Four US Navy SEALS departed one clear night in early July 2005 for the mountainous Afghanistan-Pakistan border for a reconnaissance mission. Their task was to document the activity of an al Qaeda leader rumored to be very close to Bin Laden with a small army in a Taliban stronghold. Five days later, only one of those Navy SEALS made it out alive.
This is the story of the only survivor of Operation Redwing, SEAL fire team leader Marcus Luttrell, and the extraordinary firefight that led to the largest loss of life in American Navy SEAL history. His squadmates fought valiantly beside him until he was the only one left alive, blasted by an RPG into a place where his pursuers could not find him. Over the next four days, terribly injured and presumed dead, Luttrell crawled for miles through the mountains and was taken in by sympathetic villagers who risked their lives to keep him safe from surrounding Taliban warriors.
A born and raised Texan, Marcus Luttrell takes us from the rigors of SEAL training, where he and his fellow SEALs discovered what it took to join the most elite of the American special forces, to a fight in the desolate hills of Afghanistan for which they never could have been prepared. His account of his squadmates' heroism and mutual support renders an experience that is both heartrending and life-affirming. In this rich chronicle of courage and sacrifice, honor and patriotism, Marcus Luttrell delivers a powerful narrative of modern war.
Unbelievable story and gripping account of the SEAL team in Afghanistan. Makes me proud to know that we have men like Marcus Luttrell and the other members of SEAL Team 10 protecting our country. Must read for any military reader. Compelling from start to finish.
writes,
It is funny when you think about it how much we debate about the troops but how little we actually hear from them. Well, reading this book is a great opportunity to change that. It was through reading this book that I realized the military conflict in the Middle East is not simply a dinner table topic; it is real, and that truly hit me like a ton of bricks. Whether you agree with our military involvement or not, I think I can safely say that you can never discuss or think about the matter without the sober respect that this book will grant you.
I urge you to bear in mind, however, that this is the account of only one guy. Some of the 1-star responses criticized the book because of the strong opinions of the author and how some of them were soldiers and didn't agree. Luttrell is not claiming to be objective or even the voice of the U.S. military; this is simply his story. Whether you end up agreeing with him or not, I urge you to respect him enough for his service and his experiences simply to listen to what he has to say.
So take this as what it is. Luttrell's story about what it is like to be a Navy SEAL and to experience a moral dilemma and amazingly outnumbered battle that fiction authors would wish they had first thought of it. This was probably the most emotional book for me to read, probably besides the Bible, and was all the more powerful because it is a true story.
writes,
This book was extremely well written. Luttrell did an amazing job at describing the environment and the people involved in the "story." It is a gut-wrenching and pivoting tale of the forging of one Patriot into a SEAL, and an account of the many professional Operators whom lost their lives that one fateful day defending this nation. If you are into war, history, strategy, and combat-related readings, I highly recommend Lone Survivor. It should be standard reading for all public and private educational institutions since it presents a modern first-hand perspective on war and the respect that our Armed Forces have earned and deserve.
Luttrell does not interrupt the rhythm with in-depth details ad nauseam ala Tom Clancy, but he does provide enough information so that the reader isn't completely lost. For example, he describes how he added 3 extra magazines to his standard loadout, his Oakley Assault Boots, the Mk 12 Mod 0 rifle with PEQ-4 and sound suppressor, and the position of the Taliban as his team is regrouping down the mountainside. A Clancy novel would have filled no less than 5 chapters detailing the luster of the moly-dry film coating on the Mk 12 receivers, the durometer of the Oakley Assault boot soles, etc...
Above all, I would like to thank every past and present member of the US Armed Forces for their service. I hope other readers carry this sentiment because our Servicemen and Servicewomen would certainly benefit from our continued support!
