Hamburger Hill

"All right, listen up. You people will not die on me in combat. You fucking new guys will do everything you can to prove me wrong. You'll walk on trails, kick cans, sleep on guard, smoke dope and diddely-bop through the bush like you were back on the block. Or on guard at night you'll write letters, play with your organ, and think of your girl back home. Forget her. Right now, some hair head has her on her back and is telling her to fuck for peace. This is Han. Those of you who are foolish will think of him as 'gook,' 'slope,' 'slant' or 'dink.' He is your enemy. He came over on the Chieu Hoi programme, and after he fattens himself on C-rations he will be hunting your young asses in the A Shau Valley. Now forget about this Viet Cong shit. What you'll encounter out there is hard core NVA, North Vietnamese. Highly motivated, highly trained and well equipped. If you meet Han or his cousins, you will give him respect and refer to those little bastards as 'Nathanial Victor.' Meet him twice, and survive, and you will refer to him as 'MISTER Nathanial Victor.' Now people, I am sick and tired of filling body bags with your dumb fucking mistakes."

"Han is closing in on your position. It's night... Look at me! I'm gonna save your life and your gonna save mine. It's night, it's raining. While you're thinking about peace, love and whether or not we should be in Vietnam, Han is going to cut your fucking throat. And you're sleeping. You've been humping the boonies for months. It's your turn to sleep, you're allowed to sleep. What do you think Han is going to do? Is he going to wake you up, Alphabet? And smile? And talk about women? Mister Nathanial Victor gets his rocks off watching you die. Some of you think you have problems because you're against the war. You demonstrated in school... you wear peace symbols on your steel, and you have attitudes. I'm orphan, my brother's queer, the city of Chicago got the clap from my sister, Mom drinks, Dad coughs blood, I have ringworm, imersion foot, the incurable crud and the draft ruined my chances of being a brain surgeon. People, you are in Vietnam. You have no problems. Except me. [points to Han who is holding an RPG and grinning] And him."

"I smile at my Mamma. Great meal, Ma. Would you please pass the fucking potatoes. The ham is fucking A, Ma. You don't know how... how fucking great it is to be home. How you going to act, huh?"

"It don't mean nothing, man. Not a thing."

"Brush your teeth in a rapid, vertical motion. That's up and down for all you rebels."

"We've been up on that hill ten times, and they still don't think we're serious."

"Worcester: We had a short-timer once. Johnny I-forget-his-name. He wore a flak jacket, two helmets and armor underwear. A Shau Valley... your time's up, your time is up."

"Galvan: We're Airborne. We don't start fights, we finish 'em!"

"War at its worst. Men at their Best."

"While the rest of the world wondered why, the Screamin' Eagles fought and died in the fiercest battle of America's bloodiest war."

"The most realistic portrayal of the Vietnam War ever filmed. Because it's the only one that's true."

"Tegan West - Lt. Eden"

"Steven Weber - Sgt. Worcester"

"Dylan McDermott - Sgt. Frantz"

"Don James - McDaniel"

"Courtney B. Vance - Doc"

"Michael Patrick Boatman - Motown"

"Harry O'Reilly - Duffy"

"Daniel O'Shea - Gaigin"

"Michael Dolan - Murphy"

"M.A. Nickles - Galvan"

"Don Cheadle - Washburn"

"Tim Quill - Beletsky"

"Tommy Swerdlow - Bienstock"

"Anthony Barrile - Languilli (aka Alphabet)"