The Veteran

Radio announcer: Good morning, Washington. It's 7:00 A.M.,

and I'm Peter Kennedy on Soft Rock KOP

with your news, traffic and weather on the 20s.

A US Army pilot was killed

and another soldier is reported as missing

after insurgents downed a reconnaissance helicopter

on a routine mission in northern Iraq.

- 14th AND K, PLEASE. - YOU GOT IT.

Radio announcer: Army Captain Howard Fisher of Longview, Texas,

was killed in the crash, which occurred early this morning

about six miles outside the Iraqi city of Mosul.

Army rescue units discovered Captain Fisher's body

when they arrived at the scene,

but there was no sign of the soldier who accompanied him on the fl--

- LEAVE IT ON. - ALL RIGHT.

Radio announcer: Chief Warrant Officer John Vranes

is a 12-year veteran from Decatur, Georgia,

where he lives with his wife and five-year-old daughter.

He is presumed to have been captured in the attack.

We'll bring you more details as soon as we have an update.

MORNING.

I THINK WE FOUND ONE.

( people chattering in Vietnamese )

HOW ARE YOU DOING?

RAY.

MAI LING.

- HOW ARE YOU DOING? - ALL RIGHT.

GOOD.

- WHAT'S UP, BLACK? - WHAT'S UP, BABY?

YOU GOT IT.

- NICE TO SEE YOU, MY BROTHER. - GOOD TO BE SEEN.

LATER.

HI.

HI.

CAN I INTEREST YOU IN A LITTLE DRINK OF BEER?

SURE.

YOU KNOW, BEER IS GOOD FOR THE-- EVERYTHING.

MM-HMM.

- BEER IS GOOD? - BEER IS VERY GOOD. CHEERS.

WELL, UM, WOULD YOU LIKE TO DANCE?

SURE.

SURE ENOUGH.

- WHAT'S YOUR NAME? - MAI LING.

MAI LING?

MY NAME IS RAY, MAI LING.

RAY.

YEAH, RAY.

YOU ARE SO BEAUTIFUL.

NO, I'M NOT.

WHAT DO YOU MEAN YOU'RE NOT?

IN MY COUNTRY, THE LIGHTER YOU ARE

THE MORE BEAUTIFUL YOU ARE CONSIDERED.

- I'M DARK. - DARK?

- MM-HMM. - ( chuckles )

MMM, WELL,

IN MY COUNTRY,

BLACK IS BEAUTIFUL.

- THEN YOU ARE BEAUTIFUL. - ( laughs )

BUT NOT AS BEAUTIFUL AS YOU.

FINE AS WINE, JUST MY KIND.

AFTER ALL THESE YEARS, WHY HAVE YOU COME BACK?

CAN I PLEASE COME INSIDE, EXPLAIN?

NO.

AND REASONS DON'T MATTER NOW.

NOW I AM MARRIED.

THIS IS MY HUSBAND, VING HAI.

AND MY SON, RYAN.

YOU CHOSE TO BE A STRANGER TO ME AND MY SON--

THEN YOU SHALL REMAIN A STRANGER.

YOU NEED TO LEAVE.

I-- I UNDERSTAND THAT.

I UNDERSTAND WHY YOU HATE ME.

AND I'M SORRY.

UH, JUST--

HERE.

YOU MUST GO NOW, SIR.

IF YOU ARE SEARCHING FOR ABSOLUTION,

YOU'VE COME TO THE WRONG PLACE.

YOU TALK TO GOD, NOT TO ME.

LADIES.

ALL RIGHT, MEN, THESE VEHICLES-- AROUND ON THE DOUBLE!

HERE WE GO NOW, BABY! ALL RIGHT, GET READY GET READY, GET HOT!

THIS IS ECHO SIX. REQUEST TEAM FIRE SUPPORT. DO YOU COPY? OVER.

Ray: LET'S GO! LET'S GO! GET HOT, MARINES, COME ON!

WHAT IDIOT IN DA NANG POINTED TO A MAP AND DECLARED THIS A PICK-UP POINT, SIR?

I KNOW WE'RE EXPOSED, GUNNY, BUT WE'RE GONNA HAVE TO DEAL WITH IT.

I SEE 'EM!

THEY'RE OVER THERE!

LISTEN UP! WE GOT FRIENDLIES COMING IN.

DOC, MOVE IN.

- COME ON, BIG DOG, LET'S DO WHAT WE GOT TO DO. - WE'RE ON IT, SARGE.

- HEY, CHICO, COVER ME! - YOU'RE COVERED!

CHECK THE PERIMETER, GUNNY!

- WATCH YOUR BACK! - HEADS UP! EYES FRONT!

GET THE RIGHT FLANK. DANNY, GET THE RIGHT FLANK!

SCOTT IS BACK THERE!

GET THOSE WOUNDED ON THE VEHICLES!

- PICK HIM UP! - LET'S GET YOUR ASS OUT OF HERE.

HELP HIM OUT, GOD DAMN IT!

HELP HIM OUT! GET THE FUCK OUT OF HERE!

- GET HIM UP! - PICK HIM UP!

- GET HIM OFF THE GROUND! - COME ON!

COME ON, LIFT HIM UP, GUYS!

INCOMING!

REACTION SQUAD, CLEAR THE OTHER SIDE OF THE RIVER!

GUNNY, GET 'EM OUT OF HERE!

Woman: SERGEANT RAYMOND WATSON

WAS AWARDED A BRONZE STAR

FOR HIS ROLE IN RESCUING CHARLIE COMPANY;

HONORABLY DISCHARGED

FEBRUARY 7, 1972;

ARRESTED THREE TIMES IN LOS ANGELES,

ALL ALCOHOL-RELATED MISDEMEANORS;

WAS ORDAINED MINISTER IN 1981;

MARRIED GINA WILSON, THREE KIDS;

ELECTED TO COMPTON CITY COUNCIL;

BECAME STATE SENATOR IN '02;

IS THE LEADING CANDIDATE FOR A CONGRESSIONAL SEAT

IN CALIFORNIA'S 35th DISTRICT.

UNTIL NOW.

SHIT! HI, MOM.

I KNOW. I'M SORRY. I JUST GOT IN.

YOU DON'T HAVE TO WORRY. IT'S ENTIRELY DIFFERENT HERE NOW.

THERE'S A McDONALD'S NEXT TO THE HOTEL.

THAT WAS 35 YEARS AGO.

DADDY WAS A SOLDIER. IT WAS A WAR.

I'M WORKING.

IT'S NOT CALLED SAIGON ANYMORE.

INVESTIGATING SIGHTINGS OF P.O.W.s AND M.I.A.s.

STOP WORRYING ABOUT ME. I'M A BIG GIRL.

I CAN TAKE CARE OF MYSELF.

Man: MAN...

I LIKE THIS ROOM.

YEAH YEAH.

IT'S VERY "APOCALYPSE NOW."

WHO ARE YOU?

HOW DID YOU GET IN HERE?

OH, IT'S COOL. RELAX, MAN, IT'S COOL.

WHOA, WE'RE NOT GETTING OFF TO A VERY GOOD START HERE, HUH?

LOOK, I DON'T HAVE ANY MONEY.

JESUS, I DON'T WANT YOUR GODDAMN MONEY.

WHAT DO YOU WANT?

PEACE ON EARTH,

COMFORTABLE SHOES. COME ON, COME ON.

SIT DOWN.

COME ON.

YOU'RE AMERICAN, AREN'T YOU?

WHY DON'T YOU JUST POUR US A COUPLE OF DRINKS?

IT'S NOT EVEN NOON.

IT'S COCKTAIL HOUR STATESIDE.

POUR THE DRINKS.

YOU STILL HAVEN'T ANSWERED ME.

Ray: What are you doing here?

Man: That a pretty broad question, you know, one of those...

COSMIC QUESTIONS,

LIKE "WHAT ARE ANY OF US DOING HERE?"

I'M JUST TALKING ABOUT MY ROOM.

DID YOU GET MY LETTER?

I GOT A LETTER.

IT WAS ANONYMOUS.

HOW DO I KNOW YOU'RE THE MAN I'M SUPPOSED TO MEET?

THAT'S GOOD THINKING.

THAT'S GOOD THINKING. I MEAN, LIKE,

HOW DO I KNOW THAT YOU'RE WHO YOU ARE?

I MEAN, LET'S SEE SOME I.D. COME ON.

THAT'S MY YOUNGEST.

RUBY.

HOW OLD?

19.

19, AH...

AIN'T WHAT IT USED TO BE, HUH?

LOOK, MAN, I--

I HAD A LONG TRIP

AND I'M TIRED.

YOU WANNA STATE YOUR BUSINESS AND GET ON WITH IT?

YOU'RE ONE CURIOUS CAT, PARSON.

I MEAN,

YOU GET THIS

ANONYMOUS LETTER FROM SOMEBODY IN VIETNAM

AND YOU JUST

HOP ON A PLANE AND-- WHOOSH--

HERE YOU ARE. YOU KNOW, IT'S LIKE--

IT'S KIND OF AN EXPENSIVE TRIP DOWN MEMORY LANE FOR A MAN OF THE CLOTH.

I MEAN, HAVE YOU BEEN DIPPING INTO THE COLLECTION BOX?

YOU BEEN SKIMMING THE BINGO?

THE WRITER SAID HE WAS A P.O.W. LEFT BEHIND.

I KNOW THIS ORGANIZATION IN WASHINGTON

THAT DEALS WITH THINGS LIKE THAT--

M.I.A.s, SURVIVORS AND SUCH.

THEY TOLD ME IF I WENT BACK TO 'NAM AND CHECKED IT OUT

THEY WOULD COVER MY EXPENSES.

SO I FIGURED I COULD SEE SOME PEOPLE,

TIE UP SOME LOOSE ENDS.

"LOOSE ENDS."

MAI LING, IS SHE A LOOSE END?

HOW DO YOU KNOW ABOUT THAT?

YOUR DAUGHTER, DOES SHE KNOW

SHE'S GOT HERSELF A 30-YEAR-OLD BROTHER?

THAT'S NONE OF YOUR BUSINESS.

MAYBE.