At start of film, a U.S. Army officer is seen talking with some soldiers preparing to depart Tay Ninh airfield for Nui-Ba-Den mountain, Vietnam. Next, the troops head across the field to helicopters of the 187th Assault Helicopter Co. (the Crusaders), waiting on marsden matting pavement at the field. A line of helicopters with troops aboard and engines running. They take off sequentially in trail formation. (Vietnam War period).