re: Saw Lone Survivor last night *Spoilers*

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when the Huey was shot down

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Was a Chinook....but ok

Awkward

I thought in the book it said Axe was shot across the forehead and that the blood streaming into his eyes is why he couldn't see? Is that correct?


And for those that do not know, Marcus shares more details that he learned about Axe's and Mikes deaths at the beginning of his second book Service

It's impossible to reconcile all of the media reports, interviews with friends and family, two books (Lone Survivor and Vicory Point) and the movie. The movie is a movie, and everyone should recognize that "based on a true story" isn't the same as a true story. We Were Soldiers Once was a great (and I thought, very accurate) movie up until the end, when Hollywood decided it needed a climactic battle scene to wrap up the story in a neat package. Total bullshite ending, but based on a true story. It sounds like a similar thing happened with Lone Survivor.

That being said, Marcus Luttrell and his co-author, Patrick Robinson, have some glaring inaccuracies in their book and also make some contradictory statements. Luttrell is kind of painted in a corner by having written a book sold as an eyewitness account. He can't renege on his version of events at this point without losing some of his credibility. He states that had they violated the ROE and killed the goatherders, they would have been tried in CIVILIAN court for murder. That's just wrong. He blames the ROE for the deaths of his teammates early in the book, but later says they aren't murderers and wouldn't conduct theirselves like the Taliban. What's it going to be? Are you willing to kill civilians and prisoners, or not? And if not, why was there a vote held?

Speaking of which, Mike Murphy's father vehemently disagrees with Luttrell's assertion that a vote was taken and Murphy left it to Luttrell to decide. He says it's disrespectful to the memory of his son because he believes his son would never be involved in premeditated murder and would not have surrendered his command authority to a subordinate. Various Navy types have also said that the military isn't a democracy... No voting.

There's also a great deal of dispute as to how large the enemy force was. Luttrell says going in they were told 80-200. He splits the difference during the fight and says they were faced with 35-1 odds. Other reports state much lower figures, including Murphy's MOH citation.

For the life of me, I can't understand why they weren't immediately on the radio to report that they'd been compromised and to request extraction, air cover and/or reinforcements. Sad story...


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For the life of me, I can't understand why they weren't immediately on the radio to report that they'd been compromised and to request extraction, air cover and/or reinforcements

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Reception in the Korangal is spotty at best

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For the life of me, I can't understand why they weren't immediately on the radio to report that they'd been compromised and to request extraction, air cover and/or reinforcements. Sad story...

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Well, they couldn't establish comms. At least that's the story the movie told.

Also, I thought Mike Murphy was the one who said it wasn't going to be a vote? Then he says they let them go, high tail it up the mountain, establish comms and get the frick.

He did say that. Luttrell in the book says there was a vote. This was probably altered for respect for mike Murphy and his father and also the Navy.

They couldn't pull up comms. Danny even stayed up while the others fell back(jumped off)and tried to establish radio comms. That was different in the movie. Even the way Danny dies is different. That is probably the thing I didn't like most out of the fight scene

I've read the same about Team guys seeing each other as equals.

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LT Murphy said, "Axe?"
"No choice." We all knew what he meant.
"Danny?"
"As before, I don't give a shite what you decide. Just tell me what to do."
"Marcus?"
"I don't know, Mikey."
"Well, let me tell you one more time. If we kill these guys we have to be straight about it. Report what we did. We can't sneak around this. Just so you all understand, their bodies will be found, the Taliban will use it to the max. They'll get it in the papers, and the U.S. liberal media will attack us without mercy. We will almost certainly be charged with murder. I don't know how you guys feel about that... Marcus, I'll go with you. Call it."

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This seems plausible to me. Think about it; you have guys who are on a first name basis. They trust each other. Its only them. This decision will affect them mission and their lives. They understand this. The officer understands this. Why would he not ask for their input? Why not put it to a vote to get their feelings on possibly comitting murder?