FAQ for
Platoon (1986) More at IMDbPro »

The following FAQ entries may contain spoilers. Only the biggest ones (if any) will be covered with spoiler tags. Spoiler tags have been used sparingly in order to make the page more readable.

For detailed information about the amounts and types of (a) sex and nudity, (b) violence and gore, (c) profanity, (d) alcohol, drugs, and smoking, and (e) frightening and intense scenes in this movie, consult the IMDb Parents Guide for this movie. The Parents Guide for Platoon can be found here.

No. Platoon is based on a screenplay by director Oliver Stone. That screenplay was actually based on Stone's earlier screenplay, Break, a semi-autobiographical account of his experiences and people he knew in Vietnam.

...near the beginning of the movie, as the squad goes out for the night ambush and in the end of the movie? "Oh! Susanna", written by Stephen Collin Foster in 1847 or 1848. Lyrics.

...at the end of the movie? "Adagio for strings", composed by Samuel Barber and performed by the New Zealand Symphony.

Night Ambush:

Pvt Tex (WIA) Has hand blown off by Sgt. O'Neil's grenade. M60.

Pvt Gardner (KIA) Killed by NVA soldier.

NVA Bunker:

Pvt Sal (KIA) Killed by booby trap.

Pvt Sanderson (KIA) Killed by booby trap, staggers around with no arms before death. M79. Specialist 4th Class.

Pvt Manny (KIA) Abducted by NVA and found strung up with throat slit.

Church Ambush:

Pvt Lerner (WIA) Wounded while walking point, seen stretched after church battle. Platoons Translator. There is a lot of speculation whether he lives or dies, confused even more by the fact Depp mentions Lerner croaks it in a Platoon documentary. The last we see of him he is alive and in critical condition being placed aboard a Huey. Specialist 4th class.

SGT. Warren (WIA) Wounded behind Learner, seen being choppered out after church battle. 2nd Squad (Bravo) Squad Leader.

Pvt Flash (KIA) Killed by NVA soldier, seen lying dead next to Sgt. Warren when Leaner is being worked on by the Doc. Black guy seen combing hair in Night Ambush.

Pvt Moorhouse (KIA) Killed by short round, while using M60. Seen being carried away at end of battle. Seen raping girl in village scene. Originally uses M16 later inherits Tex's M60.

Pvt Fu Sheng (KIA) Killed by short round. One of the dead under ponchos at battle end, seen carried to chopper at end. Hawaiian kid, seen lighting building in village scene. Sgt. O'Neil's RTO.

Pvt Big Harold (WIA) Has leg blown off by booby trap.

Crawford (WIA) Surfer dude. Shot in the lung by NVA soldier. Specialist 4th class. Sgt. Elias's RTO.

Pvt Ace (WIA) Gets shrapnel wound from short round, Barnes digs it out of him. Lt. Wolfe's RTO.

SGT. Elias (KIA) Wounded by Barnes, then shot by multiple NVA. Car-15. 1st Squad (Alpha) Squad Leader. Sergeant.

Pvt Tubbs (KIA) Killed by NVA soldier, in the Church battle, we don't see this on screen. He is one of the four dead bodies under ponchos. He's the guy with the M79 who brings the Village elder to Barnes to interrogate. M79.

Final Battle:

Pvt King (Survives) His tour of duty ends just before the battle. M60 (Uses an M16 in the Night Ambush scene).

Pvt Bunny (KIA) Killed in bunker by NVA soldier blowing his brains out. Remington 870.

Pvt Junior (KIA) Trys to run knocks himself out then is bayoneted by NVA soldier.

Pvt Parker (KIA) Dragged into CP bunker by Doc, who confirms he is dead. He is also seen sitting next to the guy (Tubbs) who's throwing a knife into the ground, just before scene where Barnes, O'Neil and others are playing cards.

Pvt Tony (WIA) Shot while defending CP bunker, then seen waving to Taylor at end. Ssg. Barnes RTO.

Doc (KIA) Also shot while defending CP bunker, he is still rolling around after being shot but would appear to have died from his wounds as he is not seen at the end with the other survivors (this is also the case in the script). Platoon's Medic.

LT. Wolfe (KIA) Killed while defending CP bunker, in this very dark scene you see him shot or hit by shrapnel in the face, he staggers around covering his face and then is shot multiple times. Car-15. 2nd Lieutenant (Platoon Leader).

SSG. Barnes (KIA) Killed by Taylor. Car-15. Staff Sergeant (Platoon Sergeant).

Ebonhoch (Survives) Seen in foxhole with Rhah just before battle, then seen waving at the end with Tony. He is played by an Assitant Technical Advisor Mark Ebonhoch. Platoon's Demolition Expert. Sgt. Warren's RTO.

SGT. O'Neil (Survives) 3rd Squad (Charlie) Squad Leader. Sergeant. Promoted to Staff Sergeant (Platoon Sergeant) at end of film.

Pvt Rhah (Survives) Given command of Elias's squad and seen waving at film end. Promoted to 1st Squads Sergeant at end of film.

Pvt Huffmeister (Survives) Seen standing behind O'Neil when he is given command of the platoon. Dale Dye says in his commentary that Huffmeister is played by an Assistant Technical Advisor called Robert Galotti, he is the guy who rolls down the hill in the opening credits and also chucks a grenade down the well in the village scene.

Pvt Francis (WIA) Stabs himself in the leg to get second Purple Heart and thus get sent home, along with Taylor.

Pvt Rodriguez (WIA) On chopper with Francis at end of film. Hispanic kid seen praying when Wolfe goes into bunker where Barnes and others are playing poker. Originally uses M16 inherits King's M60 (but we don't see him using it, O'Neil mentions to King to give it to him before he leaves).

Pvt Taylor (WIA) Seen leaving on a chopper with Rodriguez at the end of the film.

Lastly he isn't part of the Platoon but for completeness:

CPT. Harris (Survives) He's seen briefly at the beginning when on patrol with the platoon but most of his onscreen time comes in the final attack. He was also the Technical Advisor for the film. The black soldier behind him is Flash, the guy in the foreground is Bunny. Captain.

Rhah and O'Neill are the only prominent characters left, as neither got so much of a scratch in the final battle. They are both promoted, Rhah is given Elias' position, and O'Neill is given Barnes' position much to his chagrin. Therefore they would probably have to break in new recruits, until the WIA's were fit for duty again.

As stated in the trivia, Charlie Sheen improvised this, as he felt Chris would be suicidal by the end of the movie. Having murdered Barnes in cold blood and seen the horrors of what the men fighting on the same side as him would do to each other and innocent people during the conflict. Taylor picked up the grenade, but once one of the other soldiers made their way to him, he probably felt it was better to live and get shipped home to be with the ones he loved.