Movie: In The Shadow Of The Blade

"America's Vietnam Veterans didn't talk much about their war... Until a Huey came to town."

That's the tagline for a 2004 documentary centered on a Vietnam-era helicopter, a UH-1 Iroquios "Huey", as it travels around the country giving rides to Vietnam Veterans, while they tell stories of their war and perhaps find some peace, comfort and healing.

Here's a blurb from the film's website:

Once, she carried them to war...Strap in, pull pitch, and take your heart for a ride as a restored Vietnam War UH-1H Huey helicopter makes history in a journey across America to hear the untold stories of Vietnam veterans and their families.

As she lands in backyards and farmyards "Huey 091" – now in the Smithsonian Museum of American History – becomes a powerful catalyst for emotional healing, reconciliation, and tribute as veterans share, reflect, and demonstrate to the world that one can "hate war, but love the American warrior."

All flights in the movie carried Vietnam Vets and their families and were flown by pilots who also served in that war.  And it allowed these Vets to talk about their experiences and find comfort in the honor of their service -- regardless of the judgement history now passes on that war.

Perhaps because of our collective guilt over how Vietnam Vets were treated when they came home from that terrible war, we Americans have embraced people who served in Iraq and Afghanistan with tremendous enthusiasm.  This film is a nice reminder that we have aging Vets from a very unpopular war who also deserve some pats on the back.

Here's the trailer:


The movie is shown every so often on Discovery's Military Channel and you can also learn more at the film's web site.