Since Hollywood does everything in groups, we saw a slew of Vietnam War themed movies in the mid-1980s. Uncommon Valor was one of the early successes of these strings of movies. They were either critically acclaimed "A-list" movies, like Platoon (1986) or low budget "B action films" like Missing in Action (1984).
Hamburger Hill (1987) was a competing Nam movie to Platoon and was released several months after Platoon had won the Academy Award for Best Picture. As a result of this, there were invariably many comparisons to Platoon, however these are two completely different movies. Hamburger Hill did not achieve the same success as Platoon, however it did respectably at the box office.
Hamburger Hill refers to the infamous 'Hill 937' in the A Shau Valley , Thua Thien province, which was a major point of supply by the enemy from the north. At the north end of the A Shau Valley was a major North Vietnamese Army (NVA) staging area known as Base Area 611. Hill 937 is so named because the number lists the number of meters 'above sea level'. (Hills with identical heights are given additional name identifiers, but there were few hills that had the exact same height in Vietnam. )
Though the film shows a majority of the platoon being killed in the ascent to the summit, the 101st airborne actually suffered 4% KIA during the 10 day assault. It is interesting to note that many motion pictures depict much greater casualties than actually occurred during an historical battle (Gallipolli is a stark example).
All of the 101st Airborne soldiers in the film carry XM16-E1 rifles, the interim variant of the M16 rifle which combined the 3 prong flash hider with the A1 style upper receiver. In reality, the 101st AB, at this stage of the war, did NOT carry the XM16-E1, but had the M16A1 with birdcage flash hider, a fact pointed out by Hamburger Hill Veterans when the film was released.
Soldiers in the beginning of the film have ModelGun Corp replica MGC M16s slung to their backs as they load wounded onto helicopters. One of the giveaways is the 'blued' 20 round magazine (the real 20 round magazine is anodyzed aluminum), the shape of the pistol grip and the rear sling swivel. The most obvious detail is not seen here, the fake forward assist of the replica rifle.
Error creating thumbnail: File missingThe MGC M16 Assault rifle: a non firing metal replica built by the Model Gun Corp of Japan and one of the most used non firing replicas of the M16 in movies and television.Error creating thumbnail: File missingSoldiers of the 101st carry wounded with MGC M16 Replica rifles slung to their backs.Error creating thumbnail: File missingSoldiers of the 101st carry wounded with MGC M16 Replica rifles slung to their backs.
AK-47
Error creating thumbnail: File missingChinese Type 56 Assault Rifle - 7.62x39mm. This variant has a stamped receiver, the version in the film has a milled receiver.Error creating thumbnail: File missingNVA hold Chinese Type 56 style AKs, some plain and some with pig-sticker bayonets - 7.62x39mmError creating thumbnail: File missingNVA run back to their bunkers, all carrying standard AK-47 style rifles - 7.62x39mm. These are probably Poly-Technology Legend series AK-47s.
Chinese Type 56 Assault Rifle
Other than the milled receiver AK-47s (which are probably Poly-Technology Legend series rifles), there are obvious stamped receiver Type 56 style AK rifles with underfolder spike bayonets (aka "PigSticker". This variant has a stamped receiver, the version in the film has a milled receiver.)
The Chinese variant of the Russian SKS, the Type 56 Carbine with spike bayonet, is used by the NVA combatants in the film.
Error creating thumbnail: File missingChinese Type 56 Carbine with spike bayonet - 7.62x39mm.Error creating thumbnail: File missingAn NVA soldier is killed after wounding Duffy (Harry O'Reilly) in the arm during a battle. The Soldier holds the Chinese Type 56 Carbine with spike bayonet - 7.62x39mm.Error creating thumbnail: File missingNVA soldier bayonets Sgt. Franz (Dylan McDermott) in his side during the final battle - 7.62x39mmError creating thumbnail: File missingA montage of the scene where the NVA soldier shoots Gaigin and Doc with his Type 56 Carbine (SKS). This is particularly hard to see due to the heavy rainfall and dense smoke of the scene. The rear sight is flipped up, most likely occurring when the rifle snags on debris as the man crawls back and forth from his hole. The sight cannot be used in this manner for any sort of aimed fire, so he is purely pointing and shooting.Error creating thumbnail: File missingNVA soldier with a Type 56 Carbine (SKS) fires next to an NVA using a Type 56 Assault Rifle (AK47) - 7.62x39mm
M79 grenade launcher
Used by McDaniel (Don James) and then later by Pvt. Joe Beletsky (Tim Quill)
A variety of 'lemon grenades' are seen on soldier's web gear throughout the film. They are often seen from a distance on webbing or in men's hands as they are thrown. In real life they are supposed to be M61 Grenades (virtually identical to the M26A1 lemon grenades most associated with Vietnam), however, these have a slightly unusual shape, implying that they are some sort of 'trainer' grenade that is not often used to impersonate the M26/M61 series of grenades.
When Sgt. Frantz (Dylan McDermott) is lecturing the new members of the platoon, he uses a former NVA crossover (a participant in the Chieu_Hoi program [1]) named "Han" to demonstrate how 'not paying attention' will get them killed. Han is 'armed' with a long empty tube made to resemble an RPG launcher of sorts. It has a dud Warhead on it. "Han" demonstrates his skill and ability by avoiding the noisemakers, trip wire and barbed wire of the perimeter to get within striking distance of the G.I.s
Throughout the film, the enemy uses the Chinese Type 56 (aka Type I) stick grenade. It is an oval pineapple style grenade on a short wooden stick and noticeably shorter than the famous German Stielhandgranate of WW2 fame.
Seen in the distance on some of the perimeter shots of the base camps and mounted on M113 APCs.
Error creating thumbnail: File missingAn M113 APC rolls by with soldiers 'grabbing a ride'. An Browning M2HB is visible mounted on the front - .50 BMG. Contrary to what is depicted in the film, soldiers riding vehicles were supposed to wear their M55 or M68 flak jackets, even though they were not bullet proof, they protected against grenade or bomb fragments, including roadside mines and boobytraps. Only in close quarters battle where quick movement trumped ballistic protection, did the soldiers ditch their flak vests.
M1911A1
Standard issue in the Black leather holster of officers and NCOs, however, the handgun is only seen holstered and not seen fired. (Note: I am not 100% sure but I caught no instance of the M1911 used in combat in the film MPM)
M72A1 LAW Rocket
Carried by some soldiers, but not seen used. Since the enemy at this stage had no armor to defeat, the M72 LAW rockets were used primarily as 'bunker busters', though they are not effective against soft earth targets like the tunnel entrances on Hill 937.
Error creating thumbnail: File missingAn M41 Walker Bulldog tank with an 76mm M32 Main gun is seen in a field during a lull in the fighting. The fact that this tank has U.S. Armored Division markings is a bit of an anachronism, since the M41 was only supplied to the ARVN and was an obsolete tank for U.S. Forces. In fact, the M41 was perfect for the ARVN Armored units, since it's interior was too small for "American" tank crews but perfect sized for the small statured Vietnamese tankers. The Bulldog's secondary armament was one Browning M2HB .50 Cal machine gun and an .30 Cal Machine gun
