First time watching We Were Soldiers movie reaction

[@BaddMedicine]

What a powerful film this was. What was your reaction? What did we miss? Badd Medicine Arcade (Gaming channel) kzbin.info/door/HIstVk00GtduPIXlJLdC3A Early Drops & Full Reactions on YT Memberships & Patreon: www.patreon.com/baddmedicine Backup channel Subscribe here kzbin.info/door/1CLUwA27dz-94o3FR0o3xg

[@pierzce5967]

you guys should definitely react to Fury :>

[@Reshtarc]

My Buddy Steven Tillet was in this battle as a medic he was wounded 3 times before he got an evac.

[@captwrecked]

This one hit hard for a lot of us, as we had all joined up for GWOT when this released. Lt. Col (Ret) Bruce Crandall "Snake S**t" went on to receive the Medal of Honor for this battle in 2007. He is alive and well as of this posting at 91 years old.

[@Cazenave26]

An interesting historical note. Rick Rescorla was an officer at LZ X-Ray. Originally from the UK and in the military there, he came to the US to join the US Army. The cover of the book “We were Soldiers Once… And Young” has a picture of Rescorla. Rescorla became the head of security of Dean Witter (later Morgan Stanley after a merger) in the World Trade Center. After the attempted bombing of the WTC, he revamped the evacuation procedures for the company. When 9/11 happened and people were being told to stay put, Rescorla evacuated all of Morgan Stanley. He was last seen searching other floors for people. He died on 9/11.

[@Biostalker420]

The only other movies I can think of like this is Clint Eastwood's Two-Headed Dragon. Flags of our fathers(American Perspective) and Letters from Iwo Jima(Japanese perspective). Two movies, One battle, Different sides.

[@violetpup4272]

I am a military spouse and this movie hits me in gut. I loose it every time the cab shows up. They did a great job about showing those spouses who are left to keep things together at home. My husband deployed 3 weeks before the Covid Lockdowns and it was a nightmare and he doesn’t understand because his experience was so different. That was as close to feeling these ladies fear as I have gotten.

[@InfantryWife85]

That's one of the many things I loved so much about this movie, that it showed what it's like for the families left at home. My first husband did two tours in Iraq and the possibility of an officer and a chaplain ringing your doorbell was ALWAYS in the back of the mind even as you held everything together at home.

[@4523bgb]

Military brat myself. I was a little too young to understand Desert Storm, but I was in high school when my Dad went to Iraq, I understand completely....bless you and your family.

[@cmo9400]

my husband was deployed to Iraq 4 times between 2003 and 2007. Two men on our street died. Every time I left to go shopping I would look for a black car. As for what we tell our children, we tell them as much of the truth without scaring them as you can. But you never lie. Especially when their friends dads are dying. This movie did a stellar job showing the Homefront...and they didn't skimp on letting you know that war never ends for the people who go.

[@4523bgb]

@@cmo9400 Man, that time was so unreal for military families. I couldn't even begin to imagine what families endured during WWI WWII and Vietnam.

[@cmo9400]

@@4523bgb that’s the thing. It went on as long or longer than all of those. Afghanistan went on for twenty years with soldiers returning to a combat zone 6, 7 8 times. It’s is comparable or worse. In Vietnam they went for one year. My husband spent three years in Iraq. The difference with Iraq and Afghanistan is that it was Born by volunteers and so the majority of people in this country didn’t have a front row seat. These kids are our greatest generation. They are just hidden.

[@marekanthony3935]

Read up on Rick Rescorla. He was part of the La Drang Valley Battle depicted in this movie. Rick use to sing to help keep the soldiers calm. He survived this battle and the war. Rick later was working in the south tower of the World Trade Center on 911. He organized the evacuation and sang to keep people calm. He died in the tower that day. A true hero.

[@thomasporrovecchio2600]

I believe he is soldier on the cover of the book this movie is based on as well.

[@marekanthony3935]

@@thomasporrovecchio2600 Interesting, I read the book, 'We Were Soldiers Once, and Young', many years ago, I never knew that. Thanks for pointing that out.

[@AnnArborIsAWhore]

ctrl-f "Rescorla 1/1 Thank you.

[@tomkapa]

*He was murdered by his own government*

[@TheGoIsWin21]

More people need to know about that guy, as you've totally undersold that legend of a man 😂 He joined the british military at 16, then went and served with the Rhodesian police at a time of intense conflict. After that he went and served as a London Metropolitan policeman until he got bored and moved to the US, SPECIFICALLY because he wanted to go fight communists in Vietnam. He fought there, came back, became a lawyer, then went into private security, where he wound up running security at Morgan Stanley in the WTC. Its believed he's responsible for saving THOUSANDS of lives that day, because of his instincts about the attack and evacuating all of Morgan Stanley before the second tower was hit.

[@michaelevidente6300]

Here's a fact for you guys: Hal Moore stayed in the Army and retired a Lieutenant General. Old Ft. Benning in Georgia recently got renamed to Ft. Moore in his honor.

[@FacloFormerFavorite]

It’s my favorite re naming of all the old confederate names

[@romainlettuce118]

Ah that sucks

[@waterbeauty85]

The North Vietnamese thought the collection point for the wounded would be a weak spot they could take advantage of, but the wounded men still had working trigger fingers and weapons, so when the North Vietnamese attacked, they found that it was actually one of the most heavily defended spots. Sergeant Plumley really did yell "Gentlemen! Prepare to defend yourselves!" One of the wounded vets said "When somebody yells that at you, you remember!"

[@cyrusgudino1708]

My mom was a military spouse. We lived in Fort Stewart in Georgia when my dad was serving in Iraq in 2005. Just like in the movie showed, she and all the military spouses were really close. One day we decided to get all our errands done so we were gone (off base) nearly all day. When we got back home my mom noticed all the spouses were staring at us from the front of their houses. And then that’s when the two soldiers came to tell us the news that my dad was killed in action. Apparently the base found out just as we left to go do our errands, so the whole base was scrambling trying to find us, all the spouses, and military personnel were trying to find us. We were the last ones to find out the news. It was really hard, finding out the truth, even me being at the mere age of 2, no understanding on the concept of death whatsoever; I still knew something was wrong. And I later found out that the military spouses helped me and my mom quite a bit afterwards, so I will forever be thankful for them and for this movie for showing what military spouses are like.

[@toreyhassenfelt8448]

I did this as a plt sgt wife during the 2 nd deployment. We would take food and help with children and anything a spouse needs. It unfortunately sent me into a severe depression even though mine was safe. I admire Julia Moore so much.

[@4523bgb]

You're dad's a hero. As a fellow military brat, I love you and I'm grateful you shared.

[@MrLasmith58]

From the 2nd book "We Are Soldiers Still" written my Hal Moore and Joe Galloway - “We went back and walked those old battlefields. At the end of the day, Hal Moore and Col. Nguyen Huu An, the North Vietnamese commander, stood in a circle in the clearing and prayed for the souls of every man who died on both sides.”

[@waterbeauty85]

19:39 when Tom Metsker was killed after giving his place in the medevac to his friend Ray Lefebvre, his daughter Karen was just 17 months old. It was too painful a subject for her mom to talk about in detail, so Karen grew up just knowing that her dad died because he let some other man take his spot in the helicopter. Because of this, she resented and blamed this unnamed man for the death of her father for years, but then, a 1990 magazine article commemorating then anniversary of the Battle of the Ia Drang Valley described her father's death and identified Ray Lefebvre as the man he had traded his life for, so Karen contacted him and arranged to meet with him at a reunion of veterans of the battle. She went to the reunion expecting a bunch of 'Nam vet stereotypes of kill crazy head cases and burn outs but instead met a group of warm and supportive men who loved her father and treated her with the utmost respect and empathy. Talking with Ray Lefebvre, he learn what close friends he and her father had been and that Ray would have given his life to save Tom if he could. She finally was able to make peace with the death of her father, and she found among these vets a second family who could understand and help her with her emotional pain in a way other people couldn't. BTW the vets believe that these reunions and the strong bonds the survivors of the Ia Drang have kept have created a support group that is a big reason they have a lower than average incidence of severe PTSD related problems compared to other units that saw combat in Viet Nam.

[@Cherokee9898]

Julia Moore played a large role in establishing the current set up used when a soldier dies. Having an officer and a chaplain deliver the news. She also started support groups for the families of soldiers on deployment

[@FacloFormerFavorite]

That helps explain a lot why the base is now named after both of them.

[@PacificEgg]

"I'll be the first one off, and the last one on!" 😢 Goosebumps

[@RedKytten]

I do love the depiction of the NV army here. They are shown as people, fighting for their country. Not evil monsters.

[@McBrannon1000]

Glasses going in for the charge is one of my favorite shots.

[@patrickwaldeck6681]

They are also shown to be extremely tactically smart and tenacious. A far cry from 80s and 90s movies were the Vietnamese were just cannon fodder for Rambo and other action heroes. The NVA came dangerously close to breaking the American's back and the lessons they learned at Ia Drang set the tone of the entire war.

[@DJSpike-ft9yw]

There’s a definite difference between the NV army and the Viet Cong. The Viet Cong were terrorists, the NV were just soldiers fighting for their country. We shouldn’t hold that against them, we’d do the same and have.

[@michaelgiammella6137]

Thanks Gentlemen for reacting to this movie. Oak, thanks for your words. My father served 3 combat tours in Vietnam. 1966 to 1969. He was proud of his service and I was lucky to call my hero, Dad.

[@MrLasmith58]

The helicopter pilot Bruce Crandall received the Medal of Honor for his part of that conflict.

[@edmunddantes7097]

And boy did he deserve it.

[@ryanb-ol2pf]

Thank you for sharing that!

[@chaosreigns8462]

So did Ed “too tall” freeman

[@red9delta877]

Ed Freeman's (Too Tall) uniform and stetson were displayed at the 1st Cavalry Division Museum at Fort Hood for years. He used to come by and visit it about once a year.

[@garykelly4155]

They just got the MOH a few years ago.

[@Perkypig]

You guys do an awesome job. I’m not sure what people mean by saying you’re not really reacting. I always thought being rendered speechless was a fairly emphatic reaction and much more meaningful than fake exuberance

[@minix3PLL2012]

My papa fought in Vietnam. Hes always been the strongest man i know, hes seen several war movies, but this one hit too close to home for him. He said the way they portrayed it, felt like he was back there in vietnam. Hes always been strong, stoic all my life thats the picture of him in my mind. But when he watched this film. Was the one and only time ive ever seen him cry. Too this day he says its the realist portrayal of war in film and he did commend them for it but even so... he has never watched it since. Theres tons of war movies, and i grew up watching them with my dad, but this one moves me to tears every. Single. Time. Ill never forget the look on my papa's face as long as i live.

[@lolagonzalez3682]

My dad had me watch this film when I was around 8 years old. He wanted not only to show me the realities of war, but what also made a good leader in war and in life. The images of this movie have stuck with me! Such an incredible film and I'm so happy you guys watched this. Not enough people give this movie credit.

[@kgjung2310]

When I was in grad school, I had a friend who served in the South African Army. The South Africans had extensive experience in guerrilla/counter insurgency warfare both in defending against it and conducting it. They were taught that here are 3 primary targets in conducting an effective ambush: 1) The commanding officer/NCO 2) The guy with the heavy weapon (MG or SAW) 3) The guy with the radio. If you eliminate those 3 targets you have effectively neutralized your enemy by taking away his brain, his strongest arm, and his ability to call for help. If you're caught in an ambush, you're only chance to survive is to fight through it and the enemy. Trying to run only exposes your back and you'll get cut down.

[@rgbenge7580]

We had Hal Moore and some of the members of the unit at Fort Benning when I was there for an officer course. This movie gave a pretty good representation of Hal Moore and his men. They are real heroes. The opportunity to spend a full day with them was amazing.

[@ThatShyGuyMatt]

Whatever people think of Gibson, there is no denying he is a great actor and director.

[@EmpressYanna]

One of the greatest war films ever. As a non military person, often I can't truely connect with the story as I have never lived the hell of war. This really shows you the awful power of what happened through the interactions of the men, the men and their families, the families with each other. They also really showed the intensity with the quietness and stillness of some of the scenes. Absolutely incredible

[@bolidestar684]

I watched this movie in the cinemas and i remember there was this old gentleman sitting in front of me. About the time when mel Gibson said "broken arrow" i realised this man was sobbing. Just sitting there quietly cryingnwith his head in his hands. When the bomb hit the "friendlies" the man just got up and walked out. I found him outside after the movie, sitting on a bench staring into space. I remember just sitting with him. He never said a word and neither did i. I didnt knkw what to say. But i didnt want to leave him.alone. I dont remember how long we sat there but he finally stood up patted my shoulder and walked away. My heart still breaks thinking about him. I spoke to my dad about it, and he said sometimes there arent any words. Also when the movie came out on dvd, i watched all the behind the scenes. Lt Col Hal Moore was actually a critical role in making this movie. Him and his wife came to set and helped with the writing and met mel gibson. If you have the time watch BTS and the deleted scenes. The deleted scene where the wives are singing in the church, the real Moores were in the scene as church patrons

[@darweezy2270]

Daughter of a Marine Vietnam vet here ❤granted I was not alive during this conflict & he was not in this part but this film makes me emotional every time just seeing a glimpse of what my father experienced. The feeling is unexplainable.

[@RockyDaTherapist]

Same here. I try not to watch these movies now. My dad survived two tours starting when he was 17.

[@P-M-869]

I got off active Duty after this battle had occurred. When I started college there was a setup of a video which I think was a comedic parity of this battle being shown in the Student Center. So, that was put out decades before they made this movie. As they began to deploy, they were on a military base. So, they take their weapons with them. That one grenade was white phosphorus. It doesn't stop burning until it is emersed in water. That is why he was cutting it out. The battle didn't bring tears to my eyes, but Col Moore's Wife delivering those notices does every time. There was a lot of reporting of the war on the nightly news. They showed the brutality of War and o think your Young Men & Women still step up and defend our great nation. Vietnam Era Vet. I didn't serve anywhere near the Vietnam Theater. Even the non-combat who had to travel in uniform was also treated poorly. I felt discrimination in College as a Vet.

[@kennethcook9406]

Actually, using water would make the white phosphorus burn hotter and faster. Otherwise I'm sure you're correct about everything you experienced at that time. From one vet (Afghanistan/Iraq, National Guard deployed to Fort Carson to backfill an active-duty unit) to another, thank you for your service.

[@Nyx_2142]

The only service you or the the dipshit you replied to provided to anyone, was enriching defense contractors by being complicit in US wars of imperialism and aggression. Millions dead and maimed from the wars you obediently threw yourselves into or supported, untold millions more displaced. And that isn't even counting the power vacuum left after your "nation building" failures and the atrocious terror regimes that replaced it. What, did you fight for freedom? Whose? Iraq is now a puppet of Iran and has terror groups running rampant. Afghanistan? Lol, you fucking lost after 20 years of needless war and now the Taliban are in charge after your "nation building" collapsed overnight, almost literally. Yeah, they sure seem free and happy after what you did. Countries covered in UXO and a laundry list of toxins from munitions, chemical dumps, and more. "They showed the brutality of War and o think your Young Men & Women still step up and defend our great nation" Christ, its enough to make me gag, and that's just the awful grammar and not even getting into the typical military worship garbage. Vets really are routinely the dumbest people I have to suffer meeting. Vietnam was about propping up a brutal dictatorship that conveniently hated communists (Same playbook as Korea). Ho Chi Minh hated the Chinese and Soviets, and actively sought the US's help against the colonialist French, and was willing to be a US ally. How did we respond? Taking over for the French and continuing another generation of brutality and war. Dumping millions of gallons of chemical weapons on their land and people, butchering civilians for fun (My Lai wasn't rare, it was a common occurrence. The rarity is knowing about it), littering ungodly amount of UXO. All of these things listed are still actively felt to this day, and still actively harming and killing people. But sure, you both really "defended" a "great nation." A nation so great that we throw our homeless out to rot and arrest them for daring to be homeless in an extremely exploitative society, throw the mentally ill or drug-addicted in prison to rot (and be used as slave labor) instead of treating them, bankrupt people for daring to get sick and inconvenience our wage-slave masters (we are the only "First World Country" without affordable healthcare). You both are genuinely pathetic, your ignorance and stupidity is truly astounding. Two obedient, brainwashed cogs in the machine. Good little doggies, make sure those boots shine. To both you and the enabling dipshit above you: Sincerely, from the bottom of my heart, fuck you for your "service". Every physical and mental scar you have from your service is deserved, and I hope they haunt you for the rest of your days. You deserve it after the destruction you enabled.

[@ThATgUY-bu5yn]

Yes, having the rifles prior to leaving is normal. You usually have formation, then you go to armory for 8hours as everyone draws weapons. Then you continue to the bus/plane.

[@PacificEgg]

This was my first real 'War Movie Experience'. I cry every time. Incredible movie!

[@candel0692]

The attention to detail that was utilized in this movie was unreal. The actor playing the reporter actually reached out to the real Joe Galloway to ask if there was anything specific that remembered from the battle. He actually had a small book on his person (bible I think) throughout the duration and the actor went and did the same thing while filming. Great reaction my guys, always love your vids. Keep up the great work

[@Smokeater4444]

I am a Vietnam Veteran , it took A LOT of years before i could watch the whole thing , just too real , BUT my Grandson was doing a report on the Vietnam & wanted me to watch it with him & i didn't want to Whimp out in front of him , It brought back a lot of memories i had buried, BUT that was what life was like for a year , not knowing if we'd even be a live 30 sec's down the trail, Night fighting was the hardest BUT you could smell them before you could see them , BUT it was the same for them with us , Food , drinks Cig's all different smells, I am glad i watched with him , Still not my Fav movie , BUT it really does show what the fighting was like

[@SaviorCross]

Army vet here. 1) Jimmy Nakamura wasn’t supposed to be there. He was commissioned, but his promotion order didn’t process in time, so he went downrange as an enlisted soldier. He later retroactively received his promotion to officer. I later learned that his daughter, who was born two days after he died (he held on as long as he could but died soon after arriving at the base hospital), didn’t know how he was killed until this movie came out. 2) Colin Powell said this movie was so realistic that he had flashbacks and almost walked out of the theater while watching it. 3) I appreciated that the NVA/Vietnamese people were shown as individuals fighting for their country. It was disappointing to later read that the actor portraying the NVA was condemned by the Chinese government. I can’t remember the reason why. 4) I’m glad they showed the role of the mil-wives in this story, and the touch of the cab driver saying he didn’t want to be the one to deliver the news. Julie Moore helped start the official military death notification process for families. 5) I have nothing but love for Vietnam vets, and any vets for that matter, and always show them respect when I meet one. 6) I had no idea that was Chriss Pine in the movie until you mentioned it! Thank you for the respect and reverence you showed the people portrayed in it. I really enjoyed your post-movie reflection. Subscribed.

[@lw3918]

Guys, my father participated in this battle. He was with the second wave of choppers to land.

[@WarriorPoet01]

My dad flew Bird Dogs in Vietnam (WIA when he was shot down while warning ARVNs of a commie ambush by buzzing their position). One story he shared was about a time there was a huge commotion at the airbase. When he got to the airfield he walked towards a Huey to find out what had happened. He said both pilots were crying. “I turned on my heel and walked away.” (Army Brat. Fort Rucker, AL - “Home of Army Aviation”. History Major/military history buff. IMO - this is one of THE best war movies ever made. Even better than Pvt. Ryan - because of the character development which creates a connection with the soldiers)

[@thesnazzycomet]

NO WAY! You guys keep reacting to all my favourite war stuff. could you do 2019's midway? surprisingly accurate true story

[@krisfrederick5001]

Well we now know that Private Jackson survived the bell tower incident in Saving Private Ryan. He went on to serve in Vietnam!

[@KSDVLmom]

And Ryan's deaf friend made it too!

[@fumblingtitan1411]

You get both sides strategy in this film. I've always appreciated that... Despite me loving makup and FX the "Grab his legs" moment has haunted me since I was a kid. This calibre of film making; the sets, the prosthetics, those MANY aerial shots of helicopters and grand views.... You truly forget you're watching movie in those combat scenes. Great film, great reaction lads ;)

[@o.b.7217]

*"Hamburger Hill"* (1987) - Dylan McDermott, Courtney B. Vance *"The Deer Hunter"* (1978) - Robert De Niro, Christopher Walken *"Coming Home"* (1978) - Jane Fonda, Jon Voight *"Flight of the Intruder"* (1991) - Danny Glover, Willem Dafoe *"Born on the Fourth of July"* (1989) - Tom Cruise, Willem Dafoe *"Bat^21"* (1988) - Gene Hackman, Danny Glover *"Gardens of Stone"* (1987) - James Caan, James Earl Jones *"Casualties of War"* (1989) - Michael J. Fox, Sean Penn *"84 Charlie MoPic"* (1989) - "mostly unknown" actors *"Apocalypse Now"* (1979) - Marlon Brando, Martin Sheen *"Missing in Action"* (1984) - Chuck Norris, M. Emmet Walsh *"The Post"* (2017) - Meryl Streeps, Tom Hanks All good _(some even great)_ movies, with the Vietnam War as topic.

[@racing2cat]

And all are devastating to watch. Adding to the list: "Full Metal Jacket" - Matthew Modine, Adam Baldwin "Platoon" (I think Mason said he'd seen it) - Charlie Sheen, Willem Dafoe, Tom Berenger "Rescue Dawn" - Christian Bale, Steve Zahn

[@dougearnest7590]

< eyeroll >

[@StayProteus]

20:06 for those that don't know that was White Phosphorus which I believe is now outlawed for combative use by various treaties except for non combative uses like smoke grenades and signaling etc but what makes it so bad is that it ignites on contact with air and when it does it melts and becomes very sticky and incredibly hard to extinguish and its also extremely toxic so that scene was pretty realistic and that dude was SOL in so many ways even if they got it extinguished

[@chuckhilleshiem6596]

I am a combat vet ( Vietnam Nov 65 to Nov 66 ) I have been ridiculed for saying this. Mostly by people who never served . You can not possibly know the good you all have just done . So many of us were treated really bad when we came home . I had more trouble with that than I did the war it self. this really helps heal. Thank you for this and God bless all of you.

[@arakuss1]

I was writing my paper for military history course in college on the state of the US Military through out the Vietnam War (largely draftee casualties vs professional army )when this movie came out. Our professor managed to get short clip of this movie from the studios and played this along with the opening landing scenes of D-Day from Saving Private Ryan. It was a very sobering class. Several of my fellow history students in the class were all vets of the Vietnam War and were returning to college to get their Masters so I had the very unique privilege to hear their stories while I was doing my paper. Since almost all of them were in the military and not drafted at the time they tended to site this movie as one of the best. One who became a close friend while I was in college belong to the 7th Air Cav. I remember to this day when he told me of when he first had to kill someone. It was the only time he ever killed anyone. At the time everyone in the history department was told to seek out WW2 vets before they all passed away to try to see if they will tell their stories. I think he was inspired to tell his stories do to that the WW2 vet's voices would soon go silent. "We Were Soldiers" has more of an impact then most war movies do for me.

[@melissatuel862]

My husband is a Vietnam vet who came back in 1972. I was 7 years old when he returned and don't remember the war. Since there were so many false stories about their being spit on, couldn't get a job, etc etc. I asked him about the claims of being spit on, etc. and he said yes, that actually happened. Like many, he flew in to San Francisco, and was spit on, couldn't get a job after prospective employers found out he was a Vietnam vet etc etc. They were told to go to the restroom at the airport and take off their uniform and change into civilian clothes so they weren't attacked again at the airport. People also didn't want to sit next to them on a plane when they were in uniform. He said during the time he was there, a helicopter would suddenly show up in the jungle and they would tell them their time was up and they would land in SF within 24 hours of being in the jungle. Thank You to all Vietnam vets and all American vets of all wars. ❤️🇺🇸

[@gizzmo5952]

I was a 19D, paratroop qualified, and I have been in 3 campaigns (first one 82 Airborne) on 2 different continents. I can tell you this is as close as you're going to get without being there. Every time I see this movie, I see some of my brothers faces. I'm lucky tho, all my brothers came back home, and intact bodily, mentally doing the best they can, I'm sure. PTSD is my worst enemy right now, but I'm working on it the best I can. You guys did an awesome review of this film, and I salute you all.

[@VoiceNerd]

One of my favorite but the hardest war film to watch for me. Its difficult not to cry a mess everytime

[@Manolo0528]

There’s something in the book that wasn’t explained in the movie. Hal Moore’s wife, Julia Moore played by Madeline Stowe, was the daughter of an Army Colonel. Her mother told her that it was the Colonel who is in charge of, and takes care of, the men but it’s the Colonel’s wife who’s in charge of, and takes care of, the wives. This is why you see Julia conducting the Wive’s Meeting, why she said at that meeting that she take care of the laundry mat getting fixed & why she chose to deliver the telegrams to the wives still on base. Barbara Geoghegan, played by Keri Russell, did not receive her telegram from Julia. When the men went off to Vietnam several wives moved back to their families back in their home state. Barbara took her baby and went to live with her in-laws when she was given her telegram by a drunken taxi cab driver who fell off the front porch and into some bushes before giving it to her. Hollywood changed it because Keri Russell wasn’t an unknown actress and they wanted her to do as much as they could give her. Btw, in “behind the scenes footage” on the DVD Special Features, there is footage of the real Barbara and the real daughter, now grown up, watching a scene with Keri & Madeleine being filmed. Barbara appears to be crying when Keri says that Jack could’ve stayed out of the Army on a deferment but declined. That scene is in the “Deleted Scenes” of the Special Features.

[@denisesf5]

As always, The Oak shares thoughtful and compassionate feelings with us and I for one appreciate it greatly. Even as a Canadian who had no dog in this particular fight. Big hugs to the big guy.

[@dastemplar9681]

My favorite fact about this movie was that critics panned this movie a lot for how cliched and cheesy the dialogue was. To this, the real Hal Moore came out publicly and coldly responded “Well, I apologize that my men weren’t being creative and original in their final moments.” That got the critics to shut up real quick.

[@iznogood3147]

The journalist Joe Galloway was already a seasoned warrior by the time he hitched a ride with the chopper to La Drang Valley. He had gone on missions with some marines and if I dont remember wrong, som SF guys. He already had, carried and had used a m-16 on combat. He did not go in unarmed. He also got a bronze star, as a civvi for getting wounded soldiers into the helis. Dude's a legend in his own rights.

[@d-squaredoutdoors5670]

This movie was a mandatory watch when I went through Officer Training School.

[@jsbcody]

I meet one of the survivors of the "Lost Platoon" and spoke with him over an hour about what happened. Sgt. Savage wasn't the highest-ranking NCO left, he was just the closest to the radio. The gentleman said that the old LBE gear had them placing their canteens on their backs and went they tried to get a drink later, they found that everyone's canteen had been shot up as those were the highest items sticking up as they laid on the ground. He said after they were found and returned to the main area, Col. Moore put them on the line in what at the time, he thought was going to be a "quiet" area.....it wasn't, it turned out to be a major axis of attack and the "Lost Platoon" survivors were in another fight for their lives.

[@chriso5374]

My Dad was in this and the subsequent battles that took place right after. He never said 1 word about it. I put the pieces together when I saw this movie. Found an original Thanksgiving menu that took place just 2 weeks after this battle. I also found his Original Bronze Star Medal orders with SGM Plumley and several others listed. God Bless them all and their memories. Great reaction gentlemen. Love and miss my Pops. 1926 to 1989. Gone way too soon.

[@gingertoast6216]

Joe Galloway, the journalist, is the only civilian to receive the Bronze Star. He passed away in 2021. You should watch 'Shock and Awe', another movie portraying him in a real-life story that's about his direct involvement as a journalist in the breaking real story in a newspaper about America's invasion and the beginning of the Iraq war.

[@debmccloskey1664]

WWII combatants took up to two weeks to get home, not a day spent on a jet. There was no decompressing in a day.

[@waterbeauty85]

Charlie Hastings, the Air Force forward air controller who was guiding in the air strikes, praised Col. Moore for helping him keep his head together after that tragic napalm drop. Moore cared about the men who served under him even if they were temporary and from a different service. Later, when Charlie was with another unit and ended up being wounded and hospitalized, Moore found out and told them "Take good care of him. He's one of ours."

[@Manolo0528]

Initially Crandall & “Too Tall” received Distinguished Flying Crosses. After the movie came out they were upgraded to Medal of Honor.

[@darkglass1]

I had the chance to meet Hal Moore. Cool guy and he gave an interesting speech. Sad to think the people you see die in this movie were real people who really died. So sad.

[@John_Locke_108]

That's neat.

[@tracyjohnston5486]

To answer a couple of statements you made... 1) When I was deployed to Iraq, I left my MOB station with my M-4 (short barrel M-16) and M-9 (9mm Beretta pistol) and got on the plane. So yes, they do leave with their weapons. 2) The M-16 does indeed have the capability to hold a bayonet. That's a pretty chilling order to fix bayonets because you're about to get REAL close to the enemy.

[@MrLightjimmy]

My grandfather is a veteran. Served in Vietnam (I believe shortly in the Korean War prior) as a paratrooper - I’ve only seen pictures. And the handful of medals he got, including a purple heart. Just this past Christmas I had the opportunity to learn more and see pictures. His brother died early on in the war but that didn’t stop him from serving. When I was younger he never mentioned much, but maybe now he has come to peace with it or as close as you can get from coming home after a war

[@seandobson6221]

My late father in law was involved in the second wave in the Ia Drang Valley. I went to basic training at Ft Benning where they’re training. When they all stop and are listening to the radio traffic from Nam my company XO was one of the officers standing there. After my deployment to Afghanistan my father in law sat down with me and allowed me to ask about his battles. SGT Major Plumlee is the quintessential Sgt Major.

[@ranger-1214]

Excerpt from Joe Galloway’s book about Jimmy Nakayama: “ His wife, Trudie, had given birth to their first child, a daughter named Nikki, on November 7. Jimmy died in an Army hospital two days later, on November 17. For a lot of years I looked for Jimmy’s wife and daughter. Last month, after the movie We Were Soliers was released I received a letter from Jimmy’s widow. Last week a letter came from his daughter Nikki, now 36 years old and the mother of two young sons. No single day has passed since that long-ago November day that I have not thought about Jimmy Nakayama, the young woman who loved him, and the daughter who would never know a father’s love.”

[@Sarge80]

Usually when out on deployement you leave your key's at home, you wont need them overseas, so when you get back you ring the doorbell.

[@paulanderson771]

A friend of mine's dad was an attack chopper pilot in vietnam. 19 hour days, they'd land, refuel, reload, and head straight back out to unleash their payload. Bathroom breaks...those were in their pants. He didn't get out of that cockpit for days at a time.

[@aprilreedy8104]

First let me say Wow! This is the first time I've seen your channel and am very impressed. The way we actually get to see your reactions to a movie. The respect and honest emotion, to one of my top 10 war movies was great to see. God Bless Our Soldiers and their families ❤

[@tommyberciano5714]

Your reaction to the cooked flesh sliding off Jimmy's legs as the photographer grabs to pick him up was priceless! That scene was absolutely crazy to us all 😅

[@waterbeauty85]

Col. Moore's line about "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" reminds me of the documentary "They Drew Fire" when one of the artists embedded with infantry in WW2 (because the powers that be weren't convinced photography could convey the emotional impact of combat) said that the closer you got to where the combat was, the less anyone cared about, race, religion or class. He said that people would take care of each other without regard for such differences, and ended by saying "It was kind of like heaven. That sounds funny, doesn't it? You wouldn't think it would be that way, but it was."

[@ltlibby6220]

Yoooo such a good movie. It's 100% a love story between the men of the Battalion. The book is outstanding, but the movie does a pretty good job even with some creative liberties

[@John_Locke_108]

Yup. I read the book after seeing the movie. Both are equally fantastic.

[@Nyx_2142]

"Some creative liberties"? Lol. Its a completely fantastical retelling of one of the US's most embarrassing defeats in Vietnam, typical Mel Gibson bullshit full of gung ho garbage. The US was so desperate to claim a victory from it, they drastically inflated the PAVN/VC casualties to claim "tactical victory", lol. The US Army limped out of Ia Drang like a broken, beaten dog while the PAVN regrouped to do it again. The movie conveniently ends on a glorious victory, that never actually happened and was made up for the movie, and leaves out the part where the PAVN regrouped and ambushed them the next day. Also, it doesn't surprise me Hal Moore, in typical dipshit fashion I expect from him, champions the movie. After all, he gets portrayed as some John Wayne-type (another murder and genocide apologist), when in reality he never fired a single shot. He was behind the lines in a battalion ops center and most definitely never even saw the "enemy". Remind me though, who controls Vietnam right now? What is the current name of the city of Saigon? So much for the "tactical victory", huh? Lol.

[@Nowayjose-z2r]

Yes, in most cases you are "kitted" out when you get on the plane. 1) The weapon is assigned to you and sighted/practice on it. 2) It's a straight flight, they land to refuel and recrew but not more then an couple hours. 3) Depending on where you land you had to beat feet off the run way and as such needed to be ready to rock and roll, just add ammo. There was times and places to store weapons if you left etc. but keep in mind they didn't even have coin change over there due to the weight etc. of shipping it. That is why so much equipment gets left. It's cheaper then shipping it home. Fun fact all my deployments we flew on a contracted civilian plane but from base to base as we went. They made us all go through security check points (not TSA, but military version) and customs. The joke was better not have any nail clippers but the m4 and m9 cool because no one could sneak ammo on board.... lol

[@WarriorPoet01]

Another good war flick to check out, if you can get the DVD (or find it online) is The Beast (1988 film). It has a large following in military circles, especially armor units. I met Jason Patric earlier this year and he mentioned how the cast actually trained for all combat positions in that Russian tank. Good stuff.

[@edmunddantes7097]

I'm gonna push back on Oak just a little bit. While I agree it's mostly wrong to judge what our soldiers did in Vietnam, there were some incidents that required judgement. One that instantly pops into mind is the My Lai massacre. There is literally no excuse and it deserves judgement, though that judgment should be toward the actual soldiers that took part in it, not all the soldiers that were forced into war. But the fact of the matter is that it was the government that got us into that war using the Gulf of Tonkin "incident" as an excuse. That's where the outrage should have been, and often was, directed.

[@davidbaye3758]

My Lai was on a level all its own and I’m in agreement with you 100% in regards to what happened there. -Oak

[@edmunddantes7097]

@@davidbaye3758 Personally, I think the outrage toward our soldiers came from the fact that people were outraged about being in the war to begin with. It wasn't our fight and was started because of an attack that never took place. Because the government is out of the average person's reach they took their anger out on the only ones they could, the soldiers returning home. Blinded by anger they ignored the fact that most were FORCED to go. I want to apologize if I made it seem like you were turning a blind eye to this stuff. Wasn't my intention. Simply wanted it out there that SOME soldiers go beyond what is necessary and do reprehensible things that should not be ignored. Also, I want to say I appreciate you guys. I think all you guys set a great example for youngsters. Keep up the great work.

[@Letha-Mae]

This is the most heartbreaking but beautifully made movies I have ever watched! I always cry through the whole thing. The one song breaks me every time. Great reaction fellas

[@Manolo0528]

10:55 The party scene right before they go off to war. According to the Behind the Scenes Features on the DVD those are real Fort Benning Officers and their wives dancing. Yes they really filmed at Fort Benning Ga.

[@ariesrcn]

I remember watching a training film in basic training about white phosphorus. Cutting it off is one of the only things you can do in the field.

[@Dio_1]

My unit deployed in 04 we carried weapons on our person for the entire flight

[@SchneiderRammGirl]

I can't begin to imagine what it was like for the soldiers on the battlefront or the wives receiving those letters, a very emotionally powerful film of what happened & to all that serve/served have my upmost respect.

[@ryanscully7475]

My favorite military movie. So happy yall are watching it. A real leader of men.

[@Liam-pl2nr]

Who is doing all the Tony Soprano heavy breathing into the mic? 🙉

[@shaneburt1230]

Movie is incredibly done. Still to this day only movie I have ever watched with director commentary on. Highly recommend it.

[@AARONANKRUM]

When you deploy, you are equipped then and take an initial load out. They don't wait to that in theater. If you have time, you find the book, by that journalist that was there with the Col. Hal Moore and what the movie was based on - "We Were Soldiers Once...and Young". That also details what happened a days later when the relief force was marching out to another LZ and firebase. And long after the Vietnam War was other, Col. Hal Moore (ret.) and Vietnam Lt. Col. Nguyen Huu An met in Vietnam and talked about that battle.

[@mikeg3906]

I flew with my weapon and gear.

[@ThrealAc]

I remember the first time I had heard the term "Broken Arrow" absolutely brings chills every single time! Also the soundtrack is just absolutely amazing. You guys need to check out Full Metal Jacket if you think this was brutal.

[@youmadbro7733]

Col. Hal Moore died from a stroke on February 10, 2017, three days before his 95th birthday. He was buried in Fort Benning Post Cemetery on February 17, 2017, with full military honors and laid to rest beside his wife of 55 years who died in 2004.

[@jamesbelshan8839]

Firing at the treeline after landing was "reconnoiter by fire". Basically, shoot at the trees so that if anyone shoots back, you know they are there.

[@CPLChavez]

I work in the auto parts industry and at the old store I worked at had a regular customer. His name is Frank and he was an MP at the base when this happened and volunteered duty as a door gunner for Crandall and flew with him. He said the actors in this movie did a wonderful portrayal of the real life people and a true testament to the real men. Sam Elliots portrayal of Plumley was close, he said. Plumley just did a lot more cussing in normal speech than Sam Elliot did.

[@josephcerasuolo3563]

That's a Sergeant Major if I ever heard one lol my 1st Sergeants (E-8) never cussed as much as my Sergeants Major (E-9) did lol

[@ironhide238]

Mason Quinn... you forgot that Black Hawk Down was a Full Movie Battle. Gettysburg, too. But three big battles and a 4Hours Movie. One of my favorite American Civil War Movies.

[@alanwhetstone3922]

This film tells the horrors of war as well as the horrors at home

[@zacmoore7800]

13:00. Hey DD. That’s definitely for dramatic effect. We don’t get “fully” geared out until in theatre. Yea we have some stuff when we are initially heading out. But we definitely are not loaded to the teeth.

[@pythonkatie1985]

I would highly recommend watching the channel History Buff regarding this movie. His 2 part series on Midway are my favorite, but it's really interesting to hear a movie commentary while also learning what was real history and what wasn't.

[@kpiniak]

Unfortunately, the History Buff guy really messes up in his review of this movie. He gets eaten alive in the comments.

[@bobpat56]

A relatively unknown Vietnam War film is "Go Tell the Spartans" which is set in the US advisor days of 1964, before this battle took place.

[@dranna90]

My dad always let me watch his favorite war movies with him when I was a young teen. This one he would never let me watch. One day he was out of the house and I watched it. He was right, I was not ready. Still to this day, it's a hard one to watch. Also, Mel Gibson will always be in my top 5 favorite actors. He always gives such a great performance

[@deadlyice2042]

3 of my teachers in highschool used the music from this film and footage of the battle without actors to make our remembrance day video (canada's veteran's day) for the school

[@757optim]

1965 was early in the war. Reaction to the war - and returning soldiers - grew worse as the war wore on over the years. As a med evac, I returned home via several military bases on military aircraft to a military hospital, so no "airport" stories to tell. Vietnam taught us many lessons. Many were also forgotten.

[@jw70467]

My fav Greg Kinnear role, tied with As Good As It Gets

[@ichrispy1]

I had the honor and privilege of meeting Hal Moore and Captain Nadal while I was stationed in Germany. They were both incredible men with a hell of a life story to tell. The recount of this particular battle was as if they had been there yesterday. It was incredible to hear and feel their emotion about it!

[@ToxicMinecraftV2]

Man yall are doing some banger movies and shows recently

[@timothyquinton1950]

I joined the Army in 1977 and served with a lot of Vietnam vets. One of the first things you learned was not to ask them about what they went through. What you did learn was to listen because not having experience what they went through meant you had no reference. All of their experience came out during training and you absorbed it like a sponge. I know that a lot of war veterans, going back to WW2 didn't talk a lot about what they did. As for the colonel leaving early in the morning without saying goodbye, that is what most soldiers did. On your reference to the difference between soldiers coming back from Vietnam and soldiers returning now is that the American public didn't understand what was going on in Southeast Asia and didn't want us to be part of it. After 9-11 America began to understand that the we could be attacked at home and that our military was needed.

[@edmunddantes7097]

@@timothyquinton1950 Something to consider. Vietnam was because of an attack that never actually took place in the Gulf of Tonkin. We went to war in two countries because of 9-11, even though NONE of them came from either of those two countries. 15 of the 19 came from Saudi Arabia. And the ONLY reason Americans knew what was going on in Vietnam was because of brave journalists and News agencies that were willing to show us what war is really like. It's a lot easier to support a war when you don't see the casualties or know the brutality, and if it were up to the government we wouldn't have known a thing. 9/11 anger led to people supporting that war in my opinion. I think many Americans simply wanted revenge and wanted it quickly.

[@TNbeachgirl30a]

Yes Oak!!! Thank them each & every time you see them!!

[@arahard25017]

In the early days of the North Vietnamese Army, former Japanese soldiers who remained in the country after the war cooperated with the North Vietnamese Army as instructors and participated in the war of independence from France. The reason for this was that many of the low-ranking Japanese soldiers had dreams and ideas of achieving independence for Asian countries from Europe and the United States. The following is known about the Japanese soldiers who remained in North Vietnam.  There are various theories about the number of remaining Japanese soldiers, including 600, 800, and 900. Vanish dignitaries, such as Vo Nguyen Giap, commander-in-chief of the People's Army of Vietnam, highly praised the activities of the remaining Japanese soldiers. This is because they trained the weak Viet Minh soldiers and contributed to operational command and military guidance.  *The following are representative former Japanese soldiers who cooperated with North Vietnam: [Takuo Ishii] (1919-1950), Japanese Army Major. After Japan's defeat, he participated in the Vietnamese War of Independence for Vietnam's independence and was killed in battle. [Kikuo Tanimoto] (1922-2001), Japanese Army Second Lieutenant and Intelligence Officer. [Mitsunobu Nakahara] (1922-2003), Japanese Army Second Lieutenant and Intelligence Officer. Because Japan was an ally of the United States, the families of the remaining Japanese soldiers and their Vietnamese wives faced hardship. The situation improved after 1975, and relations between Japan and Vietnam improved rapidly after the end of the Cold War.

[@derekray2683]

That horn that the French tried to blast, was taken by the Vietnamese. They used it later on in the movie against the US. That horn is now in a place of honor with the Air Cav. True story.

[@dayooperedtroll2208]

This is one of my favorite movies. Great reaction guys!

[@Tomcatt817]

20:54 He is the one who wrote the book this movie is based on.

[@kalskirata9075]

one of the issues we had...we artilleried everything before we aired in and the enemy quickly learned that...and it made horrible ambushes

[@Bryan_Master_Blaster]

Deployed with our weapons - rifle and pistol - '91 Gulf War, Somalia, and a couple tours to Iraq. Afghanistan was different for me, in that I was retired from the Army and went over as a civilian defense contractor, and I was issued rifle and pistol when I arrived in country.

[@ryanb-ol2pf]

Always a great reaction guys! I come from a military family so I really enjoy you guys doin war movies. Thank you for taking the time to learn about these stories🙏 Oak... You just keep hitting me in the feels... What you said at the end was very meaningful! "you would of made a great motivational speaker!" Much love and respect guys🙏

[@ryanscully7475]

12:55, you’re issued your weapon when you get to your company. It’s kept in the arms room. But whenever you’re going for training or deployment, it goes too.

[@reecedignan8365]

Great reaction guys and its awesome seeing you guys going on a mini-war arc with BoB and such. If I could make a recommendation for a movie, A Bridge too Far is an amazing movie that covers Operation Market Garden from multiple perspectives (and not just the allied perspective of US and American) but covers the Dutch Resistance/Civilian view and even the German. - also the movies made in that period where there’s no CGI. So all the parachute scenes, air scenes, tank scenes and so on are all practical. It’s my favourite movie, and it be amazing to see more people reacting to it.