Siege of Firebase Gloria - VC Assault 

Tan Son Nhut Airbase. My father died there October 1967, F-105 driver. Air Force Cross, 2 silver stars, 6 DFC's, 2 Bronze Stars, 22+ Air medals just to name a few. Major A.F. Britt.

I love the air cab guy so much in this film. He literally should have gotten an academy award for his performance. "Do we have any rockets left?" "Yeah" "They aren't paying us to bring them back."

For those who do not spot the family resemblance, the NCO with the grenades at the beginning of the attack then with a machete is Wings Hauser, his son COLE plays RIP on Yellowstone now!

I appreciate this movie. Yes, it is low budget, and yes it has its stereotypes, but aside all that, it is somewhat accurate... isolated patrol base attacked and overrun. It happened more than we realize. This film is all too often overlooked in the genre of combat during the American War in SE Asia.

That chopper pilot should have gotten a sequel movie. I like his sense of humor.

I think the role of what essentially a low budget "B" movie of this sort, is to do what you can with the story and cinematics. Then use action as efficiently as possible for the rest of it. This movie rises above it's individual attributes and has stood the test of time. You gotta give it that. To me its a mix of Gary Busey's revenge movie "Eye of the Tiger", maybe the best budget action movie ever made, and Burt Lancaster's "Go Tell The Spartans". Not a bad Sunday afternoon movie.

RIP R. Lee Ermey

I didn't know we were still fighting in Vietnam in 1977 when "You Picked a Fine Time to Leave Me Lucille" was released!

Nobody hates war more than someone who served in one.

This is the best Vietnam war movie you've never seen. If you have seen it... cut 'em some slack, their budget was like 100 bucks.

"F'd their garden up something awful". Fell over laughing. That was funny.

damn i miss this movie. i 've watched this over and over in the philippines. my brother used to live in the southeast. heavy thick jungle...it gives you that vietnam war feel. i also like PLATOON LEADER, THE IRON CURTAIN and of course PLATOON

This was one of those movies where the dead enemies would rise up to fight again

As a Marine combat veteran I prefer the movies, “We Were Soldiers” or “Hamburger hill”, or “Platoon.” I can relate to them.

And for the records everyone, I apologize for the bad video quality...the DVD transfer on this film isn't...well as "modern" as most movies.

4:52 I like how that guy in the back is just chilling eating an apple

the best vietnam war movie ever, LoL the NVA uniforms next to VC ones

"Dammit, I missed! But I fucked up their garden somethin' awful." LOL

rented this on VHS from video hits plus in Lansing ,MI. was much better than i could have anticipated .

One of the best siege movies ever. Right up there with The Alamo and Zulu.

@TheSpaceHamster Don't apologize, brother, this is GREAT!! I was on anArmy Firebase named Gloria and damn near the same thing happened. I got shot and bayoneted over a 3 day firefight but still managd to get home with just a few pieces missing. Thanks for the memories, SpaceHamster!!!

I'm searching for this movie since time immemorial. Thanks.

Bravo - Great Movie / Great Cast. Thank You R Lee Ermey - GUNNY.

I saw this movie on cable and loved it. Never did find it anywhere else

Dude: "They're breaking through! You hold this line Murphy!" *Dude gets up and leaves* Murphy: "Thanks LOL."

This is great movie. I use to have it on VHS.

This was awesome great movie. R.I.P. R. Lee Ermey

The line, "You picked a fine time to leave me Lucille" was from a song not released until 1977. The Vietnam War ended in 1975, and the bulk of the fighting was done a couple of years before that.

Very good Vietnam film! Good cast.

This flick kicks ass. Chopper pilot was a maniac.

We were treated like crap by the American people when we returned home. That was their thanks for our service. Still hurts.

WOW....This looks SO real !!!

Underrated Nam film, RIP R Lee Ermey

"f'ed up their garden somethin aweful"

@5:50.. That look "Should I have carnitas or chicken tinga?" Everyone else in line is like "seriously? Now he's trying to decide? "

I remember when this came out. Very limited theater release. Saw it about a year later on TV, around late 1990. Great Movie. Have never seen it on DVD. Must be out there though...

I remember back when I was in high school and reading the daily newspaper about the War in Vietnam. It seemed like every day there were 77 American soldiers killed in action. I could never figure out why every outpost didn't have some air support backing it up and why so many outposts were overrun by the enemy.

"Guess we'd do the same if Charlie occupied South Carolina." FUCKIN' A, WE WOULD!

"You picked a fine time to leave me Lucille" had not been recorded in 1968 or whenever this was supposed to be.

I love this movie

First part at around :17 reminds me of ALIENS with Hicks teaching Ripley how to use the pulse rifle.

Remember this movie as a kid. Went into marines as was so disappointed I had to reload so often. Also really felt ripped off because the choppers they had for the movie were way quieter than the junk we had.

Never knew you could fold up the M58 flak jacket like that pilot did in the office, my issued one weighed about 12 pounds and had hard plates Not many 30 round magazines at that time either

I have 3 RIAs, I like them all. I always tell myself to get a Springfield, but then firgue Im fine with the Rocks

Respect The Vet THE OLD WAYS ARE STILL ALIVE

Yeah, that is so cool it's definitely on my list.

@TheSpaceHamster...This movie was shot in the philippines...I remeber I was a kid when I saw this movie...the boy at the end of the movie shouted Nanay which means mommy...some vietcongs were filipino actors...THANKS for the great video..

I wonder if the people who made this movie spent twenty seconds checking what Vietcong uniforms actually looked like...to say nothing of VC assault tactics.

This movie should have been the second half of full metal jacket instead of ermy getting killed and then showing those prostitutes

That was such a bad ass movie.

We don't know them all, be we owe them all.

MOVIE ERROR: The movie takes place in 1968 during the Tet Offensive. At the airbase, a US soldier quotes "You picked a fine time to leave me Lucille" as he is boarding a helicopter going to Firebase Gloria. The quote is the chorus to a Kenny Rogers song called "Lucille". However, that song was not written or released until 1977 - 9 years later.

No Claymores? No bullets hitting the ground? God, bless Ermey. Wherever he is. RIP Sarge. You more then earned it

We lost over 5,000 choppers in the Vietnam war, plus, over 500 aircraft. Hueys flew only about 110 mph max and had very little armor. The copters were expendable but not our air crews! What this FB needs pronto is Spooky, aka Puff. Not one fb ever fell to the commies while under the protection of these gunships THROUGHOUT THE ENTIRE WAR. I watched them in action near Marble Mountain and from a road to Khe Sahn. Breathtaking!

Salute all vets all over the world god bless

"I see it! In the tree-line!" (pointing out the 12.7 gun) If I were the pilot, I would've said "Oh, tree-line, great. WE'RE IN A JUNGLE MATE, WHICH F-ING TREE-LINE?!?"

Most of you didn't notice Kenny Rogers back in the latrine, drawers down and guitar on lap, working out a new song. Thought he'd call it Lucille as Mary Lou just didn't work for him.

wish i could find it in itunes love this movie

It was wonderful to see Major Merle the napalm driver, dropping a load on the Mall at that small stage near the monument. Ray, Ray Epps, you be small as nickels, your whole stack, on green grass.

Rthe cheeze 1980s is strong with this one but long live the gunny you will be missed

2:58 Horizontal Butt Stroke! 6:48 Check out the air freshener hanging from the rear view mirror. Ooolala

4:54....🖕🖕🦱🦰🦱🤣🤣🤣 Wasn't to bad until the dialog in the choppa!!!🤣🤣🤣🤣

THIS MOVIE IS AWESOME THE CASTLE KEEP OF VIETNAM WAR FILM

Just watched this video. The VC officer with mustache was portrayed by an award winning veteran Filipino Actor.

I like how there are just nurses at a combat base, and the VC basically Banzai charged them.

If you are finding this attack somewhat lacking in credibility I would like to suggest that you look up a book about two Australian Fire Bases, North of Saigon, Fire Base Coral and Fire Base Balmoral, which were regularly attacked by NVA Regiments in Human Wave Assaults at night. The above movie attack was filmed during the day due to budget issues. The first night at Coral, the base was attacked and nearly overrun, the only thing which saved the day was that one of the 105 mm guns had been turned for a fire support mission and it just so happened that was after the NVA reconnaissance. Had the gun not been facing in the direction of the main attack then in all probability the base would have been overrun with significant loss of Australian lives. As it was the nearest gun, which had shredded the first Human Wave with Flechette rounds was overrun and the gun abandoned, but it and the lifesaving defensive berm around it had done their job. The gun was eventually returned to service with new tires and new gun laying optics. I have read the book about these two bases several times and it still is gripping seat of the pants stuff as the first battle unfolds. Eventually the Australian soldiers occupying the bases learnt to read the signs of an impending attack and were prepared, sadly the NVA officers in command lacked the ability to think flexibly to change the direction or method of attack and repeated the same attacks over and over again at great cost in NVA conscripts and VC support teams lives.

right off the bat "Hey let's give a gun to the most experienced person here, and there is no gun for me, aka the most experienced person here"

1:05 "Picked a Fine Time To Leave Me Lucille"". Released in 1977......2 Years after the war was over.

Don't talk shit about Gunny, this movie is such a Gem that if One doesn't have it in their Vietnam War Collection, "You are Wrong!" Semper Fi Matho-Facko's!

I've seen this movie on MGMHD more than once!

My fav Nam movie and I own and have seem em all. 84 MOPIC out.

Screen play was written by R lee filmed in the Philippines you can see how authentic R lee made the film drawing in his actual experiences in Vietnam. There was no fire base called Gloria but there were Marine Fire bases attacked like this during the Tet Offense.

My favorite war movie

That one line basically sums up the mental mindset of people when there own country is being invaded, "We where killing charlie whole sale, And they didn't care Then again I guess we'd do the same if they invaded North Carolina" Never underestimate a people fighting for not just there life's or money but there homes and family.

I knew a guy who was reputed to have killed VC with an entrenching tool, Nice fella, family man, a legend in the Australian army. I was a friend of his son when I was a regular infantryman, it burned my section commander that I drank beer with Bernie LeSueur.

Best there is .....still to this day bro

Knew it was bad but I didn't know how bad it was until I saw it on the History channel 35 or so years later. Some Fire base in the Ah Shau...101st 1970. They ended up in incountry R&R to recoup when we were there. Guy went crazy and went down to the village cursing and pointing his M-16 at the Vietnamese Navy families..foam was coming out of his mouth. Guy in my hootch slipped up behind him and knocked out before they killed him. His war was over..wonder what else.

Enjoy the brief cameo by R. Lee Ermey at 6:50. Semper Fi!

When the enemy order to withdraw, all the dead got up and ran back

Love this movie

Great Australian movie here!

It ain't bad at'tall, friend. Thanks for thinking enough of us loser nam vets just for this clip!

I like this Vietnam movie too but it's R Lee Ermey RIP at his best in this movie the other stars were great too especially the late great Elder Albert Popwell who was good too!

another great movie. that not on dvd. wish i had it.

He quotes "Lucille" by Kenny Rogers just before jumping in that helicopter. Well that isn't correct as that song didn't come out until 1977, two years after the Vietnam War was over. Saigon fell to the communists in 1975.

Good movie...RIP Gunny...Semper Fi. Salute.

Drops mag at 1:40. Finally get's new mag inserted at 1:52. My grandma was able to get out of her lift chair, go to the toilet and get back to her chair and not miss a fired round.

@TheSpaceHamster No apologies necessary, sir. I appreciate your efforts as they are. A lot of people still look on us as pariahs because we lost.

Holy crap, the VC invaded the hills of California? I didn’t know that!

Gunney ! And 3:22 Sgt. Jones on the pig (Popwell, an all-star too)

6:49 😳 Is that Lee Emery? It’s like Vietnam filmed in Arizona or Commiefornia. Only a single Huey was in budget too:

Definitely made in the 80s. At least they still had access to blow dryers! LOL

7:23....... now that's a statement! " Killing em Wholesale!".....

8/21/23= Best war movie ever!!

One of the best war movies of all time.

Ermey was a drill instructor at the Marine Corps Recruit Depot in San Diego, California, and Parris Island, South Carolina from 1965 to 1967. In 1968, Ermey arrived in Vietnam where he served for 14 months with the Marine Wing Support Group 17. He then served two tours of duty in Okinawa, Japan, during which he rose to the rank of Staff Sergeant (E-6) and was medically discharged in 1972 for several injuries incurred during his tours

I remember seeing previews for this on pay per view in 1990

@DeathclokIn this movie it was both VC and NVA

Flack me Charlie, it's just like a movie!

really awesome movie