This film proudly shows the USMC operating at the best of its abilities in conflict zones, with brave men struggling against enemies, and working hard to save the lives of their compatriots.
In 1965 the U.S. Marines were deployed in two separate battles to stall communism — in the Dominican Republic and Vietnam. New and advanced military strategy was deployed, like helicopter assaults (seen at 12:07) and Expeditionary Landing Fields also known as ELF (Seen at 12:40). An embedded journalist asking a soldiers what possessed him to run into the paddies, who replies “I’m a Marine.”
:45 A pilot prepping for amputation, calmly speaking as he talks about carrying his leg, followed by bloodied up soldiers being placed on the back of a truck
1:20 Narrator opens, “1965 was a year like no other in history, fleet Marines were committed to combat in both hemispheres at once.” Photos of Marine deployment in the Dominican Republic and Vietnam.
2:45 The Caribbean in April, 1965 turns from friendly paradise to unrest and upheaval threatening the hemisphere.
3:10 President Lyndon Johnson addresses the nation about taking out a communist government in the western hemisphere.
4:01 Units from the USS Boxer are able to react on a minute’s notice. Spearhead platoon sets up defense perimeter around the American embassy and of civilians in our hotel. U.S. citizens are evacuated immediately.
6:36 We’re returned to the scene of the soldiers being carried in the back of the jeep. Four wandered outside on the International Line where two soldiers are sent back for medical attention but the two Americans are held as prisoners, the U.S. marines are hostile. The Dominicans apologize for the shooting via radio and ask the Americans to keep their line.
8:14 We hear the voice of a soldier narrating about a sniper who couldn’t aim and they left him alone for the sake of safety. Didn’t want the enemy replacing him with someone who could shoot.
9:36 Soldiers are now in a very different much more hostile terrain in full camo and heated firefights. We watch as soldiers are belly down in the trenches shooting out enemy fire.
11:05 The difficulty of the terrain is explained, from swamp to tropic jungles and desert. Helicopters are the lifeline of survival and transport through the difficult terrain. 12:40 Navy CBs deploy the expeditionary landing field, ELF, everything is preformed and air transportable. They put down 8k feet of runway and everything that would be necessary to build a carrier deck ashore. 13:50 Skyhawk jets arrive and can begin action almost immediately. They deploy to support ground troops in the field. There is a pilot on the ground pin pointing targets for the jets and giving them locations by radio. The objective is to minimize delay between a call for air support and arrival. 15:57 Missiles, carriers and phantom jets are showcased as the New Breed to describe the 1960s Marines. Phantom can break the sound barrier and the armament they carry is highly flexible. A great deal of precaution is taken to minimize casualties. 17:49 We are returned to the footage of the soldier (now revealed to be a Colonel, apparently a USMC pilot) being prepped for amputation, he is calmly speaking as he is told that the medic will do all he can to save that leg. We see operating room footage. He explains how he was injured by asking to hold fire — to not drop napalm — while he asked the women and children to leave the area. He was still in the field when they caught a round. 19:20 Naval Missiles are shooting and the soldiers are shown doing large scale offenses. Marines are trained to seek out the enemy and apply a tactic called Virtual Elimination of Organized Combat Capability. 20:30 A helicopter comes near the ground in the middle of the jungle as troops jump out and then we see them engaged in short range rocket fire against the enemy.
21:15 The young soldiers are praised for their intelligence and capabilities. 21:50 A mix of footage and dialogue as the scenes cut in and out of real battle situations,22:25 Soldiers carrying a wounded brother and applying first aid as the others watch on. A radio call for a chopper is called in and the soldier is taken and brought in for help 23:42 “Marine casualties have been light in Vietnam.”. Soldiers locate Vietcong fighters as the VC soldiers are restrained and taken prisoner. They are described as formidable, hardened and cold. Tunnel systems are shown as well as Viet Cong prisoners.25:55 The soldiers enter the villages and try to communicate peace and kindness.27:10 American soldiers guard farmers as the harvest and the solders help bring the crops in.
27:44 Navy doctors and Corpsmen are in a clinic helping children with wounds and sickness as the music turns from dire to uplifting. The kids are given Christmas presents from the soldiers, donated by American families. 28:55 Pictures of numerous soldiers faces are shown and we come to an abrupt end.
