To survive is to endure (Lone Survivor - Marcus Luttrell)

Member Name: Bullit70

Product:	Lone Survivor - Marcus Luttrell
Date:	06/11/09 (31 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Incredible true story, fast paced,informative

Disadvantages: Some inconsistencies

If I could recommend only one book about the triumph of the human spirit then it would probably be this book. Lone Survivor is an incredible story and very nearly a story that would never have seen the light of day if it hadn't been for one man, that man is Navy Seal Marcus Luttrell.

The Mission

On June 28, 2005, deep behind enemy lines east of Asadabad in the Hindu Kush of Afghanistan, a four-man Navy SEAL team was conducting a reconnaissance mission to find and either capture or kill Ahmad Shah, a known terrorist who led a guerrilla group known to locals as the "Mountain Tigers" that had aligned with the Taliban and other militant groups close to the Pakistani border.

The Team

The SEALs consisted of the following men - Lt. Michael Murphy, Gunner's Mate 2nd Class (SEAL) Danny Dietz, Sonar Technician 2nd Class (SEAL) Matthew Axelson and Hospital Corpsman 2nd Class (SEAL) Marcus Luttrell.

The Story

The story follows Luttrells career as he trains to become a Navy Seal which helps you to understand the brutal and exhaustive training that Special Forces like the Seals go through, BUDs or Basic Underwater Demolition is part of that training regime and Luttrell gives the reader an amazing and candid first hand account of the endurance training required to pass, SEALs are trained to conduct operations in any arena, and successful candidates spend 18 to 24 months in training before being assigned to their designated teams. For most, the greatest challenge lies in Week 4 of Phase One. A grueling 5.5 days, the continuous training ultimately determines who has the ability and mindset to endure.
Luttrell also gives a great insight into his family life on a farm in Texas but this also provides an interesting backstory of why he ultimately never stopped believing in himself since his family is probably one of the closest knit families you'll ever read about.
In similar circumstances to Andy McNabs superb Bravo Two Zero, the 4 man Navy Seal team was compromised by local goat farmers who had come across the team purely by accident, faced with the dilema to either kill the farmers and stay on mission or let them go and terminate the mission they took a vote, after much consideration they decided to release the farmers and hope that the farmers would not reveal their position to nearby Taliban forces.
Its at this point things go very badly for the team, 150 Taliban fighters descend on the 4 man team and a fight for survival under incredible circumstances begins, Luttrell gives a blistering shot by shot account of the desperate measures the team takes to fight its way out of what can only be described as deadly chaos.
Now surrounded and under intense enemy fire from RPG rockets and machine gun fire Luttrell suffers injuries to his legs when he is shot and is blown over the edge of a cliff by an RPG suffering a broken nose,3 broken vertibrae and torn rotator cuff.
Unable to walk but still armed Luttrell crawled 7 miles through the mountaineous terrain and this is where the book now becomes a one man diary on survival and it will humble any reader.

Surviving

Rescued by local Pashtun tribesmen by a stream Luttrell is taken in under the age old tradion known as "Lokham Warkawal" ( Giving of a Pot) which means that regardless of who he is it is the responsibility of the tribe to care for and protect a "guest" even if it means their own lives, in other words these tribesmen would protect Luttrell from any more harm even from Taliban fighters who as it later transpires in the book pay him an unpleasant visit in the locals village where he is recovering.
I won't reveal the final circumstances of the other men in his team for fear of spoiling the book but as for Lt Mike Murphy if you Google him he is a man larger than life who even has his own Facebook tribute page with thousands of followers and for very good reason.

I couldn't put this book down, its one of the most amazing stories I have ever read about endurance, what man can and does endure to survive but what makes this story so profound is that Luttrell has been dealt with crushing survivors guilt complex, he sleeps during the day because of the constant nightmares at night and still suffers physical pain but also feels responsible for the death of the 16 Special Forces troops who were shot down in their helicopter by the Taliban as they raced to the Seals rescue.
Recently Luttrells puppy bought for him to help him recover from the mental anguish was shot and killed by local youths who he chased over several counties in his truck before cornering them with local police and even this story shows how his Seal training kept him level headed.

Luttrell is an amazing man, he's not big headed or arrogant and he knows how fortunate he is, he recovered enough to serve a 2nd tour in Iraq but has since retired and now uses his time speaking at events.

Even if you're not a fan of military books but need an example of endurance or inspiration to go that extra mile one things for sure this book is worth every second of your time.

Summary: There is only one Navy Seal book worth reading and this is it!