Red Platoon

A True Story of American Valor

By: Clinton Romesha

Narrated by: Will Damron, Clinton Romesha

Length: 12 hrs and 28 mins

Publisher's summary

The only comprehensive, firsthand account of the 13-hour firefight at the Battle of Keating, by Medal of Honor recipient Clinton Romesha, for listeners of Black Hawk Down by Mark Bowden and Lone Survivor by Marcus Luttrell.

"'It doesn't get better.' To us, that phrase nailed one of the essential truths, maybe even the essential truth, about being stuck at an outpost whose strategic and tactical vulnerabilities were so glaringly obvious to every soldier who had ever set foot in that place that the name itself - Keating - had become a kind of backhanded joke."

In 2009 Clinton Romesha of Red Platoon and the rest of the Black Knight Troop were preparing to shut down Command Outpost Keating, the most remote and inaccessible in a string of bases built by the US military in Nuristan and Kunar in the hope of preventing Taliban insurgents from moving freely back and forth between Afghanistan and Pakistan. Three years after Keating's construction, the army was finally ready to concede what the men on the ground had known immediately: It was simply too isolated and too dangerous to defend.

On October 3, 2009, after years of constant smaller attacks, the Taliban finally decided to throw everything they had at Keating. The ensuing 13-hour battle - and eventual victory - cost eight men their lives.

Red Platoon is the riveting firsthand account of the Battle of Keating, told by Romesha, who spearheaded both the defense of the outpost and the counterattack that drove the Taliban back beyond the wire and received the Medal of Honor for his actions.

Includes original songs “Red Platoon” and “Remember the Fallen”

Songs performed by Michael Connors. ℗2016 Michael Connors Music.

"Red Platoon" words and music by Jim Kinsey, Michael Connors, Clint Romesha, Mike Hartnett and James Breedwell © 2016 All Rights Reserved. Used by Permission.

"Remember The Fallen" words and music by Michael Connors, Jim Kinsey, Billy Dawson and Mike Hartnett © 2016 All Rights Reserved. Used by Permission. Executive Producer, Nemo Arms

©2016 Clinton Romesha (P)2016 Penguin Audio

Critic reviews

“This ranks among the best combat narratives written in recent decades, revealing Romesha as a brave and skilled soldier as well as a gifted writer.... Romesha remains humble and self-effacing throughout, in a contrast with many other first-person battle accounts, and his powerful, action-packed book is likely to stand as a classic of the genre.” (Publishers Weekly, starred review)

“The book is riveting in its authentic detail.... Romesha ably captures the daily dangers faced by these courageous American soldiers in Afghanistan.” (Kirkus Reviews)

“[Romesha’s] account displays all the hallmarks of superlative wartime reporting: unflinching honesty; vivid, in-the-trenches description; and deeper reflections on the pathos of battle.” (Booklist)

Perfect

Narrator’s voice and skill are perfect for this audio.

This is an exciting, edge-of-your seat story but one that is even less than the true life cautionary tale upon which this avoidable battle is based.

When will the military mucky-mucks learn by scrutinizing past mistakes? No need to answer this question. If it had been answered correctly AND acted upon there would not have been the Vietnam tragedy nor the gratuitous invasion of Iraq.

A no holds barred, accounting of war.

I've read hundreds of books recounting stories of war and soldiers engaged in battle. None come as close as this book to transporting the reader into the chaos of combat. A marvelous, tragic, heroic true story. As a veteran I can say that it's as true a depiction of the military as has ever been writen. I wish that all those who are thinking that being an enemy of the US is a good life choice would read this book. This story is what makes us different. They fought and died for their buddies with no thought of any other option, your buddies are brothers and family. There's nothing you won't endure or give up to protect family. Made me mad, sad but mostly proud of them.

unfortunate events

hard to hear but needs to be herd. makes me happy to be an American

It’s very good

It’s very good, it gets gory and kinda heavy. It gives a lot of good information, its really good.

Great book!!!

Being a Little League coach and having Andrew Bundermann on our team and how he helped pull off our win in the Championship game years ago, I knew this young fella would turn out to do great things when the chips were down. Always willing to step up and get the job done. Thank you all for your service!!!

damn

This was incredible to listen to and thank you so much for sharing your story. I was on deployment in the Persian Gulf when this happened and all of your bravery is truely inspiring.

EVERYONE!

Everyone needs to read these types of books. Schools should have them as part of required reading. We have so much thanks to men and women like the ones in this book, and others before them. Great detail about what happened and very humble. Reading performance was well done. Condolences to families of the fallen.

unbelievable

what an unbelievable battle that they had to incur. well written and well told. a must read or listen to.

Listened to this several times over.

An excellent, play-by-play, edge-of-your-seat retelling of Clint Romesha’s account of the attack on Camp Keating that earned him the Nation’s highest honor, the Congressional Medal of Honor. The book was tough to put down and the audiobook version found me listening to it well after arriving at my destination!

True Grit

An amazing story of courage, anguish and the spirit to fight on against all odds.