Question: Build a movie plot around this: What did Serling use to track down Ilario? Details about his preferred vacation spot.
Answer:
While serving in the Gulf War, Lieutenant Colonel Serling (Denzel Washington) accidentally destroys one of his own tanks during a confusing night-time battle, killing his friend Captain Boylar. The US Army covers up the details and transfers Serling to a desk job.Later, Serling is assigned to determine if Captain Karen Emma Walden (Meg Ryan) should be the first woman to receive a (posthumous) Medal of Honor. She was the commander of a Medevac Huey that was sent to rescue the crew of a shot-down Black Hawk. When she encountered a T-54, her crew destroyed it by dropping a fuel bladder onto the tank and igniting it with a flare gun. However, her own helicopter was shot down soon after. The two crews were unable to join forces, and on the next day, when further rescue arrived, Walden was reported dead.Serling notices inconsistencies between the testimonies of Walden's crew. Specialist Andrew Ilario, the medic (Matt Damon), praises Walden heavily. Staff Sergeant John Monfriez (Lou Diamond Phillips) claims that Walden was a coward and that Monfriez himself led the crew in combat, and that the fuel bladder technique was originated by him. Sergeant Altameyer, who is dying in a hospital, complains about a fire. Warrant Officer One Rady, the co-pilot, was injured early on and rendered unconscious. Meanwhile, the crew of the Black Hawk claims that they heard firing from an M16, which Ilario and Monfriez deny.Under pressure from the White House and his commander, Brigadier General Hershberg (Michael Moriarty), to wrap things up quickly, Serling leaks the story to newspaper reporter Tony Gartner (Scott Glenn) to prevent another cover up. When Serling puts pressure on Monfriez during a car ride, Monfriez forces him to get out of the vehicle at gunpoint, then commits suicide by driving into an oncoming train.Serling tracks down Ilario using details about Ilario's preferred vacation spot. Ilario tells the true story, revealing that Monfriez wanted to flee while leaving Rady behind. As a result, Monfriez held Walden at...