Phang is sent for and they agree on a drop zone close to a village near the area the family is hiding. When Casey and his two colleagues parachute in and meet Phang and his men, they are unaware that the local Khmer Rouge military commander - Colonel Pol Lon - has been alerted and is closing on them with close to a hundred men.
Casey's men find the family in caves. Huan, the male adult, introduces his wife, daughter Yu Li, and two young sons to him. They then set out to have the Chinese picked up by skyhook but the Khmer Rouge close in and only the two boys are rescued before they all have to make a break for it.
The chase ends up in a swamp and Casey and his men camp in an old abandoned temple. By this time it is clear Yu Li and Casey are beginning a relationship and Van and George pull his leg. Then there is a gun battle and the rescuing party are trapped by superior numbers. Phang finds a back way out but loses a hand to a cobra. In the battle the Khmers take the outer rooms of the temple but can't fight their way deeper.
They begin to escape via the rear entrance and most get out before Lon orders the final attack. Casey's group manage to get away but now only Phang and seven of his men remain besides Casey, Van, George and the Chinese family. They part company in the swamp, Phang and his men returning to their homes while the others continue towards the sea. Lon sends his men after Casey's group and captures all but Casey and George, who rescue the captives and make a dash for a river, capturing a boat and sailing downriver towards the sea.
Lon and his eight surviving men commandeer a naval gunboat and give chase and wound Van, George and Huan. Casey manages to get the boat out into the sea but the gunboat closes in on them. Huan sacrifices his life to save the others by jumping into the engine room of the communist vessel and blows it up.
Casey sets course for Malaya with the survivors.