Kilgore (Robert Duvall)’s Timeline and Summary

Willard and the boat crew first encounter Kilgore while his Air Cavalry helicopters are attacking a beach.
We see Kilgore placing playing cards on dead bodies just so the VC know who killed their guys.
Kilgore hasn't heard of Willard's mission, and hesitates to escort him to the river since the area is full of Viet Cong, but agrees after Lance tells him the surfing is great.
They attack the beach near the river's mouth as Kilgore blasts Wagner from the helicopter's speakers.
After landing, Kilgore orders some of the soldiers to surf even before the fighting's stopped. He tells an anecdote to his men about how he loves the smell of napalm in the morning.