Tour of Duty is an American military drama television series based on events in the Vietnam War, broadcast on CBS. The series ran for three seasons, from September 24, 1987, to April 28, 1990, for a total of 58 one-hour episodes. The show was created by Steve Duncan and L. Travis Clark and produced by Zev Braun.
The show follows an American infantry platoon on a tour of duty during the Vietnam War. It was the first television series to regularly show Americans in combat in South Vietnam and was one of several similarly themed series to be produced in the wake of the acclaimed Oliver Stone film Platoon (1986).
The series won an Emmy Award in 1988 for Outstanding Sound Mixing for a Drama Series, and it was nominated again in 1989 and 1990.
Overview Tour of Duty examined the issues of politics, faith, teamwork, racism, suicide, fragging, terrorism, civilian deaths, sexuality, drug abuse, and how the lives of soldiers and civilians were permanently affected by the Vietnam War.
The first season began in 1987 and followed Bravo company's second platoon located at Camp Ladybird. Second platoon was standard light infantry platoon conducting "search and destroy" missions in Vietnam, under the command of 2nd Lieutenant (1st Lieutenant from the start of season 2) Myron Goldman (Stephen Caffrey) and Staff Sergeant (later Sergeant First Class) Clayton 'Zeke' Anderson (Terence Knox). It was filmed on location in Hawaii at Schofield Barracks.
For the second and third seasons, the series was filmed at Indian Dunes/Newhall Orchards and Farms about 4 miles west of I-5/Santa Clarita, California between Hwy 126 and the Santa Clara River to reduce filming costs. This area was also used to film China Beach, Baa Baa Black Sheep and many other TV series and movies from the mid-1970s to 1990.
The change of location also led to a change in the show's direction. Beginning in the second season, the platoon was relocated to a base near Saigon, Tan Son Nhut. Production staff interviewed in Vietnam Magazine said this change in premise doomed the series because it shifted from being a realistic chronicle about the life of an average combat infantryman to an action/romantic/drama show. CBS wanted female characters because ABC had premiered China Beach, a Vietnam Army nurses drama, which was aimed directly at attracting more female viewers.
In Tour of Dutys third season, the remaining female character was killed off, and the platoon was transferred to a SOG unit at Camp Barnett, under the command of Colonel Brewster (played by Carl Weathers). The unit conducted covert operations in Vietnam and Cambodia which included a fictional version of the raid on Son Tay Prison. The show was cancelled at the end of this season due to falling ratings.
Guest stars included Lee Majors, James Hong, Mako, Kelly Hu, Angela Bassett, Ving Rhames, Melora Hardin, Everett McGill, Olivia d'Abo, Alfie Wise, David Alan Grier, Richard Brooks, Malcolm-Jamal Warner, William Sadler, Carl Weathers and Michael Madsen.
Episodes Series overview
Season 1 (1987–1988)
Season 2 (1989)
Season 3 (1989–1990)
Characters Character Actor Rank(s)/Job Seasons 1 2 3 Main cast Clayton Ezekiel "Zeke" Anderson Terence Knox Staff Sgt. (SSG)/Sgt. 1st Class (SFC) colspan="3" Myron Goldman Stephen Caffrey 2nd Lt./1st Lt. colspan="3" Daniel "Danny" Percell Tony Becker PFC/Cpl./SP4 colspan="3" Alberto Ruiz Ramón Franco Pvt./PFC/SP4 colspan="3" Marcus Taylor Pvt./PFC/SP4/Sgt. colspan="3" Marvin Johnson Stan Foster SP4/Sgt. colspan="2" colspan="1" Scott Baker Eric Bruskotter Pvt./SP4 colspan="1" colspan="1" Roger Horn Joshua D. Maurer Pvt./PFC/SP4 colspan="1" colspan="2" Randy "Doc" Matsuda Steve Akahoshi SP4 colspan="1" colspan="2" Rusty Wallace Kevin Conroy Captain colspan="1" colspan="1" colspan="2" Johnny McKay Dan Gauthier 1st Lt. colspan="1" colspan="2" Alex Devlin Kim Delaney Reporter colspan="1" colspan="1" colspan="1" Francis "Doc Hock" Hockenbury John Dye PFC/SP4 colspan="2" colspan="1" Supporting cast Nikki Raines Pamela Gidley 2nd Lt. colspan="1" colspan="2" Dalby Bruce Gray Lt. Col. colspan="1" colspan="2" Darling Richard Brestoff Major colspan="1" colspan="1" colspan="1" Dr. Jennifer Seymour Betsy Brantley Civilian Contracted Psychiatrist / then Major U.S. Army Medical Corps colspan="1" colspan="2" Marion Hannegan/Putman Charles Hyman Master Sergeant (as Hannegan), SFC (as Putnam) colspan="1" colspan="2" Mike Duncan Michael B. Christy Major colspan="2" colspan="1" Sister Bernardette Maria Mayenzet Civilian Nun colspan="2" colspan="1" Stringer Alan Scarfe Colonel colspan="2" colspan="1" Jack Elliot Peter Vogt General colspan="2" colspan="1" Edward Higgins Michael Fairman Major General colspan="2" colspan="1" William Griner Kyle Chandler Pvt. colspan="2" colspan="1" Duke Fontaine Patrick Kilpatrick CIA Agent colspan="2" colspan="1" Joseph "Skip" Beller Greg Germann 1st Lt. colspan="2" colspan="1" Carl Brewster Carl Weathers Colonel colspan="2" colspan="1" Thomas "Pop" Scarlett Lee Majors Private colspan="2" colspan="1"
Notes
Music The opening theme song was an abbreviated version of the Rolling Stones hit "Paint It Black" that had featured in the end titles of the 1987 Vietnam War film Full Metal Jacket; this was removed for the US DVD release. The closing consisted of an instrumental, synthesized tune with a distinctive Asian sound mixed in with acoustic guitar; it was performed by Joseph Conlan, and was never released for public consumption other than in the series. That music was used as background music for most of the series. On the US DVD release, most of the Vietnam War–era popular songs were replaced by instrumental bits to cover the blank spots of music.
All three seasons that have been released in the United Kingdom feature the complete original soundtrack, including "Paint It Black".
The show was known for its classic American rock soundtrack including Creedence Clearwater Revival, Jimi Hendrix, and Jefferson Airplane. One first-season episode, "USO Down", used "live" versions of "Wooly Bully", and "We Gotta Get Out of This Place" as performed by a USO band, the latter song being used also for ironic comment. The songs in this episode were retained in the DVD soundtracks. But for copyright reasons, the VHS and DVD soundtracks of the majority of episodes were replaced with soundalikes, a move which was widely protested by buyers and resulted in a significantly lower sales volume for the third-season DVD set than for the first two.
In the Netherlands, amongst other European nations, a total number of seven albums were released, containing most of the songs featured on the show. As a result, "Paint It Black" was re-released as a single, again hitting the number 1 position in the Dutch top 40 pop charts in May 1990.
The original soundtrack albums The Tour of Duty television series soundtrack was released by CBS on Columbia Records as four different compilation albums during 1988 and 1989. The original albums are now out of print. Their track listings are as follows:
Tour of Duty Soundtrack, Volume 1 (1988) "Baby Love" – Diana Ross and The Supremes "Here Comes the Night" – Them "We Gotta Get Out of This Place" – The Animals "A Whiter Shade of Pale" – Procol Harum "Itchycoo Park" – Small Faces "All Along the Watchtower" – The Jimi Hendrix Experience "Hurdy Gurdy Man" – Donovan "Time of the Season" – The Zombies "And When I Die" – Blood, Sweat & Tears "War" – Edwin Starr "Ball of Confusion" – The Temptations "What's Going On" – Marvin Gaye "Time Has Come Today" – The Chambers Brothers "I Want to Take You Higher" – Sly and the Family Stone "Groovin' Is Easy" – The Electric Flag "Oye Cómo Va" – Santana "Ball and Chain" – Janis Joplin "Ballad of Easy Rider" – The Byrds Tour of Duty Soundtrack, Volume 2 (1988) "Paint It Black" – Chris Farlowe "Tin Soldier" – Small Faces "Stone Free" – The Jimi Hendrix Experience "Sunshine of Your Love" – Cream "Born to Be Wild" – Steppenwolf "Reach Out I'll Be There" – Four Tops "People Get Ready" – The Impressions "Jennifer Juniper" – Donovan "Your Precious Love" – Marvin Gaye & Tammi Terrell "Groovin'" – The Rascals "Eight Miles High" – The Byrds "Cloud Nine" – The Temptations "I Heard It Through the Grapevine" – Gladys Knight & the Pips "Piece of My Heart" – Janis Joplin "It Takes a Lot to Laugh, It Takes a Train to Cry" – Al Kooper & Stephen Stills "Ring of Fire" – Eric Burdon & The Animals "Spinning Wheel" – Blood, Sweat & Tears "Bridge Over Troubled Water" – Aretha Franklin Tour of Duty Soundtrack, Volume 3 (1989) "White Room" – Cream "Highway Chile" – Jimi Hendrix "Lazy Sunday" – Small Faces "Gloria" – Them "Sky Pilot" – Eric Burdon and the Animals "Natural Born Bugie" – Humble Pie "White Rabbit" – Grace Slick & The Great Society "The Weight" – The Band "Go Now" – The Moody Blues "San Francisco" – Scott McKenzie "Draft Morning" – The Byrds "Evil Ways" – Santana "Dance to the Music" – Sly and the Family Stone "Tell Her No" – The Zombies "Barabajagal" – Donovan "Killing Floor" – The Electric Flag "Black Night" – Deep Purple "Paranoid" – Black Sabbath Tour of Duty Soundtrack, Volume 4 (1989) "This Wheel's on Fire" – Julie Driscoll "Rag Mama Rag" – The Band "On the Road Again" – Canned Heat "Does Anybody Really Know What Time It Is?" – Chicago "American Woman" – Guess Who "Race with the Devil" – The Gun "Down the Dustpipe" – Status Quo "Living in the Past" – Jethro Tull "Bird on the Wire" – Leonard Cohen "Tears of Rage" – Bob Dylan "Save the Country" – Laura Nyro "To Love Somebody" – The Bee Gees "There Won't Be Many Coming Home" – Roy Orbison "Melting Pot" – Blue Mink "Hi De Ho" – Blood, Sweat & Tears "Chestnut Mare" – The Byrds "Sweet Baby James" – James Taylor "Listen to the Music" – The Doobie Brothers
Charts DateTitleChartPeakposition May 1988 Volume OneAustralia (Kent Music Report)3 August 1988 Volume TwoAustralia (ARIA Charts)5 April 1989 Volume ThreeAustralia (ARIA Charts)15 April 1989 Volume ThreeAustralia (ARIA Charts)15
Note: The official Australian chart was the Kent Music Report until June 1988, and which time it changed to ARIA.
Compilation soundtrack CDs In 1992, Sony Music released a compilation CD titled The Best of 'Tour of Duty'''. It contains only twenty of the songs featured in the four original Tour of Duty Soundtrack albums.
The Best of Tour of Duty (1992) "Born to Be Wild" – Steppenwolf "Tin Soldier" – Small Faces "This Wheel's on Fire" – Julie Driscoll "Barabajagal" – Donovan "Time of the Season" – The Zombies "The Weight" – The Band "Get Together" – The Youngbloods "Chimes of Freedom" – The Byrds "A Whiter Shade of Pale" – Procol Harum "Piece of My Heart" – Janis Joplin "Evil Ways" – Santana "25 or 6 to 4" – Chicago "Killing Floor" – The Electric Flag "Dance to the Music" – Sly & The Family Stone "And When I Die" – Blood, Sweat & Tears "On the Road Again" – Canned Heat "American Woman" – The Guess Who "Race with the Devil" – The Gun "Shapes of Things" – The YardBirds "Sky Pilot" – Eric Burdon & The Animals
Tour of Duty Top 100 (2008) Disc 1 "I Can Hear Music" – The Beach Boys "White Room" – Cream "Are You Ready" – Pacific Gas & Electric "Eight Miles High" – The Byrds "Hush" – Deep Purple "Have You Ever Seen the Rain?" – CCR "Question" – The Moody Blues "Reflections – Diana Ross & The Supremes "Here Comes the Night" – Them "Son of a Preacher Man" – Dusty Springfield "Lady Willpower" – Gary Puckett & The Union Gap "Black Magic Woman" – Santana "Death of a Clown" – Dave Davies "It's the Same Old Song" – The Four Tops "You Wear It Well" – Rod Stewart "Mannish Boy" – Muddy Waters "I'd Rather Go Blind – Chicken Shack "All Right Now" – Free "Roll Over Beethoven" – The Electric Light Orchestra "Papa's Got a Brand New Bag (Parts 1 & 2)" – James Brown Disc 2
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