Born on the Fourth of July - Vietnam

[@scada67]

“I'm fed up to the ears with old men dreaming up wars for young men to die in.” ― George S. McGovern

[@jeonginnielvr]

Moshe W. Unfortunately he didn't win

[@JakeBassCZ]

What if I told you that it was Vietnamese Communists who crushed Cambodian Pol Pot underfoot, not Reagan or Thatcher (who supported Khmer Rouge)?

[@intrepidmind5264]

@Fo Reel I don't think the politicians or the top brass had any real interest or strategy for winning that war. I think they were just interested in dragging it out to make money for the military industrial complex.

[@jimmycakes7158]

@@JakeBassCZ What if I told you they only did that because of border disputes, not because the Communist Party in Vietnam cared about people, they were too busy tracking down enemies of the state that resisted them.

[@olliephelan]

@@jimmycakes7158 Well, then why did the Viets send 200,000 tons of rice to Cambodia when the west sent 200 ? Thatcher stopped the Indian government sending water buffalo as "a gift" in order to get around a complete ban on trading with the new government. THATS what caused the starvation. NOT the KR. Thatcher and Reagan made sure that the Khmer rouge seat was kept open despite the fact that there were hiding on the Thai border. They refused to recognise the new government , therefore no trade, no aid, and total starvation.

[@20thCenturyMan80]

Master class in cinematography and directing. Oliver Stone was on top of his game. Love it!

[@jonnybones3078]

this scene makes me tear up, that scream for tom cruse, its the sound of a man fighting for his life anyone thats ever been in war knows that sound

[@lostintechnicolor]

Man, John Williams’ music is just devastating in this scene.

[@ragazzi25]

A masterpiece...

[@kimberleypex]

1989 ! Adagio for strings music. Tiesto

[@Theakker3B]

The only Vietnam film I have seen that takes place in the desert instead of the jungle.

[@arielgoldfarb4118]

Because it is supposed to be a beach or something. Of course Vietnam is tropical and full of jungles.

[@maximuscaligula]

The Cua Viet River region is by the Gulf of Tonkin close to the ocean near the DMZ, where this scene took place had the same terrain and conditions, etc.

[@journeytothestars7]

Not enough money to go to foreign! Hahaha

[@runarmyof1]

journeytothestars7 They did "go to foreign" dumb ass. the war scenes were filmed in the Philippines, and then later on they also went to Mexico for the scenes where Ron was in Mexico. Look up the "Cua Viet River", that's the location of at least one of the two war scenes. Oliver Stone portrays it exactly how it looks in real life.

[@MrChaney4]

Michael Akkerman seems everyone thinks Nam was all jungle. not true. lot of flat land. I was there. watch more movies.

[@ashiltokhai6673]

Pretty sure this is supposed to depict the many skirmishes fought in the battle of Cua Viet.

[@Kelly14UK]

January 20th 1968 changed Ron's life forever

[@blancacastillo5902]

i say this picture a few years ago what amazing performance by tom

[@jamestemplin2621]

What make this seen more sad to me that I think he said in his book he was deserted by most of his platoons and when he was hit in the foot he he got up and kept shooting because he was frustrated at the moment because a lot of the platoon deserted him

[@cigarmikey]

This movie along with a few good men assisted me with my decision to join the Corps. A good Marine I was too !

[@17MrLeon]

funny, this movie was made to discourage you to join.

[@solangel8002]

@stanly stud shut it dude

[@derekmasuda5376]

That's ironic considering this is really an anti-war movie and Kovic would later vehemently disapprove of the war.

[@timelkin838]

@@17MrLeon Exactly. I guess it goes over the heads of kids who have been indoctrinated to join the military. It's a scam and there is no glory in war just pain loss and suffering that lasts a lifetime and no one will understand that wasn't there. Maybe he only watched the movie up until this point. I'm seeing a lot of comments not understand this movie is an anti war film not a pro war film.

[@buyerofsorts]

Huh?

[@wildmann23]

My uncle Albert, was 18 yrs old in USMC. Infantry & later assigned to a Force Recon unit. Then was assigned in 'Counter-Insurgent' . Serve in 1967 - 69. Received: Bronze Star (1), Vietnam Service Medal (2), Expert Marksman Medal, Recon Medal, Navy Marine Medal, The Republic of Vietnam Medal. Purple heart (1), Silver star (2) & a Navy Cross (1). His other assignments during the war, back then was: classified & black ops.Till his official service records were released to our family. Knowing his has done so much, when he came back home. His mother so proud of him, he had done his duty & gladly he came back home. He had his share of done things & seen things he ain't proud of. In combat & seeing many of his fellow marines either wounded or dying. Like so many of our vets served in the Vietnam War. Not many vets like him, who can serve of their experience in the war. Got to remember, they were soldier, marines, sailors, airmen, pilots once. And young. looking back then, And now. He was like these guys. Were either joined or drafted into the service. Fresh out of boot camp. Assigned to a combat units & others had other duties. As for many vets were going into the jungle, fighting an enemy that is nearly invisible. Knowing a fellow marine, bound as brothers as a unit & as one. To have each other backs when the heavy sh*t storm starts. Only got the person next to you, who's got your back & willing to fight beside them. Take the time to listen, those who have relatives, served & fought in Vietnam.

[@jchris8444]

BS NO SUCH UNIT

[@simonyip5978]

The rifles used by the main character is a M-14 which fired 7.62mm calibre rounds compared to the M-16/M-4 used up until today, which fires 5.56mm calibre rounds. The difference between 7.62mm and 5.56mm doesn't seem that much, but apparently the 7.62mm are much more powerful and destructive when hitting a human body.

[@akiranyo]

There is huge difference in the recoil though. The movie portraits well the fact - when he got desperate and switches to auto. The gun becomes so uncontrollable that he will not hit a enemy who you could hit with a pistol. The M-14 is not a bad weapon, but was not suited to CQC and jungle warfare. From this viewpoint in starting years of war, the vietnamese army was better equipped as the US Army, at least in grunt firearms, wielding mainly AK-47, AKM and their chinese copies. Special forces of vietcong had access even to VZ 58, which was just so durable as the AK but far lighter and more accurate. Those have recoil too - 7,62x39, but nowhere so far as 7,62x51.

[@NiggaMind69]

@@akiranyo SKS rifles were the most common rifles

[@someguy672]

Why did he take off his flak jacket after his foot got wounded?

[@macnos]

+someguy672 Presumably to lighten the load on his injured foot.

[@marks_sparks1]

someguy672 his flak jacket isn't going to stop rounds anyway. Just grenade shrapnel

[@nshorus5001]

TC showed great variety in his acting, from a student thru to a vietnam vet

[@_non_zero_sum_game8958]

Seeing seeing air support go down must have been so disheartening.

[@midmcdonald4251]

We didn’t do everything we could have to succeed in this war. Our government plus the protesters against the war didn’t help our troops. These poor men went 13000 miles to be killed, paralyzed, traumatized, unappreciated, dishonored, etc. what a shame it is. I admire veterans like Ron Konica and what they stand for.

[@granitesevan6243]

What are you talking about? The War was a resounding success for the evil bastards who waged it. It precipitated an enormous boom in the military-industrial complex, which provided the impetus for America to introduce the financialisation of the dollar (abandoning its material bases and working on the basis of "futures" and speculation). If you want to know why billionaires are on the brink of taking over and ordinary people have abysmal purchasing power, then this pattern explains it. 2001 was basically rinse and repeat...

[@chiil034]

I love this original version of Tropic Thunder.

[@jchris8444]

My dad served from 65-69 with INDIA COMPANY 3RD BATT 26TH Marines as an F.O. . His heaviest battle was Khe San in 68 Hill 831

[@epicsshadesmaster-animatio4398]

He was in the heat of it

[@jchris8444]

@@epicsshadesmaster-animatio4398 fuckin A he was Semper Fi

[@shaunclutt4483]

1 of the best vietnam films with balls Platoon Deer hunter THIS is tom cruise most underated movie

[@CEOkiller]

I don't want no teenage queen, I just want my M-14!

[@zachthebaptist4337]

This right here is why veterans deserve free health care and illegals don't.

[@ryanh2479]

JimmyTheRustled that moment you realize a lot if Vietnam veterans were drafted.

[@ADZ01982]

people stealing land from each is from the dawn of time. lets not all feel mushy about it now.

[@poindexter5222]

Leonardo Pavón It's true that we did steal land from Mexico in the 1800s, we also gave the Mexicans living in the west the choice to become us citizens. So the people you see crossing the border today aren't arriving to "reclaim" their homeland.

[@CEOkiller]

Agree100%

[@derekmasuda5376]

You'd have to define the criteria for what constitutes a "veteran" in much greater detail. What if the veteran was discharged honorably, but later convicted of a crime? Would the veteran have to have deployed to a war zone or participated in combat? What if they were med-boarded out or didn't complete their initial term of service? What if they were U.S. military veterans, but weren't U.S. citizens? You can't just say "Oh, this group over here deserves it without question". The real world isn't so simple. Besides, it's no good to have "free" healthcare (as you put it) if that care is shit like the kind the VA tends to offer.

[@franfigueras6150]

yo hablare en mi idioma,somos muchos hispanos que servimos en Iraq,soy de la 1 division de marines tercer regimiento 4 batallon,tikrit fallujah Mossul,un teniente no esta en primer lugar ni siquiera el contacto y nunca teniamos apoyo aereo antes de entrar en una mierda de pueblo que tenian esta gentuza,y digo gentuza porque cuanto más al norte peor era la situación de la población,eran ostiles,el dia mas extraño fue cuando nuestro destacamento vio un recinto militar en medio de la nada,entramos y alli nos encontramos a un viejo con un baston,era el guardia de esa mierda,lo tuvimos que sacar arrastrando,era un almacen de armas lleno de todo,como nos indicaron señalamos con gps que con la arena iba mal como todo,dos mese despues supimos que los artificieros no lo volaron y que todas las armas estaban desaparecidas,me acuerdo todavia del calor y la arena su sol y su noche sin estrellas

[@enriqueelgenio]

muchas gracias por el rescate.

[@k.c.lejeune6613]

1968, back when they were using the M14. I own the M1A, which is a semi automatic version of the M14, beast of a rifle.

[@travisdozier1357]

SAME HERE...WOULDNT TRADE SHARLIEN FOR ANYTHING....GOT MY STOCK SIGNED BY R LEE ERMEY....

[@kimberleypex]

One of the best

[@brandontrinidad9091]

Fun fact born on the fourth of July was shot in the Philippines

[@cheemsg.i.7130]

Well,hard to believe that he could handle the recoil in fully automatic!

[@arnaudstral]

M14 full auto… I didn’t like this movie. A stupid young man who volonteer for Vietnam , ended up deadly friend fire and paraplegic then being use by the hippies. Give me back my 3 hours !

[@resolute123]

Never mind you had armor support in the rear. What was it doing? "yeah, we'll let the cruchies handle this."

[@dominasex667]

Oliver Stone rulesss

[@Василикихаралабиду]

best film !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[@johnslat1]

This is the real deal: USMC: 1963 - 1967l Chu Lai, Vietnam: 1966

[@helmyabdullah1962]

Thank you for your service to the nation sir !

[@johnnyangel9163]

Sir with all due respect!Would you stand up in a firefight?Especially if you were wounded or your weaponed jammed?Sorry but this guy was on his second tour an E5 and acting like cherry first week in country. Dumb.

[@novoice1127]

Vietnamese chickens are tough!!!

[@peas_n_carrrots_]

For America 🇺🇲💯

[@noseefood1943]

1:09 cool chicken.

[@510oaklandca]

At 1:28 he should have just lied there and chilled. He got his ankle blown off, he would have been 100% from the VA for the rest of his life.

[@rodneyfarva3446]

If you watch one of Ron Kovic's interviews, he says exactly that. To this day he still kicks himself in the ass for being a "cowboy" and exposing himself to enemy fire.

[@510oaklandca]

That's what my dad told me when we watched this movie together. He was a corpsman and he loves the part in the movie when the corpsman rescues him after he got shot. That's the whole reason I've seen this movie.

[@ADZ01982]

pretty sure they would of done

[@davej183680]

TOM CRUISE FOREVER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[@lordjim24]

Sweet scene. I would have laid low after getting my ankle blown off. But this guy was a rock star.

[@guyofminimalimportance7]

Later on in the movie he actually laments not staying down, as he would have gotten off with just a foot injury. The second injury leads to him being paralyzed from the waste down. He kept going because he believed that's what a real man would do, but all it accomplished was making him a sad shell of his former self.

[@johnnyangel9163]

On his second tour and a Sergeant?He was a jerk!Standing up and wounded with a jammed M14?Dumb.

[@timelkin838]

@@guyofminimalimportance7 Exactly. Why is this concept going over so many peoples head. I wonder how many watched the entire movie.

[@guyofminimalimportance7]

@@timelkin838 Probably not a lot. This scene doesn't immediately communicate that out of context.

[@kahoaliiaiu7130]

I wanna be a Marine because I’ve watched all the commercials and I wanna make a difference as a Marine and I wanna do 0300 infantry and I wanna also be a Marine because I wanna honor my grandfather because he was in the Vietnam War on that same day 1955-1975 and being a Marine is what I always wanted and still want as well and so I wanna be a Marine because I watched all the commercials and I’ve watched the boot camp videos of the Marines and I wanna be a Marine to honor my grandfather as well because he fought in the Vietnam war on that same year 1955-1975 and he was a Saw Gunner in the Marines and he never talked about the Vietnam War because it was scary for him and his rank was an E-9 Master Gunnery Sergeant and he was their when the Vietnam war was going on and so I always asked myself what do I wanna be when I grow up and I looked at my grandfathers uniform and his E-9 patch as well and so I was like I wanna be a Marine because also before he died he put his E-9 ranks on that Marine Uniform that the Marines wear now same with the Navy and I wore it to his funeral and to his burial I wore the Marine Uniform he got me when I was little and so I wanted and still wanna be a Marine because I wanted to honor my grandfather who was a Marine and that fought in the Vietnam war on November 1st 1955- to April 30th 1975 as a Marine as well so I wanna be a Marine to honor him as well and come home as a Marine and give him a salute to thank him for helping me become a United States Marine as well because I wanna put on that Marine Uniform 🥋 and I wanna honor my grandfather as a United States Marine and I really wanna make a difference as a Marine and I won’t quit and I won’t give up either and if I see a battle buddy all tiered I would either like run with him to keep him going or fire man carry him to the finish line as well because in my family we never give up and we never quit either and we always keep going as well

[@timelkin838]

How old are you? I think you should join the marine core. I'm not trying to be mean but why did you repeat that so many times? I had a friend come back from Iraq and lost half of his leg and half of his foot on top of a humv on the 50 cal. I think you should do what you want and I have all the respect in the world for your grandfather and all the brothers at arms who fought. All I will say is don't do it because you glorify war from movies. You get there and when you are there you no longer are fighting for a country and freedom but rather for survival and the brother next to you. It's more about brotherhood then anything else. The brain isn't fully developed until you are about 25 so I just want you to consider all your options. We don't know eachother and I mean no disrepect but your grandfather didnt talk about it because when you come back from that no one that wasn't there could understand. It gives you purpose when you are young but life can be much more beautiful when you don't have to experience such things as war. Maybe your grandfather fought so you didn't have to. Talk to your grandma if you can and your mom. All I'm saying is think deeply about what all the posiblities are and at the moment are we in any conflict that actually is fighting for freedom or are the conflicts based from old rich men sending young poor boys to fight for their profits. I don't think any war since WW2 was fought for any real cause but for the leaders to make money from oil or using fear to control the country. Fighting communism is like fighting an idea which is a bit crazy if you think about it. Way too many men died for nothing and if you notice like in the song from CCR I aint no cenators son meaning the rich kids don't go to war. This has been true in American history since at least the civil war. Slave owners in the south didn't have to fight while the poor southerners fought for something they didn't even own. There is no glory in dying for another mans property or riches. Fight for your family and loved one's and choose your battles carefully. I just want you to think about it. I mean nothing but love towards you brotha and if you serve then I will honor that choice and thank you for such a selfless choice.

[@seesay7077]

why does war happen? Why should Americans go to war? We have so much here in our own Nation. Why don't we just guard our borders and protect our own Nation? Why don't we fix our own domestic problems and save our own Country? We can't save the rest of the world.

[@DanielFranc35]

because then comes in independence seekers thinking their better than their fellow citizens.

[@TheSevenTwenty]

+see say there will always be people trying to take away the freedom that we have. if we just guarded our own border the fight would eventually go on in our country where american civilians would die. better send troops over to destroy them at their home than ours.

[@adirondaker]

+see say We agreed in 1945; the world would not stand idley by while another nation subjugated another, or committed genocide. The whole world was supposed to be there in the name of freedom and peace. So far, only the US and UK have kept that solemn vow after 12 million people were liquidated.

[@3001st]

+see say War is very profitable for the 1%.

[@DanielFranc35]

3001st WAR makes money boost for the winner countries And reduces competition loool. You see this is why I hate Countries bordelines and languages;)

[@melgibson202]

Thou shall not kill . . .

[@ADZ01982]

thou shall not kill women and children

[@jarheadwhiskeytango2334]

"now I know you have heard that thou shalt not kill but listen to this fuck that"

[@harryrushton5270]

Poor jobs whole fucking family and livestock

[@alexapperley9081]

Bullshit

[@RogueDingo]

Until fire upon. Then it's thou shall whip enemy from thy earth.

[@darrenwilson5745]

My daddy was out Vietnam he served on the he's in the delta uh-1 Huey kicking ass with the with that minigun thank you Dad for serving for me and our nation I salute every Fallen vet Vietnam Desert Storm the Korean War and so on and so forth

[@reallymakesyouthink]

This film is a great example of what the potential sodliers are sold verses the reality of the war when they got there. They had no chance.

[@johnwotek3816]

This M14 in full-automatic setting without any recoil... weren't the .308 to powerfull for the full-auto? Which led to locked in semi-auto M14?

[@17MrLeon]

No, the lock to semiauto was due to inability change barrels which where pretty much heating up on full auto fire.

[@Rasbiff]

It's a movie, so they're firing blanks. Hence the low recoil.

[@rickymoranjr9609]

how was Tom able to stand on his foot when his heel was blown clean off by enemy fire?

[@calisongbird]

He explains it in another scene of the movie. He was basically going on pure adrenaline, which can cause you to do things you wouldn’t normally think are possible.

[@andrewcabral963]

Man he got hit in the heel just like Achilles.

[@rickymoranjr9609]

@@calisongbird gotcha 👍🏻

[@rickymoranjr9609]

@@andrewcabral963 agreed

[@PHANVINHTV]

Việt Nam...

[@jenniferlopez3554]

This war was a massacre 😢and a utter failure 😞

[@bobofloblaws]

1:08 Charlie's spotter is looking the wrong way.

[@damiion666]

Damn!! He shot the chopper down!! 2:56 WTH!

[@briancollins1579]

notice when cruise fires his gun there is no recoil...

[@robrath2409]

adapted to fire blanks

[@usedforks]

Maybe he just as epic control. :P

[@ryanhogge8]

psychoticmortacarn Trust me, the M14 is not an easily controllable beast in full auto. Unlike the M16/M4, this is a full power battle rifle. The way the stock is, your trigger hand acts in a pivoting action and the barrel rises significantly when you're laying hate down range. That being said, I love this rifle. It does its job.

[@robrath2409]

+Bob Smith thats correct for an M14 foward and left

[@sgt0621usmc]

***** You are correct sir about it being this KZbin clip & not the movie itself. Seen this movie a million times lol,1st around age 10,and probably the earliest influence that helped persuaded me to join the Marines. Point being though brother, if you check out their Huey thats circling providing "over watch" / close air support, that on it's tail, the word "MARINES" appears backwards as well. So for some reason, it was loaded with like a mirrored effect. Great scene though! My m.o.s.(job) in the Marines was an 0621, Radio operator, also known as/nicknamed "Sniper bait" as you see evidence of in the clip lmao. And ...to the guy above that posted the "no recoil" statement..., how do you figure that? Watch when it does the close-up shot of him firing & yelling thats kinda in "slow mo", it shows plenty of recoil :/ ? OORAH

[@harrybriscoe7948]

Marines us backwards on the helicopter , how were the Vietnamese supposed to read that if some did not speak good English to start with ?

[@gabriellacapodaglio7465]

❤👏

[@agoroyagoroy517]

This film was shot in the Philippines not in Vietnam

[@jeremyhunt1987]

get that 60 cal fuckin rollin.

[@doomguy349]

Automatic m14s? What year is this?

[@pats3071]

'67. The M14s originally all came with a full auto option but most Marines opted to never use it.

[@fredcollins8919]

To be used (full auto) only when truly needed, unlike m16s/M4s & AKMs/AK47s/AK74s etc.

[@swright5690]

video is reversed! WTF. M14 ejects to the right (not left). KZbin does have it correct on another clip of same scene thankfully.

[@jimmycakes7158]

omfg you're right! This is outrageous! Wait, nobody cares.

[@lilyeet4688]

@@jimmycakes7158 lmfao

[@mikebennet7697]

The film is actually flipped 180 degees like a mirror image. I wonder why they did that?

[@timelkin838]

It's an anti war film. It shows how movies glorify war and then gets into the reality of coming home and realizing you fought and sacrificed everything and nothing good came from it. Kids want to go to war because they want to be the hero's and don't see what war really is which is death and pain and misery that you carry for the rest of your life. There are certain things you just can't unsee and war is one of them. It sucks that so many men have had to experience war. It's tragic not heroic. This film does a great job in showing what war really is.

[@nordiccombatant2167]

This is the Vietnam War not the Soviet-Afghan War. Next thing they’ll be doing a movie of the Sóviet-Afghan War in the Deep Green Jungle Jeez Weez.

[@JasonGreene-ol3xl]

You sound like you don't know what you're talking about at all.

[@TheGodParticle]

Was this filmed In texas? Looks a bit dry for. 'Nam'

[@hungthepro1234]

Vietnam is dry due in the Central region due to hot wind from Laos and Thailand, the term is now a slang called Laos' wind every July

[@TheGodParticle]

+Hung-chan thank you for that, I thought it was all jungle. Cheers

[@hungthepro1234]

TheGodParticle No problem

[@cripplehawk]

Vietnam sequences were filmed in the Philippines. Surprisingly all of the Mexico sequences was also filmed there.

[@Suite_annamite]

No country can be geographically homogenous unless it's some tiny city state. Vietnam has three geographic regions, apart from the dichotomy between the upland hills in the western half and the lowland valleys in the coastal half. Both the far north and far south are jungle, but the center of the country is rocks and dirt because it was a topological chokehold, like a handle of sorts between two pans. Where settled populations live, it's all artificially created valleys dug out from cleared jungle; where the natives live, it's the hills with actual jungle.

[@americanoutdoorsman_1133]

Why didn’t they call for air strike or artillery??!!!

[@jasonkoziol7773]

this clip is reversed from original film....Tom Cruise is left handed, and in this he is right handed.... and the helicopter in film, crashes to left

[@Misstracymancia-em9yk]

🎉🎉🎉i am calm troops🎉🎉🎉

[@marvinenjambre1993]

This film shoot in the 🇵🇭

[@wesbervig1054]

Persian shah If these men are not slaves, then how do you get them to do what they do? American general Patriotism. Kurt Vonnegut Player Piano

[@airforcemarkmg]

why does it sound like jay from jay and silent bob 🤣 0:16

[@jchris8444]

no cover open

[@niueanlaho]

0:08 his eyebrow looks Vulcan from star trek........

[@bartberger1219]

Coastline

[@dannyyflacko2252]

Full auto on m14?

[@elijahvigil7467]

what I really hate is how most Marines got m14s in Vietnam while the army got M16s. I get it, they're the leading fighting force outa all the armed forces, but still we would've won the war alot quicker of gave every grunt the same model rifle

[@viciousrage5548]

the marines also have lower budget which sucks

[@AlexSDU]

Favorite child always get new toys 1st. Remember that. Not to mention the cost and time it take to transition from M14 to M16. Even those new digi camo uniforms took several years before everyone get them.

[@ranting.russian]

Just for the sake of clarity, the U.S. did not win the war in Vietnam at all. You had to hastily evacuate your personnel from the last remaining stronghold, Saigon, abandoning your local allies, the South Vietnamese, whose government subsequently fell.

[@ryanmccabe5423]

None the less the Marines favored the M14 over the M16 that was weak, and jammed a fuck ton.

[@RobertKaydoo]

At that point in the war before they got the cleaning/jamming issues of the M16 figured out I would have been much happier with the M14...even if it was heavier.

[@cazaotakus7736]

Go home GI

[@ellized.1872]

that was not in vietnam,it is in the philippines

[@Coo1St0ry]

How come they never buckle their helmets? WW 1, 11 ,etc.

[@johnreb6603]

If the chin strap was buckled there would be a chance if a mortar or artillery round landed near then their heads would be ripped off from the concussion of the blast.

[@Coo1St0ry]

+John Reb ????

[@Coo1St0ry]

+John Reb Why was there more of a chance

[@johnreb6603]

The helmets they wore were steel pots that the chin straps were metal clipped, the newer helmets have straps that can come unhooked under 15 pounds of pressure

[@Coo1St0ry]

+John Reb Oh ok. Thank you for your time

[@outrider30]

Don't believe this guy: he shoots while on the move, which is highly inaccurate and draws enemy's attention, and gets himself wounded. Then he takes off his body armor and pops up to make an easy target of himself.

[@maximuscaligula]

+outrider30 I think by Ron Kovic's own admission, after he was shot in the foot, he went into a wild frenzy of anger and frustration as the situation on the battlefield was deteriorating rapidly as the NVA ambush was devastating, causing chaos and confusion. He failed to take cover but instead out of understandable emotional reaction fought back furiously, recklessly exposing himself to enemy fire, oblivious to the danger.

[@TANTHEMANFILMS]

where exactly did he get hit for him to lose his pecker?

[@kumandertalahib9978]

..American soldiers are noisy!!!

[@danno1974ify]

58,000 young men’s lives, an American tragedy

[@josephapiscopo3505]

une guerre abominable

[@mixer2]

Ain't nuthin but a thang tho baby

[@MichaelFaison-by5uk]

funk

[@krishammond8851]

Lol good luck shooting a auto m1 like that

[@thehardcorenoobs1234]

And not a single nva and vc killed. NOICE

[@thegamingpotato2643]

v

[@tiepcao6378]

đo s tào nao

[@shitchops]

awesome scene too bad the combat sounds suck bad.. platoon and FMJ did it well tho

[@jesusrivera2970]

“Ain’t a thang dawg” “Ain’t nothing but a thang baby” RIP DEM BOYS 🫡

[@Downsies3834]

American marines in Peleliu crossed that airfield and did not stop. They kept going despite hot temperatures, zero water, mortars and gunfire. That's a US Marine. The Vietnam War was not popular, nor supported at home. Draftees, poorly trained officers, and the one year tour of duty reduced the morale of marines to absolutely nothing.

[@Downsies3834]

+Fedir Belenko Absolutely. And I read somewhere that the location was a hot topic and that many commanders believed it to be a useless area strategically. Either way, they went through hell.

[@maximuscaligula]

+Hennessy Blues The Japanese Marines in WWII (Special Naval Landing Forces) and the Imperial Japanese Army did have a devastating heavy machine gun to rival even the German MG-42, the Type-92 heavy machine gun AKA "The Woodpecker" because of the distinct and peculiar but frightening sound it made when fired. The weapon caused massive carnage and gained a fearsome reputation on Betio Island in the Battle for Tarawa in November, 1943. Dug in expertly behind a labyrinth of sand-covered bunkers and coconut-tree logs, slit trenches, foxholes and concrete pillboxes in interlocking fields of fire murderously covering an area only half the size of New York City's Central Park and with a sea level elevation no higher than 12 feet. The Japanese Marines on Betio even sneakily swam out to one of their own ships that was destroyed earlier in the battle during the pre-invasion bombardment and naval shelling which was at the end of a long pier just sitting there half-sunk in the Betio Atoll surrounded by coral reef and they took up positions inside the ship and opened fire on the Marines on the beach and incoming LST's, Higgins Boats, Amphtracs, etc. after the landings started. I think a nearby U.S. Navy Destroyer finally had to be called in to wipe them out once and for all...Whatever people think of the war movie "Sands of Iwo Jima" (1949) with John Wayne, at least the weapons used by the Japanese forces in the film were 100% accurate (probably surplus and captured weapons) and the Tarawa battle scenes with its depiction of the carnage and the ridiculously (but historically accurate) constant heavy rain of machine gun-fire by Woodpeckers and Japanese mortar and artillery fire on the brave Marines trapped in the lagoon and on the tragic Red Beach 3 sector of Betio Island was factual. Lots of actual and real combat footage taken by Marine combat photographers during the battle were spliced in the movie. The first time in WWII combat footage where US Marines and their Japanese opponents are actually seen in the same frame fighting each other as a squad of Marines are standing up fully exposed armed with Thompson sub-machine guns and M-1 Garand rifles and carbines blasting away on the Betio beach at an entire platoon of Japanese Marines broke cover and finally exposed themselves in droves, bolting out of their destroyed and almost surrounded hiding place and suicidally running like mad across the island in front of their dead commander Rear Admiral Shibasaki's sand-covered concealed command bunker right across the Americans' field of fire like it was a shooting gallery. The extras in the film playing the Japanese Marines at Betio if you were remember were clearly operating and firing Type-92 machine guns from that deadly sand-and-coconut-log-covered power plant being used as a bunker and command post furiously firing down on the lagoon and the beach and the Marines taking cover and huddling behind the coconut log sea wall with that horrible sound they make when fired in the Tarawa battle scene.

[@hennessyblues4576]

Maximuscaligula Yes but 9 out of every 10 Japanese were armed with an Arisaka, which holds 5 rounds. Not to mention the type 92 was fed by a 30 round feed strip. The AK holds 30 rounds, capable of automatic fire, turning everyone of those Vietnamese into a type 92 machine gunner. Also the machinegun the Vietnamese used was the RPD, which holds a 100 round belt-drum. So the equivalency between the two is nowhere near the same.

[@maximuscaligula]

True, Ho Chi Minh's and General Giap's forces equipped by then-modern Soviet and Chinese and captured French weapons from Dien Bien Phu certainly helped them. The SKS and Kalishnokovs were ideal for the weather and terrain of Southeast Asia. A Viet Cong guerrilla or NVA infantry soldier could drag an AK-47 through rice paddies, muddy trenches and tunnels, monsoon-soaked jungles and humid plains, throw the weapon on the ground and take terrible punishment and still it would operate and fire perfectly. An extraordinarily tough and reliable weapon.

[@haskapaska]

In WW2 2/3 were drafted. In Vietnam 1/3 were drafted. FACT.

[@sillyone52062]

He presents himself as a fine target at 75m. Easy shot for the foe.

[@decoyaardvark2828]

He was ambushed and one of the only ones returning fire. He was calling for his men to return fire and to get on line. They were all falling back. He was brave but they couldn't establish fire superiority because his comrades failed him.

[@arizonagroyper]

@@decoyaardvark2828 And can you really blame them? I can’t think of an American war where morale was lower. Nobody knew why they were there other than orders

[@decoyaardvark2828]

@@arizonagroyper No i dont blame them. Just explaining how he was an easy target.

[@decoyaardvark2828]

@@arizonagroyper But FYI Marines were mostly volunteers in Vietnam. They signed up for it. They won a lot of the battles over there.

[@feelinlikeuzii]

@@decoyaardvark2828 there are cases of drafted marines in vietnam, mostly to fill quotas, but the number of marine volunteers significantly outweighs the draftees and those who were drafted into the marines were likely to keep quiet about it

[@MWSJ408]

Didn't serve. One observation. I blew my left ankle out. Broke it. He could never put pressure on it. No adrenaline could compensate. Much respect to those who served. Humble civilian. Thank you

[@drmartin5062]

adrenaline can always compensate, that why it is there...

[@jimmycakes7158]

@Charles Yuditsky South Africa?

[@cripplehawk]

In real life Kovic was firing in a prone position.

[@skotiskiller]

Even the chickens are badass in Vietnam. 1:08

[@glenwoodreid5910]

"Here comes the rooster" 🎶

[@jayreffner8831]

"Where the motherfucking devil at?"

[@Thomaaasooo]

nice job controlling the m14 in full auto XD

[@nukem851]

Be great to see a documentary up to date one on Vietnam and his life together as a great refection one on DVD.

[@marks_sparks1]

3:17 he is trying to forward assist the faulty cartridge into the breech and its just not happening. Really he should get down, remove mag, extract the round, put mag in and then return fire. Easy to say in a firefight I know, I know. Some western armies including the Irish army (I'm a reservist) don't train to use the forward assist in immediate action drills, just unload weapon, clear blockage, reload and continue fire. And it's interesting that Stoner himself thought that a forward assist on the M16 was pointless when the US Army asked for it to be put on the rifle. All because the M1 Garand, M1 Carbine and M14 had a forward assist. Ref: Forgotten Weapons

[@liberalviewer8547]

Remember. When your son/friend/family get killed. NEVER blame the killer. Blame your leaders!

[@adirondaker]

+Liberal Viewer Or more likely, the killers leaders.

[@liberalviewer8547]

adirondaker No, that's not how it works! no one blamed ho chi minh. Or adolf. NO!

[@adirondaker]

So, Nazi leadership was not hung after the War? Osama was not given 2 to the chest and 1 to the head? Saddam wasn't hung by the neck until dead? When I was stationed in Germany, the German people were still('90) incredibly angry about the war. Know who they were mad at? Not the US, the UK, not even the USSR. They were mad at Hitler and the rest of the Nazis.

[@liberalviewer8547]

adirondaker Nope, if someone killed your fellow soldier, you blame your country's leader. Thats why the entire united states turned on itself. Was ho chi minh ever killed by the USA? or what of any of the high NVA commanders? no not a single one

[@adirondaker]

Sorry, I been there. In my case, just cause, so I blame the enemies leader. Unjust cause, like I said, if I was a german soldier, I'd be mad at Hitler. I blame my enemies leader. I speak from 1st person account. The US has not turned on itself. If you've turned on the US, you're a Traitor. It is one thing to disagree, another to be a Traitor. If you haven't faught, you're neither, just someone with a mouth, an opinion, but no skin in the game. If you have never served, never watched your comrades die, you have no business speaking on it.

[@LuisGonzalez-px4sj]

3:15 I have met military veterans the m14 dose not jam

[@giovannidibravato5576]

The NVA killed the marine who was carrying the radio equipment first and then killed other Marine who talking with Headquarters To those MARINES who died on that DAY - RIP - Sempre Fi

[@sinnaihawijeyaletchchumi4487]

This person of me no one going for war no one person also dieing don't want, I'm based on born on fourth of July your based on American liberty 🗽 , I'm law and justice ⚖️ of American God's bless and my greetings

[@tomservo5347]

"War is a racket." General Smedley Smith

[@donnionnyola1685]

Blame the authority