Title: Into the Fire Pdf A Firsthand Account of the Most Extraordinary Battle in the Afghan War
"The story of what Dakota did . . . will be told for generations." (President Barack Obama, from remarks given at Meyer's Medal of Honor ceremony)
In the fall of 2009, Taliban insurgents ambushed a patrol of Afghan soldiers and Marine advisors in a mountain village called Ganjigal. Firing from entrenched positions, the enemy was positioned to wipe out 100 men who were pinned down and were repeatedly refused artillery support. Ordered to remain behind with the vehicles, 21 year-old Marine corporal Dakota Meyer disobeyed orders and attacked to rescue his comrades.
With a brave driver at the wheel, Meyer stood in the gun turret exposed to withering fire, rallying Afghan troops to follow. Over the course of the five hours, he charged into the valley time and again. Employing a variety of machine guns, rifles, grenade launchers, and even a rock, Meyer repeatedly repulsed enemy attackers, carried wounded Afghan soldiers to safety, and provided cover for dozens of others to escape - supreme acts of valor and determination. In the end, Meyer and four stalwart comrades - an Army captain, an Afghan sergeant major, and two Marines - cleared the battlefield and came to grips with a tragedy they knew could have been avoided. For his actions on that day, Meyer became the first living Marine in three decades to be awarded the Medal of Honor.
Into the Fire tells the full story of the chaotic battle of Ganjigal for the first time, in a compelling, human way that reveals it as a microcosm of our recent wars. Meyer takes us from his upbringing on a farm in Kentucky, through his Marine and sniper training, onto the battlefield, and into the vexed aftermath of his harrowing exploits in a battle that has become the stuff of legend.
Investigations ensued, even as he was pitched back into battle alongside U.S. Army soldiers who embraced him as a fellow grunt. When it was over, he returned to the States to confront living with the loss of his closest friends. This is a tale of American values and upbringing, of stunning heroism, and of adjusting to loss and to civilian life.
We see it all through Meyer's eyes, bullet by bullet, with raw honesty in telling of both the errors that resulted in tragedy and the resolve of American soldiers, U.S.Marines, and Afghan soldiers who'd been abandoned and faced certain death.
Meticulously researched and thrillingly told, with nonstop pace and vivid detail, Into the Fire is the true story of a modern American hero.
"Sergeant Meyer embodies all that is good about our nation's Corps of Marines. . . . [His] heroic actions . . . will forever be etched in our Corps' rich legacy of courage and valor." (General James F. Amos, Commandant of the Marine Corps)
Excellent read about an authentic American hero and the internal destruction of the American military This is one of those books that shows both the best and worst of humanity. War is so horrible that it always manages to bring out the worst, but often it also brings out the best. Dakota and Rod charged into a situation where death could be reasonably expected to result. They did so five times. One lucky round, one RPG or rocket, and they are dead or worse, incapacitated to be captured and tortured to death. Without them, probably no one escapes. We all like to think we’d be that guy, but I can admit I would come up short. These aren’t just good people, these are the absolute pinnacle of humanity.This book also serves to illustrate how the US hampers itself, especially by not understanding our foes and our erstwhile allies. Sure, be too liberal with artillery and the Afghans will hate us, but at least they would respect us. By not supporting our own, we telegraph that we are weak. As a seventh century culture, the Afghans despise weakness, and having beaten the Soviet Union (and earlier, the British Empire) by simply being tougher, they have no doubt that the Taliban will ultimately win. This battle also vividly displays our paucity of planning. Our military commanders failed to clearly establish a chain of command, which in itself is an often fatal flaw that any amateur can see. They established a platoon as a QRF for a company, even though conditions of terrain prevented that platoon from having its multiplier effect. And ultimately that platoon chickened out, refusing to do its job. For a company intentionally going into a perfect ambush situation, the QRF should have been a second infantry company reinforced with that light armored platoon. And worst of all, they established a strong artillery force with ROE that intentionally neutered it. Artillery wins battles, but only if one uses it. Before sending in Americans, commanders have an absolute moral duty to evaluate conditions, reaction forces, and support according to the ROE and the potential threat rather than what the enemy usually does. It’s just like Benghazi, and it’s only because Meyer is The Pitbull that anyone received even the tiniest reprimand. It also shows our failure to properly use our technological advantage. Given that circumstances gave our seventh century foe ample time and Intel to set up the perfect ambush, that area should have been under constant electronic and optical surveillance. Then the Allied force would have been forewarned and the ambushers could have been surrounded and annihilated. THAT would have gotten the locals on our side.One lone happy note: Swenson finally received his much-deserved Medal. Just as without Rod and Dakota likely no one would have been saved, without Swenson likely there would have been no one left to save.Bing West has done an excellent job with this book. Rather than make war porn, he has described Meyer’s actions succinctly, enough detail so that everyone can get an idea (to the extent non-combatants can understand) the scope of the danger and valor without glorifying the violence, and used the balance of the book to show us who is Dakota Meyer, what made him what he is, what was the situation, how it reached that point, and the aftermath. It can’t have been easy for Dakota to not expound more on the betrayal, but together they present it factually, even showing how this betrayal was set up by higher higher. Excellent job, guys. Highly recommended.Be Informed Before Reading First off, I want to be clear about the focus of my review. Book reviews should center on the genre (type) of book, the content as it is expressed within the genre, and the quality of the writing itself (and how that writing meets or does not meet the demands of its target audience). In case you hadn't already guessed, I am both an English teacher and a writer, so I would like to think I have a bit of experience in this area. First, genre. This book is an autobiography, centering largely on Meyers' experiences at the battle of Ganjigal and its aftermath. As a result, you are going to hear strong opinions, raw emotion, and bloody accounts. You may not agree with them. That is fine. But do not be shocked that this man, this Marine who came as close to Hell as the living can, has a lot to say about it. Again, this is an autobiography, written by the author about himself. Therefore, it should come as no surprise that the author will have definite opinions about his own life, and that they do not always please the masses. That is not the point of an autobiography. If bloody imagery, angry recriminations against military leaders, and honest portrayal of personal attributes don't appeal to you, that is also fine. But autobiography is then not the genre for you. For rip-roaring accounts of military bravery where the good guys always win (and are perfect), the bad guys always lose, and no one dies, I suggest the fiction section. For everyone else, if you can handle the description above, you will probably appreciate this young man's account. It satisfies the requirements for an autobiography quite well. I would have liked to know more about the author's early life, but being that he seems naturally to be a man of few words--and that the book is about his combat experiences--I can easily overlook that. As for the content, in the context of military literature, Meyers sums up the key points without becoming verbose. He does repeat certain points, but if you read the entire book, it is quite easy to see why! Some readers will find his lack of explanation of some of the acronyms frustrating. However, this problem is easily remedied by a Google search of any term not understood (just as you would look up words with which you were unfamiliar in a dictionary). I hope the possibility of encountering unfamiliar words will not discourage anyone from reading the book. There are maps and full-color pictures included in the book. I found the first confusing and the second illuminating. You may feel differently, but either way, these extras in no way detract from the reading. As far as actual text is concerned, while Meyers spends a lot of time downplaying his own actions, he simultaneously gives credit to those who helped that day. Those who appreciate fairness and humility in an autobiography will most likely enjoy this book. Some readers may find some of his comments about killing disturbing. That is understandable. I view these comments as coming from a grieving heart that has been trained for combat. I may not agree with every single thing the man says, but nor do I judge him for it. Finally: writing meeting the target audience's requirements. Some books are written for children, some for adults, some for specific segments of the population, and some for everyone. This book was written for everyone. Meyers wants people to know what happened (in hopes it will never happen again) and to honor his friends. It is not written by an academic; it is written by a young man who signed up for the Marines at 17 years old. The writing is of a simple and unsophisticated style. Bing West, the acclaimed journalist who helped Meyers write the book, makes very clear that the words are Meyers', not West's. If simple, unpolished writing is not for you, that is fine. But choose a different book. I enjoyed it precisely because Meyers, the man who was actually there, is the narrator. This book is uncompromising in its candor and unapologetic in its pathos. It is not pretty, sanitized, or neatly wrapped up at the end. Life isn't always that way, either. And that is what an autobiography is: the story of someone's life. In this case, it is the story of a combat veteran, and as such, it meets the requirements for a good story. Furthermore, if this man can live through these experiences and be brave enough to share them, I feel that the least I can do is respectfully and thoughtfully listen to what he has to say. I can consider the large-scale effects of war, as well as its effects on individuals, without lapsing into hasty judgments. My advice for potential readers is to focus on the story itself, for that more than meets the requirements for compelling autobiography.Honor and Respect I never served in the military - let's get that out there right up front. However, I had the honor of meeting (and instructing) a number of the men in this particular military community over several years. As a result of that exposure, and my own family's service, I made a decision to work diligently try to understand their mentality and commitment, as well as the risks, loss, and damage they endure - particularly the struggles of those who survive. I also swore to support them in any capacity I could - including buying the books that commemorate their stories. If anyone else wants to try and understand what we ask of these men, I recommend this book without hesitation. Make sure you have uninterrupted time to read - you won't be able to put it down. All honor to Mr. Meyer, his brothers who died, and those who endure that loss.
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