LT. DAN. So, you boys are from Arkansas, huh?

So, you boys are from Arkansas, huh?

Well, I've been through there. Little

Rock's a fine town. Now, go shake

down your gear, see the platoon

sergeant, draw what you need for the

field.

Lt. Dan steps inside the latrine, still holding the roll of

toilet paper.

LT. DAN

If you boys are hungry, we got steaks

burnin' right here.

Lt. Dan sits down out of sight in the latrine, then stands

up, looking at the boys.

LT. DAN

Two standing orders in this platoon.

One, take good care of your feet.

Two, try not to do anything stupid,

like gettin' yourself killed.

Lt. Dan sits back down out of sight in the latrine. Bubba

and Forrest look at each other.

FORREST

I sure hope I don't let him down.

EXT. RICE FIELD - ANOTHER DAY

Forrest, Bubba, and other soldiers in the Fourth Platoon

walk across the rice field. Some Vietnamese rice farmers are

working as the soldiers walk past.

FORREST (V.O.)

I got to see a lot of countryside.

We would take these real long walks.

EXT. JUNGLE/DIRT ROAD - ANOTHER DAY

Forrest's unit walks along a dirt road.

SONG

And we were always lookin' for this

guy named Charlie. I can't get no

relief.

Suddenly Lt. Dan holds up his fist, a signal for the unit to

stop. He motions for them to get down.

LT. DAN

Hold it up!

SGT. SIMS

Hold up, boys!

Forrest gets down and looks around.

FORREST (V.O.)

It wasn't always fun. Lt. Dan always

gettin' these funny feelings about a

rock or a trail, or the road, so

he'd tell you to get down, shut up!

LT. DAN

Get down! Shut up!

FORREST (V.O.)

So we did.

Lt. Dan motions for the lead soldier to get down. Lt. Dan

crouches down. Lt. Dan looks at the soldiers and points to

his eyes. He lies down on the dirt road and crawls.

FORREST (V.O.)

Now, I don't know much about anything,

but I think some of American's best

young men served in this war. There

was Dallas, from Phoenix. Cleveland,

he was from Detroit.

CLEVELAND

Hey, Tex. Hey, Tex. Man, what the

hell's going on?

Tex holds up his hand, motioning that he doesn't know.

FORREST (V.O.)

And Tex was, well, I don't remember

where Tex come from.

LT. DAN

Ah, nothin'. Fourth Platoon, on your

feet! Still got ten clicks to go to

that river.

Forrest stands up and begins to walk with the platoon.

LT. DAN

All right, move out! Comin' out.

Look alive out there.

FORREST (V.O.)

The good thing about Vietnam is there

was always someplace to go.

LT. DAN (V.O.)

Fire in the hole!

EXT. VIETNAM/VIET CONG FOXHOLE - ANOTHER DAY

Lt. Dan walks away as Forrest rushes over, aims two pistols

in the hole, then climbs inside.

FORREST (V.O.)

And there was always something to

do.

LT. DAN

Mount 'em up.