Taking Chance is Marine Lieutenant Colonel Michael Strobl’s account of escorting the remains of Lance Corporal Chance Phelps across country to his family and final resting place in Wyoming. I’ve never read anything that made me more proud to be American. The story has been made into an HBO movie that airs February 21.
Tonight Bruce McQuain and I welcomed a very special guest, Gretchen Mack, the mother of Lcpl Chance Phelps. It was not an easy conversation for Gretchen and we were honored to have the opportunity to talk with her. We learned more about Chance, his childhood and motivation for joining the Marines. We talked about the incident in Iraq that took his life as well as his heroic actions that led to his posthumous Bronze Star with a V for Valor.
I mentioned that anytime Hollywood does a modern war movie, a lot of people hold their breath. Gretchen understood that feeling but said that HBO stayed true to Lt. Col. Strobl’s original story as they said they would. Here is an HBO preview featuring Kevin Bacon and the man he plays, Lt. Col. Strobl,
Gretchen also told us about the way the Marines have supported the family and how she now considers Lt. Col. Strobl a member of the family. She is a strong woman, and she doesn’t suffer fools gladly. A lighter moment was when Bruce brought up a blog comment she left for a movie reviewer who felt the movie wasn’t political enough. Gretchen put him down in a big way, with grace and class. We look forward to having her back on the show in February after the release.
What is Pundit Review Radio?
Pundit Review Radio is where the old media meets the new. Each week we give voice to the work of the most influential leaders in the new media/citizen journalist revolution. Called “groundbreaking” by Talkers Magazine, this unique show brings the best of the blogs to your radio every Sunday evening from 8-10 pm EST on AM680 WRKO, Boston’s Talk Station.