FAQ

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Because people in Afghanistan generally don't speak English to each other.

A "SEAL" is a member of the elite, versatile commando force of the United States Navy. US Navy SEALs are trained to conduct long range reconnaissance missions, hostage rescue, ambushes, and similar missions. The name "SEAL" is an acronym, and stands for "Sea, Air, and Land". This acronym refers to the ability of US Navy SEALs to infiltrate their targets from the sea, the air and the land. SEALs have access to a wide variety of weapons and equipment in order to accomplish said missions. The training required to become a US Navy SEAL is notoriously brutal, and is considered to be the most difficult kind of training in the United States military. The training lasts roughly a year, and roughly seventy percent of those who start the training fail to complete it.

The SEALs have their blood groups written on their uniforms in case they are hit. They also have NKA which stands for "No Known Allergies".

The Army soldiers were the crews of the Special Operations helicopter that was shot down on the rescue mission, belonging to 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment (SOAR) known as the "Night Stalkers". In the war in Afghanistan the majority of ground based special operations units utilize U.S. Army helicopter transport on missions.

They went to help an army convoy that was engaged in combat. It was a tactical decision, diverting the helicopters on standby to support a four man team in case they got into trouble to aid a much larger unit which was actually in battle.

The steep mountains of Afghanistan make communications problematic at the best of times. Added to that are the vagaries of atmospheric conditions and solar activity so combat communications in the field can never be 100% reliable. The British SAS Bravo-Two-Zero mission during the Gulf War encountered the same problems (and were also compromised by a goatheard) even when they were in a flat desert.

Open to debate, some estimates being in single figures others in the hundreds. Luttrell himself in his after-action report puts the total as dozens.

A typical load would be six thirty-round magazines plus a couple of hundred rounds of link ammo and three 15-round magazines for their pistols. They would also carry hand grenades and rounds for the underslung grenade launchers on their rifles. Marcus said in his book that the guys would usually carry eight thirty round mags for their rifles. However, each had an uneasy feeling and took three extra mags. So that would be 330 rounds of 5.56 each.

Basically according to an interview with Director Peter Berg (Q&A with Jeff Goldsmith) with the help of Afghan translators in writing the script it is the most serious, dangerous threat that can be said in Pashto which roughly translates to "In the morning you will wake up separated from all your blood".

Yes. The pilot of the MH-47G Chinook was actually from the US Army's 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment not the Navy. So, the SEALs on board the MH-47 wanted to be put down to provide back up for the other SEALs already in contact and dying. However, after seeing the first Chinook being blown out of the air the 160th pilots believed it was too hot to land especially without escort and covering fire from AH-64 Apache gunships.

Fairly accurate until the final scene where the Taliban attack the village and are repulsed. In real life the villagers help Luttrell escape into the mountains where he is found by an army search team. Also in real life Luttrell and the other SEALs do not witness the rescue helicopter being shot down. Luttrell was never at any stage captured by Taliban. Also, much of the story about Luttrell (i.e. him as a Lone Survivor) is not covered in the movie, which is at least 50% of the story in itself.

Marines: M4A1 Carbine, Mk 12 Mod 1 SPR, Beretta 92FS, Mark 48 MOD 1, Mark 11 MOD 0. Marcus Luttrell (Mark Wahlburg): Mk 12 Special Purpose Rifle. Michael P. Murphy (Taylor Kitsch) & Danny Dietz (Emile Hirsch): M4A1 fitted with a M203A1 launcher. Matthew Axelson (Ben Foster): Mk. 12 Mod 1 Special Purpose Rifle & Beretta 92FS. Villagers: Double Barreled Shotgun, Mossberg 500, AKM, & AKMS. Taliban: AK-47, AKM, AKMS, AKS-47, Norinco NDM-86, PKM, Type 69 RPG, RPG-7, & Makarov PM. More information can be read and screen captures viewed here.