WEBVTT 00:04.647 --> 00:08.733 - When I went over, it was 1965, just at the beginning of the war. 00:09.178 --> 00:11.993 You know, to tell you the truth, a lot of guys back then, 00:12.413 --> 00:13.391 we knew very little about it. 00:13.878 --> 00:15.586 - Then I heard the other Marines, "we're going to war!" 00:15.955 --> 00:17.405 I'm saying, "What war?" 00:18.367 --> 00:22.071 - We got on the ships and in the middle of the night the ships turned course. 00:23.227 --> 00:26.330 Then before you know it, we were on ships sailing for Vietnam. 00:26.777 --> 00:30.644 - I thought, "Oh my God. We're in... What's that place called again?" (laughs) 00:32.839 --> 00:34.776 (slow music) (guns firing) 00:36.064 --> 00:39.549 - [Narrator] Operation Starlite was the first major battle 00:39.935 --> 00:43.240 and regimental-sized clash between U.S. and enemy forces 00:43.667 --> 00:45.651 during the Vietnam War. 00:45.651 --> 00:48.901 - [Mike Jenkins] Operation Starlite come about because the Viet Cong were 00:49.402 --> 00:51.511 amassing a massive attack. 00:52.021 --> 00:55.090 General Wallace, I believe, decided to attack them 00:55.545 --> 00:57.984 rather than let them attack us. 00:57.984 --> 00:59.414 - [Tonucci] At sunrise the next morning, 00:59.414 --> 01:02.203 choppers came in and picked us up. 01:02.648 --> 01:06.540 - [Palermo] Each company landed in the CP of the Viet Cong, the command post. 01:07.046 --> 01:10.472 All you saw was explosions and people shooting. 01:10.472 --> 01:13.311 - The next thing you know, I mean, we were taking casualties right and left. 01:13.730 --> 01:15.680 - [Tonucci] My squadron was no sooner off the chopper, 01:16.087 --> 01:17.480 one of my guys fell down. 01:17.876 --> 01:20.736 I went over and picked him up and he was hit through his shoulder 01:21.246 --> 01:23.140 by a .50 and blew out his side 01:23.594 --> 01:25.349 and he died in my arms. 01:27.745 --> 01:30.655 - [Kehres] I was helping load the wounded and then I got hit 01:31.117 --> 01:32.849 and they took me back to the LZ. 01:33.290 --> 01:36.368 By then half our company was already gone. 01:38.072 --> 01:40.685 - [Tonucci] I was fighting so many guys, I didn't know how I was alive. 01:41.135 --> 01:44.677 I can't believe that I killed as many of them as I did, you know? 01:45.757 --> 01:47.037 I just can't believe it. 01:48.490 --> 01:50.644 - I landed that morning with 200 people. 01:50.644 --> 01:53.552 At that time I had 50 left. 01:53.552 --> 01:57.131 - [Narrator] It has often been said that no plan survives the first contact with the enemy, 01:57.582 --> 01:59.584 and Operation Starlite was no exception. 02:00.046 --> 02:02.781 Most of the enemy who were still alive filtered out of the battlefield 02:03.197 --> 02:04.555 and toward the western mountains. 02:05.004 --> 02:06.944 The Marines chased after these Viet Cong 02:07.409 --> 02:10.364 and engaged in a series of smaller but sharp firefights 02:10.930 --> 02:12.311 over the next few days. 02:12.807 --> 02:15.073 Finally they showed that the Marines were worthy successors 02:15.514 --> 02:18.563 of those who had fought World War II and Korea. 02:18.563 --> 02:20.286 - And the Marines is part of my life. 02:20.286 --> 02:22.573 And I've never had nothing better happen to me than the Marine Corps. 02:23.816 --> 02:25.861 - As far as a Marines to me today, to me 02:25.861 --> 02:28.262 Marines will always be Marines, we are a brotherhood. 02:28.713 --> 02:30.926 - [Tonucci] I know a lot of Marines 02:30.926 --> 02:32.123 and they're all the same. 02:32.588 --> 02:34.135 They'll give you the shirt off their back if you ask for it. 02:34.135 --> 02:38.009 - [Kehres] I don't care if you're a Second World War Marine or an Iraqi Marine, 02:38.477 --> 02:39.097 you're still a Marine. 02:39.527 --> 02:41.180 You're carrying on a tradition, a brotherhood, 02:41.180 --> 02:43.627 that's amazing. 02:46.074 --> 02:49.192 (solemn music)