''Vietnam in HD'' (known as ''Vietnam Lost Films'' outside the US) is a 6-part American
documentary television
miniseries
A miniseries or mini-series is a television series that tells a story in a predetermined, limited number of episodes. "Limited series" is another more recent US term which is sometimes used interchangeably. , the popularity of miniseries format h ...
that originally aired from November 8 to November 11, 2011 on the
History Channel
History (formerly The History Channel from January 1, 1995 to February 15, 2008, stylized as HISTORY) is an American pay television network and flagship channel owned by A&E Networks, a joint venture between Hearst Communications and the Disney ...
. From the same producers as ''
WWII in HD
''World War II in HD'' is a History (U.S. TV network), History Channel television series that chronicles the hardships of World War II, using rare films shot in color never seen on television before. The episodes premiered on five consecutive d ...
'', the program focuses on the firsthand experiences of thirteen Americans during the
Vietnam War
The Vietnam War (also known by #Names, other names) was a conflict in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia from 1 November 1955 to the fall of Saigon on 30 April 1975. It was the second of the Indochina Wars and was officially fought between North Vie ...
. The thirteen Americans retell their stories in Vietnam paired with
found footage from the battlefield.
The episodes premiered on three consecutive days, with two episodes per day. The series is narrated by
Michael C. Hall
Michael Carlyle Hall (born February 1, 1971) is an American actor and singer best known for his roles as Dexter Morgan, the titular character in the Showtime series ''Dexter,'' and David Fisher in the HBO drama series '' Six Feet Under.'' Thes ...
.
The tagline for the series is "It's not the war we know, it's the war they fought".
Featured people
Anne Purcell
Wife of Army Colonel
Benjamin Purcell, a POW. Anne is a founding member of the National League of Families, an organization that publicized the issue of MIAs and POWs in Vietnam. She is portrayed by
Jennifer Love Hewitt
Barry Romo
A recently graduated lieutenant in the
196th Infantry Brigade
The 196th Infantry Brigade ("Chargers"), also known as the Charger Brigade was first formed on 24 June 1921 as part of the United States Army Reserve's 98th Infantry Division (United States), 98th Division with the responsibility of training soldi ...
, serving in Vietnam from Summer 1967 - Spring 1968. Romo was awarded a
Bronze Star
The Bronze Star Medal (BSM) is a United States Armed Forces decoration awarded to members of the United States Armed Forces for either heroic achievement, heroic service, meritorious achievement, or meritorious service in a combat zone.
Wh ...
for his efforts saving wounded men from his platoon. Following the death of his nephew, Romo became involved in the
Vietnam Veterans Against the War
Vietnam Veterans Against the War (VVAW) is an American tax-exempt non-profit organization and corporation founded in 1967 to oppose the United States policy and participation in the Vietnam War. VVAW says it is a national veterans' organization ...
and participated in demonstrations, including throwing away his medals earned in Vietnam. He is portrayed by
Adrian Grenier
Adrian Sean Grenier (born July 10, 1976) is an American actor, producer, director and musician. He is best known for his portrayal of Vincent Chase in the television series ''Entourage'' (2004–2011). He has appeared in films such as ''Drive Me ...
.
Joe Galloway
A combat reporter for
United Press International
United Press International (UPI) is an American international news agency whose newswires, photo, news film, and audio services provided news material to thousands of newspapers, magazines, radio and television stations for most of the 20th ...
during the Vietnam War. Embedded with the
1st Cavalry Division during the
Battle of Ia Drang Valley. Galloway received a Bronze Star in 1998 for repeatedly disregarding his own safety to rescue wounded soldiers under fire. Galloway was the only civilian decorated by the U.S. Army with a
Bronze Star
The Bronze Star Medal (BSM) is a United States Armed Forces decoration awarded to members of the United States Armed Forces for either heroic achievement, heroic service, meritorious achievement, or meritorious service in a combat zone.
Wh ...
with
Valor
Valor, valour, or valorous may mean:
* Courage, a similar meaning
* Virtue ethics, roughly "courage in defense of a noble cause"
Entertainment
* Valor (band), a Christian gospel music group
* Valor Kand, a member of the band Christian Death
* ' ...
during the Vietnam War. He is portrayed by
Edward Burns
Edward Fitzgerald Burns (born January 29, 1968) is an American actor, producer, writer, and director best known for appearing in several films including ''Saving Private Ryan'' (1998), '' 15 Minutes'' (2001), ''Life or Something Like It'' (200 ...
.
Bob Clewell
A US Army officer, serving as an advisor to the
ARVN
The Army of the Republic of Vietnam (ARVN; ; french: Armée de la république du Viêt Nam) composed the ground forces of the South Vietnamese military from its inception in 1955 to the Fall of Saigon in April 1975. It is estimated to have suffe ...
from 1964. He is portrayed by
Dean Cain
Dean George Cain ( Tanaka; born July 31, 1966) is an American actor. From 1993 to 1997, he played Clark Kent / Superman in the TV series '' Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman''. Cain was the host of '' Ripley's Believe It or Not!'' a ...
.
Keith Connolly
An
F-100 Super Sabre pilot stationed in South Vietnam in 1965. Connolly took part in the first massive bombing campaign,
Operation Rolling Thunder
Operation Rolling Thunder was a gradual and sustained aerial bombardment campaign conducted by the United States (U.S.) 2nd Air Division (later Seventh Air Force), U.S. Navy, and Republic of Vietnam Air Force (RVNAF) against the Democratic R ...
. He returned to Vietnam in 1969 for his second tour of duty, this time flying an
F-4 Phantom
The McDonnell Douglas F-4 Phantom II is an American tandem two-seat, twin-engine, all-weather, long-range supersonic jet interceptor and fighter-bomber originally developed by McDonnell Aircraft for the United States Navy.Swanborough and Bo ...
bombing the
Ho Chi Minh Trail. He is portrayed by
Kevin Connolly.
Charles J. Brown
As a
platoon sergeant
In many militaries, a platoon sergeant is the senior enlisted member of a platoon, who advises and supports the platoon's commanding officer in leading the unit.
Singapore
In the Singapore Armed Forces, a platoon sergeant serves as the bridge ...
in the
173rd Airborne Brigade, Brown led
search and destroy
Search and destroy, seek and destroy, or simply S&D is a military strategy best known for its employment in the Malayan Emergency and the Vietnam War. The strategy consists of inserting ground forces into hostile territory, ''search''ing out ...
missions until being injured by a booby trap. Brown later returned to his unit and fought in the
Battle of Đắk Tô in November 1967, including the bloody fight on the slopes of
Hill 875. He was awarded two Bronze Stars for his actions during the Battle of Đắk Tô and Hill 875. He tells of how, before being sent to Vietnam, he was a drill sergeant in charge of training draftees before they were deployed to Vietnam. His account of the battle includes a story of how he received orders to send a man to the rear to be trained on the flamethrower. He tells of how the young private that he selected to carry the flamethrower was killed when a piece of grenade shrapnel hit the pressure tank on the flamethrower, causing it to explode.
He is portrayed by
Blair Underwood
Blair Erwin Underwood (born August 25, 1964) is an American actor. He made his debut in the 1985 musical film ''Krush Groove'' and from 1987 to 1994 starred as attorney Jonathan Rollins in the NBC legal drama series '' L.A. Law''.
Underwood has ...
.
Raymond Torres
A
Navy Corpsman assigned to the
26th Marine Regiment, who was deployed to aid the Marines at the
Battle of Khe Sanh
The Battle of Khe Sanh (21 January – 9 July 1968) was conducted in the Khe Sanh area of northwestern Quảng Trị Province, Republic of Vietnam (South Vietnam), during the Vietnam War. The main US forces defending Khe Sanh Combat Base (KSCB) ...
. He was eventually wounded himself by a grenade during fighting at Hill 861A. He is portrayed by
Jerry Ferrara
Jerry Charles Ferrara (born November 25, 1979) is an American actor known for his role as Turtle on the HBO comedy series ''Entourage'', and starred on the Starz drama series ''Power'' as Joe Proctor.
Life and career
Ferrara was born in Broo ...
.
Elizabeth Allen
A trauma nurse stationed on
Pleiku Air Base
Pleiku Air Base is a former air force base in Vietnam. It was established by the Republic of Vietnam Air Force (RVNAF) in 1962 at an undeveloped airstrip, and was used by the United States Air Force during the Vietnam War in the II Corps Tact ...
during the Tet Offensive. She is portrayed by
Tempestt Bledsoe
Tempestt Bledsoe (born August 1, 1973) is an American actress. She is best known for her childhood role as Vanessa Huxtable, the fourth child of Cliff and Clair Huxtable on the long-running NBC sitcom ''The Cosby Show'' (1984–92). In December ...
.
Arthur Wiknik
After being drafted, Wiknik is sent to Vietnam in Spring 1969, serving as a sergeant in the
101st Airborne Division
The 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault) ("Screaming Eagles") is a light infantry division of the United States Army that specializes in air assault operations. It can plan, coordinate, and execute multiple battalion-size air assault operati ...
. Only days after his arrival, his company becomes involved in the
Battle of Hamburger Hill. He is portrayed by
James Marsden
James Paul Marsden (born September 18, 1973) is an American actor, singer, and former model. Marsden began his acting career guest starring in the television shows '' Saved by the Bell: The New Class'' (1993), '' Touched by an Angel'' (1995), ' ...
.
Karl Marlantes
Karl Arthur Marlantes (born December 24, 1944) is an American author and Vietnam War veteran. He has written three books: '' Matterhorn: A Novel of the Vietnam War'' (2010), ''What it is Like to go to War'' (2011), and ''Deep River' ...
Marlantes was a Marine lieutenant, awarded the
Navy Cross
The Navy Cross is the United States Navy and United States Marine Corps' second-highest military decoration awarded for sailors and marines who distinguish themselves for extraordinary heroism in combat with an armed enemy force. The medal is eq ...
for his actions in battle in 1969. He is portrayed by
Zachary Levi
Zachary Levi Pugh ( ; born September 29, 1980) is an American actor. He received critical acclaim for starring as Chuck Bartowski in the series '' Chuck'', and as the title character in '' Shazam!'' and its 2023 sequel, as a part of the DC Ex ...
.
Donald DeVore
He is portrayed by
Glenn Howerton
Glenn Franklin Howerton III (born April 13, 1976) is an American actor, producer and screenwriter. He is best known for the long-running dark satirical comedy ''It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia'' (2005–present) on FX/FXX, a show he co-created ...
.
Monticello, New York
U.S. Army, 1st Division
Service: Spring 1969 – Summer 1969
Like thousands of other young American men, Don DeVore struggled intensely with what he would do if he were drafted to serve in Vietnam. He had no desire to become a war hero, and no dreams of winning glory or greatness on a battlefield. In the late summer of 1968, DeVore’s number was called and within weeks he was shipped off to basic training at Fort Jackson, South Carolina. Arriving in Vietnam in March 1969, DeVore was assigned to an artillery unit at a fire support base known as Firebase Jim. His job was to provide accurate fire support for the search and destroy patrols that were taking place on a near daily basis in the surrounding jungles. After four months, DeVore was granted compassionate leave to attend the birth of his first child. Upon returning home, he found himself in the middle of the largest peace and love festival of the decade – Woodstock. It was a stark contrast to the harsh combat he returned to just days later. In September 1969, the Viet Cong infiltrated Firebase Jim and DeVore was severely wounded by an RPG (rocket propelled grenade), sustaining an injury to his left arm that kept him hospitalized for nearly two years. The psychological and physical effects of his combat experience were devastating. For years, DeVore never spoke about the war. When questioned about the scars on his arm, he would tell people they were the result of a motorcycle accident. Finally, in the late 1990s, he sought treatment at a VA hospital, and after several years of counseling he was finally able to come to terms with wartime experience.
Gary Benedetti
He is portrayed by
Armie Hammer
Armand Douglas Hammer (born August 28, 1986) is an American actor. Hammer began his acting career with guest appearances in several television series. His first leading role was as Billy Graham in the 2008 film '' Billy: The Early Years'', and ...
.
Jim Anderson
He is portrayed by
Dylan McDermott
Dylan McDermott (born Mark Anthony McDermott; October 26, 1961) is an American actor. He is known for his role as lawyer and law firm head Bobby Donnell on the legal drama series ''The Practice'', which earned him a Golden Globe Award for Best ...
.
Episodes
References
External links
*
{{History films
2010s American documentary television series
2011 American television series debuts
2011 American television series endings
Documentary films about the Vietnam War
Documentary television series about the Cold War
History (American TV channel) original programming
Films about the United States Marine Corps