Lone Survivor: A Warrior's True Story of War and Survival by Marcus Luttrell

This is one of the best true stories of war that I have ever read. The fact that it is so recent and that so many Soldiers lost their lives hits home hard. The fact that this war is still going on and is about to be enlarged also sharpens the point of the war on terror and how we are fighting it. If you haven't heard about this book you should know that it is currently a New York Times Best Seller for Non-Fiction entry. It's the story of Marcus Luttrell and his SEAL team in the Afghanistan Mountains and what happens when you have to make a judgment call and you decide to be humane.

I have to say that after reading this book I have even more respect for the Navy SEALS, which is saying a lot since I consider them to be the best fighting force that we have. But to actually read about what they go through and what they eventually went through is powerful stuff. You will be touched and proud of our fighting men and the job that they volunteer for. This story is about a mission that they were sent on to locate someone that supposedly had ties to Osama bin Laden. It took place in June of 2005. The events that lead up to and eventually ended so many lives is almost like a Greek tragedy, where the scales are being balanced on the flimsiest of choices, choices that you have great difficulty making during a war. Things that you could easily decide in a normal situation can mean the difference between life and death in another situation. As is the case here.

While the Navy Seals were tracking this man they come across a pair of men and a teenage boy. The dilemma here is that they are on a secret mission and are in a dangerous part of Afghanistan. If their whereabouts is known they could easily be hunted down and killed by the Taliban. The SEAL team has to decide what to do with these 3 people and eventually the decision falls onto Marcus Luttrell. He decides after much thought that they should let the 3 Afghans go and continue on their mission. This is a tough choice since if the 3 men run back to their village and alert the Taliban all of the SEALS will be in life threatening danger.

Within an hour of letting them go the SEALS are attacked in an all out assault. Other American soldiers are sent in to help but nearly 100 Americans are killed and all of the SEAL team except Marcus. This is the largest loss of life in Navy SEAL history. He is wounded and alone in the most treacherous mountains on earth and must find his way to safety. A rescue helicopter is finally sent to find him but it too is shot down, killing all 16 men aboard.

Knowing that he is in grave danger Marcus crawls for miles. This lasts for four days and eventually he is spotted by some villagers who risked their lives to save him and protect him. One of the Afghani's claims to be the village doctor and tells him he can trust him. Marcus has little choice and finally decides that he will go with them. They tell him that they will defend his life with theirs. They kept their word and not too long afterward Marcus Luttrell was returned to his unit and brought home.

What I really liked about the book is that it is so well written that you feel you know not only Marcus but his SEAL teammates. You see what they go through from the beginning of training until their final days defending each other until the very end. This is in true story teller fashion and most likely the co-author did the refining. It makes an excellent read and you will come away proud and saddened by the toils of war.

Another thing that makes this book so special is that it pushes your buttons, your preconceived beliefs about war, men, justice, people, and killing. This book shows the shades of gray that make up our lives and the decisions we have to make, especially in a time of war. As in all good stories it has you laughing on one page and crying on a few pages later. I highly recommend this book.