Lone Survivor: The Eyewitness Account of Operation Redwing and the Lost Heroes of SEAL Team 10

by Marcus Luttrell

Other authorsPatrick Robinson (Contributor)
2009

Status

Checked out

Publication

Little, Brown and Company (2009), Edition: Reprint, 464 pages

Description

Biography & Autobiography. Military. Nonfiction. HTML: A Navy SEAL's firsthand account of American heroism during a secret military operation in Afghanistan. Inspiration for a major motion picture by Mark Wahlberg. On a clear night in late June 2005, four U.S. Navy SEALs left their base in northern Afghanistan for the mountainous Pakistani border. Their mission was to capture or kill a notorious al Qaeda leader known to be ensconced in a Taliban stronghold surrounded by a small but heavily armed force. Less then twenty-four hours later, only one of those Navy SEALs remained alive. This is the story of fire team leader Marcus Luttrell, the sole survivor of Operation Redwing, and the desperate battle in the mountains that led, ultimately, to the largest loss of life in Navy SEAL history. But it is also, more than anything, the story of his teammates, who fought ferociously beside him until he was the last one left-blasted unconscious by a rocket grenade, blown over a cliff, but still armed and still breathing. Over the next four days, badly injured and presumed dead, Luttrell fought off six al Qaeda assassins who were sent to finish him, then crawled for seven miles through the mountains before he was taken in by a Pashtun tribe, who risked everything to protect him from the encircling Taliban killers. A six-foot-five-inch Texan, Leading Petty Officer Luttrell takes us, blow-by-blow, through the brutal training of America's warrior elite and the relentless rites of passage required by the Navy SEALs. He transports us to a monstrous battle fought in the desolate peaks of Afghanistan, where the beleaguered American team plummeted headlong a thousand feet down a mountain as they fought back through flying shale and rocks. In this rich , moving chronicle of courage, honor, and patriotism, Marcus Luttrell delivers one of the most powerful narratives ever written about modern warfare-and a tribute to his teammates, who made the ultimate sacrifice for their country..… (more)

Media reviews

Just because Luttrell got his facts wrong, criticized the rules of engagement needlessly, and misunderstands counter-insurgency, that doesn’t mean his memoir is bad art. Misguided definitely, but not necessarily a poor piece of writing.

Except Lone Survivor is a bad piece of writing, and I hope it
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will be forgotten in twenty years.
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User reviews

LibraryThing member jcbrunner
The title Lone Survivor immediately references Lady Butler's famous painting "The remnants of an army" which shows assistant surgeon William Brydon returning as the sole survivor from the British retreat of Kabul in 1842. The US action in Afghanistan was less costly. Marcus Luttrell was part of a
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four man Navy SEALs team that was wiped out in Afghanistan during Operation Red Wings. The heavily scrubbed Wikipedia entry classifies this operation as a "temporary U.S. Pyrrhic victory; Long-term insurgent victory". With a 100% US casualty rate and not a single goal achieved, this assessment is only sustainable if one either takes Monty Python's Black Knight as a role model or considers the Alamo as a US victory. In reality, this minor action was a clear defeat, caused by bad US leadership both strategically down to the tactical level. Luttrell is not the man to understand complex matters. His memoirs about his time in Afghanistan nevertheless can serve as good data for two analyses.

Firstly, Luttrell offers a postcard introduction into the mindset of an authoritarian follower (and Republican voter). His mind effortlessly tolerates to hold hugely contradictory opinions and facts. While he is easily (and often wrongly) offended by accusations and actions of others he puts in one out-group (the liberal press, Europeans, liberals, Muslims, ...), he resents their undifferentiated portrait as a religious redneck, Texan, American, SEAL, soldier (his main in-groups). The out-groups seem in his mind to work together to crush his in-group and deserve to be punished. Thus, he thinks the torture at Abu Ghraib justified by 9/11 as the suicide terrorists as well as the Iraqi torture victims are both Muslims. Killing Afghanis is ok, because they are all Taliban, even if he owes his survival to a brave Afghani who protected the wounded Luttrell from certain death and risked his own life to save the American. Lutrell holds a special disdain for the Geneva Convention despite the fact that his survival is in accordance to its principles. It is truly an authoritarian madness to fight forcefully against something that improves everyone's (including their own) lives. The book does not make it clear whether the Rambo Jesus worshiping Luttrell has understood that his Muslim savior acted in the best Samaritan tradition as promoted by Jesus. He bound his wounds, took care of him and delivered him into the safety of American troops. If such an act did not open Luttrell's mind, what possibly could?

Secondly, the book can serve as a good case-study of failures in decision making in an isolated small group. A parallel read of Norman Maclean's Young Men and Fire and the analysis of the Mann Gulch catastrophe by Karl Weick is especially recommended. The failure of the SEAL team can be tracked back to their training. They lacked decision patterns what to do
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LibraryThing member georgehawkey
As a blood and guts, one man against the impossible odds type of story, this book was great. This guy is tough as nails and proves it. SEAL training sounds like hell on wheels. The sacrifices he and his comrades made are real, admirable and deserving of respect from the country.

The right-wing,
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kill 'em all and let God sort them out aspects were ridiculous. The central decision of the book (and I won't spoil it) is blamed upon the liberals.

I have read enough about Iraq, ...more As a blood and guts, one man against the impossible odds type of story, this book was great. This guy is tough as nails and proves it. SEAL training sounds like hell on wheels. The sacrifices he and his comrades made are real, admirable and deserving of respect from the country.

The right-wing, kill 'em all and let God sort them out aspects were ridiculous. The central decision of the book (and I won't spoil it) is blamed upon the liberals.

I have read enough about Iraq, Afghanistan and Vietnam to recognize the difficulties in wars of this type - lack of clear directive, the inability to distinguish friend from foe, civilian from combatants. BUT, blaming the "liberal media" and "left-wing politicians" for these difficulties is clearly ignorant, given the deeply misguided policies of the Bush (version 2.0) administration put these soldiers in the situation to begin with.

Luttrell even goes as far as to praise Bush (the younger) for putting us in Iraq and Afghanistan. I know Luttrell is trained for war, and perhaps having any question as to the validity of his mission(s) is asking for injury or death, but having a total and complete lack of perspective is deeply strange to me. It's obvious the lack of questioning is necessary for these guys, but this book is written retrospectively, and so to continue to have this lack of hindsight makes it even more bizarre.

The book definitely felt alien to me, given my own political leanings, living in the liberal bastion of NYC, but I am glad I read it.
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LibraryThing member csayban
Lone Survivor chronicles the final mission of Navy Seal Team 10 in Afghanistan, their attempted rescue and how Marcus Luttrell manages to navigate the complex political and cultural world that exists in the mountainous regions of Eastern Afghanistan just to survive. Marcus describes his journey to
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becoming a Seal - the elite of Naval Special Forces - that began in childhood and what he did to ensure that he would make it through the Seal selection process known as BUDs. The gritty, unpolished narrative would seem like poor writing in most books, but in the context of this real life story, it makes the account all the more real, pulling you into the world that these young men exist in - a reality that is both honorable and tragic, inspiring and horrifying. No matter what your feelings about the conflicts that we are currently involved in might be, this is a must-read account of what modern small-unit warfare is really like in the 21st century. The book is neither preachy nor romantic. It's simply a rock-solid account of a tragic battle in an equally tragic war. Thank you to Marcus for honoring himself and his team with this startling story.
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LibraryThing member marshapetry
Hard review to write... In one sense I loved this (audio) book - it's reads like a modern day Louis L'Amour adventure tale, full of action and gun-totin', fun-lovin', wise-crackin', ever-so-intelligent good guys doing their best to catch the evil ugly stinkin' loathsome sneaky bad guys and it's so
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very easy to distinguish the two. Why, don't-cha know? one wears a "Texas patch" and the other a turban. Life is easy.

OTOH it's (mostly) cringe-inducing, pathetic drivel: the author clumsily writes about his incredibly "intelligent" SEAL friends and spouts rah-rah shoot-em-up "we're #1!" trite-isms from start to finish. I can only exclaim "Well, bless his heart, he certainly deserves an gold star for effort". The book is so shallow, so UN-insightful, so plain ol' stupid... I don't know whether to laugh or cry. Oh man... BBooks like this, and American Sniper, make me sad - we as a country are not going to get anywhere until we get past "poster patriotism".

You won't miss a thing skipping this book.
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LibraryThing member Halieus
If you have ever wondered what it would be like to be "the tip of the sword" then this is the book for you. More than just your run-of-the-mill autobiography; this is one of the best books you can read to understand what makes the Navy SEALs (or any special forces soldiers) "tick" -- why they're so
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tough, so confident, and unflinching in the face of danger.

While some individuals may dislike his reasoning, he does make a compelling argument against the folly of having politicians mandate rules of warfare and engagement for combat soldiers. (With numerous friends and relatives that have served, and are serving, in the armed forces, I already held many of Marcus' opinions on how to keep our soldiers safe and bring as many as possible home alive.) Others may take a dim view of his frequent diatribes denouncing the many flaws and facets of liberal politics, but having lived around the world in countries in various states of economic progress (first, 2nd & 3rd world conditions), I view his opinions as cogent, comprehensive, concise, and completely sound -- any that disagree with him need to travel more, and stay far away from tour guides and tourist traps. Marcus points out that the fluff that passes for politics and "statesmanship" of today is primarily superficial, inconsequential, and counterproductive to spreading democracy and freedom to the furthest reaches of the globe, as well as totally unprepared for (and incapable of resisting) the fanatical terrorists that are so eager to bring the west to its knees.

This book is a fitting memorial to his fallen colleagues. It's well-sprinkled with humor, but no punches are pulled, no losses are white-washed, and no "rough edges" are blunted to please or appease anyone. While I would probably hesitate to give this book to a very young child (because of the language), it would be great if were required reading for every registered voter, as well as every high school and college senior in the USA. "Lone Survivor" has renewed my appreciation for the soldiers and their spouses that have sacrificed (and continued to sacrifice) so much for our great nation.
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LibraryThing member Katie_H
This is a gripping and unforgettable memoir describing Operation Redwing, a Special Ops engagement in Afghanistan that claimed the lives of several Navy SEALs. The account begins with a thorough description of BUD/S, the SEAL indoctrination program which provides students with the physical, mental,
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and emotional training that is necessary to become the best of the best. Also included in the book is a short section on the Iraq war, but the bulk of the narrative takes place in the Hindu Kush. I vaguely remembered hearing about this tragedy, but Marcus Luttrell's account of the event is absolutely unimaginable. A group of four SEALs was sent to take out a target, and on their way to their goal, they were faced with a tough decision. They failed to make the smart choice, because they were afraid of being slammed by the media and sent to prison as a result. Three of the four ended up dead in a huge ambush and stunning firefight. The rescue unit also suffered several casualties, but miraculously, Marcus was rescued by Pashtuns, an amazing sacrifice on their part. Luttrell's main rant is that the Rules of Engagement cost American lives, and that the Geneva convention is inapplicable in terrorism scenarios. In Luttrell's view it is impossible to win a war such as this, using Western morals and standards, because the rules are known by the opponent but not followed by them. A few readers may object to the pro-Bush, anti "Liberal Media," and Christian sentiments, but the political and religious content isn't intrusive. The writing by the co-author is not that great, but Luttrell's unashamed sentiments are admirable. This book makes you proud to be an American in a time when it may not be very popular. I am thankful that there are extraordinary men like these who are willing to put their lives on the line when it is necessary. Their bravery and heroism in this and other situations is amazing and is, sadly, something we hardly ever see in the media.
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LibraryThing member bertdinkins
Mr. Luttrell and the men and women that serve are why we have our freedoms.

I would make this book required reading in high school.

Why would any person go out and do the things that Navy Seals do? To protect the freedom that we have in America.

This is not about oil, it's about blood and pride of
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being an American.

I had trouble reading this book on a flight, I was crying and feeling the loss.

This is real, this is what's happening and this book helped me understand more.
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LibraryThing member homan9118
Marcus Luttrell is one of my new heroes. His whole unit are heroes. This books story is extraordinary. It's a story everybody should hear. The descriptions of his hell in Afganistan are vivid. The only knock I have is Luttrell's habit of interjecting his personal beliefs throughout the book. I took
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a half point away for this, but it may be more me. I didn't agree with a lot of his opinions, which may be my main beef, but I felt he was being extremely aggresive with his opinions. It wasn't open to discussion, his way or the highway.

Other then that minor quibble, the story needs to be read.
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LibraryThing member santhony
Let’s get one thing straight, right off the bat. Navy SEALS are the single, most awesome fighting force in the world today. The skills they possess and the attitude they bring to the table make me scared to give this anything other than a five star review. They have my undying respect and
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gratitude for the things they do every single day to protect and nourish my freedom and that of every citizen of the United States. I am a staunch Republican and a believer in a strong, pro-active defense.

Now, to the book. This is a non-fiction work, detailing the events which led to death of the author’s SEAL team mates during a mission in Afghanistan. It contains much interesting material on the nature of SEAL team operations and many individual missions and SEAL team members. In that respect it is beneficially educational and at times enthralling.

I would be remiss, however, if I did not address the heavy political baggage that the author brings to the table. He is a rabid conservative Republican who frequently expresses his admiration for George Bush while repeatedly making venomous attacks on “liberals”, most especially the “liberal media” and “clueless liberal Democrats”, for whom he blames most of the deaths suffered by his compatriots. Perhaps, were I in his shoes, I would feel the same way. Lacking his perspective, I am left somewhat irritated by his non-stop, increasingly strident political pronouncements as the book progresses.

While the book is in the words of Marcus Luttrell, the sole surviving member of his SEAL team, he was assisted by a co-author, whose role in the book is unclear to me. The writing itself is not very high quality, as you might expect from a non-fiction work penned by a SEAL team member (or any non-writer). If the co-author was hired to take Luttrell’s recollections and craft them into a finished product, in my opinion he failed miserably. The book is not terribly well organized or crafted. The story is certainly one well worth telling, but should have been told more effectively.

The author is proud of his membership in the SEALs and deservedly so. However, the author ceaselessly informs the reader of his skills, superior training and all around greatness and that of his teammates. He does this over and over again, to the point that it begins to grate. Again, I concede the point. I don’t think anyone would argue, so why the necessity of repeating it over and over and over again. This is an area where his supposed co-author could have been of assistance. By their nature, elite combat troops must carry this attitude so it is hard to fault him for his arrogance. His co-author or editor should have been of assistance here.

Roughly half of the book involves a running fire fight between Luttrell’s SEAL team and a far larger Taliban force in the mountains of the Hindu Kush. I cannot, for the life of me, understand why there are no maps or diagrams to illustrate the very descriptive account of the battle. The topography and headings of the team’s journey are set out in prose in great detail, but a simple diagram would have been invaluable in tracking the SEAL team and then Luttrell himself as he flees his Taliban pursuers.

Again, kudos to the Navy SEALs, Army Rangers, Green Berets and all other members of the United States Armed Forces. This is a great story, about many great Americans, but simply not a very well written book.
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LibraryThing member speciale17815
This book is very intresting and is full of action. The start may be a little boring but by the middle it is so gripping that you will have a trouble putting it down. All in all it is one of my favorite books!
LibraryThing member shawnd
This is a non-fiction first person narrative of a US military operation in Afghanistan which was one of the most serious failed operations of Special Forces. Think Black Hawk Down meets Jon Krakauer's Into Thin Air. This is sort of a Black Hawk Down scenario of superior trained and equipped US
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military personnel being introduced into a hostile area where particular situational variables stack up to put huge weight on a couple of decisions/events that turn the whole operation into implausibility. Set in a remote mountain area of the Hindu Kush, one can easily imagine this Navy SEAL team stumbling upon Osama Bin Laden in a cave protected by some goatherds. The setting, the challenge, the unique skills of teamwork, linguistics, tactics, spliced with vital hatred of Americans of foes and the danger all mix to give a high energy to the book just to start with.

The book does meander back into the author's training to qualify and graduate as a Navy SEAL, as well as his time as a youth doing a sort of premature SEAL training. As such it is as much a memoir of being a SEAL, and these excursions may annoy some readers looking for an in-depth look at the specific Operation Redwing. On the positive side, the book has pictures of participants and a map, which help give a 360-degree view in imagining more of the context. Further, the author is truly not an annoying, over-confident, Texas-loving cowboy with too much testosterone, but clearly a reasoned, committed soldier with a real suite of amazing physical and mental attributes that should make any reader understand why they are probably, even at their best, not likely to ever become a Navy SEAL. Unlike Into Thin Air, the author kept his personal emotional grieving process around his decisions (and the concomitant feelings about the likely fatal role of media and Congress-driven rules of engagement) to a reasonable minimum so it did not overwhelm the story. Truly a tragic tale that should make the reader appreciate how sophisticated and valuable our SEALs are and how they can be hamstrung by political factors at home during a deadly struggle.
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LibraryThing member lg4154
This book moved me a great deal. I was litterally balling as I was reading it. What a true hero Marcus Luttrell is and for him to go thru so much. I urge all people to read it, wether you are for the war or not.
LibraryThing member justaminuteplz
Excellent Book. An easy read, brief description of the history of Afghanistan and Taliban. It covered the author's dream of becoming a U.S Navy Seal and his ordeal during the mission in 2005. Warning!: It can cause tears.
LibraryThing member rbarrphd
Inspiring story about SEALS in Afghanistan
LibraryThing member wharrison
Lone Survivor
Lone Survivor was a true story about how a brave U.S. SEAL who fought through all obstacles to survive in the high Afghan Mountains when all hope was lost. The part of this book that was so interesting was how you would think how imaginative the author was because the plot seemed to
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almost be made up like a fiction story but the story was true. That was a big plus in my book because it made me feel more moved to hear something like that was true.
The Afghan mountains where the story takes place and I thought gave the book itself a perfect feel. I felt as if the fire hot temperatures in the day and the freezing cold barren nights, the lonely desolate landscape filled with hatred gave the story a perfect mood. When I put myself in the characters shoes just thinking about the setting just gave me a total changed the way I read the book.
The message of the book was probably the most difficult to understand and most interesting part of the book for me. I thought it was difficult to get the message because it was a true story so it wasn’t made to relay a message but throughout it all everybody got something out of it. I believe the message was that we should stop contradicting ourselves and get something one by supporting our troops. I know that’s not really a risky message given that over half the population wants us out of the foreign lands. That’s the interesting part to me because the author was the SEAL and he wrote the book from a very Republican point of view. He was constantly attacking the liberal media and the extreme human right activist throughout the book which gave me the reason I got the message I did. Maybe somebody with a different political stand point would’ve thought the message was telling the story of lives lost because the U.S. is in the Middle East.
It just seemed so intriguing that he would write something many people wouldn’t agree with. I guess that was half of my interest in the book.
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LibraryThing member lamour
This a truely amazing story. Luttrell documents the training regime of the U.S. Navy Seals with all its brutal physical trials. Then he moves on to his experiences in Afganistan. Afganistan is a harsh place both environmentally and politically and Luttrell's four man team of Seals experienced both.
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It is unfortunate that Luttrell thought he had to attack the liberal media and politicians to add to his story for I feel it detracted from his heroic efforts.

Maybe he should look at an American foreign policy that decided to attack Iraq before the work was done in Afganistan. Maybe by attacking Iraq, the U.S spread itself too thin. Maybe by relying predominately on air power which led to collaterall damage by killing innocent civilians and thus turning a populace that was happy to see the end of the Taliban into supporters of the Taliban, the Coalition may have lost the war.

Not withstanding this criticism, this a great tale of one man's story of overcoming extreme adversity.
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LibraryThing member lillieammann
This inside look at the elite Navy SEALs and the Afghan War was absolutely riveting. I laughed, I cried, and I was moved by the courage, patriotism, and faith of Marcus and his fellow SEALs. Everyone who claims we torture terrorists should read this. Nothing we do to our enemies compares to what
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SEALs go through in training, which only 20 of the original 180 in Marcus' class passed. What most of us would think of as torture is what makes the SEALs the best fighters in any military in the world. It's what enabled four SEALs to hold off 100-200 Taliban fighters for hours, reducing their ranks by half or more before three of the SEALs were killed and the fourth (Marcus Luttrell) was severely wounded. These remarkable men kept fighting to the death even riddled with bullet holes and in excruciating pain. Everyone who thinks it easy to tell who the good guys and the bad guys are in Afghanistan should read this. Afghan goatherders, including a boy of about 14, turned the SEALs over to the Taliban after the SEALs let them continue their way after an encounter on the mountaintop. Pashtun villagers (Pashtun tribes make up the bulk of the Taliban and Al Queda) sheltered Marcus, treated his wounds, and pledged the entire village would protect him until the death of every man, woman, and child in the village. One teen watched in glee as the Taliban tortured him, but the younger children of the village were beaten by the Taliban for helping him. Many Afghan eyes looked at the SEALs and the villagers who saved Marcus with hate. His rescuers looked at Marcus with compassion. On the surface, though, these people all looked alike.Everyone who says our military members are murderers should read this. The SEALs spared the goatherders, only to be betrayed by the very people they showed mercy to. Marcus spared the insurgent leader he had been sent to terminate because to kill the man at the moment he saw him—as he was being guided from the village to an American outpost—would have guaranteed retaliation that would have detroyed the village. Highly recommended.
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LibraryThing member Brent.Hall
I loved this book. I typically go for books that are rather dry, and focus primarily strategy, and CONOPS, but this is a fantastic tactical look that is told with spirit and vigor.I loved the plain speaking, no holds barred commentary he provides. Marcus Luttrell is Marcus Luttrell and he makes no
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bones about it, and that's what makes the story all the more compelling. The portions about training help provide the context for the rest of the book and what his brothers in arms were able to accomplish, it isn't gloating, it is just stating the facts. SEALs know they are superb tactical operators, and that is because of the Superb training they recieve, and the guarantee that they have an unbreakable bond with those they are thrust into combat with....The real story is the heroism and patriotism Luttrell, Axe, Mikey, and Danny show on that mountain....it is inspiring, Americans don't talk like Luttrell does in his book any more, and I wish they would.Thanks Marcus.
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LibraryThing member kcoleman428
I cannot recommend this book Highly enough, Amazing!!
LibraryThing member nkmunn
If you pay taxes and vote in america you should read this book. Whether Luttrell is your kind of solider or not you need to hear his story, his words, his point of view.
LibraryThing member bespen
Badass is the only way to describe Marcus Luttrell and his teammates. Everyone should know this about SEALs already, but reading this first-hand account will drive it home. Anyone who is familiar with the SEAL ethos and training methods could probably skim or skip the first half of the book.
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Luttrell needed to honor his comrades by describing what made them special, but there are no surprises here.

However, what does become clear is just how effective the selection process is. Part of SEAL training is just that: training. Another part is weeding out those who do not have what it takes. And what it takes is an absolute refusal to quit. As Luttrell makes clear in his memories of BUD/S, the men who wash out are not necessarily weaker or slower than those who perservere, although some are. Those who remain are massively determined, even obstinant. They would rather die than quit, and in fact will remain alive on sheer willpower long after another man would lie down to die.

Operation Redwing demonstrated this. The other three SEALs on the ground with Luttrell, Michael P. Murphy, Danny Dietz and Matthew Axelson continued to fight after being horrifically wounded when they were ambushed and enfiladed. Luttrell was saved by being blown off a cliff by an RPG, preventing his enemies from locating him.

The last third of the book has an excellent description of the reality of village life in the Hindu Kush, and the kind of ancient rights and privileges that persist in that part of the world. Luttrell's life was saved by Lokhay Warkawa, which we might think of as sanctuary, granted by the headman of the village he stumbled into. Like the Clameur de Haro, it was impossible for the Taliban to ignore this protection. They did take the opportunity to abuse Luttrell further, but they could not take him as they wished.

I would have liked to know what the results of the final debriefing of this mission were. This was clearly a monumental Charlie Foxtrot, especially the ill-fated rescue attempt that cost the lives of the rest of the SEALs at his base, including their commanding officer. The SEALs have a principle that no man is left behind, but I am certain they are hard enough on themselves to see the rescue attempt cost more lives than it should have. If I find out what happened there, I will let you know.
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LibraryThing member Rock2
One of the best books I have read. It starts out a little slow but by the time you get into it, you don't want to stop reading. I think it an excellent choice for everyone, whether you agree with his opinions or not. It gives a fascinating insight into what our military men and women are doing and,
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sadly, the politics that influence the decisions they have to make while in combat. Very sobering.
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LibraryThing member lillieammann
This inside look at the elite Navy SEALs and the Afghan War was absolutely riveting. I laughed, I cried, and I was moved by the courage, patriotism, and faith of Marcus and his fellow SEALs. Everyone who claims we torture terrorists should read this. Nothing we do to our enemies compares to what
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SEALs go through in training, which only 20 of the original 180 in Marcus' class passed. What most of us would think of as torture is what makes the SEALs the best fighters in any military in the world. It's what enabled four SEALs to hold off 100-200 Taliban fighters for hours, reducing their ranks by half or more before three of the SEALs were killed and the fourth (Marcus Luttrell) was severely wounded. These remarkable men kept fighting to the death even riddled with bullet holes and in excruciating pain. Everyone who thinks it easy to tell who the good guys and the bad guys are in Afghanistan should read this. Afghan goatherders, including a boy of about 14, turned the SEALs over to the Taliban after the SEALs let them continue their way after an encounter on the mountaintop. Pashtun villagers (Pashtun tribes make up the bulk of the Taliban and Al Queda) sheltered Marcus, treated his wounds, and pledged the entire village would protect him until the death of every man, woman, and child in the village. One teen watched in glee as the Taliban tortured him, but the younger children of the village were beaten by the Taliban for helping him. Many Afghan eyes looked at the SEALs and the villagers who saved Marcus with hate. His rescuers looked at Marcus with compassion. On the surface, though, these people all looked alike.Everyone who says our military members are murderers should read this. The SEALs spared the goatherders, only to be betrayed by the very people they showed mercy to. Marcus spared the insurgent leader he had been sent to terminate because to kill the man at the moment he saw him—as he was being guided from the village to an American outpost—would have guaranteed retaliation that would have detroyed the village. Highly recommended.
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LibraryThing member mbrown33
One of the best books I've ever read.
LibraryThing member DavidLErickson
The novel stared out with nothing less than hero worship as Marcus tells us with unbridled adoration what awesome men Navy Seals are then proceeds to bash the liberal media and liberals in general.
The next third is a detailed description of Seal training, most of which I was familiar with and,
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quite frankly, I skimmed much of it. For those uninitiated this aspect of the novel will be revealing of what goes into making a Seal, and it did set the character background for Marcus and his buddies.
At long last, Marcus begins the real story of his first real battle in Afghanistan and it is quite a tale. I found it a tad unbelievable. I mean, how many thousands of feet can you slide down a muntain and still keep your skin attached? And to always find his rifle beside him? He repeatedly thanked God for that, which I found a bit absurd. Unless you are one of those that believes God takes sides in man's efforts to kill other men.
The real story of war and loss was a thrill ride and I would not have wanted to share that experience, but I did apprecate the visceral adventure. I assume this is a true tale, but it did feel like it was well crafted fiction.
While Marcus and his buddies were fighting for their lives, his folks and supporters were holding a vigil at the family farm. Again, I asume what was written was true, but seemed unbelievable. But then, I never moved among the elite of our military forces. I was a nobody avionics tech/door gunner in a Marine chopper squadron in Vietnam.
Overall a good read, but overly long and far too detailed in many ways. I found myself wanting to hurry the read along, but also didn't want to miss anything. At least once I got past the first third of the novel.
For those who love this kind of stuff, this ought to be a great read.
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Language

Original language

English

ISBN

0316044695 / 9780316044691

Barcode

1603148
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