The Good Soldiers by David Finkel

This book takes place during the surge in Iraq with the 2-16 IN BN "Rangers" in 2007 during their 15 month deployment. David Finkel was embedded with 2-16 for most of their tour. The book centralizes itself on Colonel K, the BN Commander but branches out to the lowest ranking Private to complete the story. The best aspect of this book is the sense of sacrifice described in its pages. The author took the time to add personal details to the 2-16 casualties. The soldier who found out his wife was pregnant again just days before dying from an IED was one of many examples. You get to follow the recovery of several wounded and their struggles. This is one of the most realistic books on Iraq I have read and it is definitely worth anyone's time to read.

Notable stories in the book...

Insurgents blowup the abandoned warehouse that 2-16 had originally selected for A CO's COB.

A HMMWV flips into a sewage ditch and starts to sink. Everyone but the gunner gets out. Another Soldier jumps in the sewage ditch and cuts him loose just in time.

The BN's best Soldier is sent home from severe PTSD. He was a veteran of several deployments. It started when he CAS EVEC'ed the BN's first WIA from a roof top. As he carried the soldier, blood got into his mouth, something that hunted him after he was medically discharged.

A soldier who just got married before the deployment is severely wounded in an IED attack. He lost 3 limbs, the hand on the 4th and was severely burned. He survived about 6 months after the attack. His young wife stood by him to the end. A sports team heard of his wounds and dedicated their season to him. Colonel K was able to visit this soldier while on mid tour leave.

A commander, who normally slept on his back or stomach, was sleeping on his side. Shrapnel from a rocket when thru his cot, sleeping bag, a book he was reading and his pillow. Had he been sleeping on his stomach he would have been hit in the head.

Insurgents used pocket propelled propane tanks to shell 2-16 COBs and FOBs. A 107mm rocket was attached to the tanks and were launched over the walls into the compounds. One officer's quarters were destroyed while he was in them. He expected to die but survived. Right after the attack he saw a bug that he normally would have killed but since he just escaped death the bug was pardoned.

Go forth and read

I was in Delta 2-16 during the surge when David Finkel was embedded with us. I got to say that this book tells it all, and tells the stories accurately. I would recommend this book for anyone interested in OIF, or anyone thats wants to know what it was like during the surge.