Transcript: (3x17) Vietnam Rag

From Bravo 3/44th

Directed by: George Kaczender

Written by: Robert Bielak

See the Episode Guide

[01.42] New arrivals

BENNETT: Hey, how you guys doin’? Wanna give me a smile there. Smile for mommy, come on

DUCKWORTH: Peace man.

BENNETT: Great. How are ya? You happy to be here? Hold it—hold it. Great! Real nice.

[03.00] Percell & Doc

HOCKENBURY: Look at all these newbies. Thought the war was supposed to be winding down.

PERCELL: Huh! Yeah right, an’ Ho Chi Minh just surrendered.

HOCKENBURY: Yeah. D’you get the idea they’re sending us a different breed these days?

PERCELL: Yeah, they’re all startin’ to look like you.

[03.19] Reporter and newbies

BENNETT: So how do you guys feel? New President’s been sworn in – peace talks are startin’ up again.

GRIER: Yeah, they’ve been talking about peace since last May. The only thing they decided on was the shape of the table.

BENNETT: Yeah, well what about Nixon’s peace with honor pledge? You boys think you’ll be goin’ home soon?

BAINES: I sure hope so. My girlfriend ain’t the kind to wait.

SKEET: You ain’t goin’ nowhere but the boonies.

BENNETT: You guys don’t think they’ll be any troop pull outs?

FROMAN: Can’t see how. If we don’t win this thing, lot of good men died for nothing.

BENNETT: What about all the protesters back home?

GRIER: Well what about ‘em? I used to be one.

BENNETT: Then what are you doin’ over here?

FROMAN: What do you think? We got drafted.

[03.58] Back to search and destroy

ANDERSON: What a platoon full of replacements?

GOLDMAN: Well, it’s not like we’ve never been out with new guys before.

ANDERSON: LT, we’ve never had that many before. That mean we go back to the same old type mission – patrol, sweep, search an’ destroy.

GOLDMAN: Oh no. The colonel informs me there’s a new terminology “reconnaissance and force”. I guess search and destroy sounds too much like war.

ANDERSON: Well it’s gonna be tough on the men. Once they joined SOG they got used to accomplishin’ somethin’. Now we go back to the same ol’……

GOLDMAN: Sergeant. There’s nothin’ I can do about it, it’s just the way it is. We’re gonna have to live with it.

GOLDMAN: Did you talk to Ruiz’s girl?

ANDERSON: No not yet. She’s just got back from Japan – was some sort of training.

GOLDMAN: She doesn’t know?

[04.47] Boo-koo cherries

GRINER: Beaucoup.

PERCELL: What?

GRINER: Beaucoup cherries.

PERCELL: That’s real good you’re learnin’ French Griner. It’s gonna come in real handy over here.

GRINER:  ???

KUSLITS: I heard we’re building up so we can invade North Vietnam.

HOCKENBURY: Kuslits, you hear the damnedest rumors.

KUSLITS: That’s what I hear.  ??? said we’re going back to being a platoon.

PERCELL: Kuslits, put a lid on it will ya.

SCARLET: I heard that too. Top ??? in the Ninth, guy I used to run with in the Philippines. He says this whole battalion’s gonna become part of a search an’ destroy.

HOCKENBURY: This place in full of more rumors than whores.

PERCELL: Well that’s just great. Back to humpin’ the boonies, watchin’ your buddies getting’ blown away by ambushes an’ booby traps. We’ll burn a few villes, lie about the body count, have a beer an’ get up an’ do it all again the next day. I don’t know about you boys but I can’t wait!

[05.53] Photos of the newbies

GRIER: Hi Judy—Hi Judy.

BENNETT: Wow, looks great. Thanks ???

BENNETT: Cool it, it’s the first pig.

ANDERSON: No actually, I’m a platoon sergeant not a first sergeant. Tell me something, aren’t you a little far away from Haight(sp?) Ashbury.

BENNETT: Might be a little closer than you think Sergeant. Most of these boys don’t seem too happy about coming over here and fighting someone else’s civil war.

ANDERSON: Oh is that a fact? Oh that’s right—that’s right. You know more about this than our President does, don’t you? Well do me a favor an’ move on down the road an’ let me take car of my job here, huh.

BENNETT: You really think you can turn this group into a bunch of lean, mean fighting machines.

ANDERSON: No. But I just might be able to teach ‘em a thing or two that’ll keep ‘em alive. Do you mind?

BENNETT: You don’t like journalists do you?

ANDERSON: I don’t care one way or another about ‘em. I just don’t like instigators.

BENNETT: I report stories, I don’t instigate them.

ANDERSON: hard to tell the difference some times.

BENNETT: I just call it like I see it.

ANDERSON: That’s your problem. Maybe you just don’t see it like everybody else does.

BENNETT: Well then, I guess we’re even. See I—I don’t like officers, or lifers either. Anyone who submits to authority without question makes me…a little nervous.

ANDERSON: Yeah, you know I can see that. Alright, excuse me. I need Baines, Duckworth, Froman, Grier, Lowenndowski – what is that Lowendowski?

LOWENDOWSKI: Yeah.

[07.13] Thomas Scarlet?

DUCKWORTH: Is there a Thomas Scarlet in here?

SCARLET: Yo – who wants him.

DUCKWORTH: PFC Alexander Duckworth.

SCARLET: Well you’ve got him Duckworth – what do you want with him.

DUCKWORTH: Robbie says hello.

SCARLET: Robbie! Where did you see him?

DUCKWORTH: Repo depot, just getting’ in from R ‘n’ R. Said he’d be down to see you as soon as he could.

SCARLET: Is the kid alright?

DUCKWORTH: I’ll say. He told me he already has an ammo pouch full of trophies.

[07.46] Second tour

KUSLITS: I’m Kuslits.

LOWENDOWSKI/SKEETS(sp?): Skeets

KUSLITS: This all may seem a little strange at first, but it’ll get better. Wasn’t too long I was a cherry.

SKEETS: I ain’t no cherry. This is my second tour.

KUSLITS: You came back? What the hell for?

SKEETS: You said it – for the hell of it.

GRIER: Man this is no good, I gotta get outta here.

[08.19] Won't unpack itself

PERCELL: It ain’t gonna unpack itself.

FROMAN: My name’s Froman, but everybody calls me Preacher.

PERCELL: Percell – welcome to the Nam Preach.

[08.40] Belongs to a friend

PERCELL: Hey! What’d you think you’re doin’ with that?

DUCKWORTH: Just gonna move it over a little bit, you know. Make room for my own stuff.

PERCELL: It belongs to a friend of mine. It’s his short-timer calendar.

DUCKWORTH: The man oughta pay closer attention, he’s about three weeks behind.

HOCKENBURY: Um—Duckworth. The rest of you guys may wanna—may wanna listen to this. Taylor an’ Ruiz are buddies of ours and—um they’ve been missing now for about three weeks – missing in action. So y’all maybe wanna tread lightly where they’re concerned.

[09.24] Zeke tells Suzanna

TANNOY: Attention all personnel. Attention all personnel. We have a dust off coming in on LZ three.

SUSANNA: Is he….?

ANDERSON: No—we don’t know. He’s missing in action.

SUSANNA: How long?

ANDERSON: Three weeks. We tried to contact you but--uh you were in Japan. Look, there’s—uh, there’s still hope.

SUSANNA: What hope? After three weeks, that’s he’s a POW?

ANDERSON: I’m sorry.

SUSANNA: Thank you for telling me.

ANDERSON: Susanna, if there’s anything I can do…

SUSANNA: Sergeant, I can handle it. An’ you know who taught me? Alberto. He told me that if I felt too much, if I let it get to me, it would drive me crazy. So I learned-----an’ Alberto would be real proud of how well I learned……….. Thanks.

[10.29] Not rumors

PERCELL: Sarge! There’s some rumors flyin’ all over the base that we’re goin’ back to being a platoon. Same old search an’ destroy operations.

ANDERSON: Those aren’t rumors Percell, and the new term is reconnaissance and force. We’re goin’ out tomorrow an’ sweep the Boi Loi woods, see what we can find out.

PERCELL: Sarge tell me somethin’. Are they out of their minds? Why would they send guys like us, with all our experience an’ training……

ANDERSON; Percell---Percell. Now you’ve been in the army long enough to know that there’s the right way of doin’ things an’ the army’s way of doin’ things. You an’ me, we just follow orders.

PERCELL: Well, seems like a waste to me.

ANDERSON: Tell you what, next time I see General Abrams, I’ll take it up with him.

PERCELL: Well I’d appreciate that.

ANDERSON: Look, with Taylor an’ Johnson down, we’re short of NCO’s. I was kinda hopin’ I could count on you to square the new guys away. An’ Griner an’ Kuskits, they can help you some.

PERCELL: Sarge, look those guys are just a little shy of bein’ newbies themselves.

ANDERSON: Well they’ve at least been around the block once. The other guys haven’t. What you say?

PERCELL: Well I’ll do what I can.

ANDERSON: Hey. Everything’s gonna be alright. Trust me.

PERCELL: Hell, I hope so. Hell Sarge, it wears on you, y’know.

[11.55] Reporter going on the mission

ANDERSON: May I help you with something?

BENNETT: You’re Sergeant Anderson?

ANDERSON: What can I do for you?

BENNETT: Well, I’ve been assigned to your unit. Guess I’ll be going along on tomorrow’s mission.

[12.14] Bug Juice

GRINER: You got your bug juice there?

BAINES: Do I really need it?

GRINER: Do you smoke?

BAINES: No.

GRINER: Well then you need it. Unless you burn ‘em off or squirt ‘em off – them leeches they don’t stop suckin’ till you’re dry.

[12.40] Preacher

PERCELL: So how come they call you Preacher?

FROMAN: Well, I sorta got kicked out of seminary.

PERCELL: You lose your faith or your virginity.

FROMAN: Yep.

[12.58] Carry to hell and back

PERCELL: Give half that stuff to you’re A(?) gunner, you’ll be squared away.

DUCKWORTH: I could carry twice this load to hell an’ back.

PERCELL: Let’s see how strong you are at high noon when you’ve humped that pig for ten clicks. Watch your language – the preacher here don’t like that kinda talk.

DUCKWORTH: Skeet, it’s all yours.

[13.20] Lover not a fighter

ANDERSON: Alright everbody listen up. You’ve got five minutes to get out to the pad with all your gear. Let’s go.

ANDERSON: Soldier

GRIER: Yes sir

ANDERSON: What is this?

GRIER: It’s just a peace sign.

ANDERSON: Lose it. You ain’t gonna need it where you’re goin’.

GRIER: Ah Sarge. You know, I’m a lover not a fighter.

ANDERSON: Yeah? Ain’t we all.

GRIER: No, I’m serious.

ANDERSON: So am I.

GRIER: Look, you get me outta here an’ there’s plenty more where this comes from.

ANDERSON: Soldier, did you know it’s illegal for you to have American greenback while here within the Republic of South Vietnam?

GRIER: You know it’s worth four times an …..

ANDERSON: I know what it’s worth. I’ll tell you what I’m gonna do for you. I’m gonna do you a big favor and pretend this conversation did not take place. Now you get your gear together.

GRIER: Yes Sir.

ANDERSON: Pop.

[14.07] Saw some tunnels

ANDERSON: This your second tour huh? Where’d you do your first?

SKEET: (25th? Kootchi?)

ANDERSON: Oh yeah? Probably ran into a lot of tunnels up there huh?

SKEET: Yeah, I saw a few.

[14.22] Same ol' stupidity

BAINES: What kind of mission is this anyway?

HOCKENBURY: S-O-S man ---- same old stupidity.

[14.33] Listen up

ANDERSON: Alright now y’all listen up here – specially you new guys. When we hit the LZ, you run out the chopper as fast as you can. You spread out an’ take cover an’ do not an’ I’m gonna repeat this, do not take your weapons off safe unless fired upon. No sense in goin’ out there and shootin’ each other. LT.

GOLDMAN: Alright you guys, look around you. These veterans were cherries just like you are and they managed to survive by listening to and watching other veterans. I suggest you do the same. Sergeant, let’s get it done.

ANDERSON: Alright First Squad let’s move out – let’s go—let’s go—let’s go. Come on.

[15.22] On the road again

no dialogue

[16.23] Jump at four feet

HOCKENBURY: You’re supposed to jump at four feet not ten.

GOLDMAN: Broken?

HOCKENBURY: Yes Sir.

GOLDMAN: Hang in there.

PERCELL: Got another one for you Doc.

ANDERSON: What’s the matter with him?

PERCELL:  ??? said he sprained it jumpin’ off the ship.

ANDERSON: Doc, check him out real close now.

HOCKENBURY: Swollen pretty bad LT, I don’t think he’s gonna be doin’ much humpin’ today.

GOLDMAN: Alright, let’s get these two back to the LZ.

ANDERSON: Oh Grier, we’ll be in touch, you hear?

GOLDMAN: Alright, let’s get read to move ‘em out.

[17.21] On patrol

PERCELL: Easy Duckworth. We’re not the only wild life out here you know. C’mon.

DUCKWORTH: You didn’t even react. How’d you know it wasn’t VC?

PERCELL: If it was VC we wouldn’t have heard ‘em.

DUCKWORTH: How come this place is so brown? I thought Vietnam was supposed to be nine shades of green.

PERCELL: Ranch hands.

DUCKWORTH: Who?

PERCELL: Ranch hands. Guys who drop the defoliant. You ever hear that motto “only you can prevent (forest?)”

DUCKWORTH: Does that stuff really work?

PERCELL: Hell yes. Turns the green jungles brown an’ Charlies’ got nowhere to hide. Watch your interval.

[18.35] Who's Robbie?

HOCKENBURY: Hey Pop, who’s Robbie?

SCARLET: That’s my kid. I haven’t seen him since he quit high school an’ enlisted. Now he’s a real warrior.

HOCKENBURY: Yeah, followin’ in his old man’s footsteps?

SCARELT: Yeah, maybel.

ANDERSON: Yo Pop. Keep your interval here. Unless y’all wanna hold hands.

SCARLET: I’m definitely too old for this crap.

HOCKENBURY: I’m definitely too young for this crap.

ANDERSON: Yo Bennett. You’d probably like someone to help carry those cameras wouldn’t you?

BENNETT: I hump my own.

ANDERSON: You bet you do.

[19.17] Heat exhaustion

PERCELL: Doc! Looks like he passed out.

HOCKENBURY: Get him over.

ANDERSON: Heat exhaustion?

HOCKENBURY: Yeah. Just gotta cool him down a little bit.

ANDERSON: Alright take five. Percell, go up front, tell the others. ???

BENNETT: Ah Sergeant.

ANDERSON: Excuse me.

[20.08] Punji sticks

???: Aaaagghhhhhh

HOCKENBURY: Bite it—bite it—bite it. Shut up! Shut up!

HOCKENBURY(?): We’ve gotta dig him out man, it looks bad.

ANDERSON: It might be booby-trapped. Listen to me! You’ve gotta hold still—you’re gonna have to hold still. Get out of my way buddy.

HOCKENBURY: Give me your hand—give me your hand.

[21.27] Under attack

ANDERSON: Coverin’ fire!

GOLDMAN(?): Hold your fire!

ANDERSON: Anybody see anything? Talk to me!

???: Negative.

[21.54] Dust off

GOLDMAN: C’mon let’s get him on the chopper. Let’s go! Sergeant, we’ll (go?) two more clicks; we’ll send out a couple of patrols; we’ll set up an NDP.

ANDERSON: Alright, come on now. This ain’t a circus here. Let’s go! Let’s go! Let’s go! Percell, you’ve got point. Move ‘em out.

[22.27] Line of fire

ANDERSON: Alright gentlemen, listen up a minute here. Your line of fire’s that bush over there toward that tree there, so clear out all this brush so you can see what you’re doin’. Y’hear me.

ANDERSON: ??? dig it deep now, you’re life is at stake.

???: Yes Sergeant.

ANDERSON: Alright, looking good there Jackson. Lookin’ good.

ANDERSON: Anything?

GRINER: If Charlie’s out there he’s keeping it a real good secret.

ANDERSON: Well, that won’t be the first time.

GRINER: How about Percell’s patrol?

ANDERSON: No, nothin’ yet.

[23.11] Deep enough to get buried in

BENNETT: Man, you think this is deep enough?

SKEETS: Deep enough to get buried in.

BENNETT: You know I don’t read you Skeet. Why the hell would a man come back to this if he didn’t have to?

SKEETS: I had to. I wasn’t back on the assembly line for two days before I figured it out – I’ll be turnin’ these screws for the rest of my life. Why rush it? What about you? You didn’t have to come back. What’s your excuse? You a ghoul? One of those thrill freaks who gets high on the war?

BENNETT: I sure hope not.

[23.50] Night watch

ANDERSON: How you guys doin’?

FORMAN(?): Okay Sarge.

KUSLITS: Yeah

ANDERSON: Alright you remember, you hear anything you throw your grenades first. As soon as you fire your 16’s you’re gonna give away your position with the muzzle flash.

KUSLITS: Okay.

ANDERSON: You guys squared away?

SKEETS: Yeah.

BENNETT: Think we’ll get hit?

ANDERSON: What, you scared Bennett?

BENNETT: Hell yes.

ANDERSON: Why don’t you get a picture of it?

SKEET: How’re the newbies doin’?

ANDERSON: Well, the night’ll tell.

SKEET(?): Hang tight.

[24.37] Heard something

FROMAN(?): I hear something

KUSLITS: It’s your imagination.

FROMAN: Listen.

FROMAN: Hear it?

KUSLITS: Yeah. Yeah, but remember what Sarge……..

FROMAN: I see them..

ANDERSON: Hold your fire! Hold your fire!

???: Hold your fire!

ANDERSON: What was that all about?

KUSLITS: We heard something.

FROMAN: I saw something.

ANDERSON: I hope you killed whoever was out there because if you didn’t, they sure as hell got a good beat on your position now.

[25.00] Six confirmed killed

GOLDMAN: Well? Anything?

ANDERSON: Yeah, six confirmed kills.

GOLDMAN: You’re kidding! That’s great! NVA or VC?

ANDERSON: Monkeys. They didn’t say which side they were on.

GOLDMAN: Outstanding. Alright gentlemen let’s finish up that chow, police the area. Let’s not leave anything for Charlie to leave against us.

[25.57] Politics

SCARLETT:  ??? comin’ in.

BARNETT: Hey Pop, we were talking about the new President. You got any thoughts on Nixon’s “peace with honor”?

SCARLETT: Politics.

BARNETT: What about the Vietnamization(sp?) of the war?

SCARLETT: Politics.

BENNETT: Well even President Chu made a public appeal last week for the immediate pull out of American troops.

SCARLETT: Politics.

BENNETT: Hey, you know I get the distinct impression that you’re not in agreement with the way the war’s being run. Any particular reason for that?

SCARLETT: Did you ever hear of Korea boy?

[26.35] Think we're doing any good here

BENNETT: How about you? D’you think we’re doing any good over here?

BAINES: I don’t have a clue any more. Ask him – maybe he knows.

BENNETT: How about it troop, you know what you’re here for?

GRINER: ‘Bout twelve months I reckon.

[27.28] Body up ahead

KUSLITS: Looks like he’s been dead a while. We gonna cut him loose?

SCARLETT: May be booby trapped.

ANDERSON: Check it out.

ANDERSON: Right get your eye on the tree line – on the tree line.

ANDERSON: Alright ??? the others. Get ‘em up here.

[27.55] Take a good look

ANDERSON: Take a good look at this now.

KUSLITS: Worse thing I’ve ever seen Pop.

SCARLETT: Well wait till you put some years on kid.

ANDERSON: This is the enemy gentlemen. Forget all that noble revolutionary crap you’ve been hearin’ about. This is the enemy. What he’s capable of doin’ to you and he will do to you any time he gets the chance.

BENNETT: (wretching)

ANDERSON: What’s the matter Bennett? Aint you gonna get no pictures? What’s the matter, you just take pictures of our atrocities is that it?

BENNETT: I’ll take my pictures.

[29.00] Take 5

ANDERSON(?): Alright let’s take five.

BAINES: Mother nature’s calling Preach. Make sure you don’t shoot my butt. Aaagghh.

FROMAN: Okay.

ANDERSON: Hold it, might be more in there.

HOCKENBURY: Look man, he’s gonna bleed to death.

ANDERSON: Hold it now. Let me check it out first.

BAINES: …..my leg….. Sarge…..

ANDERSON: Listen to me—listen to me. You’re gonna be alright now. Relax.

FROMAN:  ??? his leg off

ANDERSON(?) : ??? Doc.

HOCKENBURY: ???

ANDERSON: Just relax. Right, you’re gonna be alright.

[30.14] Patrolling

[30.41] Another ambush

ANDERSON:  ???

???: ???

ANDERSON: Okay. Percell, you go up that way. Griner, you’re with me. Go! Go—go—go—go

???: Tree line

ANDERSON: Percell. Yo! You alright?

PERCELL: Can’t you tell Sarge, I’m just enjoying the hell out of this.

[31.19] Calling for another dust off

GOLDMAN: Papa Bear, this is Baby Bear Six. Request immediate dust off. I got two wounded, one seriously. Co-ordinates Alpha-Lima-two-zero-six-four-seven-niner. Over.

RADIO: All dust offs committed.

GOLDMAN: Well I don’t give a damn! Listen to me, I want that chopper in here ASAP. I gotta man down. Over.

RADIO: Roger Two-Six. We’ll get to you as soon as we can.

HOCKENBURY: You hear that, the chopper’s comin’. You hang in there.

PERCELL:  ??? some kind of a vulture. This ain’t for your entertainment.

ANDERSON: Percell! The man’s got a job to do, let’s just let him do it. We’ve got one of our own to worry about. Go on, get out of here.

[32.26] Get it all Bennett

???: Man, if I see one more dust off.

ANDERSON: Get it all there Bennett. Wouldn’t want you to miss anything.

BENNETT: Like you said, I’m just doing my job.

ANDERSON: It’s like Percell said, you’re livin’ off the dead buddy.

BENNETT: Is it just my imagination or does he really dislike me?

HOCKENBURY: It’s not your imagination.

BENNETT: How about you Doc, you feel the same?

HOCKENBURY: Bennett, some people over here reporting war an’ other people over here just getting’ off on it.

BENNETT: Hey come on Doc, I know it’s no secret that I’m against the war -- I do my best to be objective. How about you?

HOCKENBURY: I’m against the war. But I’m for these guys.

BENNETT: Well you don’t think I’m on their side? I serve a function. I tell their story.

HOCKENBURY: Well you know Bennett, maybe it’s a story that doesn’t need to be told. I mean you can take all the pictures you want, you can write all the stories you want but I just don’t think anybody could possibly understand what this is like unless they were over here.

BENNETT: I’m here.

HOCKENBURY: Yeah, you’re here. But your editors aren’t here. You send ‘em back whatever it is you send ‘em back but whose story do they tell Bennett? They gonna tell ours? Gonna tell yours? Or they gonna be tellin’ theirs.

[34.11] Incoming

SCARLETT: Mortar!

ANDERSON: Incoming!

???: You see ‘em?

???: No

GOLDMAN: Can you see anything?

SCARLETT: Think I got a beat on ‘em - three o’clock.

GOLDMAN: Sergeant, check it out.

ANDERSON: Okay Pop, you an’ (Jackson?) got the right flank. Kuslits, come with me.

[34.39] Doc's wounded

GOLDMAN: How bad?

HOCKENBURY: Just a scratch.

GOLDMAN: You know we’ve got other medics Doc.

HOCKENBURY: I’m alright.

???: There you go Doc.

[34.57] How'd I know that

GOLDMAN: Anything?

SCARLETT: Nothin’.

GOLDMAN: How did I know that. Percell – you’re on point.

PERCELL: Samo—samo

GOLDMAN: Let’s hustle through people come on.

???: Alright, let’s go.

[35.42] Under fire again

ANDERSON: Alright Percell ??? you’ve got the right (side of this thicket?).. Griner, you’re with me. Let’s move–go—go—go—go.

???:  ??? cover.

ANDERSON: Man this is getting’ old.

PERCELL: Sarge!

ANDERSON: Griner, get back to the LT, tell him what we’ve found here. Tell him we need a few more guys. Alright y’all -- spread out, keep your eyes open.

[36.25] Just a flesh wound

GOLDMAN: How bad is it Doc?

HOCKENBURY: It’s just a flesh would.

GOLDMAN: Alright, we’re about a clock or so from the village. Now is he gonna make it or do I have to call in a dust off?

HOCKENBURY: Oh no, he’ll be fine.

GOLDMAN: Good.

DUCKWORTH: LT,

GOLDMAN: Yeah?

DUCKWORTH: How long are we gonna stay out here lettin’ ‘em pick us off, shoot us to pieces?

GOLDMAN: We’re gonna stay out here until we’ve accomplished our mission.

DUCKWORTH: And what is our mission LT? Can you really tell me?

GOLDMAN: Duckworth, your mission is to do as you’re ordered alright.

GRINER: LT, Sarge found some blood trails. He needs a couple of guys.

GOLDMAN: Alright, Kuslits – Pop – go with Griner.

[37.21] Lost the blood trail

PERCELL: I lost it Sarge.

ANDERSON: Chu hoi – chu hoi

MAMA SAN: Chu hoi – chu hoi. No VC – No VC.

ANDERSON: Pop, check out the flank.

GOLDMAN: Chieu, get up here. Ask her what she’s doing out here.

CHIEU: (Vietnamese)

MAMA SAN: (Vietnamese)

CHIEU: She say they gather firewood.

GOLDMAN: Sergeant?

ANDERSON: Well she could’ve been. She coulda been cleaning up blood trails too.

GOLDMAN: Well I’ll tell you what. You are gonna walk point for me because I think you know where all those booby traps and mines are. And you tell her she better do a real good job because her little girl’s gonna be right behind her.

CHIEU: (Vietnamese)

GOLDMAN: Let’s go.

CHIEU: (Vietnamese)

ANDERSON: Jackson -- Pop

[38.40] Village

GOLDMAN: Chieu get up here. Tell ‘em to come out of their hooches, everybody. Sergeant, let’s get it done.

ANDERSON: Alright by the numbers now – hooch by hooch, get ‘em all out here. Watch for booby traps, watch for spider holes. Let’s do it—let’s do it.

CHIEU: (Vietnamese)

ANDERSON: Come on keep it movin’

ANDERSON: Right move ‘em out here.

GOLDMAN: Come on—di di—come on—come on—come on.  ??? check that basket. You got that secured Percell?

PERCELL: Yes Sir LT.

GOLDMAN: Chieu.

CHIEU: Yeah.

GOLDMAN: Ask ‘em where the VC are.

CHIEU: (Vietnamese)

[40.05] Spider hole

GRINER: Sarge!

ANDERSON: What you got Griner?

GRINER: Spider hole.

ANDERSON: Check out that side.

GRINER: Nothin’.

ANDERSON: Alright, real slow now. Real slow.

ANDERSON: LT!

ANDERSON: Griner, that’s fresh blood.

[41.00] Got a tunnel entrance

ANDERSON: We’ve got us a tunnel entrance here.

GOLDMAN: Let me have a smoke canister.

GOLDMAN: Sergeant, I want men on every entrance where that red smoke comes out.

ANDERSON: Alright everybody fan out, look for red smoke comin’ out of any holes around here.

???: Let’s do it—let’s do it.

???: Got one here.

GOLDMAN: Alright I need a volunteer.

KUSLITS: I’ll go.

GOLDMAN: No Kuslits, you’ve never been down one of these before.

SKEETS: LT, let me do it.

ANDERSON: I thought you’d already had enough of this stuff.

SKEETS: Never happen, like it too much.

GOLDMAN(?): Give him a hand.

ANDERSON: Help him out with his stuff there, come on.

GOLDMAN: Make sure you watch our for trip wires.

GOLDMAN: Alright, good luck

BENNETT: Uh Skeet – thanks man.

ANDERSON: Watch yourself.

GOLDMAN: Give it a rest Bennett will ya.

DUCKWORTH: Man, you couldn’t get me to go down there if Raquel Welsh was waiting for me at the bottom.

SCARLET: Lieutenant.

DUCKWORTH: They’re hiding guns for the VC.

[42.39] Give him a minute

PERCELL: He’s been down a long time Sarge. Maybe we should send someone else.

ANDERSON: Just give him another minute.

ANDERSON: Alright I need another volunteer – come on, move! Jackson.

???: Sarge ???

ANDERSON: Alright Jackson, watch this hole here.  ??? up here!

SKEETS: Did you get him—did you get him?

KUSLITS: Who?

SKEETS: The gook – the one who got me.

GOLDMAN: Percell! Check security.

GOLDMAN: Doc?

HOCKENBURY: Yeah, he’s gonna be alright. He’s gonna be fine.

SKEETS: Lot of stuff down there – ammo……rice……

HOCKENBURY: D’you get your shot?

[43.47] Duckworth with his M60

ANDERSON: Duckworth! Now there ain’t no massacre happenin’ here today.

DUCKWORTH: They’re VC. You’ve seen their guns.

ANDERSON: These are women an’ children an’ you ain’t killin’ any of ‘em.

DUCKWORTH: Why not? They kill us. You’ve seen what they did to Skeet – that guy on the anthill.

ANDERSON: Duckworth, lower your weapon. Do it now.

GOLDMAN: Sergeant, is there a problem?

ANDERSON: No problem Lieutenant.

GOLDMAN: Alright let’s get these people out of here, we’ll blow the wells an’ we’re burning it down.

ANDERSON: LT.

GOLDMAN: I don’t give a damn, let’s burn it down. Burn it all down.

ANDERSON: Alright ??? get ‘em out of here.

GOLDMAN: Make sure those hooches are clear.

ANDERSON: Alright let’s get those people out of there. Burn it down.

GOLDMAN: You make sure you get a lot of pictures Bennett. We’re gonna see how objective you are when next month’s edition comes out.

End

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