Courage Under Fire (1996) - 11 mistakes

Factual error: During the rescue scene it looks like Meg Ryan is firing an M16A3 rifle (looks like an A2 but fires full auto). The reason this is a mistake is the first Gulf War ended in 1991 and the M16A3 wasn't fielded until 1994. In 1991 no one had A3s so she couldn't have been firing one.

Continuity: At the award ceremony, the Congressional Medal of Honour is hung around the daughter's neck. In the next shot we see of her looking up at the planes, the medal is gone.

Factual error: The portrayal of the firing MLRS before Denzel's unit moves off is ludicrously inadequate. The rockets launched from the MLRS resemble a space shuttle lift-off, but in the movie it was more like a sparkler thrown into the air.

Continuity: At the end of the movie, Serling takes the file and rises it above holding it with the back of his hand turned upwards. When the file comes down to the table, the hand magically has turned and it also holds a different side of the file.

Other: Speaking to General Hershberg (Michael Moriarty) in his office, Nat Serling (Denzel Washington) implies that it was easily discoverable that the US tank was destroyed by "friendly fire" because the US is the only country which uses "uranium depleted" shells. The correct term is "depleted uranium". Maybe Washington flubbed his lines.

Plot hole: Sgt Monfriez would have never been on a medevac helicopter with an automatic weapon. I served several years in U.S Army Medical units and they are allowed defensive weaponry only, medical units are not ever issued automatic weapons period. The plot says the Monfriez is from another unit and is asked to accompany the medevac but that would never happen; it is against the law of land warfare to put an automatic weapon on any type of ambulance vehicle.

Continuity: After Meg Ryan's crew destroyed the Iraqi tank by dropping the fuel bladder onto it, the tank is seen in perfect condition as Ryan's helicopter is crashing.

Factual error: All through the movie the commander of the American tank that Ltc. Serling fired on is referred to as "Lt. Boylar" yet in the photo shown of him and Serling he is wearing captain's bars. He is also designated as "Cougar 6." In Army terminology "6" designates a unit commander. Had Boylar been a Lt. his designation would have been either "Cougar 16" or Cougar 26" respectively depending on which platoon he was the leader of.

Factual error: In the opening tank battle, we see oil wells burning in the background as the tanks drive across the desert. We later hear that this battle takes place in Basra, which is in Iraq. The Iraqis surely did not burn their own oil wells during the first Gulf War. They did so when they were in Kuwait.

Visible crew/equipment: A film crew member, wearing a blue sweatshirt, is visible in the shot panning to follow the helicopter and there are Iraqi troops in the foreground. It is during the recollection of the accident, when Nat Serling is interviewing the first U.S. Army crew member.

Factual error: Denzel's tank was actually a Centurion, but apparently dressed up to be an M1A1.   The ammunition for M1A1s use semi-combustible cases; that is, most of the case is consumed in the explosion of the propellant.  There is only a small base cap that is ejected from the gun, not the entire casing as portrayed in the movie. If Denzel's tank was supposed to be an M1 or M1IP, which would have non-combustible cased ammunition, then they wouldn't have fought any T-72s, as no M1s or M1IPs engaged any T-72s.