At the end of the film, it is revealed that the landing zone immediately reverted to North Vietnamese hands after the American troops had been airlifted out. Hal Moore continued the battle in a different landing zone, and after nearly a year, he returns home safely to Julia and his family. His superiors congratulate him for killing over 1,800 North Vietnamese Army and Viet Cong soldiers. An older Moore visits the Vietnam War memorial and looks at the names of the soldiers who fell at Ia Drang.