Outlaw Platoon

Heroes, Renegades, Infidels, and the Brotherhood of War in Afghanistan

By: Sean Parnell, John Bruning

Narrated by: Ray Porter

Length: 10 hrs and 18 mins

Publisher's summary

In combat, men measure up. Or don't. There are no second chances.

In this vivid account of the U.S. Army's legendary 10th Mountain Division's heroic stand in the mountains of Afghanistan, Captain Sean Parnell shares an action-packed and highly emotional true story of triumph, tragedy, and the extraordinary bonds forged in battle.

At 24 years of age, U.S. Army Ranger Sean Parnell was named commander of a forty-man elite infantry platoon - a unit that came to be known as the Outlaws - and was tasked with rooting out Pakistan-based insurgents from a mountain valley along Afghanistan's eastern frontier. Parnell and his men assumed they would be facing a ragtag bunch of civilians, but in May 2006 what started out as a routine patrol through the lower mountains of the Hindu Kush became a brutal ambush. Barely surviving the attack, Parnell's men now realized that they faced the most professional and seasoned force of light infantry the U.S. Army had encountered since the end of World War II.

What followed was 16 months of close combat, over the course of which the platoon became Parnell's family: from Staff Sergeant Greg Greeson, the wise, chain-smoking veteran who never lost his cool; to Specialist Robert Pinholt, a buttoned-down conservative with the heart of a warrior and the mind of an economist; to Staff Sergeant Phil Baldwin, the platoon's voice of calm and reason, a man who sacrificed everything following the events of 9/11 - career, home, financial stability - to serve his country. But the cost of battle was high for these men: Over 80 percent were wounded in action, putting their casualty rate among the highest since Gettysburg, and not all of them made it home.

A searing and unforgettable story of friendship in battle, Outlaw Platoon brings to life the intensity and raw emotion of those 16 months, showing how the fight reshaped the lives of Parnell and his men and how the love and faith they found in one another ultimately kept them alive.

This audiobook is enhanced with a downloadable PDF containing photographs from the hardcover edition.

Download the accompanying reference guide.

©2012 Sean Parnell (P)2012 HarperCollinsPublishers

War is Hell. A very well written depiction of it.

I will start by saying that I never served in the military, but I truly loved the story and I felt like I was there, The narration of it was very well done, and the characters in it were vibrantly captured. It held my full attention throughout the whole story. I would buy from this author again, and plan to do so soon.

amazing recount of some of our heros

the narrator did an amazing job portraying the emotion of the writer and the book it self is a amazing recount of what he went thru over there. I had already separated from service before the war on terror but have many friends who served in this war and its hard for them to explain everything they went thru this book helps give a glimpse of what they saw and makes me appreciate my brothers even more.

Well worth a listen

This was an awesome and heartbreaking story at the same time. I would listen again

well

shit.... if anyone has a question about what it means to go to combat, please listen to this....

Adrenaline filled and heart warming

This book does a great job describing the life of an Infantry unit in combat. No Hollywood, just pure reality of war.

American Soldiers

This story encompasses the camaraderie and love very few will know or understand. I served but never saw combat, so even I don’t know the bonding that only comes with serving in combat. This book will get you about as close as you will ever get.

Excellent!

Thanks to the author for sharing his story. Brave men who’ve sacrificed on our behalf.

Great story of American heroes, very moving

Outlaw platoon is a heart moving story, one of the best I have ever listen to.

Wow

As I try to write this review I find myself at a loss of words.
To say this was an incredible story does not do this book justice.

A must read !

A gripping look at what soldiers go through

Great, heartbreaking, gives you a real look at men in combat. I will give you a greater appreciation for those that serve in war. It's well written and at points hurts to hear what the men of outlaw platoon went through. But it's something that every American needs to hear/read.