“Into the Fire” by Dakota Meyer; a book review
The folks at Random House sent me a copy of Marine Corporal Dakota Meyer’s book “Into the Fire: A Firsthand Account of the Most Extraordinary Battle in the Afghan War” Friday night. I didn’t get a chance to start reading until last night – but I made up for lost time, I guess, because I couldn’t put the book down until I’d finished it. The book grabbed me by the throat and wouldn’t let me put it down until I got to the end.
It was definitely a change of pace from all of the SEAL books which have permeated my reading list recently, but I came away with even more anger at Big Army than I had before, even though I thought that was not possible. Most of the book is about a battle at the village of Ganjigal near the Pakistan border in Afghanistan. American advisers followed an Afghan unit into the town which was basically located at the end of a box canyon and they’d given the Taliban two days notice to set up an ambush in the village and the Taliban took advantage of it. As soon as the Afghans and their American advisers arrived, RPGs, PPKs and 107mm rockets rained down on them in the kill zone.
While they were trapped, Big Army decided that they couldn’t use indirect fire to extricate themselves from the deadly trap, they wouldn’t even fire smoke to cover the withdrawal, because Big Army was concerned about civilian casualties.
Corporal Meyers, who had been left behind at the COB, along with his driver Sergeant Rodriguez charged into the maelstrom with an armored Hummer to rescue the members of his advisory team, but ended up pulling out the dead and wounded, and then charging back into the firefight.
The book also talks extensively about Army Captain Will Swenson, whose heroics matched those of Dakota Meyers, but who goes unrecognized by Big Army because Swenson chose to criticize the Army’s reluctance to provide fire support for the pinned down Americans in Ganjigal. Meyers dedicates an entire chapter to the story of the Army’s failure to recognize Swenson with even an ARCOM with a “V”. If Meyers’ account is to be believed, Swenson certainly deserves a Medal of Honor for his courage and seizing the mantle of commander in the absence of leadership in the kill zone.
Meyers also goes into some detail about how he dealt, sometimes not so well, with coming home.
Meyer’s co-author is Bing West, whose name might sound familiar to many because he has been writing about grunts since Vietnam and was a grunt himself.
If you need something to read to explain the experiences of our troops in Afghanistan and how they return, this book is a “must read”. But you’d better block out a large piece of time to read it – because you won’t be able to put it down.
Category: Book Review
Will be getting a copy on Google Books downloaded soonest, although it sounds like I may need a new phone…several, in fact.
Thank you for the review, Jonn. I’m looking forward to reading Corporal Meyer’s book.
I have great respect for Corporal Meyer on every level but am grateful to know that he deveoted so much time in his book to CPT Swenson. Over time I’ve read various reports about CPT Swenson’s award ranging from “the paperwork got lost” to “the time for the award expired” (that one kills me) to “it is not being resubmitted”. Regardless of whether he is every given an award he more than deserves, there is no denying he has been more than jerked around by the Army.
“American advisers followed an Afghan unit into the town which was basically located at the end of a box canyon and they’d given the Taliban two days notice to set up an ambush in the village and the Taliban took advantage of it. As soon as the Afghans and their American advisers arrived, RPGs, PPKs and 107mm rockets rained down on them in the kill zone.
While they were trapped, Big Army decided that they couldn’t use indirect fire to extricate themselves from the deadly trap, they wouldn’t even fire smoke to cover the withdrawal, because Big Army was concerned about civilian casualties.”
These exact same wods could have been written 42 years ago. Somethings never change and some people never learn.
I now have read several books that you have recomended on here Jonn. Thanks for the review.
Thanks for the review. I will be picking it up.
“the Village” is an excellent book by Bing West.
Great post. A book I will read. Yes, I can read. And in reference to CAPT Swensen, he will get his. It starts here, with the book, and the questions that will be asked by the massess. The theory of Loyal Dissant is a critical tool in use by junior leaders … it helps senior leaders. For this CAPT to go unrecognized because he had the balls to crtitically critique operations … pure shame. Good post … story. This book should be required reading for all grade schoolers … and “Johnny Has Two Mommies” should be shit canned.
Already got it, will read it next. I actually meant to put it on my wishlist, but accidentally purchased it instead. Oh well, I don’t mind my money going to someone like Dakota Myers.
I’ve read many firsthand accounts of the modern wars. I started to read them because they were my son’s favorite books, but then got hooked. I also feel that it’s my duty as an American citizen to know the details of what our troops are going through when we send them over there. I’m usually crying by the end, especially with Adam Brown’s book.
I look forward to reading this one.
I’m thinking you’re correct, MCPO.
A book being published was what finally did the trick for a certain Ed Freeman and Bruce Crandall.
http://valorguardians.com/blog/?p=32357
I’m wondering if this is the battle that UJ posted about that lit me up like nothing has in many years. Soldiers, Marines and Afghani pinned down, getting lit up to the max … and repeatedly being denied CAS, Arty, or anything else that would help them by some Army officer, who countermanded an NCO who tried to do something to help those men. All because he was afraid of harming nearby alleged “civies.” 14 KIA, as I recall.
In any case, Big Army needs a SERIOUS house cleaning.
In regard to ‘harming nearby civvies’, when I was glued to my TV set, watching “Bomb Patrol Afghanistan” on G4 — and they rerun it every now and then, very educational — what I noticed was that every time the Taliban or AQ were setting up an ambush, EVERYONE IN THE VILLAGE HEADED OUT OF TOWN.
And I mean everyone.
If the command structure in Big Army is so dense that they can’t figure these things out, when a non-combatant like can see the obvious, then that branch of the service needs a decided housecleaning. No offense meant to Army peoples.
I think one of the most enlightening statements made by Dakota Meyers is a huge key in identifying that phonies and fake warriors that boast about all their brave deeds in combat. When asked why he hardly had ever opened up about his actions in winning the Medal of Honor he said ” People were asking me to talk about THE WORST DAY OF MY LIFE”. All the ass-clowns that claim medals can be weeded out by that fact alone.
I just finished this book. I am so glad that you reviewed it on here. I just couldn’t put it down. One correction though, however minor, he was left at the ORP not the COB. I wanted to crawl into my Kindle and throat punch the Battle CPT.