On Veterans Day November 11th, we honor all Americans who served in the military. This year, 2025, marks the 57th anniversary of the 77-day siege at Khe Sanh, where Marines in Vietnam endured constant rocket and artillery bombardment from the North Vietnamese day and night.
“I left Khe Sanh for good in early April 1968,” recalls U.S. Marine Corps (USMC) Lance Corporal Ken Rodgers. “When I deplaned, I looked back to the west at the mountains where Khe Sanh sat, and I said to myself, ‘That’s a hell of a story.’ I’ve been wanting to tell that story ever since.”
During one of the annual reunions of the Khe Sanh Veterans Association, Ken’s wife, Betty, listened to the men telling their stories. “We needed to preserve this—their history, their story,” she says.
Idaho residents Ken and Betty Rodgers of Eagle turned that calling into a film. Bravo! Common Men, Uncommon Valoris their award-winning documentary about Ken’s unit—Bravo Company, 1st Battalion, 26th Marines—during the siege at Khe Sanh and about the effects of that experience on the men involved. The film won the Major Norman Hatch Awardfor best documentary about the Marine Corps.
Though Bravo! offers a glimpse into some of the bloodiest fighting of the Vietnam War, most memorable are the stories of the men of Bravo Company. In the film, four Khe Sanh veterans—Navy Corpsman John Cicala, Peter Weiss, Cal Bright, and Marine Corporal Steve Wiese—recount the events of February 25, 1968, remembering the ambush of their platoon-sized patrol by the North Vietnamese. Reliving the “Ghost Patrol,” they share how they saved each other as best they could with little help from the combat base. Wiese describes how it took him all day to retreat about 400 yards to the besieged American base. Rodgers notes, “Some were forced to save themselves, and in a number of cases, could not comprehend how they even managed to survive.”
The Rodgers travel the United States, screening their film at universities, theaters, museums, and even prisons. Ken concludes, “This is part of the history of the United States. We are excited about how we can help folks learn more about the Vietnam War, the personal stories of the people who served, and its long-term costs in human terms.”
They also produced another award-winning documentary, I Married the War, a story of war, homecoming, loss, resilience, and the sacrifices of eleven courageous military spouses. The film gives voice to the wives of combat veterans—from World War II to the recent Middle East wars—who discover that conflict has followed their spouses home, and shows how these women help loved ones living with the trauma of war. imarriedthewar.com/dvd-stream
Resources
Trailer for Bravo! Common Men, Uncommon Valor: https://vimeo.com/152782153
DVDs of Bravo! are available at https://bravotheproject.com/store/ and on Amazon: https://shorturl.at/UvOLa
Consider gifting copies to a veteran, a history buff, a library, a friend, or a family member.
Website: https://bravotheproject.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Bravotheproject/
Email: bravotheproject@gmail.com (for DVD purchases or group screenings)