The Boys in Company C 1978

In the sweltering summer of 1967, five young men from diverse corners of the United States converged on a remote training ground, their lives forever altered by the impending reality of the Vietnam War. Among them were Tyrone Washington (Stan Shaw), a Chicago-based drug dealer with a penchant for survival; Billy Ray Pike (Andrew Stevens), a Texan volunteer driven by conviction; Alvin Foster (James Canning), an aspiring writer from Kansas seeking inspiration in the midst of chaos; Vinnie Fazio (Michael Lembeck), a Brooklyn-born street punk with a mischievous streak; and Dave “Jesus” Bisbee (Craig Wasson), a Seattle-based hippie war protester torn between his principles and military service. As they disembarked, Alvin’s journal became an unlikely companion, serving as a chronicle of their experiences and a testament to his artistic aspirations.

As the recruits underwent processing, their personal effects – wallets, house keys, cigarettes, and knifes – were confiscated, leaving only the bare essentials behind. However, Vinnie managed to spirit away Alvin’s notebook, returning it to its rightful owner as a gesture of camaraderie. As they settled into their barracks, Tyrone issued a stern warning: leave him be. The next morning, training commenced under the watchful eye of Drill Sergeant Aquilla (Santos Morales), who emphasized that survival in Vietnam hinged on overcoming racial biases and learning to rely on one another.

The days passed, marked by grueling drills and scathing rebukes from Sergeant Aquilla. Tyrone faced criticism for his inability to work in tandem with others, while Vinnie’s wandering eye led him astray. Billy Ray’s clandestine tryst with his girlfriend Betsy (Karen Hilger) resulted in an unexpected pregnancy, prompting him to urge her toward abortion. Meanwhile, Dave “Jesus” Bisbee attempted desertion, only to be shot in the arm as he fled.

The consequences of their actions unfolded swiftly: Alvin was accused of penning anti-American and anti-war propaganda, while Vinnie, Billy, Dave, and Alvin found themselves confined to the brig for punishment. Their replacements – a quartet of racists – immediately set about harassing Tyrone, who sought solace in Sergeant Loyce (R. Lee Ermy). The latter promised to transfer the troublemakers out if Tyrone agreed to take on a leadership role within Company C, leveraging his “street smarts” to guide his comrades through the treacherous landscape ahead.

As the month of October draws to a close, Marine Company C has transformed into a cohesive unit, their rigorous training now a distant memory. With their newfound camaraderie, they set sail for Vietnam, unaware of the trials that lie ahead. Before departing, Tyrone (character not specified) concocts a plan with an old acquaintance, a drug dealer, to smuggle heroin back to the States. The company’s journey is punctuated by the arrival of their new commander, Captain Collins (Scott Hylands), who employs an unexpected tactic - soccer - to convey the Viet Cong’s mindset.

The ship docks in Cam Ran Bay, South Vietnam, and the soldiers are immediately pummeled by enemy artillery. In the chaos that ensues, Captain Collins volunteers the company for a crucial convoy mission, tasked with transporting vital supplies to a field general. As they navigate treacherous terrain, Company C falls prey to an ambush attack orchestrated by the unseen Viet Cong. The toll is devastating - two lives are lost, and several more are left scarred.

Upon arriving at their destination, the company discovers that the “urgent” cargo they’ve been tasked with transporting consists of little more than cigarettes, liquor, food, and other luxuries. Outrage and disillusionment grip Dave (character not specified) as he learns of the true nature of their mission. Captain Collins insists he was unaware of the convoy’s purpose, but his words ring hollow.

The company is granted a well-deserved 24-hour R&R leave at the general’s base, where Vinnie (character not specified) and Alvin (character not specified) indulge in the local fleshpots. Billy (character not specified), meanwhile, becomes embroiled in a heroin-fueled haze, courtesy of his fellow soldiers. Tyrone, ever the entrepreneur, attempts to forge connections with locals, hoping to find a reliable drug supplier. His endeavors ultimately land him in hot water with the Vietnamese military police, who accuse him of trafficking heroin.

In a stunning turn of events, Tyrone finds himself face-to-face with Vietnamese Colonel Dong (Jose Mari Avellana), a man with his own dubious reputation as a drug trafficker. The colonel proposes an unholy alliance - he and Tyrone could collaborate on smuggling operations. But Tyrone remains resolute, revealing his true intentions to smuggle heroin back to the States via the body bags of fallen soldiers.

As tensions simmer, Billy finds himself in a precarious position, struggling to come to terms with his addiction. Tyrone nurses him back to health, only to later reprimand his friend for putting their mission at risk. Meanwhile, Dave takes matters into his own hands, exacting revenge on the general’s trailer of luxury goods. The consequences are far-reaching.

In a separate incident, Vinnie discovers he has contracted a venereal disease from his encounters with local prostitutes. His confusion and anger are palpable as he wonders why Alvin was spared this fate. As the company navigates the treacherous landscape of Vietnam, old wounds continue to fester, threatening to tear their bond asunder.

As Company C returns to the combat zone to replace a fallen battalion, Captain Collins’ battle cry becomes all too clear: a relentless pursuit of body count, with the Viet Cong serving as mere pawns in his game. His obsession with numbers leads him to recklessly put his troops at risk, yet he shows leniency towards Billy (actor’s name), whose exceptional soccer skills seem to earn him a special dispensation from danger. Tyrone, meanwhile, seethes with resentment over Collins’ preferential treatment, which only intensifies when the Captain punishes him for disobeying orders during another Viet Cong ambush. The punishment takes the form of a perilous journey through a treacherous rice paddy, where Tyrone’s fear is momentarily frozen in place as he steps on a pressure release landmine. Billy’s quick thinking saves the day, but not before Tyrone’s anger boils over.

The company’s next encounter with the enemy comes in the form of an ambush attack on a river crossing bridge, which they narrowly repel. However, Collins’ response is characteristic of his callous nature: he orders an artillery strike on a nearby village, much to the dismay of Lieutenant Archer (James Whitmore Jr.), who recognizes the futility and potential human cost of such an attack. Billy, ever the peacekeeper, attempts to lighten the mood by starting an impromptu game with a young boy they find amidst the ruins. The innocence of this moment is brutally shattered when Colonel Trang (Vic Diaz) and Major Royal (Ken Metcalfe) reveal their true intentions: using the boy’s testimony to justify a brutal reprisal against the villagers.

The company’s departure from the village leaves behind only the echoes of Billy’s laughter and the boy’s screams as he meets his untimely demise. The Captain’s response is swift and merciless, reassigning Billy and Dave to patrol the treacherous rice paddies once more. Back at their fire base, Vinnie’s suspicions about Alvin’s lack of experience with prostitutes lead him down a path of accusations and insinuations that only serve to further erode the already fragile bonds within their ranks.

As tensions continue to simmer, Tyrone seizes an opportunity to strike back at Collins by orchestrating a fake Viet Cong sighting. However, his plan is foiled when Lieutenant Archer intervenes, refusing to let him commit the ultimate betrayal: friendly fire. Colonel Trang’s subsequent discovery of Tyrone’s intentions only serves to further complicate matters, as he presents Tyrone with an offer that seems too good to be true – or perhaps just too good for this war-torn world.

As January 1968 wears on, Company C embarks on a mission to eradicate an alleged Viet Cong technical operation center, with Collins remaining behind. Amidst the chaos, Alvin falls prey to an unseen sniper and is whisked away by medical helicopter, leaving Vinnie reeling from the trauma. Meanwhile, Archer becomes increasingly disillusioned with the situation, realizing that Company C has been deliberately used as bait to draw enemy fire, providing a pretext for artillery to unleash devastating counter-attacks and rack up a higher body count. As the troops relax on the beach, watching the bombing of an empty hill for hours, Archer reports a false Viet Cong attack to buy some much-needed respite.

Tensions simmer when Tyrone complains about Collins’ fixation on forming a soccer team, which Archer justifies as a morale-boosting endeavor that could ultimately secure their departure from combat. The team’s fortunes take a hit with Billy’s absence, but a heartfelt letter from his girlfriend Betsy, revealing she has kept their baby, motivates him to join the fray once more.

As the stakes escalate, Collins orchestrates a friendly soccer match between Company C and a local Vietnamese team, with Dave bringing along some eager young villagers to cheer them on. The “Muthus” claim victory, much to the chagrin of Colonel Trang, who laments that such a loss would dent national morale. General Sloan, ever the pragmatist, decrees that it’s more advantageous to let the Vietnamese team emerge victorious and orders the Muthus to throw the game. Initially compliant, they soon find themselves unable to resist the urge to win, particularly Billy, whose competitive spirit gets the better of him.

The very fabric of reality is torn asunder when the Viet Cong launch a surprise attack during the match’s climax. Amidst the chaos, Collins meets his untimely demise at the hands of enemy mortar fire, while Dave sacrifices himself in a valiant attempt to avenge the loss of the children he had brought along, taking down Colonel Trang and subsequently falling victim to the colonel’s bodyguards in the ensuing melee.

As the echoes of chaos fade away, Alvin (bravely) makes the ultimate sacrifice, shielding his comrades with his own body by absorbing the devastating force of an enemy grenade. The survivors, including Vinnie and the others, are left reeling in stunned silence, their minds still grappling with the magnitude of their loss. With Collins’ demise, Archer assumes command, rallying the remaining troops to regroup and prepare for another brutal campaign. However, before they depart, Tyrone takes a compassionate step by securing Billy’s safe passage back home, citing a fabricated head injury as the reason. As the company disperses, Vinnie and Tyrone work together to muster what remains of their unit, leading them in a somber procession off the soccer field and into the treacherous landscape of war, bound for the notorious Khe Sanh.

In a poignant coda, the screen fades to black as a series of texts unfold, revealing that on January 30, 1968, Company C arrived at Khe Sanh mere hours before the Tet Offensive erupted, setting in motion a grueling three-month siege that would claim a staggering number of lives. Among the fallen was Tyrone Washington, who posthumously received the Navy Cross for his heroism.

The toll of war is starkly illustrated by the statistics: of the original 110 members of Company C, 43 were killed in action during the Khe Sanh siege, including Tyrone. A further 51 were wounded, with Vinnie Fazio left to cope with a permanent injury that would confine him to the Veterans Affairs hospital in Brentwood, Los Angeles.

Lt. Archer and two others remained listed as missing in action, their fates shrouded in uncertainty. Billy Ray Pike, one of three deserters, defected from the U.S. Naval Hospital in Da Nang, eventually making his way to Canada, where he started anew with his wife and son.

As the curtain falls on Company C’s tragic tale, a replacement Marine company arrives from Camp Pendleton, California, effectively extinguishing the unit’s existence as an active force within the U.S. Marine Corps. The date of this somber reckoning: March 21, 1968.