Customer Reviews

Blood Stripes: The Grunt's View of the War in Iraq

5 star:		(18)
4 star:		(5)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

If you want to understand what it is like to lead at the "tip of the spear", read Blood Stripes. I have read many of the new books on Iraq and this one is unique. Dave Danelo captures the non-commissioned officer's view of the war. Following the story of four particular NCOs, he introduces us to their friends, their families, their Marines and their officers -- warts and all. He captures the courage, pride, ingenuity, intensity, insanity and love that bind the Marines to one another and keeps them going in the very personal urban combat they experience. If you want to know what Marines in the fight think, feel and fear, buy this book.

Passing in Review
"Blood Stripes", written by David J. Danelo
Review by M. Vince Turner
July 2006

The guts and grit of war in Iraq come alive in "Blood Stripes: The Grunt's View of the War in Iraq". Author David J. Danelo, a US Naval Academy graduate and former platoon commander in Iraq tells this story through the eyes of his enlisted (non-officer) men who served with him.

"Blood Stripes" provides a bird's eye view of what the ground war in Iraq is about. It is tedium, at times mayhem. Our US Marines have been put in the middle of what best might be described as a snake's nest, never knowing for certain who is the enemy, who is the ally.

"Blood Stripes" speaks candidly about death and injury, sparing the reader from the graphic detail one often finds in books about WWII or the Vietnam War. Yet, the message is clear.

The reader becomes familiar with the various men in this story, players in an act of violence and death that takes these men to the limits of their sanity. War is hell, and that hell is effectively portrayed in "Blood Stripes".

One cannot help but stand in awe of these men, most of them younger, who must fight in the desert heat with full military clothing and battle gear that can weigh from twenty-five to nearly eighty pounds depending on what the soldier is carrying. The sheer personal torture these men are subjected to simply from doing their job and doing it well demands respect for them of the highest order.

While there is some joy in this tale, there also is sadness. War, after all, is neither comedy nor romance lest it is romance in the demonic sense. Rapid response to gunfights comes from a constant state of alertness. Relax and you or your buddies are dead. Boom! End of story. Exhaustion and fatigue are yet another enemy these fighting men must combat almost daily.

The reader learns considerable about how each personality reacts or responds to a given situation. Despite the clear message about the horrors of this war, there are moments when the reader will smile or laugh aloud. These men are pretty good at keeping cool heads even in the worst of moments and often find ways to bring humor into those moments.

One message is clear throughout "Blood Stripes": Each Marine must rely on his fellow Marine. Unity of purpose and action are critical both to staying alive and completing the mission.

"Blood Stripes" is a real life on-the-ground exposé about fighting in Iraq. No matter the political stripe of the reader, or even that of the warrior, these Marines are doing their job because they have been told to do it. More importantly, they want to do it. These men are indeed "the tip of the spear". One cannot help but come away admiring and respecting them for what they do.

The epilogue, titled "Citizens", closes with some truly superb high marks about how these men move on afterward. Some remain in the Corps. Some return to civilian life. The mother of one of the men who died becomes a crusader of sorts, helping with a new training program that may save the life of someone else's son in the future.

For anyone who enjoys reading books of this genre, and especially anyone yearning to learn a bit more about the goings-on in this Iraq war, "Blood Stripes" is a must read.

grunt: [noun] (1) a deep, short throaty sound (2) a U.S. Army or Marine foot soldier (3) one who routinely does unglamorous work.

The above definition opens the prologue of this intense "blood and bones" account of the deployment of a US Marine Corps infantry unit through their preparation and deployment from February through August of 2004.

The author delves into the "spiritual energy" required of modern "Spartan Way" warriors. This encompasses the "reconciling of the twin yin/yang cultural precepts of Order and Disorder" of mortal combat. Major General James "Mad Dog" Mattis, a "Marines Marine" gave pep talks to all USMC units upon arriving in Iraq during his tenure as 1st Marine Division Commander. MG Mattis uses a quote of General George Marshall of WWII fame on the subject: "Military power wins battles, but spiritual power wins wars."

The heroes are the lower military pay grades with the limelight on the Sergeants, Corporals, and Lance Corporals of a combat US Marine Infantry platoon. Danelo includes a prologue that includes short biographies of the characters, and an epilog of their current situations.

The intensity of urban combat pervades this account of the men and officers involved. The compelling, gritty, profane, coarse "grunt" language, "in your face" attitudes regarding the "Muj" insurgents are contrasted with the tenderness of the encounters with the "hajji" children and citizenry. The accounts of casualties are handled with sensitivity and compassion for the next of kin (NOK) of the fallen Marines.

The author, is a US Naval Academy graduate, and held the rank of Captain, USMC in Iraq during the period of this account. His command of the English language is well above average, a true "wordsmith". I became aware of him through his emails home that were forwarded to me. I sought his permission, which he granted and I posted his emails on my blog. The emails were riveting, as is "Blood Stripes."


Charles F. Mitchell, CWO3 (Ret.)

"Blood Stripes" is a welcome change from the many 'we wuz there' books on the market today. Written in the clear, tight, and concise style of the Marine officer he was, Capt Danelo takes us on a combat tour in Anbar Province and gives us a powerful glimpse of what the Marines experienced on their deployment. In his simple, yet elegant style, he brings these Marines alive on the printed page - no longer are they armed and sunglassed giants in cammi's and boondockers, but he's personalized them in a way that makes you wish for their continued success and safety. Highly reccomended !

There are emerging a slew of books coming about the war experiences in Iraq but most miss the unique view that is presented in "Blood Stripes - The Grunts View Of The War In Iraq". The author who was a Marine officer in Iraq writes brilliantly about how the war is actually being fought daily by those closest to the action--his NCOs. He allows us to see the action through the experiences of several young corporals and sergeants from infantry companies Bravo 1/5, Lima 3/7, Fox 3/7 and Kilo ¾ along with a headquarters company unit.

This book will take you to the action on the deserts and into the urban streets. The book follows these young NCOs from February through September 2004 where they were deployed in Al Anbar (Which is Iraq's largest province). They deal with the area known as the Sunni Triangle (That includes the city of Fallujh). Theirs is a chaotic and volatile world. They never know what they will be greeted with from moment to moment from the local people or the environment.

Fighting a war against an insurgency that borders on civil war, takes its toll on the men both physically and mentally. They never are sure if they will be facing an ambush or snipers as they move through the towns or the countryside. These men face the real dangers of world politics and yet continue to do their duty faithfully.

There is a toll on their souls as they witness friends and comrades killed or wounded. This book is at times is drenched in adrenaline and fear yet heroes do emerge and duty and honor are achieved. These young marines wear their "blood stripes" well and carry on the fine tradition of the Marines. (Only Marines ranked corporal and above wear the storied blood stripes on their uniform pants in memory of the Marines who fell at Chapultepec, Mexico, in 1847.)

This is a must read book for those looking for some understanding of what is going on in Iraq with our troops. The book is well written and riveting. It is a page turner! It is given The MWSA's Top Book Rating of FIVE STARS!

Dave Danelo provides us with a masterful account of the War in Iraq, at the warrior level, where counter-insurgencies must be fought and won. With justifiable pride, Dave tells the stories of real heroes who have a common bond of experience and dedication shared by their fellow marines. They are, individually and collectively, members of a fighting force that is remarkable and with an absolute commitment to mission accomplishment. Dave knows his subjects and carefully draws out their ferocity, humanity and frustrations, facing death, an evasive enemy - and a seemingly indifferent USA. This is a great book of friendship, courage and duty told with compassion and understanding - I highly recommend it to you.

With all the chatter about Iraq's My Lai, this book is timely. It shows the unrelenting challenges faced by our Marine grunts in Iraq. They have performed superbly under tremendous pressure while fighting/patrolling block by block, shack by shack. Danelo, an Annapolis grad-turned-author/journalist, chronicles Non-Commissioned Officers (NCOs), or corporals and sergeants, from different USMC infantry units deployed to Iraq (including Fallouja) in 2004. Some did not make it home but they will forever live on through this memorable work of combat literature. Although dozens of Iraq books have been published mostly by lieutenants, armchair generals, journalists and a one-year ambassador, "Blood Stripes" is THE voice of the grunts. The brass should add it to the Commandant's Reading List. Buy a few copies of this book before the first printing runs out!

After reading Danelo's book the following three separate, but related, thoughts came to mind...
General Charles Krulak, in 1999, first coined the phrase Strategic Corporal when describing future battle as a Three Block War. The key to winning the Three Block War, according to Gen Krulak, was the Strategic Corporal - a NCO (Non-Commissioned Officer) who moves from Humanitarian Aid to full battle in the space of three city s. He further defined the Strategic Corporal as a man or woman of character who learns through the crucible of recruit training that Honor, Courage and Commitment are more than just words. And, with the institutional commitment to professionalism (training, training and training) is empowered with the opportunity to succeed as a Marine NCO at leading Marines both in peacetime and battle. Blood Stripes is the first example I have read that Krulak's Strategic Corporal is here, now, and an integral part of the Marine Corps.
My second thought was of the Greek Hoplite. The Greek Hoplite was a man at arms. A warrior. A fighter and leader in battle. The hoplites are, in my opinion, closely associated with the warriors of Sparta. Danelo, throughout his book, correctly makes numerous references between Spartans and Marines. Blood Stripes is about warriors and leaders of warriors in battle.
My third thought was a phrase from a popular song a number of years back "Mothers, don't let your sons grow up to be cowboys." In reading Blood Stripes I would paraphrase the line to be "Parents, don't let your sons read Blood Strips." Because if they do, they will want to become a Strategic Corporal, a modern day warrior, a Marine who wants to lead other Marines in battle.
This book needs to be part of your library and seriously considered for the Commandant's Reading List. I see it as an enlisted counterpart to Nathaniel Fick's "One Bullet Away, the Making of a Marine Corps Officer".
D Halse, Colonel USMCR

If the test of any book is whether someone wants to turn the next page, Danelo scores with an exceptional, focused account of several Marine grunts fighting in the toughest places in Iraq.

OUTSTANDING WORK MARINE!
The best book I have read on the war in Iraq from the grunts point of view...up close and personal.
This book should be required reading for any civilian who insists on applying the same standards to Marines in combat in an urban enviornment as they do to Police Officers on patrol in downtown Manhattan!
Times, uniforms and weapons change....but the warrior spirit remains.
I miss the Corps...and I especially miss my Marines.
SEMPER FIDELIS!