Taylor (Sheen) walks uphill and passes out. He is given water by some of his fellow troops.
A helicopter comes and gives supplies to the troop. Taylor, with two other men, is instructed to dig holes by superior officer.
Taylor narrates and says that he is in Hell. He questions why he is in Vietnam. Also, he says he doesn't know what he's doing, he's constantly tired, wakes up at 5am, and says he thinks he made a mistake in coming to Vietnam.
Sgt. Barnes (Berenger) orders Sgt. Elias (Dafoe) to take his troops on an ambush because Elias has the "fresh meat" and there's no reason to get his experienced men killed.
Taylor tells two others that his parents didn't want him to go to Vietnam, but he chose to because he wanted to his part for America, just like his father and grandpa had once done. He says that his fellow troop is called "grunts" because grunts can take it. He then says each small unknown city that everyone is from in his troop.
Taylor and his troop are on watch duty. Taylor wakes up during someone else's night watching shift. Several Viet Cong come and open fire. One man is killed during this night attack. Taylor is later yelled at by Sgt. Elias even though it wasn't his fault. Elias warns that anyone who sleeps when they're not supposed to will suffer.
Taylor and two others again take orders from officers and dig. The three talk and Taylor says he has 332 days left. He says he volunteered after he dropped out of college. The other two say he's dumb and shouldn't of thrown his education away. The three of them work all night.
Taylor is invited with one of these men into sleeping quarters of some of the soldiers. Everyone in this sleeping barracks is smoking marijuana. Taylor is offered some and coughs his first hit and is laughted at.
New Year's Day 1968, as Taylor says is just another day to stay alive. The troop finds a bunker. They all explore this abandoned bunker. It's a booby trap, and some of the troop is killed.
Taylor's troop goes to a village and tars it apart looking for members of the Viet Cong. Taylor shoots at a one legged man and makes him "dance". Sgt. Barnes then talks to the leader of this village asking about hiding Vietnamese troops. The village leader says that there hasn't been and N.V.A. in the village for several months. Barnes shoots the leader's wife and threatens to shoot his daughter. The troop then sets all the homes in the village on fire. Taylor, wandering around, finds that some of his fellow soldiers have started to take advantage of a girl from the village. He saves her and is made fun of by his troop members.
The troop members discuss with others the clash between Barnes and Elias.
Taylor says aside to viewers that the troop has been torn in half, like a civil war. Half the troop is with Elias, and the other half follow Barnes.
The troops participate in combat with Vietnames troops that fire at their bunkers. Taylor kills several NVA soldiers. They are ordered to move back, but Elias goes forward killing many NVAs. Taylor tells Barnes that he won't move back because Elias is still out there. Barnes tells Taylor that he'll go in to get Elias.
Barnes looks around and finds Elias. Elias looks at him and lowers his weapon realizing its a fellow American soldier. Barnes shoots Elias three times. Taylor comes in and realizes what happened. They go up in the helicopter, and as they're leaving, Taylor sees Elias still running down below, he is shot many times by "gooks" and still keeps running or crawling until he finally falls (This is the shot on the cover).
When they get back to the base, Taylor tries to convince others that Elias was shot by Barnes. Barnes comes into the sleeping quarters and admits to killing Elias and challenges them to fight him. Taylor jumps on him and tries to kill him but instead is cut by Barnes with a knife.
The troops return to the spot they were when Elias was killed. They shoot and throw grenades at as many gooks as they can. The whole troop is defeated for the most part though. Explosives are dropped on the whole region.
Taylor remains alive though. He picks up a gun and surverys the region looking for life. He comes across a familiar face, Barnes. Barnes tells him to get a medic. Taylor freezes and stares at him. Barnes responds by saying, "Do It." Taylor raises his gun and shoots the murderous Sgt. Barnes.
A scout troop comes to look for remaining soldiers. This troop fins Taylor and a couple of his fellow troop members. Taylor is carried on a stretcher and looks below from the helicopter seeing a majority of his troop mates dead.
Taylor says that he had an obligation to find a meaning to life. He also says, "We did not fight the enemies. We fought ourselves.
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