We Were Soldiers

Revealing mistake: The scene right after Mrs. Moore delivers the first batch of telegrams shows Lt. Col. Moore kneeling beside several "dead" soldiers. I could see at least the first four breathing.

Revealing mistake: On the battlefield where Mel Gibson first talks to the reporter, there are bodies of dead men lined up on the ground. You can clearly see one of the dead men breathing.

Revealing mistake: Snake Shit's helicopter has no holes in its windshield. Every other part of the helicopter is riddled with bullet holes except his perfect, spotless windshield.

Revealing mistake: Towards the end of the movie, a VC soldier holds a shoulder fired rocket launcher. If you watch carefully, you can see the rocket wobbling as if it's made of rubber.

Factual error: At the end of the movie, Maj. Crandall is depicted as flying a UH-1 gunship, and attacking the NVA positions. Maj. Bruce Crandall was the Company Commander of A Co., 229th Assault Helicopter Battalion, 1st Cavalry Division at the time of the Ia Drang battle. A/229th was a "lift" company, flying UH-1D "slicks" (troop carriers). There were no gunships assigned to that company. The gunships (UH-1Bs) supporting the battle were from D Co., 229th AHB. It's highly unlikely that Maj. Crandall would have commandeered an aircraft from the gunship company to attack the NVA.

rotorhead

More mistakes in We Were Soldiers

Lt. Colonel Hal Moore: To follow your instincts and to inspire your men, by your example, you have to be with 'em. Where the metal meets the meat.

More quotes from We Were Soldiers

Trivia: This can only be seen in the deleted scenes on the DVD version. In the church where the wives are having mass as their husbands are flying into combat, Second Lt. John L. Geoghegan's wife, played by Keri Russell, is sitting in front of the real widow of Second Lt. John L. Geoghegan.

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Question: Would a sergeant-major participate in a mission?

Answer: This one did, everything ascribed to him in the film was true.

Farmersboy

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