Smith treated by, 141–45
and urinating in bottles, 151
and U.S. occupation of Iraq, 74
Worley’s injuries and, 85–86, 320–21
Worley’s relationship with, 70–73, 75, 85–86, 320–21
Kirby, Gail, 70, 72, 309–12, 319–21
Bush and, 306, 325–30, 348
son’s car accident, 324–25
son’s emotional problems and, 327, 347
son’s injuries and, 312–14, 327, 347–49
Kirby, Jacko, 72, 319, 329–30
son’s car accident, 323
son’s injuries and, 310–11
Kirby, Lauren, 309, 312, 316–19, 346
Kirby, William E., 70–72
KLLL-FM, 117–18
Knight, Marques, 203, 208–9, 211
Koran, 131, 284
Korea, South, 31–32
Korengal River, Korengal Valley, 162
ambushes and ambush patrols in, 187, 190, 195–96, 204–6, 209, 214–30, 233–35
injuries and deaths in, 188, 195–96, 205, 207–12, 222–27, 233–35, 333
physical appearance of, 195, 197–99, 228–29
U.S. operations in, 187–91, 194–235, 333–36
Kosovo:
injuries and deaths in, 120–21, 300–2
McDowell and, 6, 10–14, 16–18, 117, 119–21, 300–2
Kraft, Mariko:
and air cavalry in Iraq, 103–11
and fighting in and around Muqdadiyah, 106–11
Kryszewski, Cindy Russell, 343–46
Kryszewski, Leonard “Leo” Jr., 26–50, 54–67, 342–46
Crowder’s relationship with, 58–59, 62–64, 66–67
emotional problems of, 344–46
family of, 30–31, 67, 343–46
and fighting at al-Kaed Bridge, 48–49
Gamsharik and, 37–38
injuries of, 61–67, 342–46
Korean tour of, 31–32
organizing Middle East classified activities and, 54–55, 58–61
post-military activities of, 345–47
and preparations for Iraq war, 40–41
and pursuit of bin Laden, 28, 30, 33–36, 38
retirement of, 343–44
and rocket attacks at Anaconda, 56, 61–66
Special Forces training of, 32–33
and U.S. occupation of Iraq, 55–66
and U.S. offensive operations in Afghanistan, 29–30, 60
and U.S. offensive operations in Iraq, 26–28, 38–39, 42–50, 56, 342
Kryszewski, Leonard, Sr., 30–31
Kryszewski, Travis, 67
Kuhn, Matthew, 235
Kunar Province, 159n, 162, 164, 187, 197
Kunar River, Kunar Valley, 162, 164, 168, 195
Kurds, 93, 116
Kuwait, 32, 91, 128, 336
and preparations for Iraq war, 40–41
and U.S. offensive operations in Iraq, 26, 38–39, 42–43, 74
Kyrgyzstan, 194–95, 248
Laney, Wesley:
and Battle of Marja, 241, 245–46, 260–63, 268–70, 273, 275–76, 277, 279–80, 285–89
Laneyal, 199, 228–32
Lashkar Gah, 250, 278, 337–38
Lau, Larry, 265–66
Laui Kalay, 199–200
Leatherneck, Camp, 239, 248, 253
Lejeune, Camp, 69–70, 73–74, 77, 136, 142, 245, 251, 310, 316–17, 320, 339
Lewis, Jacob, 84–85
Lindh, John Walker, 58
Lynch, John, 162, 166, 178, 184
McCauley, Bret, 76, 79
McChrystal, Stanley, 251
McDowell, Grayson, 298, 342
McDowell, Jolene, 116, 298, 342
McDowell, Landon, 116, 121, 342
McDowell, Layne, 4–24, 114–21, 296–305, 342–44
and action in Serbia and Kosovo, 6, 10–14, 16–18, 117, 119–20, 300–302
Alaska posting of, 298–99, 342
Arghandab River valley operations and, 299–300
and armed overwatch in Afghanistan, 296, 299–302, 340–41
casualties inflicted by, 13–14, 300–2
and changes in U.S. campaign in Afghanistan, 295–96
childhood of, 6–7, 15, 17, 117
cloud surfing of, 302–3
and attacking criticisms of Bush, 117–18
education and training of, 7–8, 17, 115–16, 118–19, 298
family of, 116, 118, 121, 298, 342
Iranian tanker buzzed by, 15
nightmares of, 120–21, 298
9/11 and, 4–6, 15, 19–20, 24
preflight routine of, 19–21
and real-time visibility of air strikes, 12–13
surge and, 295–97
and U.S. invasion of Iraq, 116–17
and U.S. offensive operations in Afghanistan, 16–24
MacKenzie, Forward Operating Base, 88–91, 93–95, 97, 99–102
illnesses at, 89–90
Slebodnik’s posting at, 91–92, 95
supplying military at, 94–95
MacKenzie, Ranald S. “Bad Hand,” 89
Maines, Natalie, 117–18
Marines, Marine Corps, U.S., xv–xviii, 114–15, 119, 238–9, 299, 324, 326, 337–40, 346
and Battle of Marja, xv–xvii, 238–41, 250, 252–90, 337–38
Building 187 and, 237–40, 266, 274
counterinsurgency and, 127–28, 131–33, 238, 284
Field Medical Service School of, 72–74, 83
and fighting in and around Fallujah, 75–86, 127
greeted by Kirby, 315–16
injuries and deaths in, 76, 78–86, 115, 129, 133–39, 141–55, 251, 262–63, 265, 273–77, 284–89, 317–19, 341
Karma and, 126, 128–31, 133–38, 140–41, 149–50, 318
Kirby’s family and, 69–70, 72–86
Kirby’s injuries and, 307–8, 311, 314–15
Kirby’s lost rifle and, 150–51, 153, 318, 346
Kirby’s noncombat position with, 317
Korengal Valley operations and, 195, 213, 228–30, 232
and Neff’s assignment to Kilo, 241, 243–46, 248
Neff’s enlistment in, 244–45
Route Chicago and, 126–27, 129–31, 136, 138–39, 141–47, 149–50
and U.S. occupation of Iraq, 74–86
and U.S. offensive operations in Iraq, 43, 74
Marja, 237, 238, 241, 255, 337–40
Marja, Battle of, 238–41, 250–90
ambushes in, 256–57, 264, 278–81, 284–86
fighting in, 256, 260–90, 337, 339
HIMARS attack in, xvi–xvii, 263–74, 287, 337, 339
injuries and deaths in, xv–xvii, 262, 264–65, 267–86, 288, 337, 341–42
intelligence briefing and, 250
outreach to civilians prior to, 253
U.S. bridge assault in, 252, 257–63, 274, 276–77, 337
al Masri, Abu Ikhlas, 197
Mastrapa, Arthur S., 65
Mathelier, Marvin, 263–64
Mateen, Haji, 196–97
Meaney, Michael “Doc,” 80, 83–84
Mehtar Lam, 177–78, 182
Meyer, Brian, 172–78, 181–82
MiGs, 17–18, 20–22, 24
Miller, Jonathan, 166–67, 172
Minton, Robert, 181
Molano, Arturo, 215–17, 219, 223
Mongillo, Nicholas, 18n
Morehead, Kevin N., 58
Moshtarak, Operation, see Marja, Battle of
Muqdadiyah, 97, 106–9, 111–12
Musayyib, 43, 45, 47, 49
Najaf, 26, 42–45, 47
Najil, 162, 174–75, 177–84
Nasiriyah, 43, 343
Nasrullah, 197, 333–34
Navy, U.S., 15, 24, 114, 133, 242, 293, 298–99, 305, 317, 326, 340, 342–43, 347
and action in Serbia and Kosovo, 10–11, 120
dogfights and, 17–18
Kirby’s family and, 70–73
Kirby’s nonco
mbat positions and, 317–18
Kirby’s retirement and, 320–21, 324
McDowell’s education and training in, 7–8, 11, 15, 17, 115–19
9/11 and, 4–5
and U.S. offensive operations in Afghanistan, 17–18, 20
Neff, Brittany Everett, 341
Neff, Jarrod, 237–57, 337–40
assigned to Kilo, 241–43, 246–48
and Battle of Marja, 238–41, 250–57, 259–63, 266, 269–90, 338–39
Building 187 and, 237–40, 252, 274
Colistra’s relationship with, 244–45
education and training of, 246–48
HIMARS attack and, 267–69, 273
intelligence background of, 241, 243, 245
Marine enlistment of, 243
postwar activities of, 339
U.S. bridge assault and, 257–60, 263, 274, 276
New Dawn, Operation, 296, 336
Nicaragua, 31
Nicholson, Daniel, 145–47, 149
9/11 (and World Trade; Ground Zero), xvii, xix–xx, xxii, 3–6, 14, 29, 33, 40, 58, 71, 138, 348
anniversaries of, 173–74
casualties on, 15, 19, 348
Soto and, 189, 191–92
and U.S. offensive operations in Afghanistan, 18–19
U.S. retaliatory attacks and, 5–6, 15, 19–20, 24
Normandy, Forward Operating Base, 97, 106, 110–12
North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), xvii, 167, 186, 196, 238, 248, 253–54, 297
Obama, Barack, 156, 160–61, 186, 248
surge and, 213, 238, 295, 297–98, 304
Okinawa, 114–15, 241–42
Omar, Mullah, 53, 125, 293
Omar, Outpost, 129, 134–36, 139–40, 144, 148–50, 318
Operational Detachment Alpha 572 (ODA 572):
map of movements of, 39
and pursuit of bin Laden, 28–30, 33–38
and U.S. occupation of Iraq, 57–59
and U.S. offensive operations in Afghanistan, 29–30, 34
and U.S. offensive operations in Iraq, 26, 28–29, 38, 40–43, 45
Out Front, Task Force, 161, 164
Oxman, Robert, 217, 223–24, 230, 233
Pacesetter, Camp, 88–89, 93
Pakistan, 5–6, 25, 113, 296, 299
and pursuit of bin Laden, 29, 33–35, 293
and U.S. offensive operations in Afghanistan, 16, 21, 23, 35
Paquet, David L., 205
Paquet, Pamela, 180–81, 183–85
Pech River, Pech Valley, 197n
and air cavalry in eastern Afghan valleys, 162, 164, 167–68
Korengal Valley operations and, 195, 203–4
Penich, John M., 208–9
Persian Gulf War, 18, 27, 32
Predator drones, 18, 97, 210
Psalms, 64, 145–46, 172
al Qaeda, 25, 114, 125, 161, 197
9/11 and, 5, 24, 33, 71, 348
and pursuit of bin Laden, 33–34, 36–38
and U.S. offensive operations in Afghanistan, 17, 24, 29, 34
Al Qaeda in Iraq, 125, 127, 136, 150n, 296
Qala-i-Najil, 174–75, 177–81, 184
Ramadi, 58
Reaper drone, 260, 284–87
Red Wings, Operation, 195–96
Redwolf, Operations Area, 128–29
Republican Guard Corps, Iraqi, 26, 43–47
Restrepo, “Doc” Juan Sebastián, 196n
Restrepo, Firebase, 196, 199, 212, 228
Rodgers, Kristopher D., 204
Rodriguez, John, 190n, 202n, 228–33, 333–34
Rogers, Ryan, 261–62, 279, 281
Route Chicago, Alternate Supply (also Chicago; Chicago 500), 126–27, 129–31, 134, 154, 309
hostilities along, 127, 135–36, 138–47, 149–51
Route Victory, 204
Rumsfeld, Donald, 87, 125
Sandoval, Leroy, Jr., 76
Santana, Dave, 269, 271, 273
Santos, Joseph “Doc,” 77, 79
Schumacher, Thomas, 22–23
SEALs, U.S., 72, 195–96, 293
Serbia (and Kosovo):
injuries and deaths in, 12–14, 17
McDowell and, 6, 10–14, 16–18, 29, 114, 119–21, 300–2
Sharp, Jason, 168–70
Shiites, 93, 125, 127, 161, 343
and U.S. occupation of Iraq, 57, 74
Slebodnik, Michael, 90–112, 164–85
and air cavalry in eastern Afghan valleys, 159, 164–65, 167–70, 173–76
and air cavalry in Iraq, 90–92, 95–112
Cela’s relationship with, 157–60, 172
family of, 90–91, 97, 101, 105, 112, 165–66, 173–74, 331–33
and fighting in and around Muqdadiyah, 106–12
injuries and death of, 176–85, 331–33
Miller’s relationship with, 166–67, 172
nightmares of, 170–71
and violence in Duluiyah, 98–99
and VIP patrols in Iraq, 100–102
Woehlert’s relationship with, 159, 164–65, 167–68, 170–72
Slebodnik, Tanja, 90–92, 95, 97, 101, 105, 112, 165–66, 173–74
husband’s death and, 331–33
Smith, Brandi, 319–23, 347
Smith, Colin, 141–48, 154
Smith, Justin:
and ambushes and ambush patrols, 214–15, 220, 224–28, 230
Korengal Valley operations and, 189–91, 214–22, 225–32
Smith, Timothy, 280
snipers, xvi–xvii, 9, 135–37, 200, 252, 283, 289, 314, 318
and Battle of Marja, 254, 262
Route Chicago and, 136
and violence in Duluiyah, 98–99
Soto, Robert, 191–95, 197–235, 334–37
and ambushes and ambush patrols, 214–15, 220, 224–28, 230, 235
childhood of, 191–92
counterinsurgency and, 213, 215
education of, 191–92, 337
family of, 191–93, 212
Knight’s relationship with, 203, 208–9, 211
Korengal Valley operations and, 188–89, 191, 194–95, 197–235, 334–37
9/11 (World Trade Center; Ground Zero) and, 189, 191
postwar activities of, 336–37
Soviet Union, 17, 29–30, 158
Afghan war of, 16, 30, 33, 35, 37, 165, 167, 188, 338
MiG fighters of, 17–18, 20–22, 24
Spann, Johnny Micheal, 60
Special Forces, U.S., xviii, xxi, 54–59, 71, 105, 158, 167, 195, 250, 342–44, 346
injuries and deaths in, 58, 64–66
Kryszewski’s training and, 30, 32–33
organizing Middle East classified activities and, 54
and preparations for Iraq war, 39–41
and pursuit of bin Laden, 33–34
and U.S. occupation of Iraq, 55–59, 64, 66
and U.S. offensive operations in Iraq, 26–29, 44, 45–47, 49
John C. Stennis, USS, 294, 296–97, 299, 301–2, 340–41
Stephenson, Kyle, 200–201
Strauser, Daniel, 135
Sunni, 74, 93, 108, 127, 150n, 161, 296, 304, 341–43
Swider, Niall, 250, 252, 254, 271–73, 275, 279, 339–40
Syverson, Paul, 59–60, 62–66, 342–43
T-38 Talons, 6–7, 119
Taliban, 25, 33, 53, 58, 87, 113–14, 156, 158, 160–64, 186, 236, 240–41, 295, 304, 333–34, 338–40
and air cavalry in eastern Afghan valleys, 161–64, 167, 175, 184
Arghandab River valley operations and, 301–2
and armed overwatch missions in Afghanistan, 297–301, 340
and Battle of Marja, xv–xvii, 238, 248, 252–57, 259–64, 267–68, 271—90, 338–40
injuries and deaths of, 222–27, 285, 288
Korengal Valley operations and, 187, 189–90, 195, 197, 200–207, 211, 213, 216, 218–28, 230–32, 233–36
9/11 and, 5, 15
and U.S. offensive operations in Afghanistan, 16–18, 20–22, 24,
29–30
Tanner, Craig, 223, 234
terrorists, terrorism, 17, 25, 58, 113, 125, 127, 150n, 156, 304
ISIS and, 341–42
see also 9/11
Thorpe, William, 146–47
Tigris River, 54, 89, 96–97, 102, 106
Tora Bora, 29, 35, 40, 42
United Nations, 57, 127
Upton, Drew, 146–47, 318
Vanity Fair, 194
Vegas, Combat Outpost and Firebase, 196, 199, 204, 209, 212–13
Vietnam War, 74, 161, 238, 242
veterans of, xxii
Vimoto, Firebase, 196, 207–8, 212, 228–29, 230, 232
Vimoto, Timothy R., 196n
Carl Vinson, USS, 5, 14
Viper (Bravo) Company, 196n
and ambushes and ambush patrols, 214–15, 220, 224–28, 230, 233–35
injuries and deaths in, 190n, 233, 245–35, 333
Korengal Valley operations and, 188, 190, 194–95, 199, 202–205, 207, 209–35
map of area of operations of, 198
Soto’s assignment to, 193–94
Vuocolo, Travis, 261–62, 265, 273–74, 276
Wadi al Khirr, 27–28, 42
Wallace, Adam, 264
Watapur Valley, 167–68, 197n
Weapons Company, 127–30, 132–34, 154, 313, 316–18
counterinsurgency and, 127–28
injuries and deaths in, 135–36, 141–44
Karma and, 128–29, 133, 138, 140–41, 318, 326
Kirby’s lost rifle and, 150–51
map of area of operations of, 130
Route Chicago and, 126, 140–41, 150
Webb, Roger, 229, 232
White, Kevin, 107–10
Wieczorek, Jamie, 261–62
Wittwer, Frank Carl, 115
Woehlert, Jeremy, 159, 164–65, 167–68, 170–72, 181
Woods, Donterry, 134–35
World Trade Center:
Ground Zero ruins of, 40, 192
9/11 attacks on, xix, 3, 189, 191–92, 348
World War Two, 30, 71, 90
Worley, Joe Dan, 70–86
and fighting in and around Fallujah, 70, 74–86
injuries of, 81–86, 133, 320–21
Kirby’s relationship with, 70–74, 85–86, 320–21
training of, 71–72, 74
and U.S. occupation of Iraq, 74–86
Wright, Joseph, 262, 281
Wright, Thomas, 194, 209, 211–12, 228
Young, Keith, 210
Young, Sasha, 297
Zarin (Aliabad elder), 229, 233
Al-Zarqawi, Abu Musab, 125, 127
Zirkle, Wade, 75, 77–80
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The Fighters Page 42
