OT - "Taking Chance"

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OT - "Taking Chance" - 2/11/2009 4:54:16 PM

DuncanLang

Posts: 64
Joined: 5/9/2005
From: Spotsylvania, VA
Status: offline

Below are two sections from an article from today's Fredericksburg, VA paper about a forthcoming HBO movie "Taking Chance."

Links to the article, the original column on which the movie is based, a trailer for the movie and the transcript of the interview with Lt. Col. Strobl and Kevin Bacon, who plays him in the movie, are at: http://www.fredericksburg.com/

Free Lance-Star; 11 Feb 09

'Chance' comes to Virginia

Lt. Col. Michael Strobl never met Chance Phelps.

But he has ensured that the world will not forget the 19-year-old Marine lance corporal who died on Good Friday, April 9, 2004, in Ramadi, Iraq, when his unit was ambushed. He'd been in Iraq two months.

Strobl, of Stafford County, volunteered to escort the body of the young Marine home to Dubois, Wyo., and wrote about his experience.

His journal has become an HBO movie, "Taking Chance," which debuted last month at the Sundance Film Festival. Its Virginia premiere was last night at Marine Corps Base Quantico, where Strobl was stationed when he volunteered for the duty.

The film details the handling and transport of remains, from the air base in Germany, to Dover, Del., and eventually the return to the family.
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"This story isn't about Iraq. It's about America," he said. "I think the story is timeless. In my mind, it makes no difference that Chance happened to have been killed in Iraq. This story isn't about Iraq."

It is about remembering--not just Phelps--but fallen service members and veterans from all time periods.

"Chance's dad was a Vietnam vet," Strobl said. "Chance's sister was in the Navy. Her fiance, now husband, is in the Army and, of course, Chance is a Marine.

"There are so many other families they don't know anybody who is or was or has been in the military. I think this movie will--I hope it will--make people stop and think a little bit about the sacrifices those families make."
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Post #: 1

RE: OT - "Taking Chance" - 2/11/2009 7:18:41 PM

skrewball

Posts: 305
Joined: 12/10/2000
From: Belgium
Status: offline

Thanks for posting this info. I do have to warn you though that I posted the same a few weeks back and it turned into an ugly political debate.

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"Some people spend an entire lifetime wondering if they've made a difference. The Marines don't have that problem."

(in reply to DuncanLang)

Post #: 2

RE: OT - "Taking Chance" - 2/11/2009 7:32:52 PM

jerrylt2008

Posts: 56
Joined: 5/13/2008
Status: offline

Thank you DuncanLang for this thread. I saw the ad and trailer for it last night. I actually told my fiance and her children that we will be watching it here in Texas on the evening of the 21st. I told them that nothing else will be on the TV and there will be no other noise in the house. I have actually performed this duty for my best friends that i buried in Arlington. They all started to ask questions about it and we had a great conversation on it. This brought back so many memories and I actually started to cry for quiet a while. I told them everything about it and they just sat quiet and listened. Thank you for bringing this up.

I want to say here, do not make this political. Do not violate this tenent and make speeches here. skrewball has it right and "DO NOT MAKE THIS POLITICAL".

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"One tin soldier rides away........."

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Post #: 3

RE: OT - "Taking Chance" - 2/11/2009 8:51:06 PM

DuncanLang

Posts: 64
Joined: 5/9/2005
From: Spotsylvania, VA
Status: offline

As skrewball and jerrylt2008 obviously understand, I did not post it to make a political statement. I purposely included the bits that said that this "isn't about Iraq" and is about remembering "fallen service members and veterans from all time periods", and I may add countries, since I realize we have some folks here that do not hail from the USA. I just thought since there are a lot of vets on this forum, and folks who may not be vets, but can appreciate the sentiments, there might be some interest in a film about respect for fallen warriors. Plus, it has Kevin Bacon.

(in reply to jerrylt2008)

Post #: 4

RE: OT - "Taking Chance" - 2/11/2009 10:30:15 PM

whippleofd

Posts: 617
Joined: 12/23/2005
Status: offline

I had the honor of escorting a friend home after a motorcycle accident back in 1983. I still remember it like yesterday.

Here I was a young sailor trying to be "strong" for the parents and just before walking into the church Steve's Mom took me aside and said, "It's ok to cry now".

Whipple

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MMCS(SW/AW) 1981-2001
1981 RTC, SD
81-82 NPS, Orlando
82-85 NPTU, Idaho Falls
85-90 USS Truxtun (CGN-35)
90-93 USS George Washington (CVN-73)
93-96 NFAS Orlando
96-01 Navsea-08/Naval Reactors

(in reply to DuncanLang)

Post #: 5