Books & more: Lone Survivor

America celebrates its war heroes. And if America doesn't, they celebrate themselves. The book "Lone Survivor", written by Marcus Luttrell under the guidance of Patrick Robinson, has already caused a sensation as a bestseller and is now experiencing a spectacular start as a movie in America. Mark Wahlberg plays Marcus Luttrell of SEAL Team 10, who in 2005, along with three other Navy SEALs, is assigned to a Taliban leader in northeastern Afghanistan. Similar to the British SAS patrol "Bravo Two Zero" in Iraq, civilians compromise the mission of the four Americans at an early stage. Since the SEAL Team cannot decide to eliminate them, they soon become involved in a bloody retreat battle with numerically superior and battle-hardened Taliban fighters. Three of the four SEALs die in this fierce and seemingly hopeless firefight, only Luttrell survives severely wounded. Even a US helicopter full of Special Forces members, called for rescue by the dying commander, is shot down. Through the intervention of loyal Pashtuns, fortunate circumstances, and the involvement of a Ranger unit, the "Lone Survivor" is ultimately brought back.

The book begins at the very beginning and describes in great detail and always with a strong dose of pathos Luttrell's original motivation for joining the Navy, BUD/S training, and his further education. The theme of the incomparability of the SEALs, America, and especially Texans runs like a thread through the book. And the sometimes very crude and often somewhat questionable justification of America's foreign policy under George W. Bush is familiar to knowledgeable readers from other Special Operations Forces titles of that time. Whether the descriptions of the final firefight are realistic, or whether they were too "publicity-friendly" heroized by the co-author (who did not coordinate the final version of the book) will only be judged by Marcus Luttrell himself. Fact is: Petty Officer Luttrell was awarded the "Navy Cross" by the President for the bravery he showed during this mission.

In summary, "Lone Survivor" is a grippingly written book, very readable even in the original, providing a comprehensive and contemporary insight into the nature, training, and operations of the US Navy SEALs.

"Lone Survivor: The Incredible True Story of Navy SEALs Under Siege" by Marcus Luttrell and Patrick Robinson, 2014, 400 pages costs 9.94 euros as a paperback. The book is available on Kindle at Amazon for "Lone Survivor" Lone Survivor
for 5.49 euros.