[Milsurplus] Hollywood vs. accuracy

[Hue Miller]

Even tho the film "Windtalkers" had Navajo vets on scene while
filming,
they couldn't get some thngs right. From an interview with Roy
Hawthorne, Codetalker vet, on Nat'l Public Radio program "Fresh Air",
6/12/02:

On the movie's portrayal that each codetalker had a Marine bodyguard
assigned, who would shoot the codetalker, if capture by Japanese
appeared likely:

 ( R.H. ) "I would call that a myth. It didn't start with the movie,
but it is a myth.
Besides, that would tell us we were a lower class of Marine, second
class Marines, that couldn't be trusted to be strong and loyal."

(Interviewer)  "What did you like about the movie, and not like?"

( RH ) "Some things I liked and some things I did not like. The movie
did point
 out that a code was necessary and that these young men, on their
own,
 provided the solution. I liked the story line."

(Interviewer) "What did you not like?"

(RH) "The obscenities. There was swearing, that happens, but the
obscenities, I would call that overkill. That wasn't there."
______________________________________

But then - unlike the actors in this movie, the actual codetalkers
did not have to prove they were tough guys.

I believe the whole interview is available online via streaming
audio,
if you have a good net connection. Look for "Fresh Air Radio" and
maybe add "WHYY", the station where this program originates.
Hue Miller