# Soldier falling on grenade to save companions

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/soldier-falling-on-grenade-to-save-companions/721539>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [June 3, 2015, 3:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/soldier-falling-on-grenade-to-save-companions/721539 "2015-06-03T15:23:12Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 2\
**Page:** 2

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**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\
**Post date:** [June 4, 2015, 9:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/soldier-falling-on-grenade-to-save-companions/721539/21 "2015-06-04T21:29:41Z")

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> [@Disposable Hero](#):
>
> I recall reading an article on this subject _(haven’t been able to track it down)_ that stated as the explosion from a grenade tends to travel mostly up and outwards if soldiers nearby simply threw themselves flat on the ground they could avoid much of the danger.
> 
> The point of the article was that people, and by extension soldiers, have unrealistic ideas about the effects of grenades and that they have been throwing themselves onto them to save others unneccesarily.
> 
> No idea if thats true or not but I thought it was interesting.

_Mythbusters_ did that. You’re still in for a world of hurt. There’s also the shock wave.  
And I must say, you’re _perfect_ for this thread.

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**Author:** ![Atomic\_Alex](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/atomic_alex/32/175_2.png) [@Atomic\_Alex](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Atomic_Alex)\
**Post date:** [June 4, 2015, 9:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/soldier-falling-on-grenade-to-save-companions/721539/22 "2015-06-04T21:44:10Z")

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> [@running\_coach](#):
>
> _Mythbusters_ did that. You’re still in for a world of hurt. There’s also the shock wave.  
> And I must say, you’re _perfect_ for this thread.

You’d be surprised how often I get that 🙂

And it sounds like I need to check that Mythbusters episode out, though thats definitely not where I came across the idea first.

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