Rolling Thunder was the code name for carpet bombing from the Vietnam era.......
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TkMSni36CkA

SPOILER ALERT! Fantastic essay of a Vietnam veteran ex POW played by William Devane with a multi layered emphasis on his past and 1977 present. The theme of vengeance is played down and is used in such a way that it almost acts as an excuse for their actions releasing a need to satisfy a kind of redemption for him and the Tommy Lee Jones' character. So instead of only for the sake of vengeance, almost, or in fact, in exactly the same way as Travis Bickles played by Robert De Niro in Taxi Driver, released a year before.

For both movies the build up to the conclusion is almost the same because killing the bad guys is for them a way of killing their Vietnam past and also the scum bags that preside in their present. What we don't see in this movie is the hero value that was headlined for Bickles, although we can assume our heroes here get the same treatment because both storeys are written by Paul Schrader. Directed by John Flynn starring William Devane, Tommy Lee Jones, Linda Haynes, James Best and Dabney Coleman. A fine must see exploitation movie. Enjoy!

 

This was back when most of us were Americans.
Later we were taught to have "collective guilt" and feel ashamed to be American

John Kerry, US senator flung his vietnam service medals at the white house in the
60's and today is Secretary of State unde Barack Obama........