Friendly fire? - Hamburger Hill (1987) Discussion

[–] ArmandTanzarian 20 years ago

yeah , they dont realise theyre american and think theyre the vietcong.

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[–] 20 years ago

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[–] drkshad0 20 years ago

This is true incident.

When this happened in the real attack on Hamburger Hill, the battalion commander, Lt. Colonel Honeycutt, sent a message to the division staff. "I want you to make sure that everybody gets this. And I mean the artillery people and the gunship pilots and the liaison officers . . everybody. I don't want ..(them) .. out here if they can't shoot the enemy instead of us. I'm tired of taking more casualties from friendlies than from the enemy. The next goddamn sonofabitch who comes out here and shoots us up, we're gonna shoot his *beep* ass down. And that's final. Now you go back and tell 'em that."

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[–] Master_Lo 19 years ago

Yes, the Huey gunners were crazy people

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*We got a bookoo movement *
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[–] 19 years ago

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[–] Master_Lo 19 years ago

Ironic, isn't it?

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*We got bookoo movement *
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[–] bohdave 19 years ago

Man that scene was probably the worst scene in the movie. Not because of what was being shown on screen but due to that damn radio-guys acting. "NOOOO! NOOOoooOOOoo!!!!" Was he trying for an Oscar or what?!

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[–] rubixburrows 19 years ago

Everyone says there is overacting in this movie but how do think he should react? If you had a bullet in your gut every which way you turned, you might be slightly desperate too.

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[–] nickm2 18 years ago

Real life, the attack was FUBARed by Cobra Gunships...going too fast over the battlefield that had too much smoke & too much brush; just shot up the wrong area; In any case there are no door gunners on Cobras...kind of funny though, they DIDN'T use Cobras on that scene but they had them flying escort during the heli-lift scene when the troops first flew in to the A Shau Valley...probably the filmmakers had to make the scene look more "visible"

NickM

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[–] swat412 19 years ago

These incidents are never nice but they do happen in the heat of battle. It's easy to (not experience actual combat) but watch a movie and pass blanket judgement on someone or a group. Yes, it did happen and not because someone wanted it to happen. During even minor engagements there is some confusion compounded by noise, smoke and many other destractions of the moment. Then, add to that, most orders/requests being relayed through 2, 3 or more radio operators before they get to their destination.

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[–] libertarian45 13 years ago

Friendly fire is a reality of war and will always be there. It's virtually impossible to have thousands of people moving in and around dangerous equipment and launching deadly miunitions without there being some accidents. Hopefully, with improvements in IFF (identification, friend or foe) technology that the accidents will be lessened.

A few random examples:

1944 - US ship practising for D Day is accidentally sunk in the English Chanel - approx 800 US soldiers killed.

1944 - Bombers used to support a major attack in Normandy (Op Totalize or Goodwood, can't recall) unload their bombs early onto a Polish artillery unit and the Royal Regiment of Canada - scores killed and wounded.

2002 - the first 4 canadians to die in Afghanistan killed by US pilot who dropped a 500 pound bomb on a night range practice in Kandahar. A few years later, more Canadians died when a US A 10 strafed a Canadian company following a firefight.

2004(?) - Pat Tillman, the pro football player who gave up a multi-million contract to become an Army Ranger following 9/11, was shot in the head by members of his own platoon during a confused firefight in Afghanistan.

As for the poster who thought the RTO's reaction was "over the top", I met a member of that platoon (the one shot up by the Cobras) during a shooting course in Arizona and he said it was a horrible experience that will always haunt him. As such, he cannot watch HH as it is too realistic and painfull for him.

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[–] nickm2 13 years ago

"1944 - Bombers used to support a major attack in Normandy (Op Totalize or Goodwood, can't recall) unload their bombs early onto a Polish artillery unit and the Royal Regiment of Canada - scores killed and wounded."

Don't forget a mis aimed raid by the 8Th AAF heavies during the opening of 'Operation Cobra (the breakout from the Normandy beachhead)' landed on the lead divisions of the US Army--in fact the highest ranking US Officer killed during WW2 (Leslie McNair--ironically the ARCH opponent of the US Armored force) was killed during this air raid.

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[–] rwsmith29456 13 years ago

Unfortunately friendly fire casualties occur in about any way a weapon can be fired. Artillery called onto the wrong spot, wrong map directions given to bomber aircraft, getting shot in the back by your own people because they are scared *beep* and can't see what they are shooting at in the jungle, night action. It's a part of war that people don't like to hear and talk about.

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