They fought for each other
Subtitle: the triumph and tragedy of the hardest hit unit in Iraq
By: Kelly Kennedy
Edition: 1st ed.
Publisher: St. Martin's Press
Published: 2010
Place of publication: New York
Language: eng
Number of pages: 318
ISBN-13: 9780312570767
Description: Charlie 1-26 confronted one of the worst neighborhoods in Baghdad and lost more men than any battalion since Vietnam. This is the remarkable story of a courageous military unit that sacrificed their lives to change Adhamiya from a lawless town where insurgents roamed freely, to a secure neighborhood with open storefronts and a safe populace. Army Times writer Kelly Kennedy was embedded with Charlie Company in 2007, went on patrol with the soldiers and spent hours in combat support hospitals. During that period, one soldier threw himself on a grenade to save his friends, a well-liked first sergeant shot himself to death in front of his troops, and a platoon staged a mutiny. The men of Charlie 1-26 would earn at least 95 combat awards, including one soldier who would go home with three Purple Hearts and a lost dream. This is a timeless story of men at war and a heartbreaking account of American sacrifice.--From publisher description.
Table of contents: title: Second platoon meets Adhamiya; title: Adhamiya moves from acceptance to hatred; title: Charlie Company learns to fight the insurgents; title: Charlie Company faces its first losses; title: The commander's wife handles Adhamiya's deaths at home; title: Top keeps morale high in Hell; title: Ladue earns three purple hearts in two months; title: McGinnis earns a medal of honor; title: The mission continues at home; title: Charlie Company tries to play nice with the neighbors; title: Charlie Company continues the battle, but faces more death; title: A change of command brings a taste of progress; title: Charlie Company's leaders look for signs of combat stress; title: Charlie Company's mission changes; title: Adhamiya becomes a gated community; title: Charlie Company beats down flames with friendship; title: Alpha Company moves to old mod; title: Charlie Company senses a storm and tries to remain calm; title: Charlie Company faces its worst day; title: Charlie Company pulls back, but seethes; title: A first sergeant breaks down; title: Charlie Company responds to alpha's catastrophic loss; title: Charlie Company mutinies and is torn apart; title: The battalion faces its last casualty; title: Charlie Company works toward healing; title: Charlie Company goes home.