Previously on This Is Us...
How in the hell can I know
so little about my dad's time in Vietnam?
I got back from Vietnam not too long ago.
I had a brother. He died in the war.
Don't worry, Nicky. I'm not going anywhere.
Hope you find him, Sarge.
I mean, I hope the top-secret government stuff goes well.
Thanks for the lift.
- Where you coming from, Sarge? - A fishing ville.
Pulling security detail along the Sông Trà Khúc.
- The what? - The Sông Trà Khúc.
It's 20... 25 klicks southwest of here.
Easy detail.
- Lucky. - Yeah.
That way.
Follow the smell.
Hey, little brother.
synced and corrected by susinz *www.addic7ed.com*
Squirrel, take point.
Robinson, you're with me.
Hmm.
Still giving me orders, and I've been here twice as long, huh?
Can't help it if they made me staff sergeant so quick.
Yeah, well, you know what tonight is?
- 90 days. - 90 more days. Midnight tonight.
90 days, I'm out of here. I'm gone.
I'm back on the block.
You know what the first thing I'm gonna do is?
- You're gonna go to Amarillo. - Going right to Amarillo,
- get me that tryout. - You know,
the Giants... they already got a center fielder.
Willie Mays is an old man.
He's keeping center field warm for me, brother.
Yeah, he's all right.
I mean, look, he's no Clemente, but he's all right.
Well, if it doesn't work out for me and the Giants,
I'm going straight to Pittsburgh,
I'm-a take Clemente's job, his woman, all of it.
And because I like you, Pearson,
I'm gonna leave you a ticket to a game.
Yeah. You keep telling yourself that.
What you got, Squirrel?
Toe popper. Homemade.
- Okay. Blow it. - Okay.
Hey, Townie. Knock it off.
- Uh, just one more, Sarge. - No.
- Go long, pretty boy. - Boone, you got a can?
I don't think you got the arm, Townie.
- Yeah, want to bet? Go deep. - Nah, for a big boy,
you sure throw like a small...
- Whoa! - Geez!
Squirrel?
Medic!
Contact! Contact, left!
Get on! Go, go, go!
Go, go, go, go!
- You okay, you okay? - Reloading, reloading.
- Boone, you good? - Good as it goes.
Robinson?
Hey, Robinson, a lot of bad guys. Hose it down.
I got you. Shake 'n Bake.
Go, go, go! Get on! Go, go, go!
Murphy, you're with him, I'll cover. Go, go, go!
Man down! Man down!
I got a man down!
Man down!
Oh!
Go, cover. Go, go, Cover.
- Medic! Medic! - Where is it...?
Did you see my foot? Did you find my foot?
- I got to find my foot... - Hey, Donnie, stay down.
Stay down! Stay down, Donnie. Stay down. Medic!
Stay calm. I need to get a tourniquet on you.
Jack, I think they can sew it back on.
Jack, Jack. Think they can sew it on?
- Deac! - Hey, Sarge.
Get some morphine in him.
Get a second tourniquet on.
He's bleeding out.
- Murphy! - Yeah?
- Clear? - Clear.
- They're retreating. - Jack, is this really real?
- Morphine's in. - Just ride the high.
Just ride the high, Donnie. Come on.
I'm riding the high, Jack.
- I'm cool. - Murillo!
Jack. Jack.
Give me...
- give me my foot, please, Jack. - What?
My foot. Just give me...
Sarge.
Murillo, call in...
call in a medevac.
- One W.I.A., one K.I.A. Go. - Roger, roger.
Home Plate 3-0, this is Indigo two-one-niner.
We need a Dustoff.
One W.I.A....
What is that?
I got you a medic. I got you, bro.
I got you. I got you.
It's gonna be okay.
You're gonna be okay.
Come on, man. You're gonna be okay.
I guess Clemente's j is safe for now.
Yeah, but you can still beat Willie Mays.
My ass.
Hey, you're going home, man.
No 90 days, Robinson.
You're going home ASAP. That's what matters.
But you got more than 90 days left.
And now you got to do it without me here.
Roger that, Donnie.
I'm gonna be fine. No sweat.
You're scared, Pearson.
Don't you ever get tired of pretending
like you ain't plain, flat-out scared?
Nah, I've been pretending my whole life, man.
I don't know any other way.
My ma...
she used to, um,
she used to do this thing,
we were little, when we were scared.
We have a monster in the closet,
or we knew my pop was gone,
and he was gonna come home drunk and heated.
She'd tell us to breathe.
It's a funny thing that we forget sometimes.
We so scared that we gonna die,
we forget to do the thing that keeps us alive.
Breathe.
You want a foot, man?
Jack.
One, two, three!
Heard you got your asses 'bushed.
Command's throwing you some easy duty.
You'll be pulling security at a little river village
on the Sông Trà Khúc
as part of the Strategic Hamlet Program.
It'll be like Club Med compared to the boonies.
Hear they got little boats you can go fishing on and everything.
Get your men squared away, you're leaving first thing
- in the a.m. - Yes, sir.
Sir, where did you say
the-the ville was located, sir?
It's about 20 or 25 klicks southwest of Chu Lai.
Here, I'll show you.
How often does the chopper come back to resupply?
Every three, four days. Why?
I may need you to give me a lift one of those times.
Top secret government stuff.
The ville is mainly populated by women and children,
'cause all the able-bodied men are out fighting the Vietcong,
or fighting us.
Battalion intel claims this ville
is riddled with VC and VC sympathizers.
They want the place pacified,
whatever the hell "pacified" means.
I mean, how do you pacify people
who don't want to be pacified?
But I guess we'll string some
concertina wire, try to keep out the VC riffraff
and then provide a little old-fashioned American
firepower when it hits the fan,
which most definitely will happen.
At night, you watch.
Shadows come, shadows go.
Are they against us? Are they with us?
Don't know, don't care.
They cut the wire, next day you repair the wire.
Rinse and repeat.
I'll be checking in on you every couple days.
This is a cush detail
and it will not last forever,
so do not take it for granted
and do not screw it up.
Sarge.
Wake up, gentlemen.
Let's go.
Come on, wake up.
Think you're sleeping in on vacation here?
Murillo.
Show 'em. Open the case.
- Look what Sarge got for us. - Yeah.
- Hell, man. - Yeah.
Holy crap, Sarge.
How'd you score this?
Still want to play me in high-stakes poker? Whoa, whoa!
Whoa. Back up.
Now, this camp, I swear to God.
I need you to police it up,
and I need it done ASAP. Right now.
Pull yourselves together. And then...
we celebrate.
You got two hours.
Murillo, anyone makes a move on the crate,
you give 'em a serious ass kicking,
- that's an order. - Roger that, Sarge.
Townie, Murphy,
get dressed, you're with me on the wire.
Man, this ville leaks like a sieve.
That's affirmative, Murph.
These yo-yos, they come and go at will,
like they own the place.
Well, hey, man, they sort of do own the place.
I mean, it's their ville, right?
No excuses.
Just saying, man.
Been having nightmares about this ville
since the last time I was here.
Your men are the sloppiest bunch of junkyard dogs I've ever seen.
Oh, no, no, sir. They're in good form.
Hmm.
Sir, I was wondering if I could ask you a favor.
I just heard that my brother is at LZ Gloria,
and he's in a bit of trouble.
Guess he's been Article 15'd, and, well, I was wondering,
since it's under 20 klicks from here,
if I can get on the next supply chopper,
hitch a ride, go to him.
Well, it's all sun and fun out here,
but you realize there's a war going on?
No, I-I know, I know that, but I...
Did you catch this yourself?
Oh, is this for me?
Lanh! Lanh!
Lanh!
Hey, you little pissant Ho Chi Minh,
we don't want your fish. Di di pronto.
- Di di pronto. Scram. - Hey, Townie,
take it easy, okay? He's just a kid.
Yeah, now he is, but wait till he turns 15.
Little commie runt will slip through that stupid wire
we patch up every night and start blowing us away.
Townie.
He's not wrong.
Due respect, sir...
I'm asking you for 24 hours to go see my brother.
Sergeant, you're down two men already.
I can't spare you.
And your squad doesn't exactly inspire me with confidence.
Hey there, Joe.
Hello, Mrs. Pearson.
Oh, I'm such a klutz.
Have a good day, Joe.
Hey, Ma.
Just checking on you.
Dear family,
I'm up at a forward firebase called LZ Gloria
somewhere out in the boonies of Quang Nam Province.
I got Article 15'd.
That's getting my rank busted to PFC
for "reckless endangerment to myself
and to my fellow soldiers,"
like I'm the danger, and not this messed up war.
I'm not getting out of here alive, I know that,
but I'm not dying on anyone's terms but my own.
I'm living in hell on earth, family.
Hell, I may have already died and I don't even know it.
I hope to see you again.
Wherever that may be.
Love, Nick.
Jack Pearson?
Your pulse is high.
Doctors make me nervous.
I've been your family doctor since you were six, Jack.
If I'm still making you nervous, I'm not doing my job very well.
Hey, you know, Nicky wanted to be a doctor?
Wants...
Wants to be a doctor.
- Didn't know that. - Yeah.
Maybe because he was always sick as a kid.
I don't know.
But he did love the science of it all, I think.
And even when we were little,
I-if I got a cold...
he'd-he'd try to figure out the perfect combo of O.J. or soup
to make me feel better, you know?
I want to enlist, Doc.
I need to be there with him.
You have a legitimate reason not to go, Jack.
The tachycardia...
It's a harmless irregular heartbeat.
Look, I was fine to take the 4-F, avoid the war.
I'm not stupid, but...
well, he's there now,
and he's struggling.
Look, I just need to be where he is.
Okay? Even if I can't get to him.
Even if I can't do anything for him.
I just need to be there.
He's my little brother, Doc.
It's my job to take care of him.
That is my only job.
Do a hundred push-ups right before you go in.
Then catch your breath. That should help you pass.
Should help balance it out.
If they notice anything,
just say you're nervous.
Honestly, they'll probably be so surprised
to see anybody volunteer for this damn war now,
it's your brain they'll want to check.
Want a little coffee with your sugar?
Funny.
So you just gonna stand around, watch me work all day?
Hey, man, I'm just...
trying to pass the time.
Get any sleep?
Not really. You?
Slept like a baby, 'cause everything's gonna be all right.
Yeah, not if my number comes up.
The lottery, I mean.
It's not gonna happen, Nicky.
- It might. - It won't.
Yeah, I know.
- You got a plan. - I don't.
Yeah, you do.
My own personal Superman.
Just your big brother.
And I'm your Lois Lane.
Always needing to be saved.
You know that is not who you are, right?
Okay.
Hey, look, we'll...
we'll watch at the bar tonight.
I have a plan.
Thanks, Supe.
...the president may be under great pressure
to reciprocate, possibly by announcing
a heavier second step American troop withdrawal...
Hey, Nicky. Let's go. It's almost time.
No, we're gonna watch it downtown.
You're not watching it here?
It's draft lottery, it's not the Super Bowl.
Remember, sweetie,
you were born lucky, and I'm praying for you.
- Thanks, Mom. - Yeah, thanks, Mommy.
Look out for your brother.
Always do.
Yeah, God forbid he learns to look out for himself.
Slow down.
Nick, slow down.
Oh, they're gonna call my number.
I just know they're gonna call my number.
Hey, you were born lucky. Remember?
Your birthday is gonna be the 365th one called tonight,
and you're not gonna get drafted.
We just don't want to hear "October 18"
for a very long time tonight.
Yeah.
You know, I read that the cutoff is something like 200.
And anybody picked after that's probably not gonna go.
We interrupt this broadcast to go live
to the Selective Service National Draft Lottery.
The director of Selective Service
is going to establish tonight
a random selection sequence
for induction for 1970.
September 14.
September 14,
zero, zero, one.
April 24.
April 24
is zero, zero, two.
December 30.
December 30
is zero, zero, three.
February 14.
February 14 is zero, zero, four.
October 18.
October 18,
zero, zero, five.
September 6.
September 6
is zero, zero, six.
- October... - We'll get you to Canada.
I know a guy. He-he'll get you set up.
Get a place to live, a job, everything.
I don't even have a passport.
You don't need one. Look, all you need
is a driver's license and a reason.
Okay? The guards, t-they don't even carry guns.
It's gonna be okay.
November 22.
November 22,
zero, zero, nine.
December 6.
December 6
is zero, one, zero.
Make me proud, son.
You guys enjoy your hunting trip.
Thanks, Ma.
I love you, Nicky. I love you so much.
I love you, too.
He's never gonna speak to me again.
Lucky.
Hey, you know it's not your job to fight his demons, Nick.
I wonder what happens next to me.
It's weird, isn't it...
the way we think about our lives?
What's next?
What happens next?
Always moving forward.
I wonder if things would make more sense
if you looked at everything in reverse.
Like, if you...
started at the end,
and move backwards and try to figure out how you got there.
I wish I could do that right now.
I read that you could become a medic
if you train in Texas for two months.
Medics get shot, too, Nicky.
We're almost 30 miles from the border.
Let's... let's get a motel.
Get some rest. You... you can cross tomorrow.
Nicky, go long.
I won't catch it.
You can do it, come on. Go long.
Ow.
It's okay, Nicky, you're okay.
- My glasses. - It's okay, it's okay,
it's okay. You're-you're fine.
If he sees the glasses he'll be mad.
He'll be mad at me, not you.
I'll never let him touch you.
I hate my glasses, anyway.
Come on. They make you look smart.
No one tough wears glasses.
What about Superman?
Superman doesn't wear glasses.
He does when he's Clark Kent.
Not when he's Superman.
He's a tough guy in disguise.
That's you, Nicky.
You're Clark Kent. You're CK.
Tough guy in disguise.
Just a matter of time before people realize
you're actually Superman.
Christ's sake, clean up your toys.
Don't you tell me what I need!
Stanley, it's late.
Please, hey... don't touch... don't touch that.
Don't!
Hey!
I don't want to hear it. Bring that back!
Leave me alone, leave that here.
All right? I don't want to hear it.
All right, get back to your...
- ...touch that. - Maybe if you don't need another three.
Don't you dare tell me what I need.
Leave her alone.
Isn't this cute?
Okay, Stanley, come on.
Three of you deserve each other.
I'm sorry, boys.
I'm so sorry.
He didn't use to be this way.
Jack.
Sweetie, your heart is racing.
It always beats fast.
I'm fine.
- Oh, Stanley, I'm scared. - No, no, just keep breathing.
You're doing great. Mom's gonna be just fine, Jack.
Okay, sir, we'll take it from here.
- Stanley. - No, no, come on, hon,
you've done this before.
Okay? You did great the first time,
- you're gonna do great now. - Okay. Right.
Jack.
You're a lucky woman, having a baby on October 18.
18 is my lucky number, you know?
My best daughter was born on the 18th,
I was 18 when I got married
and June 18 is my anniversary.
Yes, ma'am, super lucky day today.
Lucky baby.
My husband's hoping I can hold out till tomorrow.
The 19th is his father's birthday.
You like his father?
Dad, do you want a boy or a girl?
- Truth? - Truth.
I want another boy.
Ah, there you are.
Hey, Dad.
Eh, any news?
No, not yet.
Oh.
You pick a name?
Yeah. Nick if it's a boy,
and Noreen if it's a girl.
What do you think?
Yeah.
Yeah, sure.
Yeah.
Come on! I know you can do this.
You're doing good, come on.
Keep pushing.
It's been hours.
Yeah.
You want a swig?
Come on, Dad, you know I don't drink.
Hey, Dad, you know, if that kid's born after midnight,
you'll share a birthday.
Yeah, well, it is getting late.
Your mother's held dinner for me.
I expect you'll send word.
- Thanks for coming down, Dad. - Yeah.
Here you go.
Here's your mama.
Well, 11:58 p.m....
made it just by the skin of our teeth.
That guy, right there.
That's your little brother.
October 18 after all.
18 is a very lucky number.
Very lucky number indeed.
Now, remember...
big brothers look out for their little brothers.
It's their only job.
It's the only thing that matters.
And you know what?
All these little guys in there...
every single one of 'em...
they have the same birthday as your little brother.
Hey, little brother.