Plot Summary for
The Corporal's Diary (2008) (V) More at IMDbPro »

Jonathan Santos, 22, documented his 37 days in Iraq on video and in writing; never knowing that day 38 would be his last. From high explosives to clandestine home brew, his video footage and witty narrative combine personal musings on life, death, and the future he imagined but would never see. His charming buddy, Matthew, who barely survived, brings the war home. Through Jonathan's handwritten words and videotape, the film tells a personal and profound story. Written by Anonymous

Twenty-two year old Corporal Jonathan Santos had documented his 37 days of military service in Iraq in a personal diary before a roadside bomb took his life and the lives of several of his friends and servicemen on October 15, 2004. Jonathan's mother, Doris, wasn't aware that her son had kept a diary until his soldier's chest was sent to her after his death. Upon opening the box, she discovered his "little green book" and a stack of videocassettes on which he had recorded daily life in Iraq. When Doris is finally able to bring herself to watch the tapes, she finds images of Jonathan's arrival in Iraq, pictures from a cousin's wedding he was able to attend while on leave, and scenes of Jonathan laughing and joking with his Army buddies including Private Matthew Drake, one of Jonathan's best friends, who was the sole survivor of the attack in which Jonathan was killed. The record of Jonathan's final few weeks, in which he expresses fears and doubts never voiced to his family in person, is at once inspiring, personal and profound. Both an affecting story of courage and a universal tribute to soldiers everywhere, The Corporal's Diary follows Doris' journey as she moves beyond her pain to meet with the families of others who have lost loved ones in the war. Together they share stories, offer comfort and pay tribute to the lives of the brave young servicemen and women who have sacrificed their lives in Iraq. Written by Typecast Releasing

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