E arly on the afternoon of November 14, 1965, in Vietnam's Ia Drang Valley, severalplatoons of soldiers from the 7th Cavalry landed in what was called LZ X-Ray.Over the next few hours, the entire 7th Cavalry would arrive to fight, and die,together.

This film is the account of the days when America first stood tofight against a new enemy and, in this battle, won.

"We WereSoldiers" accurately portrays the events of the three-day battle. The 7thCavalry, led by General Moore (Mel Gibson), was subject to a cruel irony: it wasthe same unit Custer led in the Battle of Little Big Horn. The unit lived up toits reputation and lost thousands of men in Vietnam.

Gibson does amarvelous job as Moore. The real General Moore was on the set during shooting toadvise Gibson. During the first viewing of "We Were Soldiers," GeneralMoore was so moved that he had to leave halfway through.

The movie is 75percent accurate, right down to the fact that a French bugle was found on thebattlefield after the fight. Fiction occurs where Hollywood is known to add it:exaggerated situations and actions, and as al-ways, that dramatic finalbattle.

With "We Were Soldiers," Hollywood has a taken areal-life occurrence and accurately portrayed the graphic terror and horror. Theacting is superb, and I don't think anyone will leave the theater unmoved.