Lone
Survivor: The Eyewitness Account of Operation Redwing and the
Lost Heroes of SEAL Team 10 ,
by Marcus Luttrell with Patrick Robinson & Kavin T. Collins
(Narrator)
This is an amazing true story as told by Marcus
Luttrell, the lone survivor of Operation Redwing, a secret
mission carried out by an elite team of Navy Seals in 2005.
He graphically tells what took place in the northern mountains
of Afghanistan where their mission was to capture (or kill
if necessary) a terrorist leader who also was presumed to
be one of the planners of 9-11. Navy Seal Team 10 consisted
of a tightly knit group of six men who would protect each
other till death. Four of them rappel from the helicopter
onto the mountain, and the other two coordinate their movements
from the staging area.
Discovered by a group of goat herders, the four
have to make a decision which is hindered by the rules of
engagement. They take a chance and play it safe by letting
the men go. Shortly thereafter they are surrounded by 80 Taliban
fighters. Wounded, the Seals heroically fight on. The remaining
two Seals of Team 10 as well as additional troops fly to their
rescue, but the enemy fires a rocket into the helicopter,
and 16 more men are killed. During the battle Marcus gets
thrown over a cliff and is saved by a friendly tribe who hide
him from the Taliban assassins. They protect him and help
him escape even though the Taliban threatens to kill the people
in the village.
Marcus Luttrell's story is one that every American
should be aware of so that we can understand the conditions
of fighting our soldiers must endure. Marcus discusses the
handicaps our men in combat have because of the "rules
of engagement" that the politicians have issued. He describes
all the restrictions and explains that the enemy knows of
them and uses them to make it difficult for our men to fight
properly.
The book also covers the severe and rigorous training program
the Seals are subjected to so they can be such an elite unit.
This is a story that should be recommended to
everyone. In this audio version, the reader uses Luttrell's
and the author's words so well that the listener actually
feels the agony and hardships of the men of Operation Redwing,
which turned out to be the worst disaster in the 40-year history
of the Navy Seals. We are indeed fortunate to know this story
of heroism and we should gratefully acknowledge the men and
women in service who are giving so much of themselves for
us. Listen to this book and tell others to do the same.
John
Mormon
8/26/07
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