Outlaw Platoon

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

De: Sean Parnell, John Bruning

Narrado por: Ray Porter

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

reads like a novel

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

This is a great story about men at war in Afghan.

What did you like best about this story?

The combat scenes are outstanding.

What does Ray Porter bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

A great reader who makes you feel like you are there.

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

The whole story was moving for me.

Telling story from a true hero

Wonderfully produced, the narrator captures the emotions and inflections correctly throughout the book. The story is telling and real, told without any political tone or agenda.

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.

Incredible story

The storytelling is spot on. This book is incredible. Would recommend to anyone. Cheers. God bless America.

On par with band of brothers

No words can express the story told here.
It does not make you long for war. Just the brotherhood it builds.

A must read!

If you have any appreciation for the American soldier, you will read this. This book was extremely powerful and gives a powerful 1st hand account of what our troops really go through. I have always had a deep respect for anyone in the military, but this book literally makes me feel like I could never repay a small chunck of the debt we each personally owe to them. They are truly selfless and one of the only two who ever died for us, the other was on a cross.

I’m forever affected by Sean’s story

I had the privilege of meeting Mr Parnell at an event where he continues to serve his military brothers and their families. That was before I read his book. Today, I am so profoundly moved by the ignorance I’ve carried as a shield since becoming an adult in this world. My perspectives have shifted. My deepest gratitudes go to those men, women and families who have sacrificed everything for so many of us that we may continue to live free and in blissful ignorance.

Great book

The book and the story are great.
The only reason I gave Ray Porter a 4 is that I have listened to several novels that he narrated that hearing his voice gave it a "fiction" feel to me. Not that he did anything wrong. That was just my hangup.

Best story of real combat

This is a very personal story, that covers an extended deployment filled with numerous battles and personalities. Sometimes you want to shake the heroes (yes, they are heroes) and tell them to get better medical treatment after the conflict. And then there is the politics and the leaders who don't pull their weight, and you wish there was greater retribution. I have listened to several other non-fiction accounts of battle. Several were excellent, but this one is really the best for coverage of multiple engagements and something you should listen to, if you are interested in real people in unbelievable circumstances. The reading by Ray Porter is great. I always love his work and his mastery really shows in this and all the people he portrays.