Yeah, it could be a hiding place for a platoon of well-fed infantry, too.

GOLDMAN: Well let's just lob a couple o' grenades up there.

ANDERSON: I don't think it'd do any good from here.

WALLACE: Yeah, it'd just give the dinks a chance to didi out of there. No, I say we move closer and we do a more thorough recon.

WALLACE: Well?

ANDERSON: You're the boss.

WALLACE: Yeah. I'll take Third Squad, and I'm gonna flank 'em through those bamboo.

VICKIE: I wanna go with you.

WALLACE: This could get rough.

VICKIE: So, let's get on with it.

WALLACE: Third Squad, you're with me.

[30:44] This Is Our Firing Line

GOLDMAN: Percell. Alright, I wanna set up a blocking force all along this line here. You make sure Ruiz gets that pig behind a rock, and tell Horn to get up here.

[31:00] Captain and Third Squad Move Out

no dialogue

[32:39] Ambush

TAYLOR: Sarge! We got him, Sarge.

ANDERSON: Can you move?

WALLACE: Yeah, yeah. Let's get outta here.

ANDERSON: This way.

SOLDIER [o.s.]: Cover your flank!

WALLACE: Take cover.

ANDERSON: Are you alright?

WALLACE: It'll heal. I knew we'd find somethin' up here.

ANDERSON: Yeah, ain't we lucky? I suggest we didi on back to the LT.

WALLACE: Right.

ANDERSON: Alright, Taylor, leave the blooper. Johnson, Baker, you take these newspeople, you get outta here.

VICKIE: No, I'm staying, Sergeant!

ANDERSON: No, you ain't!

WALLACE: We'll cover. Ready? Go!

[33:11] Get Her Out of Here!

ANDERSON: Now what?

WALLACE: You, me, and the lady.

ANDERSON: Wha—? Alright, you follow the captain this time, you hear me? Okay, ready?

WALLACE: Zeke?

ANDERSON: Yeah.

WALLACE: I'm sorry, man.

ANDERSON: It don't mean nothin'.

WALLACE: Cook, this mess, it's all my fault.

ANDERSON: Oh man, there's plenty of time to patch this up at Ladybird. It's alright.

WALLACE: I'm gonna take the time now. I just want you to know.

ANDERSON: Captain, let's just get out of here.

WALLACE: Right.

ANDERSON: Are you ready? Go!

[33:55] Captain Down!

VICKIE: (screams)

ANDERSON: Wallace!

ANDERSON: Captain! Captain.

[34:16] Don't You Shut Down On Me, Girl

ANDERSON: We've gotta get outta here. Don't you shut down on me, now. Come on, there's a stream about two hundred meters from here. Now we can make it. You just stay real close to me and you run like hell. You got it? Ready? Go!

VICKIE: Aaaah aaah!

ANDERSON: Were you hit?

VICKIE: It's not bad.

ANDERSON: Okay, let's go, let's go. C'mon!

ANDERSON: Can you make it?

VICKIE: Yeah I can, I can.

ANDERSON: Come on, come on, come on, come on.

VICKIE: Aaaaah.

ANDERSON: Alright, alright, alright, alright.

[36:14] You'll Be Alright Here

ANDERSON: Let me have a look at it there. Let me have a look at it.

VICKIE: No it's fine, it's fine.

ANDERSON: No, lady, it's not fine. You got yourself a hole in your leg here.

VICKIE: Shouldn't you get back to your men?

ANDERSON: Yeah, I intend to do that as soon as I get you squared away. Alright, the LT's in it now.

VICKIE: It all happened so fast.

ANDERSON: Are you sorry you didn't get it on film?

VICKIE: That is a cruel—

ANDERSON: I'm sorry, alright? I'm sorry. Look, lady, come on. You get a hold of yourself, now. I can't afford to have you goin' south on me now.

VICKIE: Save your tough talk for the barracks, Serg—

ANDERSON: Alright lady. Look Vickie, Vickie. Listen to me. You were very brave back there, now don't sit here and beat yourself up about that.

VICKIE: But the man is dead.

ANDERSON: Yes, he is, he is dead. But there were more before him, there's gonna be more after. But it wasn't you that got him killed.

VICKIE: I just wanted to get close, you know? Really feel what it was like.

ANDERSON: Well, you did that.

VICKIE: Yeah, yeah, I did, and look at me now. I feel like a fool.

ANDERSON: Alright, you'll be alright here, okay? It'll be safe right here, but you stay tight, you understand me? I will be back. Okay?

[36:54] Lt. You're In Command Now

GOLDMAN: Hit em with a nine! (?)

ANDERSON: LT. LT.

GOLDMAN: Where's the girl?

ANDERSON: She got shot in the leg. She's back over there.

GOLDMAN: Captain?

ANDERSON: You're in command now, LT.

GOLDMAN: You okay?

ANDERSON: Yeah. How you doin' here?

GOLDMAN: Well, we lost a couple. We definitely shut them up in that bunker. Let's go.

[37:18] Charge That Bunker

GOLDMAN: Wallace was right; they're all over the place.

ANDERSON: Yeah, I'm starting to get ticked off. I'm gonna give 'em the Zeke Anderson touch up close and personal. Yo! You with the flamethrower. Follow me.

GOLDMAN: Hang on, I'm goin' with ya.

ANDERSON: LT, it's your company now. You better stay here with the men.

GOLDMAN: Alright, go. Cover! Cover!

[38:15] Zeke Gets Up Close and Personal

VICKIE: Sergeant Anderson's going up there, isn't he?

HORN: Yeah, but you're—

VICKIE: Come on, Khoi.

HORN: Hey, I don't think you should be doin' this.

VICKIE: I'm a reporter, soldier, and I'm gonna get my story. Let's go!

[38:40] Ruiz And His 'Hog' Talk Trash

ANDERSON: Sanders!

[39:23] Zeke Burns The Trash

VICKIE: Khoi. Khoi, just follow him.

ANDERSON: Smoke this, suckers!

[40:36] Taps For Captain Rusty Wallace

CHAPLAIN: The Lord bless you and keep you. The Lord make his face shine upon you and to be gracious unto you. The Lord lift up his countenance upon you to give you peace both now and forevermore. Amen.

GOLDMAN: Sergeant Anderson.

ANDERSON: Platoon! Dismissed!

[42:15] I'm So Sorry

VICKIE: I'm sorry this happened, Sergeant.

ANDERSON: Well Captain Wallace was right about the bunker. I mean, Intelligence is gonna have a good time with all the documents and stuff they found, and they did get their high body count.

VICKIE: Somehow that doesn't quite make up for it.

ANDERSON: No, ma'am, it does not.

VICKIE: Will you ever forgive us?

ANDERSON: It's over. Now, I'm not sayin' it was right, but you gotta understand this Captain Wallace here, he was under a lot of pressure. I mean— I mean, Brass was pushin' him too hard. And he was carryin' around a Dear John letter from his wife.

VICKIE: Oh God.

ANDERSON: They wonder why we go wacky when we go on back home, I'll tell you what.

VICKIE: I wanna say something good about these men, Sergeant. I think they're getting a bad rap back home. They're not a bunch of murderers or baby killers.

ANDERSON: Oh no, look here, now. You keep lookin' hard enough and you will find those. I mean, we're just a group of people just like any group of people. I think it's just too bad that we don't ever get looked at as individuals, you know?

VICKIE: What do you want when you go home?

ANDERSON: When I go home? When I go home... I wanna be treated like a human being when I go home. Hell, we're all gonna need somebody to talk to.

[42:51] It Ain't Right, Man

TAYLOR: It ain't right, man.

JOHNSON: It feels like I'm just turning my back and walkin' out on Captain Wallace.

GOLDMAN: Goodbyes are always hard, especially this kind.

HORN: It's not gonna be hard to say goodbye to this place.

RUIZ: That ain't it, Horn. We're tryin' to say goodbye to the Captain, and nobody seems to know how.

ANDERSON: LT. I think the men could use a few words.

GOLDMAN: I wish there was, uh, something I could say to make this easier on everybody... make it easier on myself... but a good man's dead and there's nothing easy about that. We've all got memories; that's where this man'll keep—keep on living. I think it might help to remember all the times that Rusty Wallace put himself on the line for us and the guys who came before us. Remember the Silver Star, the Bronze Star, two Purple Hearts. Remember the times that he stuck his neck out for all our personal problems. He was a good soldier, and he cared.

[45:47] Operation Vickie Signing Off

VICKIE: This is Vickie Adams in I Corps, South Vietnam.

End

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