...not only my strength, but my sanity.
It's all a blur.
I have no energy to write.
I don't know what's right or wrong anymore.
The morale of the men is low. A civil war in the platoon.
Half the men with Elias, half with Barnes.
There's a lot of suspicion and hate.
I can't believe we're fighting each other instead of them.
Counting days and the six inches in front of my face. Not much else.
Hope things are well, Grandma.
Tell Mom and Dad I--
Well, Just tell them. Chris.
Hey, big boy. I know you thought you had that laundry gig all laid out.
Hell, I gotta paint myself white just to get one of those jobs.
Got my request in for a circumcision. I'm getting my big ass out of here.
What are you gonna do, become a rabbi?
Leech.
All right! Move it out!
Don't drink that, asshole. You're gonna get malaria.
Yeah, I hope so.
Let's go.
Doc! Up here! Lerner's hit!
Sergeant, Warren's hit!
-What's going on? -They got RPGs, man!
It's an ambush! They were just waiting for us here!
-Who's on point? -Lerner and Warren.
Where are you going?!
Goddamn it, you assholes! Get some firepower up there!
Right!
Watch out! Rockets!
Where the fuck is Lerner?
He's over there! By the log!
Fire mission. Grid: 6-4-9-4-0-2.
Direction: 6-1 -0--
Adjust fire. Over.
Lieutenant, they'll get in tight under the arty!
I saw a cut. Let me take some men and roll up that flank.
Get Barnes! Elias, we got four down. What do you want me to do?
Where the fuck is Red Platoon?! Tell those assholes to get up here!
Elias, what are you doing back here?
There's holes back here, 3rd Platoon's coming up here, we're here!
Dinks get in these holes, we'll be in a crossfire.
-We'll shoot each other. -Sounds far-out to me.
I've seen it happen. Ia Drang in '66.
They cut us to pieces. I need three men.
You got them! Take off!
You keep pouring off that cover fire.
I don't want to be stuck out there with my ass hanging in the breeze.
You don't tell me how to run my war, Elias.
You go crying to fucking brigade on your own time.
Out here you belong to me! Now, move!
You're an asshole, Barnes.
Get that asshole O'Neill up here!
Holy fuck.
Stay down!
Ammo! Ammo!
Sarge! Short round!
Fucking idiot!
Get it out!
Medic!
Satchel charge!
Doc!
-Doc, help me out. -All right, down.
Jesus.
-You okay? -Don't leave me, man.
-You all right? -Don't leave me, man.
-Hey, Gator, you'll be okay, man. -Don't leave me, man.
Gator? Gator, you'll be okay.
Let him go, man.
-Drop your rucks. -Taylor, you're coming with us.
Please don't go.
You're gonna be okay.
Come on.
Doc, take care of him, man.
Redleg, Redleg. Ripper Bravo 2 actual.
Adjustment follows: Bridge....
You ignorant asshole!
What the fuck coordinates are you giving?
You wasted a lot of people up there with your fucked-up fire mission!
Do you know that?
Do you know that? Ah, shit!
Redleg! Redleg! Ripper Bravo 2.
Check your fire! Check your fire!
They're coming.
Stagger yourself across this line. Shoot anything that moves.
They'll be coming from over there.
Any one of them gets through, we are truly fucked.
Where the hell are you going?
Down by the river about 100 meters...
...in case they try to flank us.
3rd Platoon is coming behind us. Watch for them.
Hey. Can I go with you?
No. I move faster alone.
Let's let arty do a bit of the work.
Tell everyone to pull back to the church...
...and link up with 3rd Platoon. You got that?
What about Elias? If we pull back, he'll be cut off.
You just haul ass too, lieutenant.
I'll get him.
Come on.
-I got two of them fuckers, man. -I got one.
Ho Chi Minh sucks dead dick!
Crawford!
Oh, man. Oh, man.
Kiss my ass. Man, I never thought I'd get hit.
A lung, babe. You got two of them fuckers.
Where's Elias? A bunch of gooks came through here.
-We got three of them fuckers. -Hey!
The arty shifted. We're pulling back.
Get your wounded man and get the fuck back to church.
-Elias is still out there. -I'll get him.
Get Crawford in now before l Article 15 both your asses. Move.
Move it!
Almost there, brother. Come on.
Medic, where the fuck are you?
It's gonna be all right in a minute.
Taylor, where are you going?
Elias is dead.
Fall back with the platoon.
Get going.
He's dead?
Yeah, he's back there about 100 meters.
You saw him? Where?
He's dead! There's gooks all over the goddamn place! Get moving!
Let's go! Come on, move it!
Let's go! Move it! Okay, let's go!
You okay, Harold? You're on the next one! You're okay, bud!
Oh, fuck!
They've got Elias!
What?
Back down! Back down there!
Snake 1-9, Fly 4. There's still one of the men down there.
Hold your arms. Guns, hold off.
He killed him.
I know he did. I saw his eyes when he came in.
How do you know the dinks didn't get him? You got no proof.
Proof's in the eyes. When you know, you know.
You saw. I know what you were thinking.
I say we frag him tonight.
I go with that. An eye for an eye.
I say let military justice do the job on him.
Come on, fuck the military justice! Are you joking me?
Whose story you think they'll believe? O'Neill's? Bunny's? Bullshit!
You try that, Barnes will shove it back up your ass, with a candle on it.
What do you suggest we do?
Watch your own asses. Barnes will be coming down on all of them.
You gonna forget about Elias? All the good times we had here?
Shit, you trying to cure the headache by cutting off the head.
Elias didn't ask you to fight his battles for him.
And if there's a heaven, and God, I hope there is...
...he's sitting up there drunk as a fucking monkey and smoking shit...
...because he left his pains down here.
You're wrong! Anyway you cut it, Barnes is a murderer!
-Right on. -Taylor...
...when you first came in here, you told me how you admired the bastard.
-I was wrong. -You've never been right about nothing!
Dig this, you assholes, and dig it good.
Barnes been shot seven times, and he ain't dead.
Does that mean anything to you?
Barnes ain't meant to die.
The only thing that can kill Barnes is Barnes.
Talking about killing?
You all experts?
You all know about killing?
Well, I'd like to hear about it, potheads.
You smoke this shit to escape from reality?
Me, I don't need this shit.
I am reality.
There's the way it ought to be, and there's the way it is.
Elias was full of shit.
Elias was a crusader.
Now, I got no fight with any man who does what he's told.
But when he don't...
...the machine breaks down.
And when the machine breaks down, we break down.
I ain't going to allow that.
From any of you.
Not one.
You all love Elias.
You want to kick ass.
Well, here I am. All by my lonesome.
And ain't nobody gonna know.
Six of you boys against me.
Kill me.
I shit on all of you.
You motherfucker!
Come on, man.
Get him, Chris.
Easy, Barnes. Don't do it, man!
You'll go dinky dau in LBJ, man.
Ten years for killing an enlisted man. Ten years.
Climb the fucking walls, man.
Don't do it.
Death?
What do you all know about death?
They sent us back into the valley the next day...
...about 2000 meters from Cambodia into a battalion perimeter.
It felt like we were returning to the scene of a crime.
Alpha Company had been hit hard the day before by a sizable force.
Charlie Company had been probed that night.
There were other battalions in the valley...
...but we knew we were the bait to lure them out.
Somewhere out there was the entire 141st NVA regiment.
Caught them trying to pull some shit on Charlie Company last night.
They found maps on them, man.
Got a friend at Battalion, says they had every foxhole here fixed on.
Distances, tree lines, our claymores, everything.
This is bad, man.
-I got bad vibes here. -I also heard we're in Cambodia now.
Cambodia? Man, you're kidding me.
You wanted to see me, sir?
Yeah, Ramucci. Looks like you got Elias' squad now.
Squad? I didn't know we were still referring to this platoon as squads.
I want you to take those two holes, right there and there.
Tie it off with Barnes up here and King down there.
Begging your pardon, sir...
...my two holes are so far apart, a regiment could run between them.
I have five live bodies left.
I don't want to hear your problems. You'll get new men any day.
Make do like everybody else.
-I didn't ask for this. -I don't want to hear it.
-You don't want to hear it? -That's right.
Because, to tell you the truth, I don't give a shit.
I just don't give a flying fuck anymore.
I'm glad I ain't going with them.
Somewhere out there is the beast and he hungry tonight.
What a fucking bummer.
Ten days and a wake-up, and I'm still dealing with this shit.
What's the matter with you?
Why ain't you writing nobody?
What about your folks?
That grandma you told me about?
Girl?
You got parents, don't you?
There must be somebody.
No, there's nobody.
You been smoking too much of this shit.
Gotta control that. Bring a man down.
I remember when you first come out here to the bush, you's green as--
You ever get caught in a mistake you just can't get out of?
There's a way out of anything.
Just keep your pecker hard and your powder dry...
...and the worm will turn.
How many days you short?
It's not just me. It's how the whole thing works.
People like Elias get wasted.
People like Barnes go on making up all the rules any way they want.
So, what do we do? Sit in the middle and suck on it.
We just don't add up to dry shit.
Whoever said we did? All you got to do is make it out of here...
...and it's all gravy. Every day, the rest of your life. Gravy.
Oh, shit. Superlifer.
Collect up your shit. Your orders just come through.
Man, don't fuck with me.
Oh, what do you need, a written invitation?
Cocksucker! Oh, wow! The lifers done made a mistake!
They cut me some slack!
You got 10 minutes to make the last fucking chopper out of here.
Because if you're not on it...
...I'm gonna be.
Taylor, Francis is coming up.
That's great, King, I'm happy for you. Take it on home for me.
You got my address. You know where to reach me anytime.
I gotta di di. Don't want to miss that chopper.
-You okay? -Yeah, I'm okay.
Remember, take it easy.
Don't think too much. Don't you be no fool.
Remember, ain't no such thing as a coward out here.
My man.
I'll walk you out, man.
Take it easy, King.
-I'll take it any way I can get it. -I hear you. Later.
I'm pretty fucked up, sarge. Don't touch it!
I gotta get on the chopper, man.
-So, what's the problem? -Says he can't walk.
Shit.
Martin...
...get your boots on.
And the next time I catch you spraying skeeter repellent on your feet...
...I'll court-martial your nigger ass.
Then court-martial me, motherfucker!
Bust my ass! Send me to fucking Long Binh!
Do your fucking worst!
You white folks got your last klick out of Junior!
O'Neill, get me that centipede.
-Sarge? -Yeah.
That long, hairy, red and black bastard I found in the ammo crate.
I'm gonna put it in this boy's crotch.
I remember now.
Hold up, man!
You just hold up and wait, okay?
Fuck it, I'll walk! I'll fucking walk!
Fucking pussy! Sarge, I gotta have him in my hole?
Yeah.
Bob, I'd like to speak to you a minute.
I can't take it no more.
Yeah, what is it?
Bob, I got Elias' R and R. It's coming up in three days.
I was thinking about going to Hawaii and see Patsy.
I never asked you for a thing over here.
Well, to be honest with you...
...I was hoping you'd put me on a chopper with King. What do you say?
I can't do that for you.
You know we need every swinging dick in the field.
You can talk to me, for chrissake! I'm just asking for three days.
I am talking to you, Red. And I'm telling you no.
Get back in your foxhole.
Bob, I've got a bad feeling on this one, all right?
I mean I've got a bad feeling.
I don't think I'm gonna make it out of here.
You understand what I'm saying?
Everybody gotta die sometime, Red.
Oh, shit!
Goodbye, motherfuckers!
Where's that fucking ambush?
They ain't even waiting till later. It's fucking coming now, man.
Right fucking now.
You know, Junior? Some of the things we done, man...
...I don't feel like we done something wrong.
But sometimes, man...
...I get this bad feeling.
I told the padre the truth. I like it here.
You get to do what you want, nobody fucks with you.
The only worry you got is dying.
And if that happens, you won't know about it...
...so, what the fuck, man?
Shit. I got to be in this hole with you, man?
I just know I shouldn't have come.
Don't you worry, Junior. You're hanging with Audie Murphy here.
Bravo 3, Bravo 6. Send me a grid, send me a grid. Over.
I can't, sir. We're pinned down. They're in the trees.
Okay, 3 Alpha, now calm down, son. I'll get you a fire mission ASAP.
-Smoke will be first. -Lieutenant and radioman are dead.
I can't find the map.
They're all around us. Hundreds of them. I can hear them talking gook.
3 Alpha, spot that smoke and tell me where to shift.
Just calm down. Hang in there. We'll get you out.
Where did the rounds hit? Over.
3 Alpha 6, how about those rounds? Can you adjust fire? Over.
3 Alpha 6, if you can't talk, just key your handset twice. Over.
Shit.
Trip flare, Rodriguez's hole.
RPG.
-Taylor. Francis. -Over here, man!
What's going on? Rodriguez's hole just got nailed.
Here it is. We got gooks in the fucking perimeter.
Shit. That's it!
They got through Alpha Company. Anything that don't identify itself...
...fucking blow it away.
Fuck. Air strikes coming in. They'll be laying snake and nape.
Don't get out of your fucking holes. Stay right here.
Fuck.
They're probing us.
They'll go up and down, trying to get through.
All right, stay here. Stay cool. I'll be right back.
Foxtrot, Foxtrot. Echo. Whiskey. Over.
Who is it?
Don't shoot! Don't shoot!
It's the ambush. Over here, man, hurry!
-Shit. -Water!
They're all over the place! Hundreds of them! Moving this way.
They wiped us out! We didn't have a chance.
-Where's the CP? -Back there.
Get out of here! They're on my ass! They ain't stopping for shit!
Hey, Taylor, let's di di.
You go.
There.
No, hold it. Hold it.
Out of the hole! Fast!
Get out of the foxhole! They're gonna blow it!
Let's go! Let's go!
Fuck's sake. Move your fucking ass! They're gonna blow--
Fuck me.
Wait!
Die, you motherfuckers!
It's fucking beautiful!
What are you doing? Where are you going?
Come on, motherfuckers!
You can do better than that!
They just keep coming, man! Fuck this shit.
Get back here, you gutless shit!
Get me Bravo ASAP.
Charlie Company reports hand-to-hand, three holes are down. They need help.
Okay, get two squads from Alpha down there right away. Go, go!
Where's that goddamn air strike?
Hey, you two! Where the fuck are you going?
Can't you get anybody?
Negative contact. Can't raise Barnes, 2 Bravo, 2 Charlie, nothing!
-Get me 6! -Bravo 6!
-Parker's hit! -Get him in!
They're coming through our line!
-Where's Barnes?! -He's dead! They're all dead!
Six, L.T.!
Captain, we've been overrun. We're pulling back. Over.
Goddamn it! Where will you pull back to? They're all over the perimeter!
Now you be advised! You will hold in place and you will fight!
That means you, lieutenant. Bravo 6 out.
We got zips in the wire down here.
Roger that, Bravo 6. Can't run it any closer.
We're packing snake and nape but we're bingo on fuel.
For the record, it's my call! Dump all you've got on my pos.
I say again, expend all remaining in my perimeter.
It's a lovely fucking war. Bravo 6 out.
Roger your last, Bravo 6. We copy it's your call.
Get them in their holes. Hang tough, Bravo 6.
We are coming cocked for treetops.
Barnes!
No!
Get me a medic.
Go on, boy!
Do it.
Look out, we got live gooks at 3:00.
Come on, Elmo! Move your flea-bitten ass!
You okay? You all right?
Can you walk?
Hey, doc! We need a medic up here!
-Come on, Elmo. -Doc, we got wounded here!
That must have been some fucking fight.
You alone here, man?
Yeah.
Bunch of fucking faggots. They all left me.
122 wounded and still counting.
Estimate 500...
...Victor Charlie K.I.A. 22 and still counting. Over.
Taylor! That you?
Hey, Francis.
-Hey, man, how you doing? -I'm okay. How you doing?
Fine, man. Just fine.
Hey, dig it, we two-timers. We're gonna get out of here, boy.
I'm gonna see you in the hospital. We gonna get high, high. Yes, sir.
-How you doing? -I'm just fine, sir.
Good, because you got 2nd Platoon.
Yes, sir.
-Ready? -You bet.
I think now, looking back...
...we did not fight the enemy, we fought ourselves...
...and the enemy was in us.
The war is over for me now...
...but it will always be there the rest of my days.
As I'm sure Elias will be...
...fighting with Barnes for, what Rhah called, possession of my soul.
There are times since...
...I have felt like the child born of those two fathers.
But be that as it may...
... those of us who did make it have an obligation to build again.
To teach to others what we know...
...and to try with what's left of our lives...
... to find a goodness and meaning to this life.