must see!

Rating: 9/10 (15 January 2014)

A classic and must see! A true tell tale about small town America and the harsh reality of what really went on during the Vietnam War. Some of the most incredible character journeys in cinema.
Some interesting statistics to keep in mind while watching this:
Vietnam Vets make up 9.7% of their generation
Peak troop strength in Vietnam: 543,482 (April 30, 1969)
Hostile deaths: 47,378
Non-hostile deaths: 10,800
Total: 58,202 (Includes men formerly classified as MIA and Mayaguez Casualties.) Men who have subsequently died of wounds account for the changing total.
Married men killed: 17,539
61% of the men killed were 21 or younger.
Highest state death rate: West Virginia - 84.1 ( National Average 58.9 for every 100,000 males in 1970.
Wounded: 303,704 --- 153,329 Hospitalized + 150,375 Injured requiring no hospital care
Severely disabled: 75,000-----23,214 100% Disabled; 5,283 Lost limb; 1,081 Sustained multiple amputations.
Amputation or crippling wounds to the lower extremities were 300% higher than in WW II and 70% higher than Korea. Multiple amputations occurred at the rate of 18.4% compared to 5.7% in WW II.
Missing in action: 2,338. POWs: 766 (114 Died in captivity.)
25% (648,500) Of total forces in country were draftees.
Draftees accounted for 30.4% (17,725) of combat deaths in Vietnam.
Reservist killed: 5,977
National Guard: 6,140 Served; 101 Died
Last man drafted June 30, 1973. 76% Of the men sent to Vietnam were from lower middle/working class backgrounds
Three fourths had family incomes above the poverty level; 50% were from middle income backgrounds..
Some 23% Of Vietnam Vets had fathers with professional, managerial, or technical occupations.
79% Of the men who served Vietnam had a high school education or better when they entered the military service. (63% Of Korean War Vets and only 45% of WW II Vets had completed high school upon separation).
86.3% Of the men who died in Vietnam were Caucasian (Includes Hispanics); 12.5% (7,241) Were Black; 1.2% Belonged to other races.
82% Of Veterans who saw heavy combat strongly believe the war was lost because of lack of political will.
(statistics provided by veteranshour.com)