Once you get out of training...
you're funneled into what's called "the pipeline"...
and you become a number while you're traveling...
until you get spewed out somewhere at the other end.
After you land, you look for signs of war--
a bullet scar in a wall...
a bombed-out building.
You don't have to look very hard.
You see a lot of poverty...
kids starving.
When you get on the trucks...
after the ship and the train...
you know the pipeline is carrying you towards the front.
You're going to be a combat infantryman...
the tip of the spear.
You don't know what it will be like...
or what will happen.
You wonder...
whether you're going to get killed.
We got a funny kind of war here...
a war that we can't really win...
because it's got to be settled around a conference table.
In the meantime, we have to keep fighting and dying...
and you men have a right to know why.
It's as simple as this...
the enemy has got to keep getting hurt.
Every day he stalls at P'anmunjom...
has got to be a day that costs him good.
The more pain, the more casualties he suffers...
the easier the job our negotiators will have...
and the sooner this will end.
Tomorrow we move up to the MLR-- the main line of resistance.
Good luck, men.
That's all I have, Corporal.
All right, you guys. Fall in outside.
You and you, right here.
The rest of you, line up on these two.
-Follow me. -How far are we from the MLR?
About five miles.
Hold it. You wait here, Loomis.
Raymond's sleeping.
I got a new man for Van Horn.
I take him up to Jaguars.
Charlie'll take care of you.
Let's go.
-I show you picture-- -Get away from the fence!
Beautiful girl. You keep.
What the--Are you crazy?
All right, mama san. Just take it easy.
She is no mother!
Smells bad here.
G.I.
Welcome to Korea.
I hope you don't die.
Here.
First squad, third platoon?
Are you Sergeant Van Horn?
Yeah. Are you a replacement?
That's right. The name's Loomis.
Hold the racket! I'm sorry, what?
The name's Roy Loomis.
Glad to have you with us.
Thank you. Who's the kid?
Charlie? He's...
One the guys in the squad looks out for him.
His people are dead.
So you're in the first squad?
Showalter's your squad leader.
He's over by the Jeep. Go report.
Right.
I didn't tell you guys to quit.
Come on, let's go!
We haven't lost a war yet...
but we sure are pussyfooting our way through this one.
How long have you been in the army, Crotty?
1937. But I'm thinking about quitting.
What would you do?
Well, I'd--
Better stick with it. You'll stay out of jail.
That's what my mother said.
You are still here because of the dishonest tactics...
employed by imperialist negotiators.
The People's Army of China desires peace.
You desire peace.
Yet, because Wall Street does not desire peace...
each morning's sun shines upon the bodies of young--
What a station.
One lousy, beat-up record...
and for a commercial, "The Communist Manifesto."
I like that old Dragon Lady.
-She's sexy. -Who?
She's on their loudspeakers up at the MLR.
Loudspeakers?
Yeah. This is a crazy war.
She plays music for us. It's very romantic.
This baby's ready.
Baby?
What say?
What was that?
Endore.
Where's he going?
To work. You want some?
No. Where?
Out behind their lines.
Alone?
Every night.
I'll see you around.
Yeah.
Hello.
Hi.
I love you.
You got trouble, G.I.? Come on, I'll fix.
I'll show you place you can get through fence.
No worry. No M.P.
Sweetheart, you know what my trouble is?
I good. I fix.
I can't even believe I'm here.
How about some quiet?
What do you think's happening up there?
Nothing much.
Not as long as the politicians are jabbering away.
Any time things go sour at P'anmunjom...
that's when we really get slamming.
Peiping Radio always tells Crotty what's going on.
Still got that sandpaper?
Is there coffee in the weapons carrier?
Yes, sir. Mount up! Let's go!
-You all set? -Yes, sir.
Looks like we ain't gonna get there before dark.
How's AT&T doing?
What's that?
And they say we're capitalists.
Was that a mine?
They're just sending season's greetings.
That's all.
I guess they know we're coming.
They dropped that one to remind us...
we're not out for a Sunday drive.
If they thought we were worth it...
they might give us maybe a dozen more.
The artillery's zeroed in on this stretch.
There's not a thing we can do about it...
except keep moving, which I wish we'd do.
I first got over here, my wife sent me a letter...
a little clipping from our hometown newspaper.
I don't know what she had in mind...
but this writer said that the Chinese Army...
had to get hopped up on opium before staging an attack...
that they had lousy clothes...
worse equipment, and no discipline at all.
Showalter, get your squad together and follow me.
All right. Let's dance.
Keep the guys here. I'll check with the captain.
Other side of these sandbags is no man's land.
See that ridge?
-The first one? -No, the big dark one.
That's the Chinese.
We got an outpost about 200 yards straight out.
You'll be able to see it during the day.
What's that light?
They got a beacon over there in P'anmunjom...
to make sure nobody lobs a shell over there by mistake.
When you're out on patrol...
you learn how to get your bearings by it.
Welcome back, Captain Pratt...
and all of you who have returned.
To those who are replacing the other...
That's the old Dragon Lady!
She'll tell you whether we got scrambled eggs...
or sunnyside up tomorrow.
I wonder how many of you in the coming weeks...
will die for somebody's dividends.
We'll try to make your journey on...
as pleasant as we can.
But now we have a delightful selection...
for your listening pleasure.
Hope she's got some Charlie Parker tonight.
Attaboy!
They get the Dragon Lady, we got Syngman!
We're on the wrong side.
As long as them loudspeakers are chewing at each other...
we ain't.
We get the same bunkers as last time.
I need you and three members of your squad for patrol.
Meet me at the C.P. in fifteen minutes.
Keep two men on the line all night.
The rest of you can flake out.
Crotty and Loomis have it from 12:00 to 2:00.
You and me are on guard from 12:00 to 2:00.
There ain't nothing to it.
-What's patrol like? -It's real easy.
Work slow, stay on the path...
keep your eyes and ears open.
If you get caught in a flare, freeze...
and just hope they don't see you.
What about their patrol?
No sweat. You run into one, it's real simple.
Throw all your grenades, fire every round, and run.
Yeah?
Hey, Charlie.
What do you say, Raymond?
He'll take that bunk.
Yeah, sure.
He's tired.
Kids need their sleep.
What was that?
I said, kids need their sleep.
You're right.
You're absolutely right.
Go to sleep, and I'll be back in the morning.
I no tired. When I go with you?
Soon?
We'll see.
Fall on it, Volare.
They must've added another step.
Where's my socks?
Where's Van Horn?
He's over at the C.P.
Somebody tell him if he's going to be in Ruby tonight...
that I'll be there sometime.
Them poor Chinamen.
Boy, how long has that guy been here?
A little less than a year.
I remember the first day he joined the outfit.
I remember thinking he was afraid.
You are a red-hot judge of character.
First thing he did was volunteer for two-man patrols.
One night, he went out on his own.
Like AWOL, but in the wrong direction.
Captain liked the information he brought back...
so he let him go again.
At least he never stopped him.
I used to wonder about that guy.
I'm sure glad he's on our side.
-Come on. -OK.
What's the story?
We're trying to locate a buddy of ours.
Took a shot at Doyle this morning.
But he's not buying.
He'll take a crack at it.
He's got the helmet in his sights...
and a finger on the trigger right now.
I can feel it.
The finger's getting itchy.
Yeah, the finger's getting itchy.
I'm gonna tantalize him now.
Did you see him?
I didn't see a thing. The sun's all wrong.
Fresno, you wasn't watching!
-Yes, I was. -All right.
We'll try again tomorrow after chow.
Now, at 2300 hours...
core artillery's gonna fire a mission...
on that supply dump that Endore spotted.
We'll probably hear it go over.
We'll observe, report back the effects of the barrage.
SOP in the patrol formation--
observe radio silence.
The password tonight's "Yankee."
The countersign's "Stadium."
Crotty, I saw that training film, too...
so knock off that phony coughing.
I'm telling you, I'm sick.
And I'm telling you, one cough out there...
and I'll cut your throat with my rusty bayonet.
Now, come on.
Get your squad ready to go in half an hour.
This is Snooper One, over.
Gibraltar Red Easy.
This is Snooper One.
We have reached objective.
Let's bug slowly.
Black smoke. Grass burning everywhere.
Take it easy. Talk English.
You want to talk about it?
Knock it off, will you?
The kid's having a bad dream.
So I was having a good one.
We'll talk about it in the morning.
All right?
Your mail.
Thank you, Charlie.
OK. I get Raymond's mail.
How would you like to toss the ball around?
OK. I try.
Guys, can we borrow those mitts a minute?
You say there's a battalion here?
A brand new mortar battery right here.
That's right.
They're building up a new supply dump here.
What about their security?
It's there. Plenty strong, too.
I had some time, so I went by Chiba.
They've got a new two-man listening post here.
One of them was asleep.
You don't suppose you could recheck this tonight?
What for?
All right. I'll send this on to battalion...
and put through a follow-up on your commendation.
I'll see to it that it goes through soon.
That's all right, Captain.
Soldier, haven't you been taught to call attention...
when a superior officer enters?
I forgot.
Be sure you remember it the next time.
At ease.
Colonel, this is the man I was telling you about.
Endore, sir.
Astonin--dead of winter, not a sniffle.
Border's here.
Tell the colonel, Endore.
Dug in solid, too.
Colonel, I don't suppose you've read the recommendation?
I have.
How long have you been here, Endore?
Ten months.
Ten months, what?
Ten months straight.
When was your last R&R?
I was just-- just in reserve.
That's not what I asked you, soldier.
I have the power to...to do.
Colonel, he hasn't had a chance to get any sleep yet.
Take him off patrol for a while.
I'll do that, sir.
Your men need a little work on military courtesy.
Yes, sir.
Otherwise, all right. Valuable man.
Take care of him...and yourself.
Thank you, sir.
He's sure about this?
I could check tonight, sir, if you wished, sir.
Better get some rest.
This war is going on for a while.
You've got to say "sir" to men like the colonel...
especially when they're battalion commander.
I don't want to go to Japan.
You won't.
I just got back in the line.
Don't worry.
Now listen to this.
"At great risk to his personal safety...
"he consistently exercised individual initiative...
"making perilous night probes into enemy territory.
"On numerous occasion he engaged the enemy..."
That's the way the commendation begins.
He said something about not going on patrol.
You don't go on patrols with the others.
You better get some sleep...
if you want to recheck that mortar battery tonight.
I can't.
Sure, you can.
You're letting it go up here.
Bring it down.
Right here.
All right.
Fresno tells me you're from the north.
Danyang.
Did they kill your people?
You. Jet fire bomb.
I ran. I see home fire.
I'm sorry.
OK. It mistake.
How did you meet Endore?
I work for girls in the city.
He and me talk.
Eat chow. He gave me better job.
Belong and join army.
Speak of the devil.
Devil?
Morning! Loomis, isn't it?
That's right, sir.
Come on, Charlie.
Loomis.
Sir?
Leave that kid alone. He belongs to Endore.
What do you mean?
Endore's a valuable man. You must know that by now.
Sir, I was just showing the boy--
Stay away from Charlie.
Endore is nobody to fool with.
OK, Loomis?
Karl Marx is improving.
He's been getting a lot of practice lately.
Give me a butt.
Wonder if he's got one of those skinny mustaches?
I wonder if any of them has.
You go on patrol...
and it's like crawling around your own backyard.
Those three nights I was at the listening post...
I never heard one.
And dandy thing they didn't hear you.
Charlie!
I remember the first one I saw.
In a flare. He got scared and stood up.
Kind of an old guy.
He saw me and stared.
I looked at him.
I'd still be looking at him if he hadn't started to run.
You see them every night, Endore.
-What are they like? -Young.
How do you kill a man with a knife?
I'll tell you.
It takes knowledge and practice.
And I've got good eyes.
Often, he'll be looking right at me and not see me.
But I'll see him.
Then if you know where to put the knife...
It's...
It's not difficult.
And afterwards, how do you feel?
How do you feel?
Get the first aid kit, Charlie.
You get hit?
If it's a wound, report it.
It's worth the Purple Heart.
You want a Purple Heart? Just keep talking.
You better get to the aid station.
No aid station. They're coming.
Tonight, tomorrow night--soon.
That means they'll have to beef up Outpost Maryland.
Yeah, it's our turn.
It's a change, anyway.
What's the matter? You don't look happy.
You ought to. It's your chance.
How do you know they're coming?
I read their mail, Loomis.
All clear to the outpost.
All right, follow me.
Let's go.
What's that?
Rats.
There's all kinds of cans and stuff out there.
That's a great warning system if they get by the trip flares.
You know it.
Anybody coming up that slope is up to his butt in garbage.
The general don't care how sloppy it is on their side.
You know everything, don't you?
-What? -I wasn't talking to you.
Where'd they get that record?
They got it at the PX.
Come here.
There's a new man out there.
So I'm supposed to act like I'm used to it?
You're supposed to act like a squad leader!
I'll buy you a drink tomorrow.
It's when she stops playing--
that's when we screw on our belly buttons.
Sergeant Van Horn, the captain's come to check the position.
He wants to see you in here.
Right.
Gibraltar Red.
This is Gibraltar Red Easy Six, over.
This is Gibraltar Red Easy Six.
How do you hear me? Over.
Gibraltar Red Easy Six, roger out.
Battalion loud and clear, Captain.
-We're all set, sir. -Good.
Endore, what do you think?
Think you ought to go back to the MLR.
Find yourself a hole, man.
See anything?
Standby, searchlights and flares.
Check Charlie and Fox company.
See if they got any patrols out.
Gibraltar Blue Charlie...
this is Gibraltar Red Easy Six, over.
Negative on patrols, Captain.
-Get flares! -Not yet.
Be able to see it in a second.
All right, good quarterbacking.
What?
Two minutes?
Yeah.
Easy Six.
It's Captain Pratt, sir.
Go easy with your flares.
Let's not look jumpy.
What?
I sent more people to help your people.
Where'd you put them when they got there?
Which they wouldn't--
You've got about two hours before getting nervous.
They're not coming.
They'll just pound us to pieces and then play...
"l Wonder Who's Kissing Her Now."
Never been in one like this before, Doug?
No, sir.
Flares.
Flares!
Lights! Turn on the lights...
and request vital protective fire!
We're pulling out!
Pulling out!
We're pulling out!
Halt.
Stars.
Stripes. Help me.
My leg.
The enemy was turned back at the MLR.
They didn't want the ground they gained.
They just wanted to give us a hard time.
My knee is badly sprained...
but I'm still useful around here.
I'm working as a clerk for the supply sergeant...
for the time being.
That's why this letter is being typed.
My first combat is something I'll never forget.
I'll write you about it later.
I don't think I'll be as scared the next time.
Loomis, you're in supply now.
Why don't you pull some strings?
Get us some air mattresses.
Requisition some booze.
What don't you drink?
You know, you're right.
Hi, boy.
He doesn't want it.
Why can't I do something nice for this kid?
What are you afraid of?
I'm not afraid. If--
If Crotty had seen you chicken, he'd have killed you.
Why didn't you kill me?
It really doesn't matter.
I like you this way.
Don't mess with that guy!
So how are all those kids--
The ones who ain't starved to death...
What's your hero been saying about me?
Did he tell you that a man kills?
What about when peace comes?
When the war ends?
Raymond said maybe it not end.
It will one day.
The fighting is going to stop.
It's got to.
Things will return to normal, and you'll start school.
You want to go to school, don't you?
-School? -Sure.
To learn things, to make friends.
Raymond and I good friend.
We go away. We live in mountain.
We build house.
In America?
Not America. Here.
He said that you'd build a house here?
In Korea?
Sure.
He can't make a promise like that.
One day we'll all be going home.
He'll have to go home, too.
Raymond do what he like.
He lied to you, Charlie.
He'll have to go back.
He not go back!
He not lie! You lie!
What's the matter with it?
You not talk to me.
You stay away!
Boy, you leave that bird alone.
Give it to me.
I've been talking to Charlie.
He thinks you're going to stay here with him...
after the war ends.
He also said something about a house in the mountains.
If you really care about that boy...
you've got to tell him the truth...
that he's got to go to an orphanage right here.
His clothes may not be special.
The food will probably be just enough to keep him going.
But there'll be other children there...
and he'll play games-- children's games.
And there'll be a teacher.
If you don't put that boy where he belongs, I will.
I mean that.
I'll go to the colonel if I have to.
But I don't want to.
It's important to Charlie that it comes from you.
Do you understand that? You.
Butt out.
Butt out or I'll kill you.
Smell that.
It's all right.
Dan?
It's all right.
It's him that smells.
All right, here you go.
Read it, sign after your name.
What's up?
Maintain posts throughout the day.
What?
It's a cease-fire!
Here. Sign there.
It's a mirage.
"After 2200 hours, there will be no hostile acts...
"by any of the armed forces of the United Nations.
"l have read and understand the foregoing."
They're really voting to go to Manchuria.
Your signature signifies that you have read...
and/or heard the order and understand it.
I don't understand anything.
Is this really happening?
It's not over until 10:00 tonight...
so let's not have a pig rush.
Crotty!
It's over!
Go on home, it's over!
It's over!
Believe it? It's over?
Go on home!
I'm gonna get stoned.
Charlie. It's over.
The war's over, Charlie.
Somebody ought to give Karl Marx the word.
That guy burns me!
Oh, God.
Medic!
Easy.
Help me.
Take it easy, kid. You're gonna be OK.
Ask me something, anything at all.
-What's your name? -Joshua.
-How old are you? -Ask me something else.
-Where you from? -Keep asking me.
Where's my bandanna?
-It's over there. -You got it.
-My father gave that to me. -Did he?
-Ask me how old I am. -How old are you?
God, I'm so scared.
Can you hear me?
Can you see me, you dirty--
What are you doing?
Get back here!
Tell that to Fresno!
Shut up! Get back there! Come on!
The sniper got Fresno, sir.
And these men tried to get even, right?
As far as I know, sir.
Uncover him.
Now I have to write a letter to the parents of this man...
describing the circumstances of his death.
I don't like writing these letters...
and I intend this to be my last one.
Now, you've all signed the cease-fire order.
Until 2200 hours, you are still at war.
Now protect yourselves accordingly...
and initiate no action!
Is true war stop?
He's trying to send you away.
To a place where they'll hit you if you break one little rule.
They don't know who you are.
What time is it?
-9:00. -One more hour.
No more Dragon Lady.
She must have taken off for Moscow.
I've been thinking.
This war lasted three years, one month, and two days.
One day too much for Fresno.
Dan, what are you going to do when you go home?
Are you going back to a farm?
Why is it you Yankees think we're all farmers...
and belong to the KKK?
My daddy's got a gas station.
Ask me what I'm gonna do.
All right.
Well, ask me.
Wanna know what I'm gonna do?
"It's hard to believe it's really over."
"I hope..."
You wait here.
Sir?
I need to talk to you.
Go ahead.
Could you come outside for a minute?
It's important.
What is it?
Sir, this is Loomis.
What is it, Loomis?
Go ahead, tell him.
Sir, I just saw Endore.
He had his knife and that stuff...
he puts on his face when he goes out.
I saw him.
He took Charlie with him this time.
I don't understand. He went out tonight?
Doesn't he understand there's a cease-fire order?
Yes, sir. He signed the order like the others.
You wouldn't be trying to kid me now?
No, sir.
My God, man.
Boy, this is impossible.
Does anybody else know about this, Loomis?
Yes. Crotty, Showalter. I told them.
I don't want you to tell anybody else.
Must be some kind of mistake.
Oh, boy.
Anybody find out anything?
No, sir. No one's seen a trace of either of them.
That's it.
Let's shake hands anyway.
Crotty.
Look at this.
If he's out there and them Chinese spot him...
What would happen?
To the cease-fire?
I don't know.
I don't even want to think about it.
If they even saw that boy...
Well...
If he is out there...
wouldn't he come back in the morning like always?
No.
I don't think so.
Here, Charlie.
Sir, we better notify battalion...
tell them we have a man missing.
I don't want to open up that can of beans.
Battalion notifies regiment, regiment notifies division...
division notifies corps.
No telling what they'll do with this at P'anmunjom.
Who gave you permission to leave your posts?
Corporal Benhoff, sir.
-Tell him to forget it! -Yes, sir.
All right.
I agree with Loomis.
I don't think we can count on his coming back.
But we'll wait until sunrise.
Captain, that zone's demilitarized.
So?
Nobody's supposed to be out there after midnight.
All right.
We'll go as a graves detail.
We'll need a litter and some markers.
Sir, I'm a 20-year man.
I don't have a black mark yet.
Luther, if that boy disturbs the cease-fire...
before you see your wife and little girl again...
it'll be another 20 years.
Sometimes we have to take the initiative.
Now, the way I figure it--
If anybody feels different about this...
I want you to tell me.
If he's out there...
he'll be in our sector till morning.
He won't go where he doesn't know the minefields.
He'll take cover.
He won't walk around in the daylight.
We won't find him, sir. Too many places to hide.
I don't think he's hiding.
Sir, I'd like to go.
I think I can talk to the boy.
All right.
We need a man with a radio.
But if there's any talking, I'm gonna do it.
Captain, nothing, sir.
-Give me those. -Yes, sir.
What are you going to tell Lieutenant Sanders?
You're going out to look for the man...
that didn't return from the last patrol.
And what else?
You'll be calling in every hour.
We've waited long enough. Let's go.
Endore!
What will the Chinese think, sir?
They may have observers out here.
They'll think we're trying to find...
one of our wounded, which we are.
One of ours. Loomis, mark it.
Mark it. What's the matter with you?
Nothing. Just never seen them in daylight.
Come on.
I know a village that's been burned out.
The people are gone...
but some of the houses are all right.
And outside, the snow will be falling.
Cold and white.
And the world will be so quiet.
The sun on the snow, cold, clean air.
And in the spring, wild flowers.
I'll show you my secret.
Secret?
Don't you wonder why...
no one's ever seen me at night?
It's because I'm invisible.
The truth can blind.
There he is, Captain.
Raymond!
Raymond, it's Captain Pratt.
When you didn't come back this morning...
we figured you might need some help.
I won't be coming back anymore.
I'm not ready.
I don't think you understand the cease-fire order, son.
We're supposed to stay behind the lines now.
It's the rules.
The war's over.
Which war?
Come on down now, son.
You and the boy must be hungry.
I've got some candy bars in my pocket.
Raymond, your DSC came through.
How about that? I knew that'd make you happy.
The general himself is coming to pin it on you tomorrow.
Raymond, why they come?
Because he doesn't understand.
You not come up!
We suffer because he doesn't understand.
We're here to help you, Raymond.
You're confused. I understand.
We all understand.
We've all been confused at times, Raymond.
But you'll come back with us now.
Won't you, son? The war is over.
There'll be another!
It's all right, now, son.
Put that knife down.
Drop that knife, Raymond.
You're a soldier in the United States Army...
and I'm your commanding officer.
I am commanding.
The command is that I am commanding the commandment!
I--I am commanding.
-Drop that weapon. -Wait a minute, Captain.
I am commanding.
Raymond and I are friends.
He wouldn't do anything to me...
not after all we've been through together.
Wait!
Captain, we gotta get out of here.
They'll have heard that shot for miles.
Mark him. Soldier!
You all right, soldier?
No.