rescued by a US river boat patrolling nearby on the Cam Lo River. Historical accuracy Portions of Bat*21 were highly dramatized, including the climactic battle. Some characters were composites of real people, while others were created for the film. However, some other details were accurate, including that rescuer Captain Larry Potts was African American. The actual rescue took over 11 days, during which a major attack was delayed, resulting in numerous South Vietnamese soldiers being killed and wounded. A Forward Air Observer aircraft was shot down and USAF 1Lt Bruce Walker and USMC 1Lt Larry Potts parachuted to the ground safely, eluding capture. In an ensuing attack, six more Americans lost their lives attempting to rescue him. The North Vietnamese, alerted by the intense efforts to find the flyer, increased their efforts to find Hambleton. Walker was discovered and killed by the Vietnamese forces. During a covert nighttime operation more than behind enemy lines, Hambleton was finally rescued in a land operation by U.S. Navy SEAL Lt. j.g. Thomas R. Norris and VNN Petty Officer Third Class Nguyen Van Kiet. Cast Gene Hackman as Lieutenant Colonel Iceal Hambleton Danny Glover as Captain Bartholomew Clark (Call sign: "Birddog") Jerry Reed as Colonel George Walker David Marshall Grant as WO1 Ross Carver ('Jolly Green' Pilot) Clayton Rohner as Sergeant Harley Rumbaugh Erich Anderson as Major Jake Scott Joe Dorsey as Colonel Douglass Reverend Michael Ng as Vietnamese Man Theodore Chan Woei-Shyong as Boy on Bridge Don Ruffin as Helicopter Crew Member Scott A. Howell as Helicopter Crew Member Michael Raden as Helicopter Crew Member Timothy Fitzgerald as EB-66 Officer Stuart Hagen as EB-66 Officer Jeff Baxter as Helicopter Gunner Alan King as Helicopter Gunner Bonnie Yong as NVA/VC Officer Willie Lai as NVA/VC Officer Martin Yong as NVA/VC Soldier Jim Aman as NVA/VC Soldier Freddie Chin as NVA/VC Soldier Dennis Chong as NVA/VC Soldier Liow Hui Chun as NVA/VC Soldier Fung Yun Khiong as NVA/VC Soldier Henry Lee as NVA/VC Soldier Michael Lee as NVA/VC Soldier Jeffrey Liew as NVA/VC Soldier Fredolin Leong as NVA/VC Soldier Benedict Lojingkau as NVA/VC Soldier Johnny Michael as NVA/VC Soldier Clarence Mojikon as NVA/VC Soldier Wilod Nuin as NVA/VC Soldier Harold Sinpang as NVA/VC Soldier Paul Yong as NVA/VC Soldier Conidon Wong as NVA VC Soldier Production Bat*21 was filmed entirely on location in Sabah, Malaysia, with the assistance of the Malaysian government. Resources, locations and