For days now, I’ve been mourning the loss of three men I never knew.
The men I mourn died years ago, in June 2005. They were Navy SEALs on a mission in Afghanistan, part of a four-man team assigned to locate Taliban leader Ahmad Shah. Their story is told in “Lone Survivor” by Marcus Luttrell, the only surviving member of the Operation Redwing SEAL team. Best-selling author Patrick Robinson assisted Luttrell with the book.
I started “Lone Survivor” one recent evening, and I read and cried deep into the night. The book describes Luttrell’s East Texas upbringing and his intense SEAL training. It introduces the other members of the Operation Redwing team — Petty Officer Danny Dietz, Petty Officer Matthew Axelson, and Lt. Michael Murphy — and delves into a battle with approximately 80 enemy fighters, which killed all but Luttrell.
The heroics detailed by the author are inspiring. Each SEAL, though severely wounded and heavily outnumbered, fought fiercely. Murphy earned the Medal of Honor for his actions.
Murphy left a position of cover in order to call for support. Although mortally wounded by gunfire, he calmly relayed his unit’s location and did not return to cover until he was confident help was forthcoming. He continued fighting until finally succumbing to his wounds.
Compounding the tragedy was the rescue effort. When a rescue helicopter arrived, it was shot down and all 16 military members perished. With the death of these servicemen, Operation Redwing became the most highly decorated small-unit action in Navy history, with 20 Purple Hearts, 16 Bronze Stars, 3 Navy Crosses and Murphy’s Medal of Honor.
After witnessing his friends’ deaths, Luttrell crawled miles to evade the Taliban. Eventually, he was found by Pashtun tribe members. The group brought Luttrell into their village, protecting him from the Taliban until American troops rescued him days later.
Marcus Luttrell pulls no punches in “Lone Survivor.” He tells things like he sees them, with no room for political correctness. The only gray area for him is his feelings for the people of Afghanistan.
Regular readers of this column know I often read several books per week. In recent years, no story has affected me like “Lone Survivor.” Unless you have a loved one currently deployed, I highly recommend you read this book.
Also make a note to read “SEAL of Honor: Operation Red Wings and the Life of LT. Michael P. Murphy, USN” due out May 5.
