In 2005, Danny Dietz and three other Navy SEALs went on a mission to locate Taliban leader Ahmad Shah in the mountains near Asadabad, Afghanistan. It ended in tragedy. Caught in a firefight and radioing for help, Dietz and two others were killed. When a helicopter carrying eight more Navy SEALs and eight U.S. Army Special Operations aviators attempted a rescue, it was shot down by a Taliban rocket. Dietz was awarded the Navy Cross for his bravery during the brutal battle.
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A new movie, “Lone Survivor,” is based on the story of Marcus Luttrell, the only Navy SEAL to survive the battle that killed Dietz. The backers of the movie have partnered with veterans organizations to form the Lone Survivor Fund, encouraging moviegoers to donate. When movie fans purchase their tickets on Fandango, they will be invited to contribute to the fund. The donations collected will be distributed to the Navy SEAL Foundation, Got Your 6, and the Lone Survivor Foundation, a non-profit started by Luttrell that offers education and rehabilitation services to returning vets. Actors in the movie, including Mark Wahlberg, who portrays Luttrell, and Emile Hirsch, who plays Dietz, are spreading the word about the Lone Survivor Fund as they promote the film. Now that’s a better way to spend your change than on a bucket of popcorn.