The WaPo has the story of Marcus Luttrell, the first class petty officer and Navy SEAL who was a the sole survivor of a four-man team ambushed by Taliban in Afghanistan – a tale of choices and consequences, danger and courage, betrayal and mercy.
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9 comments to Survivor |
Targets of Opportunityblog advertising is good for you Credo"Sign on, young man, and sail with me. The stature of our homeland is no more than the measure of ourselves. Our job is to keep her free. Our will is to keep the torch of freedom burning for all. To this solemn purpose we call on the young, the brave, the strong, and the free. Heed my call, Come to the sea. Come Sail with me." -- John Paul Jones "Pardon him, Theodotus; he is a barbarian, and thinks that the customs of his tribe and island are the laws of nature" --George Bernard Shaw, "Caesar and Cleopatra" "And those who were seen dancing were thought to be insane by those who could not hear the music."--Friedrich Nietzsche "A kind Providence has placed in our breasts a hatred of the unjust and cruel, in order that we may preserve ourselves from cruelty and injustice. They who bear cruelty, are accomplices in it. The pretended gentleness which excludes that charitable rancour, produces an indifference which is half an approbation. They never will love where they ought to love, who do not hate where they ought to hate."--Edmund Burke “You say that it is your custom to burn widows. Very well. We also have a custom: when men burn a woman alive, we tie a rope around their necks and we hang them. Build your funeral pyre; beside it, my carpenters will build a gallows. You may follow your custom. And then we will follow ours.”--General Sir Charles Napier "Μολὼν λαβέ" -- Leonidas "Blogito Ergo Sum" -- Neptunus Lex Amazon AssociateFor the Effort!Winnar! Subscribe CategoriesPagesTagsacademy
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Wow, I’m blown away.
It’s a haunting story. He showed mercy, and was shown mercy. Now he carries the burden of that decision. Had he gone the other way, his choice would have left him with the other burden of killing the herders. Who knows where that would have ended. Sometimes there is no right choice.
Good read.
War has many faces. Many we don’t expect to see.
Wow. Amaxing story.
Thanks for posting it.
I hope telling his story gives him some measure of peace. My heart aches for him when he says he avoids sleeping because is mates are in his dreams screaming for help.
I was going to email you about this story sir. Reminds me a bit of the “Bravo 2-0″ story of Andy McNabb. SAS was out in the desert doing an oberservation and were seen by a goat herder’s son who subsequently informed the Iraqi military near by. That too is a story worth reading as is “The one that got away.”
More than a survivor, more than a SEAL, and more than a hero is Petty Officer Luttrell. That he has reached out to the pilot who flew the rescue helicopter is one step back from that nightmare, and his writing a book is another, more important, step.
Lex, we have you to thank for ensuring that we never forget Marcus’ survival in what is, predominantly, a forgotten war in Afghanistan.
May he find peace from his nightmares very soon.
Veritas et Fidelis Semper
I’m headed to Amazon to buy that book, having followed this story in the Milblogs from the first day. Fine, fine Warriors and fine Men! They certainly have my gratitude and Marcus will be in my prayers for as long as I live. He deserves much from all Americans, as do all our military.
I remember when that happened and was heartsick by the loss of so many talented and exceptional men.
When Husband was getting ready to join the USS Ranger as Hanger Deck Officer we stayed at the Navy Lodge on Coronado while he did his firefighting class and such. I’ve always had a sort of crush on SEALS, I think from watching them jump out of helicopters (perfectly good ones, don’cha know) into the drink just off the beach from the Lodge and then try to swim, or whatever they were doing, or going to dinner and seeing them running together on the beach. I marveled at their tenacity and strength.
Still do.