"Steven's mother: I still do not believe this. My own boy with a strange girl and not so thin, if you understand my meaning...The next thing you know, he goes to Vietnam...I do not understand, Father. I understand nothing anymore, nothing...Can you explain? Can anyone explain?"

"When a man says no to champagne, he says no to life."

"If you are really brave and lucky, I can make you very, very rich."

"What is there to be afraid of in this war? The war is a joke, a silly thing...I pay my players - cash - American. However, should you prefer German marks or perhaps Swiss francs, that of course can be arranged."

"Here's to Nick."

"[to Stanley] You wanna play games? All right, I'll play your fucking games."

"Okay. Okay!"

"[to Linda] I just wanted to say how sorry I am about Nick. And how, I know how much you loved him and I know that it will never be the same. I just wanted to tell you that."

"Paul D'Amato - Sergeant"

"Mary Ann Haenel - Stan's girl"

"Amy Wright - Bridesmaid"

"Mady Kaplan - Axel's girl"

"Pierre Segui - Julien Grinda"

"Rutanya Alda - Angela Ludhjduravic-Pushkov"

"Shirley Stoler - Steven's mother"

"Mel Gibson - Lt. Col. Hal Moore"

"400 U.S paratroopers. 4000 Vietnamese soldiers. 12 000 miles away from home. 1 man led them into battle."

"We were... young, brave, husbands, wives, sons, mothers, daughters, soldiers."

"Fathers, Brothers, Husbands & Sons."

"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."

"[voice-over] These are the true events of November, 1965. The Ia Drang Valley of Vietnam, a place our country does not remember in a war it does not understand. This story is a 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."

"Sir, Custer was a pussy. You ain't."

"[addressing his troops on the parade ground.] Look around you. In the Seventh Cavalry, we got a captain from the Ukraine. Another from Puerto Rico. We've got Japanese, Chinese, blacks, Hispanics, Cherokee Indians, 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. I can't promise that I will bring you all home alive. But this I swear before you and before Almighty God: that when we go into battle, I will be the first to set foot on the field, and I will be the last to step off. And I will leave no one behind. Dead or alive, we will all come home together. So help me God."

"Neither the new technology nor your status as officers will keep you above the danger. Sergeant Major Plumley and I come from the paratroopers, where the officer is always the first man out of the plane. Because to follow your instincts and inspire your men by your example, you have to be with them — where the metal meets the meat...Now, I hope you men like training, 'cause me and the Sergeant Major... we love it!"

"Lyndon Johnson - himself (archive footage)"

"Simbi Khali - Alma Givens"

"Bellamy Young - Catherine Metsker"

"Mark McCracken - Capt. Ed "Too Tall" Freeman"

"Luke Benward - David Moore, Hal & Julia's son"

"Sloane Momsen - Cecile Moore, Hal & Julia's daughter"

"Taylor Momsen - Julie Moore, Hal & Julia's daughter"

"Devon Werkheiser - Steve Moore, Hal & Julia's son"

"Josh McLaurin - Greg Moore, Hal & Julia's son"

"Dylan Walsh - Capt. Robert Edwards"

"Erik MacArthur - Sp4 Russell Adams"

"Blake Heron - Sp4 Galen Bungum"

"Desmond Harrington - Sp4 Bill Beck"

"Clark Gregg - Capt. Tom Metsker"

"Jsu Garcia - Capt. Tony Nadal"

"Josh Daugherty - Sp4 Robert Ouellette"