Lone Survivor: The Eyewitness Account of Operation Redwing and the Lost Heroes of SEAL Team 10 by Marcus Lutrell
A gripping read, this is the true story of a military operation in Afghanistan that went terribly awry. Lone Survivor recounts the details of a mission to capture an al Qaeda leader who was working with the Taliban in a remote region of Afghanistan. Four members of a Navy SEAL team were sent in to perform the mission. They were ambushed by a Taliban force consisting of at least 150 men. Though vastly outnumbered, the team members heroically fought off their attackers. Marcus Luttrell, the co-author of the book, was the only member of the team who survived. Besides giving a riveting narrative of modern-day warfare, Lone Survivor provides a window into the somewhat secretive, fascinating world of the elite Navy SEALs force – the rigorous training that one must complete to become a SEAL, the types of covert, behind-enemy-lines missions that SEALs perform, the warrior mentality of the 'typical' SEAL, and the camaraderie that exists between the SEALs. Highly recommended for anyone considering a special forces career and for those who want to better understand the region of the world in which the United States military is currently waging war.