Eriksson Everybody's acting like we can do anything and it don't matter what we do. Maybe we gotta' be extra careful because maybe it matters more than we even know.
Tied for most-quoted character in Casualties of War (1989): in 12 of its 24 quotes
Most scenes with: Sgt. Tony Meserve (4), Clark (3), Capt. Hill (3)
Scenes with Eriksson
12 scenes Eriksson Eriksson Pardon me sir, what's your point, sir?
There ain't no point, Eriksson. I'm simply trying to illuminate the terrain in which we currently find ourselves deployed. You don't mind that, do you? And if you do, **** YOU! You on my frequency?
Eriksson Yes SIR!
Eriksson Give me a minute on this thing we're doing. I mean, what we're doing. What are we doing, sarge?
We have a VC suspect. Is that what you mean? She's a VC whore and we're gonna have fun with her.
Eriksson She's just a farm girl.
You're the cherry here, right? So lighten up.
Let me carry the weight. What's the problem, sarge?
He don't think our VC whore is a VC whore.
You're taking your turn in there.
Eriksson No! I ain't raping nobody!
You think you're sayin' no to ME? You're taking your turn.
Eriksson No.
Well maybe when I'm through with her, I'm gonna come after you. Maybe when I'm done humping her, I'm gonna come hump you!
I hate the army. I bet you like the army, don't you Eriksson?
Eriksson This ain't the army, sarge.
Eriksson Who got hit Sarge?
Hawthorne
The cherry. Man, that boy was bagged and tagged the minute they cut his orders to this place. They should've just shot him at home.
Eriksson You sick son of a bitch!
I told you, cherry. What happen...
Eriksson [Clark is hit in the face by Eriksson with a shovel]
Nobody cares, Meserve. I told everybody. I told them. You don't have to worry. You don't have to try to kill me, man. I told them, and THEY DON'T CARE!
You couldn't let it rest, could you? You had to push it?
Eriksson Go to hell. SIR.
Girl on Bus
You had a bad dream, didn't you?
Eriksson Yes.
Girl on Bus
It's over now, I think. Chao ong.
Don't **** with me. You're taking your turn in there.
Eriksson No! I ain't raping nobody!
You think you're sayin' no to ME? You ain't hotshot enough to be sayin' no to me. [Eriksson walks out of the hut] MOTHER****- MOTHER****ER! You think you're standin' up to me? HUH?!
Eriksson I ain't doin' it! No way!
Well, what's the matter, don't you like girls? Ain't you got a pair, is that your problem?
What's goin' on here, Sarge?
Eriksson here don't wanna ball the dink.
Why?
I don' know.
Eriksson, these men **** up good. But you bringing formal charges against them, is that gonna help that poor girl one little bit?
Eriksson Maybe if you'd have been there, sir. Maybe if you had heard her screaming, you'd feel—
YOU DON'T TELL ME SHIT ABOUT SCREAMING, BOY! I've heard a LOT of ****in' screaming in this country! Most of it's come from wounded American boys. [pauses] I'm gonna transfer you out of my company, Eriksson. That alright with you? I'll get you out of the bush, out of the infantry- any ****in' place you wanna go, you name it. I saw your 201 file in the rear. Said you volunteered to be a tunnel rat. Is that what you want, Eriksson?
Eriksson I'd like to get out of this particular company, yes, sir.
Well, that's a Rog, Eriksson- you're a tunnel rat. We get to the rear, you pack your trash-
Eriksson That's not gonna keep me from trying to bring this thing out, sir.
Nobody's trying to keep you from doing a goddamn thing. My function here is just to tell you just how something like this is gonna come down. And you oughta be advised that military court-martials are notoriously lenient, and stateside review boards are even more lenient. Even if these four guys get convicted they're not gonna do any real time.
Eriksson Yes, sir.
In fact, they're gonna be out of the stockade before you can flick flies offa shit, Eriksson. And if I was them, I'd be pissed off- wouldn't you? I'd be lookin' for a little PAYBACK! Now, a man like you- wife, baby daughter- I'd be considering those factors very carefully.
Eriksson Pardon me sir, what's your point, sir?
There ain't no point, Eriksson. I'm simply trying to illuminate the terrain in which we currently find ourselves deployed. You don't mind that, do you? And if you do, **** YOU!
Eriksson Yessir.
You on my frequency?!
Eriksson Yes, SIR!
YOU ****IN' MAGGOT! Who the hell do you think you are?! You're in that report recommending Meserve for a Bronze Star- he pulled you out of a VC tunnel, boy! Now the shit with that girl, that was wrong. But he's a kid, Eriksson, he's twenty goddamn years old! And you're gonna ruin his life! He saved yours.
Attorney
[from the Extended cut of the film, while Eriksson is being questioned by a defense attorney]
Why the Hell didn't you just let that girl go when you had the chance?! In fact if you wanted to save her so badly, why didn't you just shoot the other members of your patrol and be done with it?!
Eriksson I thought about it.
Attorney
But you didn't do it, did you?! Because you were watching out for your own sweet ass is why you didn't do it.
Eriksson I probably should have shot him! Yeah, I probably should have shot Clark! And Meserve. Yeah, I probably should have shot them, yes, sir! Instead of what I did, which was nothing! They killed her, sir. I MEAN THEY **** KILLED HER!
