Roadrunner

Um Zekes Selbstbewusstsein und innere Durchhaltekraft ist es nicht sonderlich gut bestellt. Gerade hat er um Haaresbreite ein mörderisches Sperrfeuer überlebt, und in einem Brief bittet ihn seine Frau, seiner dreijährigen Tochter zu schreiben. Es kommt noch schlimmer. Die Truppe erhält den Befehl, Piloten, die über einem feindlich besetzten Tal abgestürzt sind, zu bergen. Jeder, besonders aber Anderson, weiß, dass es sich hier um ein Himmelfahrtskommando handelt.

One of a GI's big events is the arrival of his mail. When Zeke opens his mail to find that his ex-wife, it is to find that she is complaining that he is not writing letters home often enough to their 3-year-old daughter. Zeke already has enough responsibilities... this one isn't wanted. However he has little time to worry about it before he finds himself out on patrol. Goldman orders the squad forward when Anderson warns that they are walking into trouble, Anderson scouts out ahead and ends up in a near-lethal mortar barrage. Anderson is nearing his limit when he finds out that the squad's next destination is a valley where Zeke's last outfit was nearly wiped out. Anderson fights going tooth-and-nail and it is obvious to everyone that Zeke is falling apart. There is little time to help him, though, as the men have to consider their mission first. The squad ends up going after a downed flyer... and while Zeke continues to deteroriate.

(1.679 appareils des forces aériennes furent abattus pendant la guerre du Vietnam. 704 hommes d'équipage furent tués: on pût en secourir 1.226) Malgré les tirs de mortiers subis le matin, la compagnie se réjouit pour la permission de l'après-midi après 30 jours d'affilée, quand le Q.G. lui donne l'ordre de partir pour la dangereuse vallée de Ang Ho participer à l'opération "couronne d'argent": sauvetage des pilotes abattus...