Flight of the Intruder

Three Communist PT boats attacked an American destroyer

off the coast of Vietnam yesterday,

and today, President Johnson's response was hard and tough.

He has ordered the U.S. Navy to continue patrolling there,

and if they are attacked, to destroy their attackers.

I understand the feelings

of those who regret that we must undertake air attacks.

I share those feelings.

Some nights, we're the only airplane going up...

going up into the north

and when you're thinking you're the only Americans

over North Vietnam,

it kind of makes you wonder just a little bit, you know.

"What am I doing here?"

We have carefully limited those raids.

They've been directed at concrete and steel

and not human lives.

There are at least 850 antiaircraft and missile sites

around Hanoi and Haiphong.

These figures make Hanoi's air defense

the toughest in the world.

If you can get between...

a ridge between you and that radar site,

they can't guide a missile at you.

It's just when you get down in the delta in the flatlands,

that 30-mile ring around... the city of Hanoi,

it's... it's a bear.

Representatives of Hanoi simply returned our message

in a plain envelope.

Residents of North Vietnam's capital felt confident

in the knowledge that their city was off-limits

to U.S. warplanes.

With American sons in the fields far away,

I shall not seek, and I will not accept the nomination

of my party for another term as your president.

The greatest honor history can bestow

is the title of peacemaker.

Do you think it's worth it?

Yeah, I... I don't know.

They... they say we're fighting for something.

I don't know.

Through a long and bitter struggle in Vietnam,

American fighting men

have served the cause of freedom magnificently.

You're... you're pretty scared

when you have to roll in on something out there,

especially when you look down, and you see nothing

but a black cloud or a white cloud down below you.

It's a... it's about as... as scary a mission

as I've ever been on.

I think it tries you to just about the maximum,

you know, the missions.

Hey, Morg.

Did you ever notice how...

how some nights you could see more stars

than other nights?

Huh? You ever notice that?

Hmm?

The stars.

Oh, yeah.

I've got an update.

I'm cycling to the coast-in point.

You're getting in a rut.

You're getting in a rut.

I mean, did you ever stop to think

you're taking your job just a little bit too seriously?

Look at me-- I enjoy my work.

Yeah, I'll bet.

See, I'm happy.

See? Look.

Enemy search radar

looking for company.

Okay...

Time to get on down.

Here we go.

Black Eagle, Devil 5-0-5. Feet dry.

That's a roger, 5-0-5.

Look at that small-arms fire down there, Morg.

Every cousin with a rifle, huh?

Jesus, you call that a rifle?

I lost them.

Yeah, you hope.

You got that riverbend ahead?

Just picked it up.

One more minute on this heading to the turn point.

23 Mike, Mike-- I see them.

Go active on ECM.

Jam 'em up.

ECM active.

We're jammin'.

Where is it? You got it? You see it?

No, not yet.

SAM, 10:00.

Jam!

Ah, Jesus.

That was a piece of cake.

This is it.

Stepping in to attack.

Arm 'em.

Your pickle is hot.

Get us up to 500 feet, partner,

unless you want to frag your ass.

Nag, nag, nag.

Ground lock.

Steady...

They're off!

If you got the time,

we got the beer.

How about it?

Did you see anything down there?

Any secondary explosions?

Nothing.

Well, that's real nice.

- Suspected truck park. - Nothing!

Nothing.

Goddamn it.

Man, there was nothing there.

There never was.

Well, we're really raising hell

with the jungle tonight, aren't we?

What is it?

What the hell is it?

What is it?

Oh, dear God.

- Oh, God Almighty. - You got to help me!

Let go of it for a minute!

I don't want to...

Black Eagle, this is Devil 5-0-5.

I'm declaring emergency!

My bombardier's been hit.

I repeat: my bombardier's been hit.

Requesting a ready deck upon arrival!

I'll be on the bridge outside.

This is the enforcer. Make a ready deck.

We have an emergency inbound.

5-0-5, switch to button three for approach.

Uh, roger that.

Button three, Devil 5-0-5.

Gear is down.

I got to let go just for a second.

Come on. I can do it.

- Got to hang on. - I'm okay, Jakey.

Hang in there, shipmate.

We're gonna make it.

- Now keep the faith. - I'll make it.

No strain, partner.

5-0-5, call your ball, call your ball.

200 ball, six point zero.

Ride your ball.

Working 22 knots. You're high.

We're gonna make it.

Gotta hang in there.

Oh, geez.

Shit, he's still too high!

Jakey...

You're too high!

Morg!

Steady your line, steady your line.

Come left, Jake.

I'm coming in.

He's too high! Wave him off!

5-0-5, wave off! Wave off!

Tie 'em down! Tie 'em down!

I told you we'd make it, Morg.

I told you we'd make it.

Everything's cool...

We made it, Morg.

I told you we'd make it.

I got him, sir, I got him.

Just let go, for Christ's sake.

Let go!

Let go of him, sir!

I got him!

Come on, goddamn it!

Let go of him, for Christ's sake!

Let me out, corpsman, come on!

I need some pressure in here!

Get him out of here, goddamn it!

Medic, come on!

Watch, watch the head.

Stand by!

Bring it in, bring it in, bring it in! Move it!

Morg!

He's gone, man.

Come on, Jake.

Come on.

Oh, Jesus Christ, man.

It'll be all right, Jake.

It's going to be all right, man.

Jake, we don't want any more of this if we can help it.

What altitude were you at when McPherson got hit?

300, 500... something like that.

I'd just taken a gun out with a snake eye.

300 or 500?

It makes a difference.

I don't know.

I'm a little shaken up right now.

You're what?

I said I'm shaken up, sir.

I got Morg's blood all over me.