QHow long was a 'Tour of Duty'?
AIt varied. The US Army in Vietnam operated what was known as the 'Individual Replacement System'. Rather than deploying as a complete unit soldiers would be sent from basic training in the US to large replacement depots ('repple-depples')in Vietnam and then dispatched in groups to formations in the field who had suffered casualties (we see Zeke recruit new soldiers in this manner in the pilot). Including their time at the barracks this would mean they would each serve for roughly a year in Vietnam (13 months for the Marines) then be sent back home. However there were variations, men who sustained non-debilitating wounds would have time knocked off their tour whilst those not on the front line would be expected to stay longer. The system has become notorious for destroying unit morale and encouraging selfishness amongst troops who concentrated more on counting their days left than bonding with their buddies. Worst of all platoon and company commanders only served 6-months so that every officer could get their share of combat time meaning that troops were often commanded by officers with much less experience than they had (one soldier observed that in his one year tour he had 5 different platoon and 4 different company commanders) and that by the time they had learned their craft they'd be gone again and a new inexperienced officer would then take over. Notably Lt Goldman extends his tour in order not to turn his men over to a new and untried officer.
QWhat weapons do these use?
AMost of a cast use standard M16 assault rifles with Zeke Anderson using the shortened CAR-15 version. Zeke also carries a cut down Remmington 870 pump action shotgun for close combat whilst Lts Goldman and McKay use Colt 45 pistols as sidearms. Oddly Ruiz who is the smallest member of the unit carries the heaviest gun, the M60 machine gun. The team seem to take turns in carrying the M79 grenade launcher and also occasionally employ LAWs (Light Anti-tank Weapons), one-shot disposable rockets (the weapon Johnson is seen aiming in the opening titles).
Once they join the special forces group they have a lot more variety. Goldman switches to an AK-47, McKay an M14, Taylor an M1 carbine, Ruiz and Percell Carl Gustav 9mm submachine guns and Johnson an M3 Grease-gun submachine-gun.
QWhen exactly is the series set?
A1968. In early seasons we see the characters fight in the 'Tet Offensive' of January 1968, witness Martin Luther King's assassination of April 1968 and near the end of the 3rd season celebrate Thanksgiving and Christmas.Update - the pilot episode was set in 1967......
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