Link to Strobl's Journal.
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Archived from the IMDb Discussion Forums — Taking Chance
CJay — 14 years ago(May 30, 2011 11:03 PM)
One of several bouncing around the net, but hopefully serviceable for curious viewers wondering about the unfiltered source material.
"A Marine's Journey Home by Michael R. Strobl:
http://www.orthodoxytoday.org/articles4/StroblMarine.php
Dr Horrible: "With my Freeze Ray I will
stop
the world." -
CJay — 14 years ago(June 02, 2011 02:35 PM)
Excuse me replying to myself, but here's some stuff I mistakenly hid in another thread, that better belongs here..
/*** snipped ***/
The movie sometimes diverges from the story told in the journal, "based on a true story" cheats for dramatic effect:- Sgt Michael didn't exist. The filmmakers lent extra drama by having a living voice recount Chance's last moments on earth.
- Strobl's sleepover with the casket didn't happen.
- The spontaneous highway tribute convoy was fictitious.
- The teenager texting from the adjacent seat on the plane was fictional too.
- The escort's inner doubts about taking the easy path in his career were not in the journal, except to note that in one year Chance accumulated 7 ribbons (including day of death Blue ribbon) while Strobl had only 8 from 17 years service.
So, yeah, it was a sweetened Hollywood product in some respects, but still heck of a fine job imo.
Dr Horrible: "With my Freeze Ray I will
stop
the world."