These are the true events of November, 1965.
The la Drang Valley of Vietnam.
A place our country does not remember...
...in a war it does not understand.
This story is the testament to the young...
...Americans who died in the Valley of Death...
...and a tribute to the young men...
...of the People's Army of Vietnam...
...who died by our hand in that place.
To tell this story, l must start...
...at the beginning.
But where does it begin?
Maybe in June of 1954...
...when French Group Mobile 1 00 moved into...
...the same Central Highlands of Vietnam...
...where we would go 1 1 years later.
See anything?
No, Captain.
Fucking grass...
Fucking heat...
Fucking country...
Do we take prisoners?
No. Kill all they send...
...and they will stop coming.
Maybe the story begins in America...
...when the Army first realized...
...a new kind of war was coming its way.
The White House anticipates a buildup...
...and wants a victory.
Over cavemen, in black pajamas.
We wouldn't be there if they hadn't already beaten...
...the French Army.
The French Army? What's that?
The problem in Vietnam is terrain.
Jungle, mountains, rivers, maneuver is a nightmare.
That's why we came up with the plan to use helicopters.
Leap in and out of battle.
They want you to run the test on the idea.
lt'll take a hell of a combat leader.
l know a young light Colonel named Hal Moore.
He led a combat company in Korea.
After that he volunteered to test experimental parachutes.
Experimental parachutes? Sounds like just the guy.
The other side of the mountain...
...was all that he can see.
Was all that he can see...
...was all that he can see.
The other side of the mountain...
...was all that he can see.
The bear went over the mountain...
...the bear went over the mountain...
How about we go back to Bingo?
-What do you say? Bingo! -Oh...
B-l-N-G-O... B-l-N-G-O...
Tom...
How much you know about our new Colonel?
He was in Korea.
Has a Masters in lnternational Relations from Harvard.
Harvard? He's not one of those academic pussies, is he?
Hal Moore?
THE WARS lN lNDOCHlNA
Come on, Too Tall, give me you best shot, baby!
Did you see that?
Snakeshit drives that one to the moon.
To the moon!
And he's coming around...
No, he's not...
You're out, Snakeshit! You're out!
Horseshit! No wonder you can't fly! You can't see!
l believe you're out.
-You're a pilot? -Too Tall, sir.
-Yeah, l can see that. -You call, we haul.
-Can l speak to you a minute? -Yes, sir.
-Out! -Safe.
-Can l buy you a drink? -Sure.
Oh, thanks.
So your men call you, Snakeshit?
That's an affectionate appellation...
...of my comrades-in-arms, sir.
Because l fly lower than snakeshit.
Well, l gotta problem, Snakeshit.
And l think you're the solution.
l've been called a lot of things, Colonel never a solution.
You know what Air Cavalry really means?
You fly into hostile territory, out-numbered.
1 0,000 miles from home.
Sometimes the battleground's no bigger than a football field.
And if the choppers stop coming we all get slaughtered.
Now l figure, chopper pilots won't fly...
...into hell for strangers so...
-...l'm Hal Moore. -l know, sir.
Why us?
Well, you guys look like shit.
But your equipment is immaculate.
Yesterday was Sunday, you didn't have to be...
...training but you were.
And you got pilots like that Too Tall character.
He's way outside the limits of Army regs...
...they want to fly with you for some reason.
l guess it's because they think you're the best.
lt's because l only recruit the dumb ones, sir.
l suppose that l have a choice in all of this.
You sure don't.
l wouldn't miss it for the world.
To The Air Cav.
Good morning, Sergeant-Major.
How do you know what kind of goddamn day it is?
Group!
Attention!
At ease, Gentlemen!
Welcome to the new cavalry.
We will ride into battle.
And this...
...will be our horse.
You don't have to catch it.
You don't have to feed it.
But l can assure you...
...that neither the new technology...
...nor your status as officers...
...will keep you above the danger.
Sergeant-Major Plumley and l come from the paratroopers...
...where the officer is always the first one out of the plane...
...because to follow your instincts...
...and to inspire your men by your example...
...you have to be with them...
...where the metal meets the meat.
Sergeant- Major Plumley made all 4 combat jumps...
...in the 82nd Airborne during World War ll.
Sicily, Salerno, Normandy and Holland...
...plus one more in Korea.
He answers to me...
...and to me alone.
Now l hope you Gentlemen like training.
Because me and the Sergeant-Major...
...we love it.
Three strikes and you're not out!
There is always one more thing you can do!
Go! Go! Now!
-2... -Let's go!
...3.
-Pretty good, no? -Pretty good.
There's only one thing wrong.
Let's be sharp, men! We will be the best...
...platoon in this battalion.
Be ready in there! Let's go! Let's go!
Alright! Your officer's dead! What do you do?
Alright, he hesitated! He's dead! What do you do?
-Get off the chopper! -Get off the chopper!
Alright, all officers.
Come on in.
Savage, you learn the job of the man above you.
And you teach your job to the man below you in rank.
That goes for every man in this outfit. Understood?
Yes, Sir! We'll be landing under fire.
Men will die.
Have you said your prayers?
No?
-No. -l'll say them with you.
Fall in.
Alright. Ready? Set.
ln the name of The Father, The Son...
...and The Holy Ghost. Amen.
Hail Mary, full of grace...
...the Lord is with thee. Blessed art thou amongst women...
...and blessed is the fruit of thy womb...
Holy Mary, mother of...
Cecile, l don't hear you praying, honey.
l don't want to be a Catholic.
l want to be a Methodist like Mommy.
You do?
And why is that, honey?
So l can pray whatever l want.
-That's a sin. -No, no, that's not a sin.
God just made you hardheaded. That's not a sin.
l'll tell you what, do you want to...
...do you want to pray and thank God for our family?
-Yes, sir. -That's good, then let's do it.
Hail Mary, full of grace. The Lord is with thee.
Blessed art thou among women...
...and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus.
l can hear you laughing, you know, even in here.
l'm not laughing, l'm marveling.
Marveling? About what?
That you can find stubbornness...
...in your children and think it comes...
...from anybody but you.
Oh, yeah?
l'll give you something to marvel at.
When l pray...
...whatever l want...
l thank God for you.
lt's a beautiful morning, Sergeant-Major.
Are you a fuckin' weatherman now?
Look what l found for the new baseball player.
They've sent us another bunch of officers.
Real green. Got to train them up.
Makes me think of starting a new unit.
They sent new rifles too. The M-1 6.
lt's supposed to be a pretty good weapon.
Ah, lots of plastic.
Feels like a B-B gun to me.
l think l'll stick with my pistol.
You think we're going to get close enough...
...to the enemy to use that?
What do you think, sir?
A leader must remain cool and calm.
And second you must learn to ignore...
...the explosions, the heat, the dust...
...the screams of the wounded.
This is normal on the battlefield. Normal.
...l got wounded...
Sir, we need the helicopters over with...
...reinforcements right now...
Where the hell is that coming from?
lt's our advisors in Vietnam.
The new radio's picking up atmospheric bounce.
When Crazy Horse was a baby...
...he nursed from the breast of every woman in the tribe.
The Sioux raised their children that way.
Every warrior...
...called every woman in the tribe ''Mother''.
Every older warrior they called him ''Grandfather''.
And the point here is they fought as a family.
Take care of your men.
Teach them to take care of each other.
Because when this starts...
...each other is all we're going to have.
-Did you tune that in? -Yes, sir.
That's fine. You're my radio operator.
-l... -You'll be fine.
You'll work it out.
Any of you, son-of-a-bitches calls me Grandpa...
l'll kill you.
Godboldt, take your boots off.
Go on.
Everybody, take your boots off.
Everybody. Socks too.
l want you to draw out fresh socks from supply...
...and keep your feet dusted with powder.
Everybody check each other's feet like Godboldt and me.
Now that young man's a leader.
Yes, sir.
But that other fellow...
...that big strong one there...
...he wants to win medals.
He's eager.
Ladies, l'm just really glad...
...that you're all here today.
l know that some of you are new to the Army, and...
...all of us are new to this post...
...so l thought we could pull our resources and cover...
...whatever questions we might have.
So why don't we start with item number one:
...food.
lf the commissary is out of something...
...where's the best place to shop?
l tried Big Star, it's okay.
But l keep thinking my water is going to break...
...right in the checkout aisle.
So, that takes care of food shopping.
So, item number two: laundry.
The base washing machines don't work.
They're full of sand from the swamp missions.
-Alright, l'll take care of that. -l've already complained.
Well, we'll just go to the General.
ln the meantime, the Laundromat in town is okay.
They won't let you wash colored things in their machines.
At a public Laundromat?
But l'm telling you they have a big sign right...
...in the window says, ''Whites Only''.
-What? -Honey, they mean...
...white people only.
That's awful.
Your husband is wearing the uniform of a country...
...that allows a place to say that his laundry's not good...
...enough when he could die for?
-l'm sorry, l just... -That's alright, honey.
l know what my husband is fighting for and...
...that's why l can smile.
My husband would never ask for respect.
And he'll give respect to no man who hasn't earned it.
The rest of his family is the same way.
And anybody who doesn't respect that can keep...
...his goddamn washing machine...
...because my baby's clothes are going to be clean anyway.
Well, l guess that takes care of item number two.
Are you alright?
l think... l think my water just broke.
Okay, we're all calm. We're all calm.
The car! l'll get the car!
-Colonel. -At ease. At ease.
l heard one of my new Lieutenant's...
...just became a father.
l came to say congratulations.
-Thank you, sir. -l didn't want to disturb you...
No, no, it's fine. lt's alright. Please.
-How's your wife? -She's okay.
She's okay. She's sleeping.
So is my daughter.
l just wanted to be here for a while...
...before l held her.
Did you tag her already? What does that say?
Oh, Camille.
-l'm sorry, sir. -No, don't you take that off.
You leave that on where it is. That's an order.
Colonel, may l ask you a question?
Sure.
What do you think about being a...
...soldier and a father?
l hope that being good at the one makes me...
...better at the other.
Why? What about you?
l don't know, sir.
Between college and here...
Barbara and l spent a year in Africa.
We helped build a school for orphans.
They were orphans because the War Lord across...
...the border didn't like their tribe.
l know God has a plan for me.
l just hope it's to help protect orphans...
...not make any.
Why don't we ask him?
Come on, let's go ask him.
Our Father in Heaven... Before we go into battle...
Every soldier among us will approach you...
...each in his own way.
Our enemies too according to their own understanding...
...will ask for protection and for victory.
And so we bow before your infinite wisdom.
We offer our prayers the best we can.
l pray you watch over the young men like Jack Geoghegan...
...that l lead into battle.
You use me as your instrument in this awful hell...
...of war to watch over them.
Especially if they're men like this one beside me...
...deserving of a future in your blessing and good will.
-Amen. -Amen.
Oh, yes... and one more thing, Dear Lord...
...about our enemies...
...ignore their heathen prayers and help us blow...
...those little bastards straight to hell.
Amen again.
Amen.
Thank you.
There is one about the kid with the apple tree...
...or the flying horse, or...
...the fairytale with the deer and stuff on him.
-Daddy. -Yes?
What is the war?
The war is...
Well, it's...
...it's something that shouldn't happen...
...but it does.
And it is when...
Some people...
...in another country or any country...
...try to take the lives of other people.
And then soldiers like your daddy have to, you know...
lt is my job to go over there and stop them.
Are they going to try to take your life away, Daddy?
Well, yes, Cecile, they are going to try.
But l'm not going to let them.
Okay?
French ln lndo China: Did not know the terrain
Poor lntelligence Underestimated the enemy.
Did not fight on home ground Massacre.
Can't sleep?
The men are so young...
...and they sent me a new crop even greener.
And when l look at them...
l see our boys.
Then you're just the man to lead them.
l guess.
We intend to convince the Communist...
...that we cannot be defeated...
...by force of arms.
l have asked the Commanding General...
...General Westmoreland...
...what more he needs...
...to meet this mounting aggression.
He has told me.
And we will meet his needs.
l have today ordered to Vietnam the Air Mobile Division.
And certain other forces which will raise...
...our fighting strength from 75,000 to...
..1 25,000 men...
...almost immediately.
Additional forces will be needed later...
Get out your best dresses, ladies.
They will want to celebrate.
Don't you ever...
...be scared.
Lean on me...
l didn't hear the President Mention a State of Emergency.
No, he didn't.
Well, without that declaration, it means our enlistments...
...will not be extended.
l'm sorry, Hal.
Forgive me, Sir, but let me get this straight.
We form a division using techniques that...
...have never been attempted in battle...
...against an enemy with 20 years of combat...
...experience on his ground...
...1 2,000 miles away from our ground.
And right before the Army sends us into the fight...
...they take away a third of my men.
The most experienced third, including the officers.
l don't like it any better than you do, Hal.
Hell, no!
You saw this coming, didn't you...? Yes.
That's why you gave me that new crop of platoon leaders.
Korea didn't teach them anything.
-Politicians? -Politicians...
Hold me.
Never let me go...
...until you told me...
...told me...
...what l want to know...
...and then just hold me.
Hold me...
Make me tell you l'm in love with you...
Thrill me.
Thank you, Sir.
By the way, Hal, since we're being deployed...
...they're renumbering the units.
You're now the Commanding Officer...
...of the 1 st Battalion of the 7th Cavalry.
The 7th?
The same regiment as Custer.
Thank you, Sir.
They told me: ''be sensible with your love''.
Don't be fooled...
...they missed the last you've find.
But they never suited after you...
...when you take me in your arms...
...and l'll go slowly out of my mind.
Kiss me... kiss me.
And when you do l'll know...
...that you will miss me.
Miss me.
Did we ever say...
...l've been so kiss me.
Kiss me.
Let me tell you...
...l'm in love with you.
Kiss me.
And when you do l'll know...
...that you will miss me...
Look around you.
ln the 7th Cavalry...
...we've got a Captain from the Ukraine...
...another from Puerto Rico...
...we got Japanese, Chinese, Blacks...
...Hispanics, Cherokee lndians...
...Jews and Gentiles...
...all Americans.
Now here in the States...
Some men...
...in this unit...
...may experience discrimination because of race or creed.
But for you and me now...
...all that is gone.
We're moving into the Valley...
...of the Shadow of Death.
Where you will watch the back...
...of the man next to you...
...as he will watch yours.
And you won't care what color he is...
...or by what name he calls God.
They say we're leaving home.
We're going to what home...
Was always supposed to be.
So let us understand the situation.
We are going into battle...
...against a tough and determined enemy.
l can't promise you...
...that l will bring you all home alive.
But this l swear...
...before you and before almighty God...
...that when we go into battle...
...l will be the first to set foot on the field...
...and l will be the last to step off...
...and l will leave no one behind.
Dead or alive...
...we will all come home together...
...so help me God.
l love you.
Central Highlands, South Vietnam, 1 965
HEADQUARTERS 1 ST BATTALlON 7TH U.S. CAVALRY REGlMENT
''GARRY OWEN'' 1 ST CAVALRY DlVlSlON AlR MOBlLE
-Hal. -Sir.
Last night the enemy hit our camp at Plaei Me.
-How many casualties? -None.
The enemy forces withdrew from this mountain near...
...the Cambodian border.
How many men do you have battle-ready, give or take?
-Sergeant Major? -395, Sir.
Exactly.
What do you estimate the enemy strength?
We appraise their numbers as manageable, Colonel.
You have no idea.
We have no idea.
Simple orders, Hal.
Find the enemy and kill him.
They attack us... no casualties.
Then they run and hide in the mountains.
Naturally we chase them of course.
Does it smell like an ambush to you?
They get close enough to kill us...
...we'll be close enough to kill them.
Round trip per chopper, 30 minutes.
That means the first 60 men...
...on the ground will be there a half hour alone.
Son-of-a-bitch.
l think maybe you ought to get yourself an M-1 6.
When time comes l need one, they'll be plenty of them lying...
...on the ground.
Let's go do what we came here to do.
Yes, Sir.
Carry on!
lt was a Sunday,
November 1 4th...
...1 965.
Before that day, the soldiers of North Vietnam...
...and those of America...
...never met each other in a major battle.
Two miles out. Dropping to nap of the earth.
The helicopter soldiers are coming!
Get them ready!
1 0:48 A.M. Landing Zone X-Ray
First Platoon. Let's move.
lt's a scout! Let's take him prisoner!
Lieutenant!
There he goes! Come on!
Captain, l want you to keep contact with all patrols.
Hey... l got something here! l got a boy!
Well, hell, that ain't no boy!
-He say he deserter. -Bullshit, he's a lookout.
Ask him where his friends are.
Hey say this is base camp for whole division.
-4,000 men. -Where?
That mountain...
Same army that destroyed French.
He say they want to kill Americans very badly.
Just not been able to find any yet.
Captain Metsker...
...tell all the patrols to hold their positions.
You, take the radio!
-Sir... -We got to get that guy!
Captain, you call in all the patrols.
We have to regroup and engage the enemy...
...all the way from the LZ...
Net call. Net call. This is Trojan-Two...
Grab the wounded! Fall back!
Get the high ground!
Get off there!
Take the wounded out of ammo!
Hold the fire!
Everybody down! Down!
Check your ammo! Everybody check ammo!
Come on! l'll get us out of here.
Grab the wounded! We'll make a run for it!
Sarge? Sarge! We got to get out of here!
Stay down! Don't anybody move!
Bungum, stay down!
Stay down!
Form a perimeter!
Conserve your ammo and stay down!
1 :1 5 P.M. The Knoll.
What's happening with that patrol?
l'm trying to reach them, Sir!
Trojan Two... come in! Over!
Hey! Hey! Calm down!
Understand the situation and communicate clearly!
Pull the chain on all the firepower you can get on...
...that mountain!
Alert Crandall, we have a hot LZ!
Agent Serpent Six, this is Trojan Two.
You're coming into a hot LZ! We are taking fire!
Repeat! We are taking fire!
No shit!
Shift immediately to their flanks.
Do not let them breathe!
Roger that. Trojan-Two out.
Herrick's platoon is cut off and under attack!
Bravo Company's holding!
They're going to try to flank us!
Move!
-We got to go! -We are out of here.
Move!
Savage...
Alright... alright... l got you.
Sir...?
Don't let them get the signals codes...
Roger that.
l'm glad l could die for my country.
Doc...
Bungum...
Sarge!
Tell my wife...
...l love her.
This is Savage. l need artillery at these coordinates...
Niner-3-3-0-1 ...
Ernie! Ernie help! We got more coming!
We are cutoff! Copy. We are cutoff.
Landing Zone Falcon Five miles from X-ray.
Fire!
We are going to call a 1 00 more, sir!
They are right on top of us, sir!
Bringing in it close!
They are using artillery as a shied!
lt is accurate, and continuous.
We must overrun them now, when they are at their weakest!
Attack here...
...here, and here!
Overwhelm the landing zone...
...and we have choked their route...
...of supply and escape!
lt's a hot LZ!
We'll be jumping! We will not touchdown!
They're trying to break right through us!
l want you to reinforce Alpha Company, there!
Yes, Sir!
Now! Move!
Follow me! Charlie Company up on the ridge!
Doc! The wounded are over by that termite mound! Go!
Sir, if you don't find some cover, you're gonna go down!
lf you go down, we all go down! Come on!
Follow me!
l want the M-1 6 here!
Radio!
Sir! Captain Edwards on the ridge!
Bob!
Colonel, these guys are regulars!
Heavily armed! AK-47's and pouches of grenades!
Heavy machine guns and shoulder-fired rockets!
Have we broken through?
The Americans just landed another...
...wave of reinforcements.
They massed precisely...
...where we attacked
Use the creek bed.
Captain Nadal!
That creed bed is vital! Vital!
-They'll be coming right at you! -Do not let them flank!
l repeat, do not let them flank!
Secure the creek bed!
2:27 P.M. The Creek Bed
Tom! l want you to keep trying to raise those Medevac boys!
Tom... Tom?
l'm alright.
Charlie, come here!
l want you to get me all the air support...
...you can get me on that mountain! Now!
Now!
Requesting immediate close air support.
l need you to burn them out on hilltop.
Alpha, shift to Alpha Bravo.
Coordinates: Golf 4-5-2...
Give me something higher up on that.
Shifting to hilltop, Bravo!
4-5-7-2!
l'll say again: 4-5-7-2!
Medevac Command of the 7th Cavalry, are you inbound?
Looks pretty hot down there.
lt is a little hot.
Just watch our approach. Follow us in.
Copy that 7th Cavalry. We will follow your approach.
Get over there! Reinforce Charlie Company. There!
You see that?
The Medevac are buggin' out and leaving the wounded!
Snake! Get out of here!
Taking the wounded! Get the wounded!
Come on! Come on!
Okay! Here!
They're still trying to flank us!
Stretch out along the line!
Radio!
Trojan Six! We are in heavy contact!
ln danger being overrun!
lf they get into the LZ, we all had it.
Can you hold?
We're spread thin, sir, but we'll keep them held!
Crandall. This is Trojan Six.
lt's too hot down here. l'm closing the LZ.
-You copy that, Too Tall? -Copy that, Snake.
U.S. lntelligence Headquarters Saigon
l don't like it. First time out, a whole battalion massacred.
-You think this is a massacre? -l call losing...
...a lot of draftees a bad week. Losing a Colonel is a massacre.
Moore is still fighting.
He's under strength against more men than he can count.
He's got a whole platoon lost.
They're not lost. They're only cut off and surrounded.
Then they're lost.
-Sergeant-Major! -Sir!
We need to carve out an emergency LZ right over there!
-Fine! -Blow the trees down!
Fire in the hole!
Colonel, this is Snakeshit and Too Tall.
We're coming in with 2 full loads of ammo.
Crandall, we've blown a new LZ.
When you come in, come in from the east. Out.
Colonel, it's Battalion headquarters.
They want you out!
-We can't get out, damnit! -Not all of us... just you.
Saigon wants to debrief you!
That doesn't make any sense!
Say again. Will you repeat that order?
Too Tall, follow the Colonel to the new LZ.
l see him, Snake.
Shit!
-We will give you a hand. -We are moving on board.
Alright, get the ammo off! Get the wounded up!
Come on! Bring them on! Get them on, boys!
Come on!
No! No! We're overloaded!
No! l'll get out! lt's, Ray!
He's hurt worse than me!
You hang on! l'll see you back there, Ray!
God! Help me!
God!
You, me and Ouellette are all we have in reserve.
Yeah, it's slacking' up a little.
We just regroup for another assault.
Distribute that ammo.
-Ouelette! -Yes, Sir!
You tell Crandall he's got time to get one more flight in here.
Yes, sir.
Agent Serpent Six, this is Trojan Six...
Doc! Give this water to the wounded.
Everybody's out of water. lt must be terrible for them.
And those guys are cut off up there.
3:34 P.M. - The Knoll Running low on ammo, Sarge!
Pick your target. One shot, one kill, alright?
How are we doin', Doc? We're out of water.
That's the last of it.
My face is on fire!
Foster, hold still! Hold still!
l'll cut your face! Hold still!
Doc! Doc! Doc! lt's Foster!
Okay!
Does anybody have anymore bandages?
Ernie! Ernie, are you hit too?
-Are you hit? -No, no, l'm okay.
Our guys are going to come for us, aren't they?
Yes.
When?
Plug his wound.
That's the main LZ, but it's closed.
This is Too Tall. l'm clear.
Crandall's clear.
-Geoghegan. -Colonel.
l want you to go over there and reinforce your Company.
-Yes, sir! -Okay! Keep your head down!
To the top of the ridge! Move it!
Move! Move!
Captain Nadal.
We got to breakthrough to that cut-off platoon.
We got an American platoon out there.
An Air Cav platoon cut-off out there!
Air Cav! Air Cav! Air Cav!
...l said: l know. Your mom asked me to give you 600 dollars.
Hey, good luck to you.
Hey, you got enough room for one more?
-lf you're crazy enough. Get in. -Yes, sir.
Hey! What are those lights down there?
Enemy soldiers.
They use candles on the trail.
They're moving into position to attack.
Here we go!
Let's go! Let's go! Let's go!
You and your boys have done a hell of job today, Snake.
That is the last flight for tonight, Colonel.
But if you need us, you call us.
-Who the hell are you? -l'm a reporter, Sir.
Joe Galloway, U.P.l. How is it going, Colonel?
We've been flat to the boards since last night.
We got more enemy coming too.
l saw a whole chain of lights...
-...coming down the mountain. -ls that so?
-Yes, sir. -l can't guarantee your safety.
Yes, sir, l know
-Where you from, son? -Refugio, Texas, Sir.
That's the first thing l've heard all day that makes any sense.
-Captain Dillon. -Sir!
-Did you see those lights. -l'm on it right now, sir.
You fry them son-of-a-bitches.
Risky-Six. This is Trojan-Three. Fire emissions.
Angle foxtrot: four-niner-six-five-six-niner...
All operations are suspended for the evening.
Plane operations are scheduled for zero-five-thirty hour.
-Where is Crandall? -He's right there, sir.
Crandall. You led my men into a hot LZ.
Yes, somebody had to fly out the wounded.
No, no, don't you play hotshot with me!
You know the rules. You suckered us in there.
lf you ever do it again, l'm going to have you busted!
You got the balls to face me but not to face the enemy!
Get out!
lf l ever see you again, l'll kill you.
That's right.
What a day?
Tomorrow will be worse.
lf they make it to tomorrow.
Ernie, l can't see anything, but l can smell them.
Dead bodies stink.
No, it's not the dead ones. l can smell them crawling up on us.
l'm telling you.
l need illumination...
...6-5-0...
...1 -5-0-1 .
l need artillery on previously established targets.
Alpha, Bravo and Charlie. Fire for effect!
Save the ammo! Cease fire!
ls anybody hit?
Captain, if you guys are coming, you gotta let us know.
lt's pitch black out here.
l don't want to shoot any of our own guys.
Savage...
...we can't make it tonight.
Don't worry, you're going to make it.
We'll come get you in the morning.
Yes, sir.
Out.
2:23 A.M. - The Ridge
Pete... you're doing a...
...fine job, son. Don't worry.
We gave them more than they gave us today. Keep it up.
-How're you boys doing? -Fine, sir.
Keep it up. Keep doing what you're doing and you'll be fine.
Your men have done a hell of a job today...
-Lieutenant Geoghegan... -They won't get through us, sir.
-You can count on it. -l know that, Jack.
Keep it up, son.
-lt's Rear Headquarters, sir. -How is it out there, Colonel?
We're surrounded but we're holding on, Sir.
Sir, l need a confirmed count of our dead and wounded.
l got to know where all my boys are.
You'll get it, Hal.
-Here they come. -Captain Edwards.
l need illumination on the perimeter.
Whisky-five. This is Howard-six-alpha.
l need illumination. Now.
Cathy?
Cathy.
A telegram...
A cab delivers a telegram.
The Secretary of the Army... ...re...
...regrets...
Mrs Moore?
Colonel Moore's wife?
Yes.
l need help finding an address.
-l am looking for... -You jackass!
Do you know what this is?
Do you know what you just did to me?
l don't like this job, ma'am.
l'm just trying to do it.
Wait.
l'll take it to her.
And tell the cab company if there are any others...
...just bring them to me.
Julie... l just went by to see Catherine.
Everybody knows.
No chaplains or counselors. Cab drivers!
The Army wasn't ready.
l'll go with you.
-Thanks. -Who's it for?
No!
l thought she would hate me.
Your husband didn't start the war.
They all knew this could happen, and so did we.
l'll take care of these.
l'll go with you.
We'll do one at a time.
Okay?
We won't look, okay?
Okay.
Do you think they'll bring more telegrams tomorrow?
lf there are, come and get me.
ln the name of The Father, The Son and...
...The Holy Ghost. Amen.
Out of the depths l cry to thee Lord.
Lord hear my voice.
May thine ears be attentive to the voice of my supplications.
...thou, O Lord, shall mark our inequities.
Lord, who can abide them?
With thee there is mercy.
Grant them eternal rest, O Lord...
And make a perpetual light shine upon them.
And trough the mercy of God, may they rest in peace.
Amen. ln the name of The Father...
...The Son and The Holy Ghost.
You got a death wish, Galloway?
No, sir.
Then why are you here?
Because l knew these dead boys will be here, sir.
Why aren't you a soldier?
You got the guts for it.
My daddy was a soldier.
My granddaddy, two of my great granddaddies were soldiers.
Hell, that's how l came to be.
See, each of them lost a leg in the Civil War.
My great granddaddy Galloway he lost his left.
And my great granddaddy Reid lost his right.
And...
...they met in a shoe store in Galveston...
...every year after that that, the same date, the same store...
...they would get together and pick out...
...a brand new pair of shoes for the two of them.
You are shitting me.
No, sir, l swear to God.
One had a daughter, one had a son, my grandparents.
What the hell do you suppose the odds of them...
...having the same shoe size was?
l don't know, Colonel. lt was meant to be, l guess.
Meant to be.
Sir, Galloways have been in every war...
...this country has ever fought.
But when it came to this one l didn't think l could stop the war.
You know, l...
...just thought that maybe. l might try and understand one.
And maybe help folks back home understand.
l just figured l could do that better...
...shooting a camera than l could shooting a rifle.
Well...
l sure hope you make it through this one.
You too, Colonel.
We fought well today.
We tested their tactics...
...and learned their capabilities.
Their artillery is effective...
...so we must get so close...
...they can't use it.
We will grab them by the belt buckle.
Right twenty!
Put it right on them!
For the courage of those who have died...
For those who are about to die...
l am grateful.
6:09 A.M. The Creed Bed
Colonel, sir.
-Nadal. -Sir.
-What is it, sir? -Nothing's wrong.
Except there's nothing wrong.
You just get back to the termite mound. You'll be fine. Go on!
Roger that, sir.
Pass the word on. Every man...
...fire 3 rounds at anything looks suspicious to them.
On my signal.
They're gonna hit us like this on the whole perimeter.
We gotta get back to termite mound.
Stay here till it stops.
Sir!... Sir!
Captain Edwards. Charlie Company...
-...on the ridge. -Bob?
They're inside the artillery! l need...
Bob?
7:1 5 A.M. - The Ridge
Godboldt! l need a grenade!
Go men! Come on! Let's go!
Godboldt's down!
l'll get him!
Captain Dillon, l want you to get Bravo Company to send up...
...a platoon across the LZ support Charlie Company!
Bravo-six. This is Trojan three. Bravo-six. This is Trojan three...
And tell Charlie Company to get real small in their holes!
l'm going to drop some artillery right on top of them!
Charlie Company. We've rounds coming right into your position.
We're being overrun!
Now, boys, we're going to win this fight.
They have brought a main course...
...VC battalion against us too.
l'm requesting that...
...you dispatch another company of reinforcements...
...for movement as soon as it can be accomplished.
How bad is it, Hal?
lt's getting pretty sporty down here, sir.
Get out of the way!
Medic! Get a medic over here!
Hey, what's your name, soldier?
Jimmy Nakayama!
l got a baby being born today!
-Congratulations! -Thanks.
Medic!
You can't take no pictures lying down there, sonny.
Down. Right there.
Sir, l'm a non-combatant, sir.
Ain't no such thing today, boy.
Shit!
Why aren't those mortars firing?
What's the problem here?
These tubes are red hot, sir! l'm afraid we're going to cook...
...a round off and blow us all up!
And we can't cool them off cause we're all out of water!
Come on... what are you waiting for?
Gentlemen...
...prepare to defend yourselves.
We are through their lines on all sides.
Congratulations, Colonel. You have beaten the Americans.
Negative. Negative. Stand by.
Any pilots do not see the enemy.
They do no pick out our friendlies.
Bravo-six, say again, do you read?
You got to tell your Company Commander to pop smoke now.
They need to mark the lines, right now!
He has no lines!
Stand by. We cannot see the target.
Our perimeter is collapsing.
Half of Company Bravo is coming down.
Charlie Company is being overrun!
Hastings!
Broken Arrow!
l say it again! Broken Arrow!
-Confirm, Broken Arrow. -Broken Arrow. Confirmed.
-Broken Arrow? -That means an American unit...
...is being overrun.
lt calls in every combat aircraft for support.
My God, there's not hiding it now.
Charlie Company! Report!
Bravo Company! Report!
Planes are on their way, Colonel!
Sir!
Roger that.
We have planes stacked up at every 1 ,000 feet...
...from 7,000 to 35,000!
We'll get them, sir!
Advancing coords to our position. Right?
One-five-zero...
Nine-six-two-five-zero-seven...
You are getting closer in on zero-five-zero degrees.
Repeat, zero-five-zero...
That's, zero-five-zero...
Goddamnit.
Company of enemy out in the open...
...is facing north on our position.
0-5-0 grados.
at 1-5-0.
We're getting closer in on 3-1-5 degrees al 0-5-0...
Charlie! Call that son-of-a-bitch off!
Abort! Pull up!
Get down!
Charlie!
Charlie! Listen to me! You're keeping us alive now.
You forget about that one!
And you keep them coming in! You're doing well, son.
Seven-O-Two, attack against the tree line.
Medic! Medic!
Medic!
Oh, God! Jimmy!
Do you know this guy?
You know him, talk to him. Just talk to him!
Jimmy... do you hear me?
lt's Joe. Joe Gallowway.
We're going to get you out of here.
We got to get him to the landing zone. Grab his legs.
You got to get him out of here.
l can't help you! You got to do it by yourself!
-Get him on that chopper! Okay? -Yes, sir.
Tell my wife l love her...
...and my baby.
You tell them...
-Captain Nadal. -Sir.
Now we put them back in our heels. We got us a lull.
l want you to attack... l want you to go in there and...
...rescue that cutoff platoon.
Yes, sir. First Squad! Move out!
Add fifty.
Keep moving the artillery forward!
Move it!
Keep moving forward!
Sergeant Savage... you guys still here?
We have 40 K.l.A., we have 2 M.l.A...
...these are the last numbers...
That's a nice day, Sergeant Savage.
40 dead. And 2 unaccounted for, sir.
Right.
All right, boys, let's get them up! Get them out!
Let's get them out of here! Get them on the chopper!
Alright, since most of the men being loaded on...
...the chopper is Charlie Company,
l want you to take their place. l'll show you where to start.
Yes, sir. Let's go.
Captain, you have your men dig in some firing steps.
When it's over throw some dirt on those bodies.
-... -Right, Sergeant Major.
lt kind of makes you wish you had signed up...
...for the submarines?
Colonel, Brigade headquarters wants you lifted out...
...on the first chopper at dawn.
Now, what idiot would keep ordering that...
...in the middle of a goddamn battle?
General Westmoreland wants a briefing.
l am in a fight...
...and l object to this order to return to Saigon.
Now l will not leave my men. ls that clear? Out.
There's two of my men unaccounted for out there...
...and it's where the worst the fighting was so...
...they will be out there some place.
Let's go and get them, what do you say?
-l'm with you, sir. -Alright...
Let's go.
Julie...
They...
...brought another...
No, God, Julie. Julie, it's yours...
No.
He died. Keeping my promise.
Sir, they're ordering us all out.
All of us.
They're going to march reinforcements in.
They don't understand a damn thing, do they?
Can't get out.
He's waiting up there in a cave and that's what he wants.
The minute he sees live soldiers hopping on the helicopter...
...he will be all over us, and then he'll get wants...
He'll get his massacre.
Requesting permission to rejoin the lines, sir.
Alright, son.
Carry on, sir.
l wonder what was going through Custard's...
...mind when he realized...
...he led his men into a slaughter.
Sir, Custer was a pussy.
You ain't.
Goddamn...
Hell...
Right now they are planning their final attack.
One that is going to finish us off.
They will nibble at us all night, then...
...come dawn they will hit us with everything they got.
That's what l would do if l was him.
Sergeant-Major...
-...hand out the last ammunition. -Yes, sir.
Use the darkness to move into position...
...and l will bring up our reserves.
We will overwhelm them at dawn...
...before they are ready.
5:57 A.M. The Third Day
Fix bayonets.
You were wondering how Custer felt, sir.
You ought to ask him.
The Americans have broken through our lines.
We have no soldiers between them...
...and our command post.
Sergeant Savage!
Checking the dead enemies for documents...
...l found this on the guy who tried to bayonet you.
Translated some of it, mostly personal.
l thought you might want to have a look at it.
-Joe! -Joe!
-What was that? -lt's American artillery.
-Friendly fire. -How many casualties?
What the hell happened to you, Joe?
Hey, Joe.
Colonel Moore! Colonel Moore!
Colonel!
What was the key to your victory, Colonel?
Sir, tell us how you feel.
Do you feel the United States will be forced to take...
...the North Vietnamese more seriously now?
How do you feel about the lost of your men, sir?
Have you notified the families, sir?
l'm glad you made it, son.
Thank you, sir.
You too.
l'll never forgive myself.
For what, sir?
That my men...
...that my men died and l didn't.
Sir, l don't...
l don't know how to tell this story.
Well, you got to, Joe.
You tell the American people what these men did here.
You tell how my troopers died.
Yes, sir.
Thank you.
All of our men, living and dead are off the field, sir.
Well done, Sergeant-Major.
Such a tragedy.
They will think this was their victory.
So this will become an...
...American war.
And the end will be the same...
...except for the numbers who...
...will die before we get there.
ln Saigon, Hal Moore's superiors...
...congratulated him for killing over 1,800 enemy soldiers.
Then ordered him to lead the men of the 7 th Cavalry...
...back into battle again.
He led them...
...and fought beside them...
...for 235 more days.
Kids, go to bed.
lsn't there someone at the door?
Go to bed!
Children! Your daddy's home!
-Daddy! -Daddy!
Some had families waiting. For others, their...
...only family would be the men they had bled beside.
There we no bands...
...no flags...
...no honor guards to welcome them home.
They went to war because their country ordered them to.
But in the end they fought not for their country or their flag.
They fought for each other.
Dear Barbara...
l have no words to express to you my sadness...
...over the lost of Jack.
The world is a lesser place without him.
But l know he is with God and the angels.
But even heaven has improved by his presence there.
l know you too are sure of this, and yet...
...this knowledge can't diminish his lost...
...and your grief.
With abiding respect and affection...
Hal Moore.
We who have seen war...
...we'll never stop seeing it.
ln the silence of the night we will always hear the screams.
So this is our story.
For we were soldiers once...
...and young.
The Names of the men of the 7 th Cavalry...
...who died in the la Drang Valley are remembered on...
Panel 3-East of the Vietnam War Memorial.
To their left and right are the names of 58,000...
...of their brother-in-arms.
These are the names of those...
...who died at LZ X-Ray.