Michael Pack

Fallujah and Najaf are the biggest battles America has fought since Vietnam.

And the purpose of the film is to tell the story, the ground truth in the words and deeds of the people who fought there.

Not whether the war was right or wrong, but what happened in these battles, to tell it as a battle story, as if it were Gettysburg or Iwo Jima.

And I think the right way to honor the men and women who've risked their lives for us is to celebrate what they did in battle.

That's how they want to be remembered.

Not discussing PTSD or anything else.

They want that to be remembered in a fair, truthful way.

And as you know, Steve, we don't really sugarcoat these battles.

They were horrible meat grinders, and we depict them that way.

And that's what...

counterinsurgency urban warfare is like.

And the film is, you know, as you know, Steve, we completed it a long time ago, 17 years ago, and

for PBS and finally they're putting it on this year, but it's actually more relevant than ever.

Now that, you know, if you look at wars in Gaza or Ukraine, they are very similar and future wars will be like that too.

And we need to honor these men and women.

They're mainly Marines.

You know, you're celebrating the Marines today, but Army, Air Force too, but mainly Marines.

And they are heroic.

You can see it in that clip.

You know, Jesse Grapes, he never would say this.