No American conflict has been as big a gold mine for movies as Vietnam.
When “Apocalypse Now” was released in 1979, I took special interest in this movie. It featured my unit, 1st Squadron 9th Cavalry, 1st Air Cavalry Division.
Lieutenant Colonel Bill Kilgore (Robert Duvall)
“I love the smell of napalm in the morning. You know, one time we had a hill bombed, for 12 hours. When it was all over, I walked up. We didn’t find one of ’em, not one stinkin’ dink body. The smell, you know that gasoline smell, the whole hill. Smelled like victory”
My Vietnam Experience 
Believe it or not, the only Viet nam movie I saw was the Robin Williams movie. I DIDN’T LIKE THE ENDING! THAT MOVIE DID IT FOR ME. I do not remember alot about the movie. But at, or near the end the movie, I felt that they wanted me to feel sorry I ever went there. The young Vietnamese man, after the bar was bombed….. I WISH SOMEONE WOULD HAVE SHOT HIM BEFORE WE DEPARTED. Frank McKinnon.
“Forrest Gump” is one of my favorites films, but in my opinión “Apocalypse Now” is the best. 🙂
Without the smell of the country or the “krump” of incoming
the Vietnam experience cannot be reproduced. Dennis Junger
When I was growing up, I absolutely loved war movies. John Wayne, D-Day, almost all of ’em! But I found I was ending the VN movies disappointed & upset.
A friend asked if I knew why and I responded no, not really.
My friend enlightened me … its because all the liberals running Hollywood were doing MORE than just trying to insert their political agenda … they were actually destroying all of our “heroes”. They were transforming all the white hatted cowboys to grey hats; all the soldiers, cowboys, police, firemen STARS were all being transformed to mentals, degenerates, half-criminals, or druggies.
Hollywood has successfully stolen ALL the good guys! I don’t like their crap anymore.
Yeah, you’re right, I see now. No wonder I felt that way after the Robin Williams movie. Are all of the VN movies the same? I think I’ll see them now anyway. Were can I find them? Frank.
Dave….. I’m with you man.
I was in country for 18 months. It did not bother me in 1967 and 1968…I extended for that early out didn’t I? Every day was just another day with the carrot of ‘the World’ dangling at the end of a short time calendar. We did what we had to do. We did what we were ordered to do. I can not watch the movies now. At some point in time in years that followed VN it became a nightmare that intensified with every f’ing movie. I just can not watch them anymore and I can not talk about it. And I can not not remember. I am ashamed that I have become this wimp of a man.
Ray: NO! Not a wimp! You grew up with ideal & values. And part of your life is that you went there to serve your nation because they said it was necessary – it was needed. Whether it was or wasn’t, has nothing to do with us. WE did right.
When the opposition (the progressive liberal radicals of the 1960s – now our national leaders) attacked us personally — ridiculing, belittling and prostituting our ideals & values, a man has no recourse & no escape and finally succumbs to being defeated because of the misrepresented enormity of the opposition. The Media made it seem like all of America was against the war — against us!
They never were! The vast majority became tired of the endless tirade presented by the Media and also thought they were in the minority — they were beaten down into silence too.
Have you noticed the popularity of our guys wearing their VN vet attire. Its because we’ve gained back our pride after finding out how the Media had lied to us and the entire nation about the war’s opposition.
We should NEVER again allow the progressive liberals — 30% backed by the Media — to be outspoken enough to control us — a silent majority! I’m proud to have been there with ya — and in case anyone says it, we did WIN the VietNam war. A bunch of progressive liberals just ordered us home to allow the enemy to return.
I just stopped going to these movies. Hollywood Vietnam. You already know where most of these actors come from regarding Nam. I had to leave the theater for Forest Gump. The noise brought it home for me
Many here feel the same way about Vietnam War movies.
Welcome Home Erik…
It made me sick that John Kerry actually came close to being elected our President. I used to get unsolicited mail ( my only mail ) that came from Berkely, Ca. All these letters contained were copies of articles from the likes of John Kerry and Jane Fonda.
I remember when they showed The Green Berets with John Wayne on Buttons in spring 1970. A large audience outside laughed all the way through it.