MovieChat Forums > Platoon (1987) Discussion > Sandy and Sal

Sandy and Sal

posted a year ago by PittPanthers47 (237)
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Just thought I would try to see if there was any opinions on Sandy and Sal? I guess we did not get to see a whole lot of them to be honest. Of course they were the two guys who were victims of the VC/NVA booby trap that set things off in the wrong direction that culminated in the village scene. I can't say that either man seemed all that bad. They looked to be lackies/stoolies for Barnes and O'Neill.

We see them involved in the card game in the barracks when Lt. Wolfe comes in for a visit with the men. We see Sandy walking with O'Neill a little earlier when they confiscate the beer that King has. While O'Neill and Sandy were kind of jerky here they seemed harmless for the most part. Just silly knuckleheads pulling rank to get some beer.

In the bunker scene Sandy seems to take his job very serious as he roots through the maps and documents that were left there. Sal on the other hand wants nothing to do with it and says it is spooky and remarks that the pot was still warm like they just left. You know the rest.

[–] BOandBarbecue (2264) a year ago

hi pitt, interesting topic again. yes these two were members of barnes & o'neill's ball washing crew. but they were not bad guys just simpleton who probably just want to fit in.

they are certainly memorable character. one thing that stand out to me is that one of them is the valet parking guy from ferris bueller day off hahahah. he have unique face you cant miss. this man was in many film in the 80s like good morning vietnam. funny guy!

certainly pitt i think going through vc hideout was not good idea, and the other man who was worry was correct, but he was doing his duty as a soldier. the other man's feelings telling him something wrong, that victor charles was just in this area, but other guy was too determine to investigate and this cause both to fall for booby trap. i think soldiers should trust instinct when something is not right. i also think barnes and elias should have told everyone not to touch or remove anything until sappers get there.

this is the first step of village massacre scene. first they see there buddys sandy and sal blown apart by booby trap - right in front of them. then manny is abducted by nva and is tied to tree and execute. all of this build up to village scene. very effective way of telling this story from oliver stone - builds tenstion.

[–] PittPanthers47 (237) a year ago

Good thoughts. Yeah, Sandy and Sal did not strike me as bad people. I would have been very concerned about booby traps. I wonder what kind of explosive device the enemy used? Was it a grenade? Some sort of charge?

Oddly, Sal seems to be killed instantly while Sandy emerges alive from the bunker with his arms blown off. Sandy seemed to be the one who picked up the cache of documents and maps and you would think he would have been killed instantly and Sal would have made it out briefly. Sandy of course died within seconds of coming out. Bad explosion. The other men standing around outside were probably quite fortunate that they were not badly injured.

[–] BOandBarbecue (2264) a year ago

booby trap was probably something like this: https://youtu.be/e3l_QKKwico?t=235

grenade or vc equivalent of a satchel charge. charlie was masters of disguise

yes good point pitt. the man who come out of bunker was the one who trigger device. sandy wouldve been the one instantly vaporized when he pick up that booby trap - that is point blank explosion. the other man would survive at least at start, but with limbs missing. that blast probably have kill radius of at least 20 feets. i guess stone was not paying attention

i think i read that 10 percent of american casualtys in nam is from booby traps.

[–] PittPanthers47 (237) a year ago

Yeah, it was probably a grenade stuffed down below the documents thing and when Sandy lifted it up it went off.

Booby traps are bad as I can tell you first hand. You can be vigilant all you want but you can never see everything. I think we all hit them when I was growing up like I told you. Thank goodness they were not lethal.

They would take their toll and be extremely bad for morale I am guessing. It would make everyone hesitant about every step they took.

[–] BOandBarbecue (2264) a year ago

hahah yes pitt your legendary forest booby traps. i would recommend you right book on your experience of this. it sound like fun read.

if you, who i assume is not trained by soviets in guerilla tactics and booby traps, is able to make great booby traps that take out nerdlingers, then think of how effective these charlie booby traps would be? must be terrifying for gi.

yes that is why i would not want to be point man.

[–] PittPanthers47 (237) a year ago

I did take out the nerdlinger but also got taken out by him as well. LOL.

I always thought that I would like to walk point as I grew up in the woods and ridges of Western PA---but when you start adding in things like booby traps, mines, snakes, and such thick jungle growth that you would never have a chance to see an enemy even a few feet away----I think that I would gladly pass.

But that is just it---some of the American GIs grew up in the cities and may have been okay at urban warfare while others grew up in the country and were likely okay at fighting in a forest. But I highly doubt that any of them grew up in full-blown jungle with snakes, tigers, and all the trimmings of that kind of warfare. Huge advantage to Charlie there!

[–] BOandBarbecue (2264) a year ago

hahaha the nerdlinger is dangerous pitt always watch out for them and you learned the hardway but at least you got nerdlinger too! these guys have capabilitys beyond average person. i would fear them out in the woods.

yes i would not like to be pointman. even if i was playing mock wargames like those civil war reanactors, i get killed first and cant fight in fake battles with fellow war aficionado.

that is great point pitt. the city boys would know little about jungle while country boys would have advantage having experience with outside elements. it would not be a huge advantage as you say because nothing compare to tropical jungle and wildlife, but a definate advantage all the same.

i wonder if sandy and sal were city boys? they were nice but very dumb

[–] PittPanthers47 (237) a year ago

That's an interesting question----how many of the Platoon guys grew up in the city and how many were country boys?

Barnes- country boy
Wolfe-townie
Taylor-small town
Junior-city King-country boy
Bunny- country redneck or small town trash
Elias-maybe both, deleted scenes say he was from Oklahoma (or somewhere like that) and then made his way to LA
O'Neill- country or small town
Crawford- beach bum
Rhah- hard to say with him, maybe city
Francis- city
Big Harold- not sure