They Fought for Each Other: The Triumph and Tragedy of the Hardest Hit Unit in Iraq |  | Author: Kelly Kennedy
Publisher: St. Martin's Press
Category: Book
List Price: $24.99
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Rating:  17 reviews
Sales Rank: 56761
Media: Hardcover
Edition: 1st
Pages: 336
Number Of Items: 1
Shipping Weight (lbs): 1.2
Dimensions (in): 9.3 x 6.4 x 1.3
ISBN: 0312570767
Dewey Decimal Number: 956.7044342
EAN: 9780312570767
ASIN: 0312570767
Publication Date: March 2, 2010
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
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Product Description
Charlie 1-26 confronted one of the worst neighborhoods in Baghdad and lost more men than any battalion since Vietnam Based on “Blood Brothers”, the Michael Kelly Awardnominated series that ran in Army Times, this is the remarkable story of a courageous military unit that sacrificed their lives to change Adhamiya, Iraq, from a lawless town where insurgents roamed freely, to a secure neighborhood with open storefronts and a safe populace. Army Times writer Kelly Kennedy was embedded with Charlie Company in 2007, went on patrol with the soldiers and spent hours in combat support hospitals. During that period, one soldier threw himself on a grenade to save his friends, a well-liked first sergeant shot himself to death in front of his troops, and a platoon staged a mutiny. The men of Charlie 1- 26 would earn at least 95 combat awards, including one soldier who would go home with three Purple Hearts and a lost dream. This is a timeless story of men at war and a heartbreaking account of American sacrifice in Iraq.
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| Customer Reviews:
Showing reviews 1-5 of 17
 blue spader March 9, 2010
Adam L. Small
27 out of 27 found this review helpful
this book was a very difficult read, having been a part of this unit, 1-26 Blue Spaders. Everyone in this book was a friend and brother to me and reading this brought back my own fears. Kelly did a fantastic job painting the picture to everyone who reads this as to what exactly we went thru, what all combat soldiers go thru, things that don't get shown on the 5 o'clock news. Thank you Kelly for writing our story, and thank you to all the guys of 1-26
"Brothers" March 7, 2010
"Doc" Roth
17 out of 18 found this review helpful
This book was very difficult to read, fighting back tears, and repressing memories better soon forgetten. I try everyday to remeber the "brothers" lost in combat, and everyday I try to forget the horror.
Kelly is a wonderful person, who wrote a wonderful book that vividly portrays the actuality of war.
Thank you, Kelly, for writing this. Thank you, 1/26...Charlie Company are Warriors...
Let us not forget that many were lost during that fifteen months...Much love to my fellow Blue Spaders!
"Doc" Roth
A true look into what a unit in combat goes through to survive and take care of each other March 4, 2010
AT (Texas)
13 out of 15 found this review helpful
Outstanding book that takes a hard honest look at the realities of Soldiers in combat. It also shows the struggles that they faced after loosing so many of there brothers in arms. Amazing book. A must read for those who want to see what our Soldiers sacrifice every day.
Tough Reading! April 22, 2010
Joan Baxer (Ramsey, NJ USA)
5 out of 5 found this review helpful
I ordered this book as our youngest son served with this unit in Iraq during his first deployment there. A lot of the soldiers names were familiar to me, and some of the events were as well. I attended Ross McGinnis's burial service at Arlington National Cemetery, met the family and learned a lot about this 19 year old who sacrificed his life for his "brothers". Our son has "compartmentalized" many of the horrid things that occurred during his time in Adhamiyah, and I wanted to learn all about this hard hit group. I'm starting to read it a second time right now; my husband is also reading it. Learn about what they faced and how they lived; they were on patrol constantly.
A great additon to Iraq War reporting April 3, 2010
N. Webster
3 out of 3 found this review helpful
I would probably give this maybe 4 stars for the actual writing, but it's a five-star book as far as what it brings to Iraq War literature and reportage. There are superior books - "Good Soldiers," "Black Hearts," among them - but as far as getting into the deep details of an infantry company's deployment to Iraq, this does an exceptional job. While it might not be the first book you should choose, it should be on your shelf.
It is never preachy and rarely emphasises overly-exaggerated heroics. The truth is good enough. And, it's a real accomplishment that Kennedy pulled so much of this reporting together, considering she was present for very little of it. It takes an enormous amount of organization to create a narrative like this, grafting numerous sources and timelines all together.
My only 'complaint' is that Kennedy herself is missing TOO much. She was present for SOME of the events, and it would have been a good shift to see her perspective a little more clearly - not as a biography, but just so we can get a more personal look at these events, rather than ALL reportage. And, since she's an Army war veteran herself, that perspective was one that could have brought an interesting new level to the story. It's her story, too, so why not utilize her own experiences and observations a little more? In David Finkel's great book, "The Good Soldiers," he never 'appears' in the narrative, but it's clear to the reader when he's actually present for events, and that style is something that might have worked for Kennedy as well.
At times, the entire book seemed a little too 'newspapery' and not literary enough. Which makes sense, since it began as a newspaper series. That's not a negative critique - just reality. This is still a book that those interested in Iraq War reporting and soldier's stories should still seek out.
In any case, I'm jealous...I've embedded three times, plus, like Kennedy, was in Desert Storm too...and all my notes and attempts haven't come close to the depth and breadth of her storytelling and reporting. I've written lots of good newspaper stories, sure, but nothing as strong and complete as what she's done here.
Showing reviews 1-5 of 17
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