Revealing mistake: The scene right after Mrs. Moore delivers the first batch of telegrams shows Lt. Col. Moore kneeling beside several "dead" soldiers. I could see at least the first four breathing.
Revealing mistake: On the battlefield where Mel Gibson first talks to the reporter, there are bodies of dead men lined up on the ground. You can clearly see one of the dead men breathing.
Revealing mistake: Snake Shit's helicopter has no holes in its windshield. Every other part of the helicopter is riddled with bullet holes except his perfect, spotless windshield.
Revealing mistake: Towards the end of the movie, a VC soldier holds a shoulder fired rocket launcher. If you watch carefully, you can see the rocket wobbling as if it's made of rubber.
Chosen answer: There is no definitive information on this topic, and although factually accurate, a technical problem with a weapon was probably not enough to build an entire sub-plot, and would not hold the interest of the moviegoer. There were enough casualties without having to take into consideration weapon malfunction.
Macalou