Sergeant McGee

Sgt. McGee is a U.S. Army soldier who served during the Vietnam War as a member of the Green Berets Special Forces.

History
Sgt. McGee is first seen at Fort Bragg as part of a Q&A event held with several members of the United States media. He and Sgt. Muldoon were "volunteered" to answer any questions the civilian guests had on their minds regarding the US military and its involvement in the Vietnam War. McGee was asked by reporter George Beckworth if he believed the Green Berets were "a military robot with no personal feelings". The questioned was asked again by a female reporter named Sybil Sutton, rephrasing the question "do they press a button? Do you men do what you're told to do without any personal feelings or opinions?" Sgt. McGee opened with a reply stating he and his fellow soldiers could understand the killing the military, but could not condone the intentional murder of civilian leaders and their followers. Ms. Sutton interrupted his reply, stating that the Vietnamese opposing the Viet-Cong were fighting and dying for their cause, hinting at her belief that the United States had no real reason for being involved. McGee attempted to explain that the U.S. had no other choice other than intervene when the violence against the Vietnamese civilians included torture and murders of women and children, among other things. Ms. Sutton again interrupted, insisting that those with a voice in Vietnam did not outwardly express help from the United States or show any desire to have any American military presence in their country. McGee then proceeded to explain his answer in a simpler way, stating that if the same conflict was happening in the United States, every teacher, mayor, governor and member of the U.S. governing body would all be either tortured and killed and their families likewise killed, and a light number of people would be kidnapped. He went on to say that despite the atrocities by ruthless tyrants, there would always be someone willing to stand and take the place of those who have been decimated.

This was the last of his involvement in the Q&A session. McGee was next seen at Army headquarters in the front room of Colonel Kirby's office. He announced the arrival of Sgt. Provo, who was there to speak with Col. Kirby. After the meeting between Provo and Kirby, Sgt. McGee was called back into Kirby's office to pull Provo's service record. McGee already did so, assuming the Colonel wanted to read it. He put in a positive recommendation for Provo, stating he was a good man. This led to Sgt. Provo joining Kirby's A-Detachment being formed for deployment in Vietnam.

McGee joined in the "apprehension" of one Specialist (E-5) Petersen, who was known for being a con man around the Army base. Col. Kirby wanted Petersen due to his skills in acquiring almost anything (goods mostly). McGee noted Petersen's knack for being on time with his "item pickups" from other units' supply depots. By the time the two A-Detachments were formed and ready, the standouts included Sgt. McGee, Sgt. Muldoon, Sgt. Watson, Sgt. Parks, Petersen (promoted to Sergeant by Kirby), Sgt. Kowalski, with officers including Capt. MacDaniel, Lt. Sachs and Lt. Moore.

Action
Sgt. McGee was the team's medic and was known commonly as "Doc". He was assigned duties in Camp 2-9er Savoy's Dispensary. As a Sergeant, he held the grade of E-7, as a Sergeant First Class. He therefore took orders from Master Sgt. Muldoon and Colonel Kirby. He was also under orders of Captain MacDaniel and Captain Nim (although he was never seen having any on-screen interaction with either captain).

McGee joined efforts to help the Vietnamese locals, including examining every child for any illnesses or injuries, including treating a little girl who was the granddaughter of a village chief. McGee treated her foot that had stepped on a punji stick and was infected. He later joined Col. Kirby in a mission started at sunrise to escort people from a nearby village into Camp 2-9er Savoy for their protection. The Green Berets arrived too late, finding the village destroyed and the village chief dead. After talking with the women who had survived the Viet-Cong village raid, McGee and the Green Berets learned of the fate of the missing little girl who was taken away into the jungle by five Viet-Cong soldiers and never returned. McGee found her remains. He returned a necklace worn by George Beckworth, given to the little girl in friendship, before carrying her body away to properly bury.

McGee was later seen at the battle at Camp 2-9er Savoy, defending villagers fleeing the dispensary and nearby bunkers. By the end of the battle, McGee was seen having set up a triage where he had treated a mortally wounded Sgt. Provo. He explained to Col. Kirby that he thought it was better not to move Provo after he had sustained severe gunshot wounds throughout his body. Provo knew already he was slowly dying and requested first to share a drink with the Colonel and to make sure he got his memorial sign properly arranged. McGee confirmed Provo's death after Provo finished whispering to Col. Kirby what he wanted his memorial sign to be.

McGee was next seen joining a mission to capture an important Vietnamese general. The mission was successful, however costly. Many Green Berets were killed in the capture of the General and the sabotage of Viet-Cong defenses surrounding the General's location. During the mission, McGee was severely wounded with a stray bullet shot during the brief gunfight at a bridge leaving the General's vacation spot. He and Sgt. Muldoon had rigged a series of explosives to destroy the bridge on their way out of the area. After Muldoon set off the charges, he finally realized McGee's injury. Mounted in a motorcycle with a sidecar, Muldoon quickly drove away with McGee desperately hanging on in the sidecar.

McGee was not seen for a while afterward, suggesting he was safely left in a protected location for evacuation. When the Green Berets returned to Da Nang airbase, McGee was loaded onto a stretcher to be rushed to a medical ward. He likely spent an unknown extensive length of time in recovery from this point.

Trivia

 * Sgt. McGee was portrayed by the late Raymond St. Jacques.


 * Raymond St. Jacques portrayed characters in at least two war dramas, including The Green Berets in 1968 as Sgt. "Doc" McGee and Frederick Douglas in the American Civil War film Glory, 21 years later in 1989.