None Braver: 6u.S. Air Force Pararescuemen in the War on Terrorism

An excellent book. Even as an English major, I very rarely have found myself so unwilling to put down a book. An unexpected surprise was that Hirsh encompassed the entire rescue team, writing not only of the PJs, but also of the pilots, crew, combat controllers, and commanders. If you have little interest or experience with the military, you may find the technical aspects a bit heavy at times, but I personally had no difficulty; truly, I appreciated the detail and immersion in the subject matter. Thrilling. Enthralling. Delightful.

There has been much made of the "Fog of War" and how it manages to obscure much of the truth of what goes on in battle. Embeds and quick hit historians scratch the surface of modern day wars, but too often fall into overgeneralizations or paint broadbrush strokes that capture the bigger picture but miss the telling detail.Not so with "None Braver," Mike Hirsh's vital, enthralling and inspiring look at the role a small band of warriors has in the War on terrorism. Hirsh, an award winning TV producer as well as an author, went to the battlefield himself to view first hand the work of Pararescuemen in action. PJs are definitely the real deal, and "None Braver" tells a number of their harrowing adventures in great detail and with a page-turning pace that shows Hirsh's cinematic roots. (To say several of these tales would make a terrific movie is to state the obvious. Hollywood, where are you?)The appeal of the book is across the board. War junkies and experts find the kind of attention to detail and pinpoint accuracy they require. Readers of adventure stories will be fully satisfied by this book. And even neutrals or anti-war types will find the heroism of Hirsh's subjects impossible to resist.PJs motto is "that others may live" and their mission is saving lives, often, tragically, at the cost of their own. Each is hero's hero, and this book gives them their due with an insider's eye and a journalist's skepticism. (While Hirsh is unabashedly a fan of the PJs, some military leadership comes under closer scrutiny and criticism). I highly recommend it.

As a former PJ, I'd like to thank the author for writing this book. It tells about the PJ world like it is. He pulls no punches and describes everything extremely accurately, without embellishment. Great mission stories from Afghanistan -- makes me wish I was still in. Some parts were hilarious as he describes the PJ "mentality", such as the two PJs who volunteered to walk back to their base (hundreds of miles away through enemy territory) rather than fly on a broken helicopter. Or the guys who parachuted into a minefield to save an Australian SAS guy. Then there is the story of how they "appropriated" everything they'd need to build almost luxurious type quarters (compared to what everyone else had) at their forward base. If you are interested in PJs, CCT, Combat Search and Rescue, or special operations, this is a great book.

The book was critical of many commanders who separated themselves from the conventional forces with radios, codes and plans. The conventional forces were a bit ignorant of what they were getting into. The whole scenario gets explained and points fingers. The PJs were there to bail out those who found themselves on the short end of the stick. I applaud the critisim of the bone heads who screwed up. The actual troops involved can't speak so candidly(hence the anonymous under 13 review). It would be impossible to praise everyone who had preformed in an outstanding fashion as well as get all of the details 100% correct. This book explains what the PJs and Rescue community were up to in Afghanistan. It is the best book I have seen on the subject yet.

No one has done a better job of bringing the reader right there as the action unfolds. Hirsh makes you feel the jolt of the parachute opening, as he tells the story of those elite few who accept responsibility for the rescue of wounded military personnel. You will sweat it out as the heroes make a night-time parachute jump into a minefield. Then he'll take you for the ride of your life aboard choppers flying on guts and instinct, including a precarious landing on a piece of mountain forsaken even by the goats. It's all true, and writen by a journalist who reports, and a writer who interjects humor, irony, and empathy that carried me through the book. Hirsh's skill in conveying detail and moving the action along was obvious in his earlier book, PARARESCUE, about a miraculous helicopter rescue over a stormy sea. I eagerly awaited his next book and NONE BRAVER is superb. Five stars for action, adventure and insight. You'll recommend it, too.