Captain Ryan is enjoying his time with his family at their U.S. army base home at Fort Campbell Kentucky. He had survived the past eighteen months fighting the Vietcong in the jungles of Vietnam and now he was excited to be safely at home where he could spend time with his wife and three kids. Captain Ryan had spent a lifetime of service to his country, stretching from his deployment to the front lines of World War II in 1944 to his current battles in Vietnam more than twenty years later. He was tired of the military life and the nonstop conflict that had ruled his life. He was emotionally and physically damaged from what he had experienced throughout his military career. As he watches his two sons shooting basketballs on the drivewayhoop, Captain Ryan finally comes to the realization in his mind that his army career needs to come to an end. He is ready to retire and intends to notify his commanding officer as soon as possible. He believes that there is nothing now that could change his mind about his plans. He has cheated death many times and has experienced things that will haunt him the rest of his life and he is ready to move on.
Colonel Miller still walks with a limp but otherwise has fully recovered from the gunshot wounds he suffered as a captain during WWII. He remained in the Army but now works in the Pentagon in Washington D.C. His chest is highly decorated with medals for the mission he led to save Private Ryan at Ramelle France. He is a well-respected and well-known war hero who could easily win a position in public office if he ever chose to pursue that career. Post WWII Captain Miller was able to advance his career in Washington while also being a strong husband and father. He is very close to his son Paul, and the two of them were always together as Paul grew up. When Paul graduated from West Point Acadamy, Colonel Miller was extremely proud but also very concerned as Paul was deployed to Vietnam to help fight in the conflict.
It's January 30th, 1968 and Lieutenant Paul Miller and his patrol of eight men are transporting supplies from their base camp to another patrol that is positioned several miles away.
"Let's go, get those supplies packed up and let's get moving" he barks out to his patrol. "I don't want to still be out there when it gets dark, and neither do you".
The risk of encountering any Viet Cong is believed to be low as January 30th is the most important holiday for the Vietnamese people and has historically resulted in no fighting during the celebration.
As a member of the supply run, Private Johnson questions "Lieutenant, why are there only eight of us going, shouldn't we have more firepower"?
In which the Lieutenant replies "don't worry about it Private, it's a stinking holiday over here, all the Viet Cong will be celebrating while we're out protecting their country."
The patrol heads out on their expected easy journey through the jungle. An hour into their trip they enter a clearing between the trees and come under heavy gunfire.
Lieutenant Miller exclaims "take cover, return fire".
However, the patrol is heavily outmanned and completely taken by surprise. Two jeeps are destroyed, and six American soldiers are killed. Lieutenant Miller and his driver are in the lead jeep and are unharmed, but they have no choice but to surrender. The two soldiers are taken to a North Vietnamese camp in the middle of the jungle and locked into crowded, primitive cells. Here they are tortured, beaten and starved and Lieutenant Miller is interrogated.
"Tell us the American's plans for attack" the interrogator screams as two men take turns punching Lieutenant Miller.
His only reply to all their demands is "my name is Lieutenant Paul Miller of the United States Army."
He soon is thrown back into his cell and left to suffer.
At the Pentagon, General Westmoreland approaches Colonel Miller and asks to speak with him privately.
"Colonel, I regret to inform you that your son Paul has been captured by the Viet Cong." The General adds "our intelligence tells us that Paul is still alive and captive in a prisoner camp."
Colonel Miller becomes limp as he listens to General Westmoreland's message. "Oh my God, General, what happened, we must get him out"
The General explains how the supply mission was attacked and that "the Army will do everything we can do to get Paul out safely. We are already organizing a patrol that will go in and retrieve the prisoners."
"No" exclaims Colonel Miller, "let me assemble the retrieval team, I know who is capable of completing this mission successfully, someone who won't let me down."
"Are you sure" questions General Westmoreland "are you sure you can make rational decisions knowing what is at stake?"
Colonel Miller responds quickly and confidently, "there's not a doubt in my mind General."
Colonel Miller hurries across the tarmac of Andrews Air Force Base towards the waiting C-141 transport plane. He salutes the guard on the ground and scrambles up the steps and into the aircraft headed to Fort Campbell Kentucky. It won't be aluxury flight but it's the quickest alternative available. A jeep is waiting for Colonel Miller upon arrival at Fort Campbell. He is rushed to the headquarters building and escorted to an open-door office. The name on the door is Lieutenant Ryan. As Colonel Miller enters the office, the Lieutenant snaps to attention and salutes the Colonel. The two officers stare at each other for what seems like an eternity. They hadn't seen each other since that bloody day in Ramelle France in 1944.
"Hello Lieutenant Ryan, how are you?" Colonel Miller begins.
"Captain, excuse me, Colonel Miller, what are you doing here" responds Lieutenant Ryan.
The Colonel says "Ryan, I'm not here for an emotional reunion, I'm here because I need your help. My son, Lieutenant Paul Miller, is sitting in a Viet Cong prison camp and I want you to lead the mission to bring him home safely."
Lieutenant Ryan pauses for a moment to collect his thoughts and then replies "I'm honored sir that you would trust in me to rescue your son, but sir I am done with combat duty. I spent my time fighting wars for the past twenty years and I am fortunate to still be alive. I want to spend the next twenty years with my family, watching my children grow up."
The Colonel nods in agreement and slowly takes a step towards Ryan and softly states "Lieutenant, I didn't fly all the way here from Washington to give you an order or to assign you to this duty. If that is your decision, then I will honor it. However, I ask that you consider what I'm asking and give me a final answer in fifteen minutes."
Lieutenant Ryan stared at the Colonel as he pondered the situation. He knew that he owed the Colonel his own life and that he must do this mission as a show of his gratitude. Finally, Ryan stated "Colonel, I don't need the fifteen minutes, I would be honored to lead the mission. I will put together the finest team and we will be successful in finding your son."
The trio of Huey helicopters lifts off as the sun sets over the Vietnamese jungle.
Aboard the transport Huey, Rambo reminds Lieutenant Ryan "this may be your mission Lieutenant but we're doing things my way".
Ryan glares towards Rambo for a minute before nodding in agreement. Lieutenant Ryan reviews the basics of the mission with the three Special Forces soldiers. "We're dropping in approximately one mile away from the Viet Cong camp. Intelligence tells us Lieutenant Miller and Corporal Jones are the only two detainees at the camp. We have eight hours to make our way through the jungle, retrieve the prize and make it back to the rally point by sunrise to catch our ride back home."
Rambo lays out a crude map of the prisoner camp and adds "we will come in from the west, take out these lookout stations, converge on the prisoners and exit the same way we came in."
The three Hueys hover over a small clearing in the jungle and the four members of the rescue mission repel to the ground.
The patrol has maneuvered their way about half way to the camp when they come upon a Vietnamese civilian making his way back home carrying a stringer of fish he had just caught in a nearby lake. The fisherman is startled by the American soldiers, especially when Rambo pulls his knife and moves towards the man.
Lieutenant Ryan grabs Rambo by the arm and orders "let him live."
Rambo argues "you don't know what side he's on, he could compromise our mission."
Ryan replies "he's a civilian, we're not at war with civilians, LET HIM GO!"
Rambo reluctantly puts his knife away and the patrol moves forward, leaving the civilian safe to return home. Rambo snarls back at Lieutenant Ryan and declares "if I see him again, I'm eliminating him."
As the patrol approaches the camp, they work their plan flawlessly. Forty yards from the first lookout Rambo mutters "I got this one" as he loads an arrow onto his bow. After the successful shot he proudly but quietly proclaims "that's how you shoot an arrow!"
Lieutenant Ryan can't help but to give a half-hearted smile as he thinks to himself "and that's why I selected you to be on the team."
The guard in the next lookout is leaned up against a tree and appears to be sleeping. There is not a clear shot with an arrow so Lieutenant Ryan motions to Rambo by sliding his hand across his throat. Rambo slithers through the dense vegetation until he is directly behind the napping guard. Here, Rambo finally gets to use his knife to silently kill the enemy.
The six Americans sneak back out of the camp and retrace their route to the rally point where they take cover as they await the Huey helicopters to pick them up at sunrise.
"Listen" commands Lieutenant Ryan "they have discovered that we were there, they're coming after us." As the sound of the rescue choppers develops from the west, the patrol engages in combat with the Viet Cong approaching from the east. The patrol still must run the final 1000 feet into the clearing to board the Hueys and this would now be very dangerous under fire from the enemy.
Rambo yells "let's go, we gotta go!"
Ryan, hunkered down behind a fallen tree replies, "we will be mowed down, I'll stay back and keep you covered."
Rambo snarls and emphatically screams "NO, nobody gets left behind!"
At that time the sound of a large caliber machine gun fills the air and the Viet Cong soldiers begin falling like dominos. The Americans make their run for the Hueys and successfully retreat without any casualties. As they look back upon the combat area, they see the lone fisherman manning the machine gun that permitted their escape.
Lieutenant Ryan salutes towards the fisherman and mouths the words "thank you."