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

Great book

Best war book I've ever listened to and I've listened to over 40. This book not only has raw action but provides insights into the War in Afghanistan, the Taliban's brutal tactics, how the Pakistanis are fucking us, the insider threat, and how bureaucrats are making it impossible to win.

Heroes sharing their stories

Where does Outlaw Platoon rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

Sean Parnell's book is right up there with Marcus Luttrell's two books and with Chris Kyle's book.

What other book might you compare Outlaw Platoon to and why?

Outlaw Platoon is as good as Lone Survivor, Service and American Sniper. It is great that the military heroes that have fought to keep us free are willing to tell their stories and that of the men with whom they have served. Every American should thanks every one of them for their service to this great country,.

Outlaw Platoon is the best

If you could sum up Outlaw Platoon in three words, what would they be?

Roller Coaster Ride

What did you like best about this story?

Voice intonations were excellent. The battle scenes kept you on the edge of your seat. Traveling in the mind of Parnell provided great insight to the challenges and emotional upheaval. The story was concise yet put you thru a range of emotional experiences. Important lessons of life learned thru appropriate responses to adverse circumstances.

Which character – as performed by Ray Porter – was your favorite?

Ray Porter did a fantastic job of playing all the characters.

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

There were many times I "could not put the book down". This book captures you the entire time.

Any additional comments?

I have listened to several books on the middle east conflict. This book is head and shoulders better than Lone Survivor and American Sniper--actually, there is no comparison. I highly recommend this book.

Heroes?

Outlaw Platoon is a story of love, brotherhood, pain, suffering, tragedy, and loss. There is no 'upside', this is war. Before you vote to turn our American kids into American soldiers to send them to 'fight for our freedom' perhaps we should all read/listen to books like this.
It is a harrowing story at times, heart wrenchingly disgusting and tragic at others, but completely necessary to hear. I'm sure this is really just a glimpse into the life of a soldier in Afghanistan but one needs to begin somewhere. I would suggest right here. The only uplifting aspect of this story is the love these brothers in arms share and the sense of duty and honor these men and women posess. I walked away from this with a couple of haunting questions, "What the hell are we fighting for?" "What is winning and how do we do it?"

outlaw platoon<br /><br />

Excellent and selfless account of his platoons tour and hardships in the war in Afghanistan

you gotta read

the narrator is the best I've heard yet. the story is awesome, action packed and brutally honest. I very highly recommend.

Cuts down to the soul.

So often we Americans forget what it cost to be able to get in a vehicle we purchased and drive freely to the store to be able to pick up literally what ever we want. I was in the Marines at the time this story occurred and I will not forget what some soldiers paid for my freedom.

Sooooo Good!

This is a great story of great warriors! It gives you an insight into the bonds that can only be forged from great hardship. What these young Warfighters endured and overcame is truly inspiring.

Amazing

The story is incredible and the narrator is perhaps the best I've ever heard.
I'm strongly encouraging friends and family to read or listen to this book.

Thank You!

Outlaw platoon - thank you! This is a riveting story, told with with much honesty. The men in this story are patriots.