Code Name: Johnny Walker

The Extraordinary Story of the Iraqi Who Risked Everything to Fight with the U.S. Navy SEALs

By: Johnny Walker, Jim DeFelice

Narrated by: Peter Ganim

Length: 10 hrs and 30 mins

Publisher's summary

In this illuminating and informative memoir, an Iraqi translator who risked his life working with American Sniper author Chris Kyle and the Navy SEALs tells his remarkable and inspiring story, offering a refreshing new perspective on the Iraq War.

As the insurgency in Iraq intensified following the American invasion, U.S. Navy SEALs were called upon to root terrorists from their lairs. Unsure of the local neighborhoods and unable to speak the local languages, they came to rely on one man to guide them and watch their backs. He was a "terp" - an interpreter - with a job so dangerous they couldn't even use his real name. They named him Johnny Walker. They soon called him brother.

Over the course of eight years, the Iraqi native traveled around the country with nearly every SEAL and special operations unit deployed there. He went on thousands of missions, saved dozens of SEAL and other American lives, and risked his own daily. Helped to the U.S. by the SEALs he protected, Johnny Walker's life is so remarkable that his tale sounds like fiction. But every word of it is true.

For the first time ever, a "terp" tells what it was like in Iraq during the American occupation. With inside details on SEAL operations and a humane understanding of how most civilians caught between the terrorists and the new government really felt, Code Name: Johnny Walker reveals a side of the war never told before.

©2014 Blackbeard, LLC (P)2014 HarperCollinsPublishers

Critic reviews

"Fiery, insightful memoir from the former Iraqi translator who fought alongside U.S. Special Forces during the recent war in Iraq.... [An] invaluable insider’s perspective of Iraq.... Vivid.... A harrowing personal journey of courageous self-empowerment during wartime." ( Kirkus Reviews)

No words can describe how good this is!

Amazing story, Amazing Man, Amazing family.... execellent production in audiobook that kept me listenening and engaged as if I was standing next to him seeing the world through Johnny's view... enlightening, even for someone who thought they had been there too ... Thank you Johnny Walker for restoring my faith that we were doing the right thing!

Amazing Story

Many facets to Johnny & his challenges. Many twists & turns in his journey makes a great story of a legend.

Wow!

This is a very well written book from front to back. If there were more men in the world like "Johnny Walker" and many of the men he speaks of, this world would be a better place. Such honorable men! My husband heard part of the book as I was listening and he wants to hear it too.
The narrator was perfect!

Great book!

Thank you Johnny for your service to our country! Welcome to the USA. You definitely earned it.

A true American Story.

This is an excellent book! Johnny, with his rich expressions and honest recount of the conflict in Iraq starting with the Invasion of Kuwait, to his closing chapter of nearing his accomplishment of becoming a US Citizen is an unforgettable account of his view on life, war, corruption, and the toll that evil and corruption takes on a people. I teared up, and laughed several times. The book never dragged on for even a minute. He calls it as it is, and is not only an American Hero, but a true human being. We are all blessed t

THANK YOU JOHNNY WALKER

Thank you very much for your service to our country we're very honored very pleased to have you part of our country enjoying it our freedom the sacrifices that you made for our servicemen when never be forgotten

Great story even greater cause it is true

The world is in dire need of more Johnny Walker’s after this book I feel so happy for him and his family he’s a true AMERICAN HERO! And A Iraq hero as well I hope we as Americans can welcome Johnny and so many others from the Middle East as Americans from the Middle East and Learn such a valuable lesson about people in general there are more good than bad I’ve learned a lot from this book not to judge based on religion or county every country has Johnny walkers I suppose god bless him and his family for there sacrifice!

Great story from an interesting perspective

If you've seen American Sniper or read the book, you'll love this one. It's about the flip side and offers a view into the life of an Iraqi who risked everything to help America Forces.while there is plenty of action, it's less about war than it is about using local people to get the real story during missions. Done the way only an Iraqi can. Sometimes funny, sometimes tense, but always real, this book embodies a real account of what is what like for those who truly wanted to help their country.

Fascinating and riveting story.

Johnny Walker is a true hero and this story provides great inside to an Iraqi's side of the story of Iraq.

Johnny Walker is a Badass

I thought that I would not be able to get through it because of the accent of the reader but I eventually grew to love this hero....the accent made it more interesting, truly great job....