Search - Vietnam: We Were Heroes on DVD

Another fine Madacy product...NOT!!

ZRRIFLE | Washington, D.C. | 03/09/2004

(1 out of 5 stars)

"At first glance it appears to be a modern day tribute to our vets who participated in the Vietnam conflict, including interviews and reminiscing of events from those who were there. In contrast, it is just a bunch of old grainy 8mm and 16mm news reels and training films thrown together to compile a 3-DVD set. Personally I found the box cover and description very misleading. This is not the first negative experience I've had with Madacy Entertainment, the company who produces this DVD set. They seem to specialize in gathering old (mainly unwanted) footage, and hashing it all together to make DVD and VHS box sets and sell them to make a quick buck. If you enjoy watching old films with original narration, that's fine (I do from time to time), but the box and product description need to state that. The problem I had with this (and reason for returning it), is because of the reason I just stated - being fooled and feeling like the butt of a cruel joke. I left a scathing review with another Madacy DVD set, "World War II - Battlefront 5 Pak," a 5-DVD set supposedly in 'glorious color.' But it was nothing but B&W footage that had been cheaply colorized. Horrible. My suggestion is - anything churned out by this company is to be avoided at all costs. I warned ya!"

True Story

ZRRIFLE | 09/08/2003

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Three discs with 4.5 hours of video plus complete Order of Battle for all units that were part of 1st Cav in Viet Nam or attached to 1st Cav. Very valuable info for children or relatives of vets. All films were shot by U.S. Army combat cameramen, so this is the real story not Hollywood hype or comic book fantasies. Also, this is not the film "Platoon" or the revisionist history of "We Were Soldiers". These are all official U.S. Army documentaries plus captured VC and NVA footage. If you were really in the Cav in NAm, you will truly enjoy these films. Otherwise, wait for China Beach to be released on DVD."

Classic Footage/Historical Reference Information

Roger Taylor | Ormond Beach, FL | 03/27/2006

(5 out of 5 stars)

"My father served in the pre-1st Cav Days with the Airmobile Group, then went overseas with the First Team and was there from 1965 - 1966. He was a Artillery Forward Observer with the line infantry companies. I have all of his pictures that I have scanned and am preparing a documentary on his time there based on personal interviews I have done with him recently.

I just bought this over this last weekend, and viewed most of the first disc last night. Although I too was a little taken back, as I thought it would be a modern documentary with the classic footage - I soon realized what a treasure trove of footage and data this is. True -it is slanted and has an old 6th grade science film narrative along with a very hokey soundtrack that belongs in a John Wayne movie - But - if you listen to what the narrator says and do your research on what was going on there with other documentaries and books, as well as the events around the Ia Drang ('We Were Soldiers'), you can see the 'propaganda' that the government can sometimes feed you. But - now I am glad to have these films, as you can really get a sense of how things were viewed back then, and compare them to now.

Don't believe the review that says - 'there is no good battle footage' - there is!!!, of infantrymen engaging the enemy as well as gunships and aircraft engaging enemy positions. My father was there, and said he never saw who they were firing at a majority of the time. If you were up close, it was rare - so for a cameraman to have actually shown the VC - would have been a unusual event. Check with those who served there, don't assume you are going to see footage like in the movies......

After seeing all of my fathers pictures, it was eerie to see movies of the places he had taken pictures of - almost as if these were 'home movies' he had taken. I look forward to viewing these with him next time he comes to visit. Both my brother and I followed in his footsteps and served as Artillery officers also - so this is especially fascinating as we both understand how the Army works - both the good stuff and the bad!"

MY REVIEW!!!!!!!

D. Gaines | 01/08/2009

(5 out of 5 stars)

"UNBELIEVABLE............................................PLEASE WATCH THIS DVD IF YOU ARE INTERESTED IN THE VIETNAM WAR REGARDING THE AIRCAV.....JUST AMAZING!!!!!!"