Transcript: (1x8) The Good, the Bad, and the Dead

From Bravo 3/44th

Directed by: Reynaldo Villalobos

Written by: Brad Radnitz

See the Episode Guide

[1:39] Driving through the Countryside

JEEP RADIO: This is (?) adios (?). Hot and sweaty (?)

DECKER: Hey, we finally got some real music for a change. This guy's the greatest!

JEEP RADIO: Check the rearview mirror, everything's gettin' nearer, I can't [let it go by???]. I'm drivin' myself crazy, I'm losin' control. Looks like I'm headed down a rough and rocky road—

DECKER: Hey, baby, yeah!

JEEP RADIO: Heartbreak highway, fast lane to the blues. Each turn I take, leads me back to you. There's nothin' I can do—

DECKER: Rita Mae, you be the one and be all, baby! That's right, go for what you know! Haha!

DECKER: A-ooo!

RITA MAE: Whoo!

DECKER: (?)

JEEP RADIO: Wrong way (?). I can't see through the lines. Truck stop hoppin', baby. Last night took forever, can't sleep with the pain—

DECKER: Hahahahahaha!

JEEP RADIO: I still see you with me every time I lay down. That leaves a burning bridge to turn my life around—

DECKER: (?)

JEEP RADIO: Heartbreak highway, fast lane to the blues—

[3:00] Encountered Military Police

RITA MAE: Oh! Look out!

MP: Get out of the way!

MP: Who was that jerk?

JEEP RADIO: Each—

MP: Looks like Decker!

MP: Let's go get him.

JEEP RADIO: ...leads me back to you...

MP: Hey, halt! Halt! Stop!

MP: Yeah, it's Decker again—with a girl this time.

MP: Go get him!

BAKER (?): Hey!

JEEP RADIO: ...it's gotta be my heart. Heartbreak highway, fast lane to the blues. Each turn I take, leads my back to you—

[3:54] MP Shakedown of Decker

DECKER: Hey, give me a break, will ya, fellas? I gotta make morning formation.

DECKER: Listen, uh, chaplain thought it might need a brake job, I just—

MP: Uh-huh.

DECKER: I'm just road-testing the vehicle for him.

MP: Hmm.

DECKER: Whatsa' matter? You got no sense of humor, huh, guys?

MP: Hey, you hit the real jackpot, Decker.

MP #2: Come on, now.

RITA MAE: (?) I did nothing!

MP #2: Get over here!

RITA MAE: Ow! Let— Ow! You— Ow!

DECKER: Hey, wait a minute. She didn't do nothin'. She's on the base on my invitation.

MP: Right now we've got you with theft of government property, impersonating an officer, and violation of pass restriction. You're goin' to the stockade, Decker.

RITA MAE: Ow! You're hurting me! Leave me alone!

DECKER: Oh you're real bad. I wonder how bad you'd be without a backup.

TAYLOR: Check this dude out.

RITA MAE: Ow!

MP: Enough, already.

TAYLOR: Hey, let her go! Leave her alone, man! Leave her alone!

ANDERSON: All right, come on you guys. Get on outta here. You ain't got anything better to do with you lives? Come on.

ANDERSON: Decker.

RUIZ: You know that guy, Sarge?

ANDERSON: Yeah, we used to be hip-pocket buddies, a long time ago.

TAYLOR: You used to be friends with this guy back in the world, Sarge?

ANDERSON: Now, come on, now didn't I tell y'all to get out of here? What are you still doin' here? Huh?

MP: You bought it this time.

[5:20] Stockade. Anderson and Decker

ANDERSON: Do you know who I am, dipstick? It's your sergeant, boy. I'm here to tell you to drop your fun, grab your gun, it's time to be a soldier, son.

DECKER: Anderson. What the hell are you doin' here?

ANDERSON: I've come to get your butt outta jail, young sergeant.

DECKER: I knew there had to be somebody pullin' some strings. Lemme look at cha. Three tours of duty they didn't put any holes in you yet, huh?

ANDERSON: No, that's because I had myself a drill sergeant in A.I.T. taught me to duck my head, move my butt.

DECKER: Yeah, you weren't exactly college material, but I tried to overlook it.

ANDERSON: That was a very foolish move you pulled with the chaplain's jeep this morning, you know that?

DECKER: Foolish move? Let me tell you what, Rita Mae happens to be the best little pro in Chu Lai. I was countin' beans all weekend, and I had to see her, what else was I gonna do?

ANDERSON: Sign this.

DECKER: What is it?

ANDERSON: You're in my outfit now: the U.S. God-bless-em-all humpin' infantry, boy. Let's move 'em out.

[6:50] Officer Quarters. Anderson and Goldman

ANDERSON: There's some promising rookies in there, LT. I know; I checked over all the 201 files myself.

GOLDMAN: Sergeant Aubrey Decker. Did you go over his file?

ANDERSON: No, see, I know that man personally. I can... I can vouch for him myself.

GOLDMAN: Yeah? What about this? February of '66. Court martial... misconduct... drunk on duty—that's good. Insubordination... "Quartermaster battalion petroleum supply?" Sergeant, this guy's been pumping gas for a year and a half.

ANDERSON: Well, now, Lieutenant, I'm not going to lie to ya now. The man's made some mistakes and he, he's rubbed some people the wrong way.

GOLDMAN: I don't know what you owe this guy, Sergeant.

ANDERSON: LT, I don't owe the man anything. It's just I'm convinced now that he wants to put all, all this... this stuff behind him, and if I'm right LT... If I'm right, we've glommed onto the best field leader in I Corps.

GOLDMAN: He'll work under you?

ANDERSON: I'm convinced of it. I want him to take Jenson's place as squad leader.

GOLDMAN: Will he follow orders?

ANDERSON: LT, I can handle the man. I don't intend to jeopardize the safety of the platoon. We're movin' out tomorrow, we've gotta be at full strength.

GOLDMAN: Yes, now go away.

[8:11] Loading Cattle Trucks to Choppers

ANDERSON: All right, come on come on, let's go, go, go, go, go, go, move, move, move, load 'em up!

SOLDIER [o.s.]: You heard the man, let's get the lead out!

DECKER: All right, you heard the briefing. Once we're off the chopper we're in Indian country the whole way. No gunfire unless we're under attack. No talking above a whisper. I want light noise discipline strictly adhered to. If I hear you breathing, you're wrong. I don't even wanna hear your damn boots squeak. Any questions?

BAKER: Hey, what's so important about a damn radio station, anyhow?

TAYLOR: This ain't exactly Wolfman Jack we goin' after, Baker.

BAKER: Look I missed briefing, all right? I must've dozed off. What's goin' on?

RUIZ: It's a communication center, dummy.

BAKER: A what?

RUIZ: It's like a radio relay site for the entire North Vietnamese command.

BAKER: Well if it's a communication center, why don't the Air Force just go in and blow it away?

TAYLOR: They already tried.

RUIZ: Yeah, and Charlie's still signaling.

BAKER: Yeah, well, maybe it's dug in or somethin'.

RUIZ: You know, that guy's one in a million, Sarge. Got the finest military mind in Orange County.

DECKER: Don't be too hard on him, son. How about you? If any of us had our brainpans drained, we'd all be a good ten thousand miles east o' here. Smoke 'em if you got 'em guys.

[11:10] Break Time Over

ANDERSON: All right, people, let's move it out.

ANDERSON: Aubrey, your squad takes lead.

DECKER: Who's the regular point man?

TAYLOR: Matsuda. Hehehe.

JOHNSON: I am, Sarge.

DECKER: Okay. You take every other shift till we get there. Move out.

DECKER: Move!

[11:40] Skewered Beef

JOHNSON: What in the hell did you do that for?

SOLDIER [o.s.]: Ouch.

PERCELL: Johnson, you were just about skewered beef, huh?

JOHNSON: Thanks, Sarge.

DECKER: Any time you see sumptin' rigged up high to make you look up, look down—fast.

DECKER: Keep it moving, Johnson.

DECKER: Keep it down, guys.

ANDERSON: Well Aubrey, looks to me like you still got what it takes.

DECKER: I ain't got squat.

ANDERSON: Aw, come on, Aubrey, what I just saw tells me that you—

DECKER: What you saw was reflex; I ain't got nothin'. I not only don't have it, I don't want it.

BAKER: Geez, that'd be an ugly way to die.

RUIZ: There ain't no pretty corpses, Baker. Especially when a man's as big and homely as you.

[13:37] The Guys Talk about Decker

SOLDIER [o.s.]: Who's got a cigarette over here?

SOLDIER [o.s.]: Right here.

PERCELL: Hey Johnson, how you gonna make it up to Decker for saving your life?

JOHNSON: It's gonna be tough, let me tell you.

HORN: What do you think about Decker?

TAYLOR: I don't know. He seems okay. 'long as they don't let him get behind the wheel of a jeep.

BAKER: There ain't no jeeps out on this road.

RUIZ: You know, he's gotta be nuts. Anybody with eighteen years in gotta be missing some trolley wire.

PERCELL: They say the guy was a big deal in Korea.

HORN: I heard he enlisted when he was fifteen.

TAYLOR: Fifteen?

HORN: Yeah, he lied about his age just to get in.

BAKER: I'll tell you what, he's gotta be a survivor. How else could you live on Army food for that long?

JOHNSON: I heard that.

[14:30] Mission Palaver. Anderson, Goldman, and Decker

ANDERSON: All right, we're gonna start climbing in about an hour. I figure we'll set up our night perimeter right about there.

GOLDMAN: That's about two hours behind schedule.

ANDERSON: Decker, come here. All right, Decker, I want you to take Johnson and scout the trail. Oh—come here. Now there's been a lot of enemy activity reported right between this point here and this long rise. You see that? So I want you to stay one hundred meters in front of the platoon. I want you to travel for exactly one hour. We're gonna give you a two-minute head start. All right, you got that?

GOLDMAN: All right, maintain absolute silence. I don't want any unnecessary firing.

DECKER: You got it.

ANDERSON: Are you okay?

DECKER: Yeah.

DECKER: All right, Specialist, move out.

[15:25] Decker and Johnson forayed the Jungle

DECKER: That's far enough.

JOHNSON: We're only a minute ahead of the rest of 'em.

DECKER: Relax, will ya? We'll start up again in another minute.

JOHNSON: Okay, Sarge, whatcha got in mind?

DECKER: Nothin' fancy. I just don't believe in sticking my neck out for no reason. Why should we?

JOHNSON: What do you mean?

DECKER: Why should we?

JOHNSON: Now, you know why. The further forward we are, the more time the guys have to react in case we get ambushed.

DECKER: Look Johnson, ya think we're gonna win this war if we're ahead another fifty yards, huh? It don't make a damn bit of difference, so why bother?

DECKER: Relax.

DECKER: Let's go.

[16:49] Platoon Patrol

GOLDMAN: I knew that ridge line was mismapped. We've still got six or seven klicks to go.

ANDERSON: Yeah, well, let's just hope that border's marked right. The communication center's s'posed to be right on the Laotian border.

ANDERSON: All right now, LT, it's 1420. That means we've been walking for about one hour straight.

GOLDMAN: Five minutes, pass it down. Percell.

PERCELL: Sir.

GOLDMAN: I want you to move up and check on the forward position.

PERCELL: Yes, sir.

GOLDMAN: No wait, I'm gonna go with you. I wanna check on the terrain up ahead.

ANDERSON: We'll both go, LT. Tell you what, Percell, you stay here, you're in charge. You get the men to take their five and now you keep 'em quiet. Let's go.

GOLDMAN: All right.

DECKER: Ain't life grand?

GOLDMAN: Why the hell aren't you further forward, Sergeant? Is that all the ground you can cover with a two-minute head start?

DECKER: The platoon must've been movin' too fast, Lieutenant. I guess you gained ground on us.

GOLDMAN: Anderson, there's no point in havin' scouts if they're only a few yards ahead o' ya.

ANDERSON: Yes, sir.

GOLDMAN: I could do that with a stick.

ANDERSON: Decker, Johnson. Get on back down the hill to the platoon.

GOLDMAN: Yeah, I'll be further forward. Where you men are supposed to be.

[18:28] Anderson and Goldman scouting

GOLDMAN: Well, we're in for a hell of a climb.

ANDERSON: Yeah, you got that right.

GOLDMAN: Well, what is it with Decker?

ANDERSON: Huh?

GOLDMAN: Has he got slow feet or cold feet?

ANDERSON: Oh hey, that man's not a coward, LT. He's got a Silver Star and two Purple Hearts.

GOLDMAN: Yeah, well maybe he's had a change of heart.

ANDERSON: Naw, I don't think so, not him.

GOLDMAN: Ya' know, you've gotta' be his biggest fan. I wonder whether the real Decker can live up to all this hype.

ANDERSON: Hey LT, did you ever see Willie Mays play center field? No seriously, did ya'?

GOLDMAN: Sure.

ANDERSON: All right. Remember the catch he made against Vic Wertz in the 1954 World Series? Huh?

GOLDMAN: No.

ANDERSON: Was probably before your time... Well, the, the point is, LT, when the chips are down, you want the man out there you know can do the job.

GOLDMAN: Aw, geez.

[19:26] Anderson and Decker

ANDERSON: All right, what happened back there?

DECKER: I'm slowin' down, Zeke.

ANDERSON: Oh crap, Decker. If you were headed into town to get a few short ones, you'd be leadin' the charge.

DECKER: Spread out! These kids, they never learn the basics.

ANDERSON: All right, we're gonna be settin' up night position about an hour into that tree line.

DECKER: Good. I could use the sleep.

ANDERSON: No, you're gonna be on advanced listening post.

DECKER: Why? Punishment?

ANDERSON: No, it's not punishment. It's just I need your experience. If there's any enemy contact, we might have to go hand-to-hand combat. We have to maintain absolute silence.

[20:14] Rest Stop Guard Duty - Night

HORN: Hey. It's 0400. Maybe you oughta let up on that stuff, Sarge.

DECKER: Button it, Horn. The man said no talkin'.

HORN: Yeah, well, he'd be really upset if he knew you were drinkin' out here.

DECKER: Hell with him.

HORN: Look, I gotta catch some z's. You gonna be okay?

DECKER: Whiskey don't make me sleepy, makes me nasty. All you fish-head-eatin'-rice-guzzlin' dinks better watch out, you're gonna have to deal with double-bad Aubrey Decker. Relax, you're in good hands.

HORN: Okay. But if you need a break at all, you let me know, okay?

DECKER: I know where to find ya.

DECKER: Love is a burnin' thing, it makes a fiery ring...

[21:04] Horn Encounters VC - Morning

HORN: Oh, damn! Sarge, Sarge. This is s'posed to be your watch, man.

DECKER: Relax, will ya? Give me a minute.

HORN: We've gotta get out of here pretty soon, man. Gotta get those claymores in.

DECKER: Just let me get an eye-opener.

HORN: Decker, Sar—

ANDERSON: That's ours. LP.

ANDERSON: What happened?

DECKER: NVA scout.

ANDERSON: Where's Horn?

DECKER: He went after him.

ANDERSON: Man, you're drunk. Johnson, come on, now.

HORN: Aah... it hurts! Oh...

ANDERSON: Talk to him Johnson. Don't let him go into shock.

JOHNSON: Come on, take it easy now, take it easy. What are you trying to do, get another medal?

[24:19] Court Martial threat

GOLDMAN: You hear me real good, soldier. You are looking at a general court-martial. When we get back and if we get back, I'm throwin' the book at you, and that is a promise. You got it?

ANDERSON: Percell, get Matsuda up here.

HORN: Ugh...

GOLDMAN: What about the gook?

ANDERSON: He got away, but there is a blood trail.

JOHNSON: Yeah, both sides of where we found him.

GOLDMAN: Do you think he'll make it back to warn his unit?

ANDERSON: I dunno LT, with all that racket, they've probably already been warned.

[25:03] Horn

JOHNSON: Okay, Horn, breathe slow. Slow breathin' now, you don't wanna hyperventilate.

MATSUDA: All right, come on, somebody put a ruck under his feet. Let's go, come on.

BAKER: Man, he's lookin' awfully pale, huh—?

MATSUDA: He's gonna be just fine, Baker. You know, you're real lucky, Horn. You got a nice, clean wound there.

TAYLOR: Hey, Doc. Got any of that morphine left over?

JOHNSON: You kiddin' me? He's savin' it for himself.

HORN: Hurts like hell, Doc. I feel like I have a hole in my heart.

MATSUDA: Nah, nah, not even close. Look, you're gonna make it. Don't worry. Eh?

MATSUDA: We gotta get him medevaced out of here ASAP. He's got internal bleeding, there's nothin' I can do.

ANDERSON: All right, now there's a possible LZ right down there over the tree line. Now, I'm gonna give you two men, try to help carry him down there.

MATSUDA: All right.

ANDERSON: Horn. Hey little buddy. How ya' doin'? We'll get that hole patched up so the beer don't leak out.

ANDERSON: We're gonna get you out just as soon as we can get a Huey in here.

HORN: I shouldn't have left my weapon back there.

ANDERSON: Hey. Horn, come on, now. You done good, son. You did better than I could do.

HORN: I knew if he got away we'd be in deep trouble, so I—

ANDERSON: Horn, you stop it now. You done good. Done real good.

TAYLOR: LT said no choppers or the gooks will know we're here.

ANDERSON: They probably already know we are here.

PERCELL: Well does that mean the mission's a no-go?

ANDERSON: I don't know, Percell. That's up to the LT.

ANDERSON: Aubrey. I want to talk to you later, old buddy.

[26:51] Jungle Conference with Goldman and Anderson

ANDERSON: LT, we gotta make a decision about Horn.

GOLDMAN: How is he?

ANDERSON: Well, he might make it, if we get him out of here real soon.

GOLDMAN: I don't know. If that scout died before he got back to his unit, we still got the element of surprise. I can't afford to give away our position with a dust-off.

ANDERSON: On the other hand if that scout didn't die, we are sitting ducks, LT.

GOLDMAN: Well what are you suggesting, Sergeant? That I scrub this mission? You know we got a job to do here. We can't run every time we get into a little bit of trouble.

ANDERSON: So I take it that's a go.

GOLDMAN: Yeah, that's a go. Horn's gotta wait. That means no breaking of radio silence, that means no medevac choppers until we are through with this mission.

ANDERSON: Yes, sir.

GOLDMAN: And I'll tell you somethin' else, Sergeant. If your buddy hadn't screwed up on LP, we wouldn't be in this predicament.

ANDERSON: Now hold on, LT, you don't know that for sure, now, do you? I mean, you haven't heard Decker's side of the story, have you—?

GOLDMAN: Oh God, what do you owe this man?

ANDERSON: I owe the man friendship. I owe the man loyalty. You know what that is?

GOLDMAN: Yeah, I know what that is. That's something like trust, isn't it? Like when I trusted you when you told me to take on Decker. And just like Horn trusts me and all these other men trust me to make decisions. Well I screwed up and made the wrong one, and now Horn's gonna pay for it. I'll tell you something else: from here on out, Decker is relieved of his position as squad leader until we get back to Battalion.

ANDERSON: You sound convinced the man's guilty, LT.

GOLDMAN: I'm convinced the man was drunk on duty. No question about that, is there?

[28:28] Decker Makes Peace with Horn

HORN: Is that you, Decker?

DECKER: Yeah, how you doin'?

HORN: Oh, the shot knocked me out, I guess. It feels like I got this tiny little hot spot inside my gut.

DECKER: You're a good soldier, Horn. Sorry about what happened.

HORN: Oh, it wasn't your fault.

DECKER: Yeah it was, it was my time. I should have cut the gook myself.

HORN: We all let down sometimes.

DECKER: Yeah, sometimes.

HORN: Forget it, Sarge.

ANDERSON: Horn, got some bad news for you now, son. The mission's still on. That means we can't call in a dust-off until we make contact with the NVA. You understand that don't cha? Now I want you to hold on, it's only gonna be for a couple more hours. We're still gonna move you down the hill, now, and as soon as we can use the radio, we're gonna get you some help. All right?

HORN: I hear you, Sarge.

ANDERSON: All right, buddy.

ANDERSON: Friendly warning. LT's gonna smoke your tail.

DECKER: Well, if I do good in the mission, maybe he'll drop the charges.

ANDERSON: Forget it. He's canned you. You're not the squad leader anymore. You're just along for the walk.

DECKER: Huh, that's great.

ANDERSON: What in the hell happened back there, Decker? Come on, were you drunk, or what?

DECKER: I'll answer that if I have to, at the court martial.

[30:02] Squad Discussion

RUIZ: So much for Decker.

JOHNSON: Hey, he deserves it, man. How can you stick with a guy who's out drinkin' on a mission?

RUIZ: That's right.

PERCELL: You really think it was his fault Horn got stuck?

RUIZ: You're damn straight it's his fault.

JOHNSON: Look, what's the difference, Percell? Either way, the guy was dead wrong, right?

PERCELL: He made one mistake. Maybe he's entitled. The man's won medals, he's a war hero.

RUIZ: Not in my war.

TAYLOR: You sure you won't do the same, Ruiz?

RUIZ: Not stoned, brother, or under the influence. I was sound asleep when the man was on LP, thinking I was in steady hands.

BAKER: You know, it's funny. We all liked Decker yesterday.

JOHNSON: Yeah. That was yesterday.

TAYLOR: Hey, Horn. You be cool. And don't go messin' around with those sex-crazed nurses, okay?

BAKER: Yeah, and be sure they stitch you up first.

JOHNSON: And bring us back some cold ones, yeah.

RUIZ: Yeah, and a pepperoni pizza.

PERCELL: Hey Doc, you goin' with him to the LZ?

MATSUDA: That's right. You guys are gonna have to bleed on someone else for a change.

[31:07] Anderson Confronts Decker

ANDERSON: I see you came prepared, didn't ya?

DECKER: That's my motto: always prepared.

ANDERSON: What's all this drinkin' about, Decker? Whatsa' matter with you?

DECKER: I never felt better in my whole life.

ANDERSON: Well you look it.

ANDERSON: I went out on a limb for you, Decker. Now, hey, that ain't about nothin', but the guys in my platoon, they went out on a limb for you, too—and that is about somethin', let me tell ya.

DECKER: Well you're breaking my heart. Maybe I oughta write 'em a thank you note, huh—?

ANDERSON: They trusted you. They depended on you, buddy. And you let 'em down, and that ain't gonna happen again.

DECKER: Whoa! That's eight-year-old whiskey.

ANDERSON: Oh man, you're a sorry excuse for a human being.

ANDERSON: All right, Aubrey, now, what is it? If your nerves are shot, buddy—if your nerves are shot, I, I can understand that—

DECKER: That's not why I drink; I'm not a coward.

ANDERSON: All right, then you tell me why you do, and you give me a good reason.

DECKER: I drink, because when I drink I can understand the war, and I wanna fight the war when I drink—

ANDERSON: Give me this. Give me a break, man.

ANDERSON: Look at you. You're a drunk, Decker. There ain't no two ways about it.

DECKER: Go to hell.

ANDERSON: You know the really... the really funny thing, Decker, is I wanted to be like you.

DECKER: That shows how dumb you are.

ANDERSON: You're damn right I'm dumb. I've been dumb all my life; I'm so dumb I don't even mind. But when I was in basic training, old buddy, I was dumb and scared, and screwed up 19 different ways, and you straightened me out.

DECKER: Stuff it.

ANDERSON: Oh, come on, Decker. The old Decker—and I'm talkin' about Sergeant First Class Decker—he would have spotted that NVA scout and slit his throat in a heartbeat. Instead you let Horn—a green kid like Horn—do it for you, and now he's fightin' for his life, and the whole unit's up against it because of your screw-up.

DECKER: You know that feeling you get when you been kicked in the gut, and you know something's wrong, somethin' ain't right?

DECKER: Well that's what happened to me last tour of duty in the Delta. We was chasin' these Charlies down, and they just hit this village, and we had 'em. It was payback time. And they snuck right across that Cambodian border, and we wanted to go after 'em. Even the brass wanted to go after 'em. But the rules of the engagement said "no." The politicians wouldn't let us do it.

DECKER: You can't fight a war with one arm tied behind your back, Zeke. You can't win a war like that—

ANDERSON: Oh, give me a break, Decker, come on. Tell that to somebody that don't know you so well. You re-upped. You reenlisted voluntarily.

DECKER: Well, I didn't think I was gonna be here.

ANDERSON: Hey, you take the pension, you take the chances.

DECKER: It ain't the pension; it ain't the last twenty years—

ANDERSON: Then why don't you tell me what it is?

DECKER: It ain't that simple, Zeke. The Army's the only home I ever had. It's the only thing that ever made any sense to me. Now it's all changed. Whole world's changing.

ANDERSON: Darn right it's changed. But we're still regular Army, you and me, Decker. And what that means is, one way or another, we're gonna get the job done. So here: you pack your trash. And you fall in with the rest of the squad, but listen to me real close, son. You stay out of the way. This ain't your war anymore.

[34:32] Platoon on Patrol

GOLDMAN: Give me the weapon, Decker.

DECKER: What?

GOLDMAN: Give me the weapon—now.

DECKER: Are you nuts?

GOLDMAN: I don't want drunks with loaded weapons in my platoon. You'll load it when I tell you, not before.

[36:17] Radio Tower and Transmitter

TAYLOR: Somethin' up ahead, Sarge.

ANDERSON: Yeah. This could be it.

ANDERSON: Well, there's your radio mast.

TAYLOR: Where's the rest of it? What about the transmitter and the generators they told us about?

ANDERSON: I don't see 'em, or any people, either.

ANDERSON: Looks like they had some advance warning, LT.

GOLDMAN: All right. Get the men, spread 'em out. Taylor? Move in and check it out. Percell, move in.

SOLDIER [o.s.]: It's all right, there's nobody here.

SOLDIER [o.s.]: Hey, what is this stuff?

ANDERSON: Don't touch nothin'.

ANDERSON: A Russian component. So there definitely was a radio installation here.

GOLDMAN: Yeah, but how long ago?

ANDERSON: Just a couple hours, see? The tracks are fresh, and that was a big enough vehicle to carry heavy equipment.

GOLDMAN: Yeah, they were mobile. That's why the Air Force couldn't find 'em.

ANDERSON: Yeah.

GOLDMAN: Looks like they blew the antennae, packed up the gear, and headed for the border.

ANDERSON: Laos?

GOLDMAN: Yup. And we can't go after 'em.

[39:40] Ambush

SOLDIERS [o.s.]: Take cover! . . . Get down, get down!

GOLDMAN: We've got to pull back; they've got us on both flanks!

ANDERSON: They'll cut us to ribbons!

GOLDMAN: They'll cut us up one at a time if we stay here!

RUIZ [o.s.] (?): I can't see anything!

RUIZ: Hey! Get away from me!

DECKER: (?)

ANDERSON: We need a diversion. Give me Decker!

GOLDMAN: No way.

ANDERSON: LT, Decker on the '60: he was the best!

RUIZ [o.s.]: Let go! Get away from me!

GOLDMAN: All right, go!

ANDERSON: All right, when you see the smoke grenade, head south!

GOLDMAN: We'll meet you back the LZ at 1300.

RUIZ: Decker, Decker, back off! Back off! Get away!

RUIZ: Get this guy away from me! Anderson, get this crazy guy away from me!

PERCELL [o.s.]: He's tryin' to take the machine gun!

ANDERSON: Give it to him!

RUIZ: What?!

ANDERSON: I said give him the weapon now! Take the ammo belt!

RUIZ: I don't believe you, man!

ANDERSON: Decker! We're gonna flank 'em on the left, then split up! You guys cover us. Go!

DECKER: Nice goin', Zeke.

ANDERSON: All right, you stay on this flank right here, old buddy.

DECKER: You bet.

ANDERSON: Let's get it done.

DECKER: Come on, you sissy commies! Come on!

NVA SOLDIERS: (?)

PERCELL: They made it!

RUIZ: Man, that Decker's somethin' else, huh?

RUIZ: Ooh!

PERCELL: You okay, Ru?

DECKER: Aah!

SOLDIER [o.s.]: Cover on the left!

GOLDMAN [o.s.]: There's the signal!

GOLDMAN: Everybody pull back! Move, move, move! Don't stop until I tell ya! Move out!

RUIZ: Go, go!

SOLDIERS [o.s.]: Find the LZ, let's go! (?) . . . Aah! . . . Hightail it! Hightail it! . . . (?) guys. . . . Move, move, move, you suckers!

NVA SOLDIER [o.s.]: (?)

GOLDMAN: Hang on! . . . It's okay.

NVA SOLDIER [o.s.]: (?)

ANDERSON: Oh man. Oh man. . . . Oh man.

DECKER: I need a drink.

ANDERSON: Shut up, man. Don't start that.

DECKER: It ain't good, Zeke.

ANDERSON: I said shut up.

DECKER: I'll only slow you down.

ANDERSON: Listen, buddy. I ain't got time for your Audie Murphy fantasies. You've got twenty years to serve, you're gonna serve 'em. Now give me a hand.

[43:36] Platoon at The LZ

TAYLOR: It's Johnson! He's coming in, sir!

GOLDMAN: Hold your fire!

TAYLOR: Any sign of 'em, bro?

JOHNSON: Nothing, not a trace. I doubled back three times.

GOLDMAN: We've gotta get going. We're jeopardizing the wounded's lives.

RUIZ: Sir, they're gonna come in, I know it. Just give them another minute.

GOLDMAN: Load the stretchers on the chopper. Percell, load the men up.

PERCELL: Yes, sir. All right, let's move it, let's go. I mean now! Move, move, move! Load 'em up!

MEDIC: This one's okay. He's stable.

PERCELL: We're loading up! Let's go. Now! Move, move, move, let's go!

PERCELL: Okay, let's go! We're moving out, let's go!

TAYLOR: It's Zeke! He's comin' in! It's Zeke!

ANDERSON: Doc! He's dead.

ANDERSON: This man was a good soldier. He's out of it now, though, all right? So let's just get him home, all right? Let's, I mean, come on, let's just get him on home. Let's get him home.

End

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