Outlaw Platoon
Heroes, Renegades, Infidels, and the Brotherhood of War in Afghanistan
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4.2 • 5 Ratings
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- $9.99
Publisher Description
A riveting story of American fighting men, Outlaw Platoon is Lieutenant Sean Parnell’s stunning personal account of the legendary U.S. Army’s 10th Mountain Division’s heroic stand in the mountains of Afghanistan.
Acclaimed for its vivid, poignant, and honest recreation of sixteen brutal months of nearly continuous battle in the deadly Hindu Kesh, Outlaw Platoon is a Band of Brothers or We Were Soldiers Once and Young for the early 21st century—an action-packed, highly emotional true story of enormous sacrifice and bravery.
A magnificent account of heroes, renegades, infidels, and brothers, it stands with Sebastian Junger’s War as one of the most important books to yet emerge from the heat, smoke, and fire of America’s War in Afghanistan.
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
Former Army officer Parnell and collaborator Bruning (Shadow of the Sword) reprise Parnell's 16 months as an infantry platoon leader in Afghanistan in this heartfelt memoir. In 2006, Parnell and his 10th Mountain Division platoon, the self-styled Outlaws, arrived in Afghanistan's Bermel Valley, which borders Pakistan. Their mission was "to stanch the flow of enemy troops and supplies into Afghanistan." Besides their 32 Purple Hearts, the platoon which "usually patrolled with about 30 men... loaded into six Humvees" earned seven Bronze Stars and 12 Army Commendations for Valor, making it one of the most decorated units in the Afghan war. Parnell vividly captures the sounds, sights, and smells of combat, and proves most eloquent when describing the bond "selflessness was our secret weapon" that developed among his men. Studiously nonpartisan, Parnell still raises important questions about Afghan president Hamid Karzai's integrity, the competence of the Afghan police, and the sincerity of our Pakistani "allies." Parnell balances sentimentality with sincerity and crisp prose to produce one of the Afghan war's most moving combat narratives.
