The battle of hamburger hill is pretty accurately portrayed, but the movie flubs a teachable moment by not including a post script pointing out that the hill was abandoned soon after its bloody conquest. Climbing hamburger hill 50 years after the vietnam wars brutal. Hamburger hill internet movie firearms database guns in. The end of the battle, including the ending message from major michael odonnell. This film was released in august of 1987, only a few weeks following the release of full metal jacket and only a few months following platoons academy award win for best picture. Why the battle for hamburger hill was so controversial. May 18, 2012 about five years ago, he attended his first commemorative and reunion of the weldon f. The battle, which was fought on may 1020, 1969 was a direct assault against a heavily defended and strategically insignificant hill, resulted in over 400 u. Aug 28, 1987 hamburger hill is most effective as a physical recreation of the sights and sounds of the battle of hill 937.
See more ideas about vietnam war, vietnam and south vietnam. Hamburger hill is a war movie about the famous vietnam war battle. Troops count cost of vietnams hamburger hill archive, 24. With anthony barrile, michael boatman, don cheadle, michael dolan.
The battle was fought between the united states army supported by their ally the south vietnamese army against the peoples army of north vietnam. Its official name was hill 973 and was fought on ap bia mountain which overlooks the a shau valley. The men of bravo company are facing a battle thats all uphill. Climbing hamburger hill, 50 years after the vietnam wars. May 17, 2019 in the years since, he has written a book about his experiences in vietnam and even consulted on a movie about the battle of hamburger hill. Hamburger hill internet movie firearms database guns. Dong ngai and the grinding, 11day battle of dong ap biathe mountain of the crouching beast, in vietnamese, or hamburger hill as it is popularly known. Delta company from the 3187th almost took the ridge, but they were forced back with heavy casualties by the vietnamese, while the 1506th had more success taking the southern crest of. The fighting there has been immortalized in films, television shows, video games and even referenced in a song by rapper.
Troops count cost of vietnams hamburger hill archive. Hamburger hill is a 1987 american war movie about the 1969 assault during the vietnam war of the u. The battle of hamburger hill ap bia mountain may 1020, 1969 occurred during operation apache snow, when us high command decided to eliminate nva forces reestablishing themselves in and around. The fighting there has been immortalized in films, television shows, video games and even referenced in. The script was written by a screaming eagles veteran who served in vietnam in 196869. Bloody 10day battle at hamburger hill begins history. Listen carefully to the radio messages to get the impact of the end. Douglas gagne from new hampshire, was a recon sergeant who worked with the artillery forward observer assigned to company a 2506th. The result was a very bloody battle with high casualties sustained by all units, thus prompting american troops to call the objective hamburger hill. Honeycutt hamburger hill chapter of the 187th infantry regiment at fort campbell. Nam sense photos of the vietnam war, hamburger hill battle. For warweary americans, 10day battle defined futility of vietnam war one soldier holds an iv bottle high up in the air as a medic puts bandages around a chest wound of an.
Though the antiwar sentiments of hamburger hill come through loud and clear, the film is. In fact, the battle became so violent that one young sergeant was quoted about the fight, have you ever been inside a hamburger machine. Armys 3rd battalion, 187th infantry regiment, 101st. Army soldiers of b company, 3rd battalion, 187th infantry regiment, 101st airborne division during the brutal 10 day may 1120, 1969 battle for hill 937 in the a shau valley of vietnam as they try again and again to take the fortified hill held by the north vietnamese, and the faults and casualties they take every. Reporter david lamb first coined the term hamburger hill to. The 101st airborne division attacked the north vietnamese communist forces at the 3,000foot ap bia mountain, or hill 937, in the 10day battle known as hamburger hill by the gis. The 10day battle inspired a movie and congressional hearings, symbolizing for some the incredible bravery of the american infantry and for.
Although the heavily fortified hill 937 was of little strategic value, u. The original headline for this article was battle for battlescarred peak over. Why the battle for hamburger hill was so controversial history. As a result of this, there were invariably many comparisons to these other bigger budget films, however. May 1120, 1969 brutal battle for dong ap bia, may 1120, 1969 samuel zaffiri. Airborne division and the army of the republic of vietnam arv attacked north vietnamese army units dug in on a mountain called dong ap bia, in a shau valley, thua thien provincepart of i corps tactical zone in northernmost south vietnam. May 08, 2020 hamburger hill was the scene of an intense and controversial battle during the vietnam war. Popular videos hamburger hill hamburger hill topic. Probably purposefully because this historical fact clashed with the theme of flogging the antiwar movement. The meat grinder the battle of hamburger hill 1020 may. The main players in the event were units of the 101st airborne division led by major general melvin zais. About five years ago, he attended his first commemorative and reunion of the weldon f. Hamburger hill, on a platoon in vietnam the new york. Fourteen warweary soldiers are battling for a mudcovered mound of earth so named because it chews up soldiers like.
It was released in 1987 and chronicles the 101st airbornes assault on hill 937 in the ashau valley in may, 1969. A brutal and realistic war film focuses on the lives of a squad of 14 u. Hamburger hill is a 1987 vietnam war film that was one of the competing nam movies following 1986s platoon. Known to military planners as hill 937 a reference to its height in meters, the solitary peak is. The movie isnt just about the fight at hill 937, which came to be known as hamburger hill. American military records of the battle refer to the mountain as. Apart from its messagemaking, hamburger hill, which typically was filmed in the philippines, is a grueling, ultrabloody, technically adroit, standardissue war movie. Hamburger hill after the battle, may 20, 1969 douglas gagne photo. Hamburger hill proved to be the last campaign in general william westmorelands discredited attrition strategy and it was also the last battle in which the outcome was determined by enemy body count. Hamburger hill is a 1987 american war film about the actual assault on a wellfortified position of the north vietnamese army on ap bia.
Hamburger hill was the scene of an intense and controversial battle during the vietnam war. Douglas gagne from new hampshire, was a recon sergeant who worked with the artillery. The hamburger hill battle, part of operation apache snow, was designed to wrest the valley back from the north vietnamese, who had held it ever since a special forces camp in the valley was. The battle of hamburger hill was an infantry operation, there was no need for heavy vehicles in the movie. The locals called it dong ap bia or mountain of the crouching beast. While the enemys tactics were out of the ordinary, the united states routinely emphasized firepower, including heavy artillery, napalm, and b52 arc light air strikes. Though the antiwar sentiments of hamburger hill come through loud and clear, the film. Hamburger hill 1987 rotten tomatoes movie trailers. In late spring 1969, american and south vietnamese forces commenced operation apache snow with the intent of driving north vietnamese troops from the a shau valley. Don cheadle has a role in this movie and thank god for that.
What are facts about the battle of hamburger hill answers. Unlike many war movies, this movie doesnt shy away from graphic war violence. But most of all it depicts the incredible, to me mystical, bravery which drives any man into terrible battle in any war, on any side. For ten days in may 1969 during the vietnam war, units of the 101st u. In the years since, he has written a book about his experiences in vietnam and even consulted on a movie about the battle of hamburger hill. Battle of hamburger hill during the vietnam war historynet. The battle was known from then on as hamburger hill, and due to the extensive media coverage, it became a symbol for the antiwar community. Aug 23, 2018 the battle of hamburger hill continues to have a hold on american memory. As a first lieutenant in bravo company of the third battalion, 187th infantry, frank boccia led a platoon in two intense battles in the vietnamese mountains in april and may 1969.
This battle was a turning point in the war for the americans, as the war became less and less popular at home american people saw the battle of hamburger hill as a senseless battle in a senseless war, many americans believed they should not be involved in vietnam and protests at home became more frequent. May 10, 2019 the hamburger hill battle, part of operation apache snow, was designed to wrest the valley back from the north vietnamese, who had held it ever since a special forces camp in the valley was. Samuel zaffiris book hamburger hill was a featured selection of the military book club when it was published. That was the refrain of the powerful 1987 movie about the battle for hamburger hill, more correctly called ap bia mountain or hill 937.
Hamburger hill is a 1987 american war film about the actual assault on a well fortified position of the north vietnamese army on ap bia. Hamburger hill 1987 movie clip first blood big daddy. We just got cut to pieces by extremely accurate machinegun fire. Hamburger hill, on a platoon in vietnam the new york times. The battle for hamburger hill hill 937 fought during the vietnam war lasted for ten days, from 10 to 20 may 1969. The battle of hamburger hill ap bia mountain may 1020, 1969 occurred during operation apache snow, when us high command decided to eliminate nva forces re. Oct 22, 2012 the battle of hamburger hill took place in 1969 from may 10th until may 20th. Hamburger hill is most effective as a physical recreation of the sights and sounds of the battle of hill 937. Finally on the 18th of may, conmey coordinated an attack with the 3187th and the 1506th as they hit hamburger hill from the north and the south. Army and army of the republic of vietnam arvn forces against peoples.
A very realistic interpretation of one of the bloodiest battles of the vietnam war. The battle of hamburger hill was a battle of the vietnam war that was fought by u. About a third of it takes place in the camp before the soldiers are coptered into the ashau valley. The survivors of hamburger hill, would be the men of the 3187th, 1506th, 2506th, and the 2501st battalions of the 101st airborne airmobile divison. The battle for hamburger hill a battle that changed the. Parents need to know that hamburger hill is a 1987 movie based on the true story of an american infantry squads efforts at taking a hill from the enemy during the vietnam war amid heavy casualties. Soldiers are shown dead or dying with chests ripped open, limbs lost, heads blown off. Fourteen warweary soldiers are battling for a mudcovered. Battle of hamburger hill during the vietnam war information on the battle of hamburger hill during the vietnam war, also known as hill 937. The movie hamburger hill, staring clint eastwood, was 2 and a half hours long. The movie was made with the defense departments full cooperation, which isnt.
This was not only owing to the excellent work of the crew, but also to the nature of the movie. The hamburger hill battle, part of operation apache snow, was designed to wrest the valley back from the north vietnamese, who had held it ever since a. See more ideas about vietnam war, vietnam and vietnam war photos. Army and army of the republic of vietnam arvn forces against peoples army of vietnam pavn forces from 10 to 20 may 1969 during operation apache snow. Based on a true incident, the story takes place in 1969, as the 101st airborne division confronts the vietcong in a bloody battle over hill 937 aka hamburger hill in the a shau valley. Hamburger hill because it was released less than a year after oliver stones platoon and within months of stanley kubricks full metal jacket, this exceptionally wellmade film about one of the bloodiest battles of the vietnam war was largely overshadowed and overlooked.
The battle of hamburger hill continues to have a hold on american memory. As the operation moved forward, heavy fighting developed around hill 937. Home battle of ap bia mountain occurred during may 1120, 1969, during operation apach snow. This episode will begin a series on one of the few large scale set battles fought in the viet nam war, the battle of hamburger hill. Watch hamburger hill full movie 1987 video dailymotion. Hamburger hill 110 movie clip we dont start fights, we finish them 1987 hd.
Since the battle of hamburger hill was an infantry operation, there was no need for heavy vehicles in the movie. Based on a true incident, the story takes place in 1969, as the 101st airborne division confronts the vietcong in a bloody battle over hill 937 aka. Famously known as hamburger hill, the battle launched the first phase of operation apache snow, a coordinated attack by the u. Armys 3rd battalion, 187th infantry regiment, 101st airborne division screaming eagles on ap bia mountain near the laotian border, on a wellfortified position, including trenchworks and bunkers, of the north vietnamese army.
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