A 2-hour documentary featuring a Santa Clarita man who served in one of the last combat infantry companies drafted and trained to fight in Vietnam will debut on NatGeo, the National Geographic channel, tonight (Wednesday) at 8.
“’The Boys of ’67’ tells the story of how Charlie Company originated at Fort Riley, Kan., when the 9th Infantry Division was reactivated in mid-1966,” said Bill Reynolds, a longtime Valencia resident who, as a company trooper, was wounded in action in June 1967 and earned a Purple Heart.
The story shares personal narratives from members of the unit, several of whom gathered at Reynolds’ home for the filming.
The film is based on a book, “The Boys of ‘67,” which tells the story of Reynolds’ unit, part of “the only division to be raised, drafted and trained for service in the Vietnam War,” according to author Andrew Wiest, a historian and professor at the University of Southern Mississippi (Other divisions that fought in Vietnam were already active, vestiges of Korea and World War II; the 9th had been deactivated after WWII.)
Bill Reynolds (left) with fellow Charlie Company veteran Jack Benedick at Veterans Historical Plaza in Newhall. Photo: Lou Reda Productions.
“It’s the story of various troopers within the company who became good friends as we trained together for six months before traveling to Vietnam aboard a World War II troop ship,” Reynolds said, “and how we were bogged down in the Mekong Delta fighting the Viet Cong and enduring a number of battles and firefights, and the losses that we sustained in that year. And the book closes with the impact the war had on a number of those troopers.”
“‘Brothers in War’ sheds light on the many aspects of war that Vietnam soldiers faced. Aside from the casualties of battle and heroic acts of bravery in the field, the veterans featured in the film also recall some of the lighter moments that helped forge lifelong friendships,” according to a National Geographic news release. “To this day, they still remember who got the best care packages, funny nicknames, the swimming pool back at base and even an instance where they used marijuana leaves as camouflage.”
The survivors from Reynolds’ unit remained friends and still gather together for reunions.
“We were in some pretty harsh terrain and fighting a determined enemy,” Reynolds said, of his service. “And we always remember our fallen — and we do that at all of our reunions. We’re all brothers, brothers in arms.”
National Geographic press release
Bill Reynolds (right) with producer Scott Reda
[Washinton, D.C.] – In 1967 the boys of Charlie Company went to war in the Mekong Delta, the homeland of the Viet Cong, and entered a foreign land of murderous heat, unforgiving jungle and a new age of guerrilla warfare. This “band of brothers” journeyed from boot camp to combat and, for the lucky ones, back home — experiencing their horror, their pain, their misery, their happiness and, above all, their camaraderie together. Now, nearly 50 years later, they’re uniting once again to share their stories of courage under fire with the world.
Through gripping first-person accounts and digitally remastered archival footage, including the soldiers’ own home movies and personal audio tapes, Brothers in War recounts the harrowing combat experiences of the men of Charlie Company — one of the last American combat infantry companies to be drafted, trained and sent to fight together in Vietnam. Fittingly narrated by Charlie Sheen, who rose to stardom after his 1986 performance as a Vietnam soldier in “Platoon,” the two-hour special premieres Wednesday, March 26, at 8 p.m. ET/PT on the National Geographic Channel (NGC).
Plucked from their homes, the young men of Charlie Company left their sheltered, innocent lives to become part of the first American unit to be permanently stationed in the Mekong Delta. Their mission: to patrol the Delta’s massive maze of waterways, dense jungles and rice paddies in order to seek out and destroy the 82,000 enemy soldiers who pervaded the region. Rifleman, 3rd Platoon, John Bradfield recalls, “The Red Cross gave us some pamphlets and things that dealt with our conscience, because we were actually going to have to kill to keep from being killed. That was just the reality of it.”
During their one-year deployment, these brave soldiers were confronted with both sides of death. They grieved for fallen comrades and the guilt of killing their enemy. Team leader in the 1st Platoon, John Sclimenti, explains, “When you’re in battle, your training takes over, your emotions are on auto-pilot. What’s tough for you is when the battle stops. When the battle stops, all of a sudden you start thinking.”
These men’s stories are raw, heartfelt and gut-wrenching. They talk about the horrors they experienced both in the heat of battle and in its bloody aftermath. Sclimenti remembers retrieving bodies after their largest and deadliest battle: “One of the things that struck me the most is that I would find a body and their helmet would be off their head and it would be lying beside them and there would be a picture of their girlfriend or their wife or their family inside their helmets. And that struck me because in my mind I was picking up a soldier, but then when I saw the helmet with the pictures inside, I was picking up a family member, a father, or a brother, or a son.”
Brothers in War sheds light on the many aspects of war that Vietnam soldiers faced. Aside from the casualties of battle and heroic acts of bravery in the field, the veterans featured in the film also recall some of the lighter moments that helped forge lifelong friendships. To this day, they still remember who got the best care packages, funny nicknames, the swimming pool back at base and even an instance where they used marijuana leaves as camouflage.
War in Vietnam for the men of Charlie Company was unlike anything they could have imagined. By the end of their yearlong combat tour, Charlie Company suffered 26 killed and 105 wounded — a total casualty rate of just over 80 percent. They were among the first U.S. servicemen to return home not to open arms, but to jeering, cursing protestors.
Today, the survivors of Charlie Company still get together regularly.
Brothers in War is produced by Lou Reda Productions for National Geographic Channel. For Lou Reda Productions, executive producers are Lou Reda and Scott L. Reda, producer is Liz Reph and chief historical consultant is Dr. Andrew Wiest. For National Geographic Channel, executive producer is Madeleine Carter, vice president of production and development is Kevin Mohs and executive vice president of programming is Heather Moran.
National Geographic Channel
Based at the National Geographic Society headquarters in Washington, D.C., the National Geographic Channels US are a joint venture between National Geographic and Fox Networks. The Channels contribute to the National Geographic Society’s commitment to exploration, conservation and education with smart, innovative programming and profits that directly support its mission. Launched in January 2001, National Geographic Channel (NGC) celebrated its fifth anniversary with the debut of NGC HD. In 2010, the wildlife and natural history cable channel Nat Geo WILD was launched, and in 2011, the Spanish-language network Nat Geo Mundo was unveiled. The Channels have carriage with all of the nation’s major cable, telco and satellite television providers, with NGC currently available in over 85 million U.S. homes. Globally, National Geographic Channel is available in more than 440 million homes in 171 countries and 45 languages. For more information, visit www.natgeotv.com.
Lou Reda Productions
Lou Reda Productions is an internationally recognized producer of top-quality historic non-fiction programs. Over the past 30 years LRP has produced more than 500 hours of programming for US and international television networks while garnering immense praise in the form of a People’s Choice Award, a Peabody, eight Emmy nominations (including one win), five Cine Golden Eagles and nine Tellys. For more information, visit www.redafilms.com.
COMMENT POLICY: We welcome comments from individuals and businesses. All comments are moderated. Comments are subject to rejection if they are vulgar, combative, or in poor taste.
REAL NAMES ONLY: All posters must use their real individual or business name. This applies equally to Twitter account holders who use a nickname.
I was deeply touched by this show. I am 62 although I did not serve, I also never protested. I lost friends there. I want to welcome all of you home. All of you are heroes to me. I can’t begin to tell you how sorry I am for your losses or how happy i am that you survived. Thank you all for your sacrifices.
I watched. WOW! It should be required viewing for all Americans. I was very lucky, I served in Germany for two years. I feel guilty that I got off so easy.
The Sierra Hillbillies Square Dance Club will hold an Alumni Dance Sunday, April 2, hosting former members and class graduates with former club instructor and caller Rod Shuping at the mic.
Experience new cultures monthly at the Canyon Country Community Center. Join family and friends to experience cultures and customs from around the world at the city of Santa Clarita’s "elebrate" event series, which returns to the Canyon Country Community Center, 18410 Sierra Highway, Canyon Country, CA 91351, for its second year in 2023.
Playing for the third time in five days, the CSUN women's tennis team extended its longest winning streak since 2015 to nine as the Matadors defeated Chaminade 7-0. CSUN's nine-dual winning streak is tied for the fifth-longest in school history with the 2006 and 2015 teams.
The Los Angeles County Department of Public Health confirmed Wednesday no new deaths and 22 new cases in the Santa Clarita Valley, with 12 additional deaths and 537 new cases countywide.
Circle of Hope Inc., a non-profit organization in Santa Clarita dedicated to providing emotional, financial, and educational support to individuals and families affected by cancer, is thrilled to announce their upcoming Hoedown For Hope Music Festival and BBQ fundraising event.
Girl Scouts of Greater Los Angeles has openings at its all-girl summer camps and are enrolling now for camps that take place June through August. Openings are at day camps in Inglewood and Claremont, and overnight camps in Frazier Park.
Beginning Monday, March 27, crews will start the construction of median modifications, paving, grinding and overlay operations along Plum Canyon Road, between Bouquet Canyon Road and Skyline Ranch Road.
On March 21, 2023, the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors unanimously approved a motion adopting a plan for the County Probation Department’s halls and camps, specifically as it relates to establishing Secure Youth Treatment Facilities following the transfer of juvenile serious offenders from state to county custody.
Already a two-time All-State selection, College of the Canyons sophomore LuLu Salloom has been named a 2023 Women's Basketball Coaches Association (WBCA) Two-Year College Coaches' All-American Honorable Mention honoree, just the second player in program history to receive such an honor.
On Monday afternoon, the California State University, Northridge women's tennis team extended its longest winning streak since 2015 when the Matadors defeated St. Thomas (Minn.) 7-0.
College of the Canyons, ranked No. 13, split a non-conference doubleheader vs. No. 10 Fullerton College on Saturday, taking the opener at Whitten Field in shutout fashion behind pitcher Allyson Melgar's big game before seeing the Hornets come away ahead in the late afternoon affair.
College of the Canyons student-athletes Alyssa Hamilton (women's swim) and Alexander Moores (men's golf) have been named the COC Athletic Department's Women's & Men's Student-Athletes of the Week for the period running March 13-18.
More than 1 billion Muslims around the world are preparing for Ramadan, and fasting which takes during the holiday is recognized as one of the Five Pillars of Islam.
The Los Angeles County Department of Public Health confirmed Tuesday no new deaths and 22 new cases in the Santa Clarita Valley, with 12 additional deaths and 644 new cases countywide.
The Master's University baseball team won both games of Saturday's doubleheader against the No. 7 Hope International Royals to win the three-game series.
The Master's men's and women's track and field teams set three school records and had 51 personal bests at the Ross and Sharon Irwin Collegiate Meet hosted by Point Loma Nazarene University.
The Sierra Hillbillies Square Dance Club will hold an Alumni Dance Sunday, April 2, hosting former members and class graduates with former club instructor and caller Rod Shuping at the mic.
The Santa Clarita Community College District Board of Trustees will meet in open session for a joint business meeting with the Associated Student Government Wednesday, March 22, at 3:30 p.m., in the University Center, Room 301 on the Valencia campus of College of the Canyons.
REAL NAMES ONLY: All posters must use their real individual or business name. This applies equally to Twitter account holders who use a nickname.
8 Comments
Wow!
i served same are as theses guys i was c co 2/60 3rd brigade
Just watched it. Thank you for your service!
I was deeply touched by this show. I am 62 although I did not serve, I also never protested. I lost friends there. I want to welcome all of you home. All of you are heroes to me. I can’t begin to tell you how sorry I am for your losses or how happy i am that you survived. Thank you all for your sacrifices.
When will the video be available?
I watched. WOW! It should be required viewing for all Americans. I was very lucky, I served in Germany for two years. I feel guilty that I got off so easy.
I was spellbound. It captured the essence of the time. I have the greatest respect for these men. Bless you all brothers!
I was trying 2 learn the name of the actor on NG right now cuz I think he was in Vietnam action movies, perhaps platoon…