Heroes Among Us: Firsthand Accounts of Combat From America's Most Decorated Warriors in Iraq and Afghanistan

This book contains a compelling collection of stories from 29 of over one million sailors, soldiers, and airmen who gallantly served in Iraq and Afghanistan. Each was from Hometown, America, representing every race and ethnicity, alike in many ways. Different in the fact that they had each earned one of America’s highest valors for their bravery while serving, and lived to tell their stories. Out of the million plus heroes that have served in both wars, less than 500 have earned the Air Force Cross, Navy Cross, Silver Star, Distinguished Service Cross or Medal of Honor. Allow me to introduce you to 29 of them. Beginning with a short autobiography by each hero portrayed, giving the reader a view of normalcy before deploying, the families back home, the children left behind, the babies not yet born but on their way. Each account moves into when and how each performed their medal earning deeds. Many received injuries, some career ending. The details of the battles waged, the lives lost, the lives saved, were written in great detail with the exception of a few whose fuzzy recounts are all they remember. It leaves the reader to fill in the gaps, assume the missing. You can tell that the stories do not come easy. The reader can “see” the pain left behind, feel the fear that was felt, and sense the humility within them all. They all share a love of their nation, their fellow soldiers, and the jobs they were sent to do. Working endless hours in intolerable conditions, far away from their loved ones, they never forgot why they were there or what they had to do to get back home. Everyone in this book were willing to lay down their lives for their fellow soldier, in fact, some of them did. The stories range from U.S. Army Special Forces to Marine Corps reservists called up from their civilian lives, enlisted members, as well as commissioned officers. The stories tellers tell their tales as well as those who served with them, some of which did not make it home to tell the stories themselves. These are not just self-portrayals but verbal portraits into the lives of all those involved in the heroics performed those fateful days. The accounts include those of two Medal of Honor winners who died doing what they loved, told by fellow soldiers and family members. Their bodies may not have made it back alive but their legacies did, alive and well through the eyes of others. If you are looking for a better understanding of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, this is the wrong book for you. There is no political mudslinging, no he said she said. There are not any views to oppress or accept, or pros to be conned or cons to be pro’d. Just real life stories of a small percentage of All-American heroes who do not call themselves heroes, but instead sailor, soldier, airman, Americans. If you are looking for true accounts of extraordinary courage and bravery under fire then this collection of true stories of honor, valor, and sacrifice is the perfect choice for you.

Just an absolutely great book. Everyone needs to know the sacrifices made by our troops for the rest of the world.

Compelling and actual stories of combat from the soldiers who lived through those battles.