The 2002 Vietnam War film "We Were Soldiers," starring Sam Elliott, is now available to stream for free on Kanopy, accessible to anyone with a participating public library card or university login. The film, which chronicles the 1965 Battle of Ia Drang Valley during the early Vietnam War, has earned widespread acclaim from military veterans and historians over the decades, with many calling it the "first one to get it right" in its depiction of combat's harsh realities.

The film features an impressive ensemble cast including Mel Gibson, Madeleine Stowe, Greg Kinnear, Barry Pepper, and Keri Russell, with Elliott delivering a standout performance as Command Sergeant Major Basil Plumley. Its reputation has been bolstered by its meticulous commitment to combat accuracy; former Green Beret David Harris awarded the film's air support sequence a 9/10 for realism, particularly praising its authentic portrayal of emergency protocols such as "broken arrow" declarations and "danger close" strikes. The film originally had a $115 million theatrical run and has only grown in standing over the years.