Outlaw Platoon: A Season of War in the Bloodiest Corner of Afghanistan - Tapa dura

"The range of emotions that Sean Parnell summons in Outlaw Platoon [is] stunning. A nuanced, compelling memoir ... Parnell shows he's a gifted, brave storyteller." -- Pittsburgh Tribune "Outlaw Platoon put me back on the battlefield again. It's a heartfelt story that shows how very different people can be thrown together in combat and find a way to make it work. Parnell and the soldiers who fought beside him are all courageous heroes-real bad asses." -- Chris Kyle, author of American Sniper "Two of the most intense tales of courage under fire I own are Black Hawk Down and Lone Survivor. I now have a third, Outlaw Platoon. It's an absolutely gripping, edge-of-your-seat ride." -- Brad Thor, author of Full Black "Outlaw Platoon is an utterly gripping account of what our soldiers endure on the front lines-the frustrations, the fear, the loneliness... Here, in these pages, are the on-the-ground realities of a war we so rarely witness on news broadcasts" -- Tim O'Brien, author of The Things They Carried "Outlaw Platoon is an exceptional look into the mind of a platoon leader in Afghanistan; Captain Parnell shares his experiences of leadership, loss, and aggressive military tactics. You can really feel the bonds forged between these brothers in arms as the battle plays out" -- Marcus Luttrell, author of Lone Survivor "At times, I forgot I was reading about a war as I was drawn up in the drama the same way you [are] when reading Krakauer's Into Thin Air ... This is a book of probing honesty, wrenching drama and courage." -- Doug Stanton, author of Horse Soldiers "[A] soulful story of men at war ... Outlaw Platoon shows us that the love and brotherhood forged in the fires of combat are the most formidable quaities a unit can possess." -- Steven Pressfield, author of Gates of Fire "Outlaw Platoon is expertly told by a man who braved the heat of battle time and time again. An epic story as exacting as it is suspenseful, it reveals the bravery and dedication of our armed service men and women around the world." -- Clive Cussler "This book is more than just a rip-roaring combat narrative: it is a profoundly moving exploration into the nature and evolution of the warrior bond forged in desperate, against-all-odds battles. A significant book, not to be missed." -- Jack Coughlin, author of Shooter: The Autobiography of the Top-Ranked Marine Sniper "Outlaw Platoon is the real deal. It's a terrific tale of combat leadership that deserves to be studied by all small-unit leaders. The narrative goes beyond the battlefield to depict the maddening nature of the war and the grit of those who selflessly protect us." -- Bing West, author of No True Glory "Sean Parnell reaches past the band-of-brothers theme to a place of brutal self-awareness ... [he] never flinches from a fight, nor the hard questions of a messy war." -- Kevin Sites, author of In the Hot Zone: One Man, One Year, Twenty Wars

When U.S. Army Ranger Sean Parnell's platoon was ordered to root out Pakistani-based insurgents from a mountain valley along the Eastern Afghan Frontier, he and his forty men thought they would be facing a ragtag bunch of armed civilians - an assumption that almost got them killed. On May 7, 2006, what started out as a routine patrol through the lower mountains of the Hindu Kush became a lethal ambush. Barely surviving the attack, Parnell's men realized that they were facing the most professional and seasoned force of light infantry the U.S. Army had encountered since the end of World War II. Well-trained, heavily armed, cunning, and ferociously courageous, the insurgents also displayed consummate tactical skill. They had studied the soldiers' communication patterns and equipment, and knew their capabilities-and severe limitations. What followed was sixteen months of continuous battle in which Parnell's "Outlaw Platoon" killed more than 350 enemy combatants. During countless clashes on the border, the platoon discovered the truth about our Pakistani "allies" and the extent of their military involvement against U.S. forces in Afghanistan. In five of the largest battles along the border since the war began, waves of insurgents attempted to overrun Parnell's platoon with the avowed intent of beheading him and his men. Each time, Parnell's men held them off. But the cost was high: over eighty percent was wounded in action - a rate not seen since Gettysburg. Despite these daunting odds, Parnell's men displayed unparalleled bravery. "Outlaw Platoon" is the story of those sixteen months, a gripping narrative of how close combat reshaped the lives of Parnell and his men, and how the love and faith they found in each other kept them alive.