The Soldiers Mocked the Quiet Woman at the Reunion—Until Their Commander Saluted Her — Transcript

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1. 0:0122 hours I held that ridge.
2. 0:03>> [applause]
3. 0:05>> No.
4. 0:08No,
5. 0:08>> [music]
6. 0:08>> not today.
7. 0:11>> 12 years, Daniel.
8. 0:13Today I keep my promise.
9. 0:18>> Thank you, sweetheart.
10. 0:20Wore that one in '69.
11. 0:22>> It's a good cap.
12. 0:23>> Ramp steep.
13. 0:24>> Mind an old man's company?
14. 0:28>> Hospital volunteers use the side door.
15. 0:31Son, she's got better manners than your
16. 0:33mother raised. I'll save you a chair.
17. 0:36>> [laughter]
18. 0:39>> Welcome, ma'am. Name?
19. 0:41>> Marisol Quinn.
20. 0:43>> Table 14. We've been expecting you.
21. 0:48A friend of this unit asked for you.
22. 0:50His flight lands at 1:00. He'll be here
23. 0:52by 2:00.
24. 0:53>> Does anyone else know?
25. 0:54>> Not a soul.
26. 1:13>> I'm here, Daniel.
27. 1:17>> I threw red smoke and they came running.
28. 1:19>> And you carried Mercer yourself, right?
29. 1:21>> Every step. [music] Every step.
30. 1:29Red smoke.
31. 1:33>> Yellow.
32. 1:37>> Red.
33. 1:40Always red.
34. 1:55Spouses sit by the windows, ma'am.
35. 1:57>> I'm not a spouse.
36. 1:59>> Guest of somebody then?
37. 2:01Sergeant Major Boone.
38. 2:03>> [laughter]
39. 2:07>> Boone's hiring cooks now?
40. 2:10Let me welcome her properly.
41. 2:17Brock Hollister,
42. 2:18candidate for Chatham County Sheriff.
43. 2:21And you are? Marisol. Just Marisol?
44. 2:26No unit patch, no ribbons. Where did you
45. 2:28serve, ma'am? Aviation, a long time ago.
46. 2:32A long time ago.
47. 2:34Aviation! She means the snack cart,
48. 2:36boys.
49. 2:37>> [laughter]
50. 2:38>> Stop it, Brock.
51. 2:42>> [laughter]
52. 2:42>> Stop it, Brock.
53. 2:46>> [gasps]
54. 2:52>> Staff Sergeant, what color was the smoke
55. 2:54that day?
56. 2:56Red.
57. 2:57Every man there remembers red.
58. 2:59Every man. Thank you.
59. 3:02Ma'am, I don't know why you're here.
60. 3:04Today is for men who bled.
61. 3:07I know exactly who bled.
62. 3:12Mr. Hollister, we're set for the plaque
63. 3:14unveiling at 2:30.
64. 3:16Right on time.
65. 3:21Your seat's over there.
66. 3:23Table 14. Table 14.
67. 3:29Told you I'd save you a chair.
68. 3:32Dustoff 69. We never got a parade,
69. 3:35either.
70. 3:37Dustoff? Mhm.
71. 3:40Welcome home, Bravo Company.
72. 3:42>> Bravo Company.
73. 3:43>> General Ellsworth joins us by 2:00.
74. 3:45Then at 2:30 we honor our fallen.
75. 3:48>> [applause]
76. 3:49>> Your campaign calls you a hero of the
77. 3:51Tarak Valley. What happened up there?
78. 3:54>> 22 hours I held that ridge.
79. 3:58Daniel Mercer died in my arms.
80. 4:01He wasn't afraid.
81. 4:05This is Claire, Daniel's wife.
82. 4:08>> She's my sister now.
83. 4:10Brock has carried me through
84. 4:12every year.
85. 4:13>> You know that woman?
86. 4:15>> Not yet.
87. 4:20>> Bust these for us, would you?
88. 4:21>> Here, son.
89. 4:22>> She's my guest, son.
90. 4:23>> Sit tight, Gramps.
91. 4:25Come and get IT, LUNCH IS SERVED.
92. 4:27[screaming]
93. 4:29>> EAT.
94. 4:30A pilot eats when she can.
95. 4:33>> I never told you that.
96. 4:35>> Didn't have to.
97. 4:41To the brothers who held the ridge.
98. 4:43>> To the brothers who held the ridge.
99. 4:47>> [applause]
100. 4:49>> Sergeant Daniel Mercer.
101. 4:53Rest easy, brother.
102. 4:57>> Look at that. The cook's TOASTING WITH
103. 4:59WATER.
104. 5:00>> [laughter]
105. 5:03>> WHO ARE YOU TOASTING, EXACTLY?
106. 5:05>> Daniel Mercer.
107. 5:07>> Didn't know the kitchen knew him.
108. 5:14Who is she?
109. 5:16>> A guest of the sergeant major's.
110. 5:19>> She's the only one in here not
111. 5:20performing.
112. 5:22I want to thank Claire for letting me
113. 5:24carry Daniel's memory.
114. 5:27I put up red smoke. My men saw it.
115. 5:31Not one man left behind.
116. 5:34>> [applause]
117. 5:38>> This ribbon isn't mine.
118. 5:39It belongs to every man on that ridge.
119. 5:46And Dustoff 2-6, that voice on the
120. 5:48radio,
121. 5:50whoever the guy was, he did his job.
122. 5:53>> [laughter]
123. 5:56>> That pilot saved my life, Brock.
124. 5:58Don't joke about it.
125. 6:00>> Easy, Tyler. Sit down.
126. 6:03I know your leg's hurting.
127. 6:07Go on. I'll hold the fort.
128. 6:09>> Thank you, Jean.
129. 6:26>> Sorry.
130. 6:2712 years and I still hear one voice
131. 6:29every night.
132. 6:30>> Stay with me, soldier.
133. 6:33Take your time.
134. 6:35>> Brock says red smoke.
135. 6:37I remember yellow.
136. 6:3912 years I've doubted my own eyes.
137. 6:43>> Trust your eyes, Tyler.
138. 6:46>> You say that like you know.
139. 6:48>> I know what it costs to doubt them.
140. 6:52>> I'm Tyler.
141. 6:53>> Marisol.
142. 6:54>> Have we met before?
143. 6:58>> I don't think so.
144. 7:00This is Priya Raman outside Liberty Oak
145. 7:02Veterans Hall in Savannah. If this story
146. 7:03is moving you, please like this video,
147. 7:05subscribe to the channel, and tell us in
148. 7:07the comments where you're watching from.
149. 7:08Now, back inside the reunion.
150. 7:12>> Tyler. Brock wants you back. Kitchen
151. 7:14closed.
152. 7:14>> Back off, Rick.
153. 7:16>> Pick a side, Tyler.
154. 7:25>> Hold on, Daniel.
155. 7:26Almost there.
156. 7:32I'm sorry. I didn't know anyone was out
157. 7:33here.
158. 7:34Stay.
159. 7:36It's a big garden.
160. 7:43Everyone keeps telling me how brave he
161. 7:44was.
162. 7:46It's like they're reading me a story
163. 7:47about someone else. What was he really
164. 7:49like?
165. 7:51Stubborn.
166. 7:52He wanted our front door blue. I wanted
167. 7:54yellow.
168. 7:56We never settled it.
169. 7:59After he died, I painted it blue.
170. 8:01I never told anyone why.
171. 8:03Blue's a good color.
172. 8:05Brave.
173. 8:08Brock says Daniel's last words were
174. 8:11"Tell Claire I love her."
175. 8:14It's all I have. Is that what he said?
176. 8:16That's what Brock told me.
177. 8:19After the program, would you give me 10
178. 8:20minutes alone? Do I know you? No.
179. 8:23But I knew him. I was with him at the
180. 8:25end.
181. 8:36>> Claire, Priya needs you for the
182. 8:37unveiling. Be careful with strangers.
183. 8:40We've had fraud at these events.
184. 8:42>> Fraud?
185. 8:49Marisol.
186. 8:57>> Sweetheart,
187. 8:59that big one's whispering to his boys.
188. 9:02>> They're coming for you. I know.
189. 9:04>> Whatever you're carrying, don't carry it
190. 9:07alone.
191. 9:08>> I've carried it 12 years.
192. 9:11>> Then you're due a salute.
193. 9:16She's a fraud.
194. 9:18No ribbons, no unit.
195. 9:21She's working Claire for money.
196. 9:24Get her out before the general gets
197. 9:26here.
198. 9:27>> I'll film it. Good for the campaign.
199. 9:30>> Keep it quiet, boys.
200. 9:41Ma'am, we need to see your discharge
201. 9:43papers.
202. 9:45Unit,
203. 9:47dates, specialty.
204. 9:50>> Why?
205. 9:52>> People claim service they didn't earn at
206. 9:54events like this.
207. 9:56>> I haven't claimed anything.
208. 10:00>> Leave her be, son. She's done nothing.
209. 10:05>> Stay out of it, Gramps.
210. 10:12Then prove it.
211. 10:13>> Please give that back.
212. 10:14>> Let's see what you've got.
213. 10:19Well, look at this.
214. 10:22Pilot wings.
215. 10:25Ma'am, are you claiming you were an Army
216. 10:27aviator?
217. 10:29>> I'm not claiming anything.
218. 10:31I'd like them back.
219. 10:34>> [applause]
220. 10:35>> This is stolen valor at a reunion for
221. 10:38Gold Star families. Gold Star families.
222. 10:41>> Oh, Brock.
223. 10:43What have you done?
224. 10:45>> This is insane.
225. 10:46>> Those wings are real, you fool.
226. 10:53>> Where did you buy them? Online?
227. 10:56>> They're mine.
228. 10:58I earned them in the dark.
229. 11:01Mr. Hollister, you know exactly who I
230. 11:03am.
231. 11:06>> I've never seen you in my life.
232. 11:09>> Brock, stop. Please.
233. 11:11>> I'm protecting you, Claire.
234. 11:15>> Claire, I'm sorry it's like this.
235. 11:18>> Move along, ma'am.
236. 11:20>> Don't touch me.
237. 11:23>> Let her go.
238. 11:24You owe me your life, Tyler. I carried
239. 11:27you out.
240. 11:29>> Did you?
241. 11:33>> Sir, it's Boone. Where are you?
242. 11:36Turning into the drive. Yes, sir. Hurry.
243. 11:42>> Those belong to me.
244. 11:44>> Not anymore.
245. 11:50Stop.
246. 12:03General, sir, we caught a stolen valor
247. 12:07Chief Warrant Officer Quinn. Dustoff
248. 12:092-6. 12 years I've owed you this.
249. 12:12Thank you. Dustoff 2-6?
250. 12:19>> General.
251. 12:22>> Mr. Hollister.
252. 12:23You're holding something that belongs to
253. 12:25Chief Quinn.
254. 12:32Sir, I didn't know who she was. You did.
255. 12:40Told you, sweetheart.
256. 12:43>> You were due,
257. 12:45Jean.
258. 12:46>> Everyone back inside. I need the screen
259. 12:48and the speakers.
260. 12:50Yes, sir.
261. 12:55>> General, I didn't come for this.
262. 12:58>> Not for glory, Chief.
263. 13:00For Daniel.
264. 13:0612 years ago I commanded this battalion.
265. 13:09I signed the report on the Tarak Valley.
266. 13:13That report was wrong.
267. 13:16It said Staff Sergeant Hollister held
268. 13:18Ridge Echo and recovered Sergeant
269. 13:20Mercer.
270. 13:21It rested on his word alone.
271. 13:253 months ago a records team found the
272. 13:26aircraft recording.
273. 13:29Hear what Dustoff 2-6 did.
274. 13:35>> Ridge is lost. No survivors. Repeat, no
275. 13:38survivors.
276. 13:43Dustoff 2-6, abort.
277. 13:47Ridge is lost. Repeat, abort.
278. 13:49>> Negative. I have wounded on the ground.
279. 13:52I'm going in.
280. 13:54>> Chief, we'll lose the bird.
281. 13:55>> Then we lose the bird.
282. 13:57>> Then we lose the bird.
283. 14:05>> That voice.
284. 14:11Tyler, do you read me?
285. 14:142-6, this is Mercer. We're alive. Four
286. 14:17wounded.
287. 14:18Throwing yellow.
288. 14:19>> I see yellow. Hold on.
289. 14:26That's Daniel. That's his voice.
290. 14:28>> Yes, ma'am.
291. 14:39>> Taking fire.
292. 14:40I'm on the ground.
293. 14:44>> He told us the radio was dead.
294. 14:47>> He told us nobody was left.
295. 14:50>> [applause]
296. 14:54[snorts]
297. 14:58>> Stay with me, soldier. You're not
298. 14:59leaving this aircraft on my watch.
299. 15:05>> Stay with me, soldier.
300. 15:09>> [music]
301. 15:13>> It was you.
302. 15:15I looked for you for 12 years.
303. 15:17>> I'm glad you're here, Tyler.
304. 15:29>> The rest of that recording belongs to
305. 15:31Mrs. Mercer.
306. 15:33>> You told me he died in your arms.
307. 15:36>> You told me he died in your arms.
308. 15:39Claire, I
309. 15:40He died in Chief Quinn's hands. On the
310. 15:43floor of a Black Hawk. 11 minutes from a
311. 15:46hospital.
312. 15:49>> Yellow.
313. 15:54He's alive.
314. 15:58>> He left four wounded men in that ravine
315. 16:00and wrote the story himself. Explain it
316. 16:03to the Inspector General, Mr. Hollister.
317. 16:05>> Sir.
318. 16:07>> Brock.
319. 16:09You told us you carried him.
320. 16:1112 years we believed you.
321. 16:18>> She disobeyed orders. She wrecked a
322. 16:20helicopter.
323. 16:23She disobeyed my order and saved four
324. 16:25men.
325. 16:27The pin, Mr. Hollister.
326. 16:33I'll see it goes back to the army.
327. 16:39This credits the wrong man.
328. 16:41It doesn't go up today.
329. 16:43No, sir. The engraver will start over.
330. 16:47>> Mr. Hollister, will you withdraw from
331. 16:49the sheriff's race?
332. 16:52>> Withdraw from the sheriff's race?
333. 17:07Your co-pilot recommended this that same
334. 17:09week.
335. 17:10Hollister's report buried it.
336. 17:12>> May I, Chief? Yes, sir.
337. 17:16>> Hand, salute.
338. 17:21>> Please.
339. 17:23Sit.
340. 17:25>> Ma'am, I called you a cook. I'm sorry.
341. 17:28>> I'm a pretty good cook, actually.
342. 17:30>> I'll carry that forever.
343. 17:32>> Carry it by doing better.
344. 17:39You said you knew him.
345. 17:41Walk with me.
346. 17:45These are his. I carried them 12 years.
347. 17:49Tell me.
348. 17:52Please.
349. 17:53His last words weren't about the ridge.
350. 17:56He said, "Tell Claire she can have the
351. 17:58yellow door. I love her."
352. 18:02>> He gave me the yellow door, and I
353. 18:04painted it blue.
354. 18:05>> He'd have loved it blue, too.
355. 18:07>> I'm painting it yellow tomorrow.
356. 18:11>> Heard coffee's your thing.
357. 18:13>> I like to think I make a decent cup.
358. 18:15>> You flew into that valley for strangers.
359. 18:17>> You weren't strangers. You were ours.
360. 18:20>> The army would like you back, Chief.
361. 18:23>> I already have a job, General. I save
362. 18:24people on weekdays.
363. 18:26>> Of course you do.
364. 18:32>> You missed a spot.
365. 18:33>> Daniel always said that.
366. 18:38>> Right beside Daniel.
367. 18:41>> About time, Sergeant Major.
368. 18:46>> Brock Hollister has withdrawn from the
369. 18:48sheriff's race and will cooperate with
370. 18:50an army review.
371. 18:51>> Chief, isn't that you with the general?
372. 18:53>> Just a pilot.
373. 18:57>> Trauma at Ridgeland, 2 minutes out. Spin
374. 19:00it up. Hold on, we're coming.
375. 19:03Hold on, we're coming.