
DOLDRUMS
10/27/2025 | 15m 29sVideo has Closed Captions
A Vietnam War veteran is haunted by memories of his fellow soldiers and the medic who treated him.
A Vietnam War veteran is haunted by memories of his fellow soldiers and the Viet Cong medic who treated his wounds at a great personal cost.
Problems playing video? | Closed Captioning Feedback
Problems playing video? | Closed Captioning Feedback
GI Film Festival San Diego is a local public television program presented by KPBS

DOLDRUMS
10/27/2025 | 15m 29sVideo has Closed Captions
A Vietnam War veteran is haunted by memories of his fellow soldiers and the Viet Cong medic who treated his wounds at a great personal cost.
Problems playing video? | Closed Captioning Feedback
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Learn Moreabout PBS online sponsorship(wind rustling) (static hissing) (paper rustling) (static continues hissing) (gentle music) (static continues hissing) (gentle music continues) (book clattering) (cloth rasping) (vocalist singing in foreign language) (books rasping) (vocalist singing in foreign language) (vocalist continues singing in foreign language) (feet shuffling) (vocalist singing in foreign language) (cigarette thudding) (kettle clanking) (dial clicking) (flame whooshing) (container thudding and rasping) (match clicking and whooshing) (vocalist singing in foreign language) (wind rustling) (pensive music) (wind continues rustling) (pensive music continues) (wind continues rustling) (cigarette crackling) (birds chirping) (pensive music continues) (chair creaking) (birds continue chirping) (cigarette thudding) (pensive music continues) (wind rustling) (kettle rattling and whistling) (explosions blasting) (gunshots blasting) - [Soldier] Get down.
- 10 meters, 12:00.
- [Soldier] Move, move, move.
(gunshots blasting) Let's go.
Move it.
(gunshots blasting) (projectile whistling) - Get down.
(explosion blasting) (soldiers yelling indistinctly) (soldier coughing) Private Chard.
(gunshots blasting) Goddammit, can you hear me?
(explosions blasting) (gunshots blasting) Alpha, heavy contact.
30, 46, 95, 30, need backup.
- Captain, are we all gonna die?
- Hell no, we kill them first.
Listen, if you don't kill them, they will kill you.
It's nothing personal.
This is fucking war.
Got it?
- Yeah, yeah.
- Got it?
- Yeah.
- Pick up your rifle, point, and shoot.
Let's go.
(gunshots blasting) (projectile whistling) (explosion blasting) (helicopters whirring) (gunshots blasting) (soldier grunting) (dramatic music) (whistle blaring) (soldiers yelling indistinctly) (dramatic music continues) (gunshots blasting) (insects chirping) (gunshots blasting) (insects continue chirping) (soldier grunting) (helmet clanking) (insects chirping) (pensive music) (soldier panting) (soldier panting and groaning) (gun clanking) (insects continue chirping) (bird squawking) (insects continue chirping) (wind rustling) (body thudding) (light airy music) (soldier exhaling) (birds chirping) (knife rasping) (pensive music) (soldier gagging) (brooding music) (soldier screaming) (dramatic music) (water pattering) (bell chimes) (air whooshing) (water continues pattering) (soldier breathing heavily) (birds chirping) (soldier groaning and gasping) (birds and insects chirping) (birds and insects continue chirping) (soldier groaning) (birds and insects chirping) (birds and insects continue chirping) (soldier speaking in foreign language) (medic speaking in foreign language) (soldier speaking in foreign language) (medic speaking in foreign language) (birds and insects chirping) (soldier speaking in foreign language) (leaves rustling) (footsteps plodding) (insects chirping) (insects chirping) (medic speaking in foreign language) (footsteps plodding) (gun clanking) (insects chirping) (leaves rustling) (gun clanking) (gunshot blasting) (dramatic music) (bird squawking) (high-pitched tone blaring) (gun clanking) (body thudding) (high-pitched tone blaring) - [Soldier] Come on.
Let's go.
Move out, move out.
Are you okay, sir?
- [Soldier] Move out, move out.
- Sir, are you okay, sir?
- I'm gonna need some air support.
(dramatic music) - (groans) No.
- [Soldier] Private Chard, come help me.
- [Soldier] All clear.
(soldiers grunting) (helicopter whirring) (soldiers yelling indistinctly) - Sir.
(pensive music) We need to move.
(helicopter whirring) (kettle whistling) (kettle continues whistling) (dial clicking) (water sloshing) (feet shuffling) (cup clanking) (item rasping) (match clicking) (dog barking) (dramatic music) - [Soldier] Come on, let's go.
(feet pattering) (insects chirping) (soldier screaming) - [Soldier] If you don't kill them, they will kill us.
(explosions blasting) (pensive music) (helicopter whirring) (insects chirping) (soldier groaning) - [Soldier] Sir.
Sir.
(hand knocking) (utensil clinking) - Made the tea in advance so it won't be too hot.
- Always thinking of your soldiers.
Do you mind?
(dog barking) (pensive music continues) (drawer clattering) (lighter clicking) (pensive music continues) For those in heaven to keep them warm.
(Chard coughing) - You good?
(Chard coughing) How bad is it?
- Hey, let's not talk about me.
Have you, uh, started on that book you've always wanted to write?
(footsteps plodding) (soldier groaning) - Told you not to talk about the book.
- I think it's time we talk about it.
(helicopter whirring) (pensive music continues) - What am I supposed to write?
About you made that incident and the torture it gave you?
Or, or, or write about me, a loser officer who failed as a leader, who didn't train you guys properly for that war?
- (sighs) Come on.
None of us knuckleheads were trained properly for that war.
It wasn't your fault.
Memories, they're like a violent boar.
It's hard to write about - Violent boar, interesting word, choice.
(pensive music continues) How do you deal with the boar?
- You just do it a little bit at a time.
(Chard coughing) (Chard sighs) But somehow I learned to face the pain, you know, embrace it.
And it worked, Captain.
I've come in peace with my boar.
- I'm not sure if it's possible to be in peace with the boar.
(rain pattering) (explosion blasting) (helicopter whirring) (pensive music continues) - [Chard] You have to try to accept your boar.
Try just a little bit at a time.
(pensive music continues) (pensive music continues) (pensive music continues) (pensive music continues) (pensive music continues) (birds chirping) (gentle music) (gentle music continues) (gentle music continues) (captain speaking in foreign language) (gentle music continues) (medic speaking in foreign language) (vocalist singing in foreign language) (wind rustling) (vocalist singing in foreign language) (vocalist continues singing in foreign language) (vocalist continues singing in foreign language) (vocalists singing in foreign language) (vocalists continue singing in foreign language) (vocalists continue singing in foreign language) (gentle music continues) (gentle music continues) (vocalist singing in foreign language) (vocalist continue singing in foreign language) (vocalist continues singing in foreign language) (vocalist continues singing in foreign language) (vocalist continues singing in foreign language) (pensive rock music continues) (pensive rock music continues) (vocalists singing in foreign language) (vocalists continue singing in foreign language) (vocalists continue singing in foreign language) (vocalists continue singing in foreign language) (vocalists continue singing in foreign language) (singers vocalizing) (gentle music) (singers vocalizing) (gentle music continues) (singers vocalizing) (gentle music continues) (no audio)
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GI Film Festival San Diego is a local public television program presented by KPBS















