Letters from the Front Lines: Iraq and Afghanistan [Hardcover]

Stuart Franklin Platt (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: September 1, 2006

Letters From the Front Lines is a remarkable account of the lives and experiences of Americans at war in Iraq and Afghanistan. This collection of correspondence preserves for future generations the experiences of men and women in uniform and presents a unique perspective about what is actually going on day-to-day in the tents, on the road, and in the weeds in Iraq and Afghanistan. These letters were written from the heart, and tell the truth about life on the front lines (lonely, hot and dangerous), as well as life on the home front (lonely, anxious and supportive). Handwritten letters which, until the current conflict, were the only source of communication home from the front lines are being replaced by email and web logs or "blogs." This book reminds us how important it is to preserve these more ephemeral records of our nation's history.

Editorial Reviews

Review

In the tradition of The Last Stand of the Tin Can Sailors -- from the deckplates and firing lines, the command center and the Admiral's bridge, these letters summon us to honor the commitment, bravery and sacrifice that our military men and women are giving us today. A commendation to Admiral Platt for this timely and important book. --Hon. Steven S. Honigman, former General Counsel of the Navy

About the Author

Admiral Platt capped a distinguished career in the U.S. Navy with his appointment during the Reagan administration to serve as the country's first Competition Advocate General (the Navy's top businessman in uniform). Admiral Platt was recently named to the Cold War Leadership Hall of Fame by the Submarine Force Museum Association. He is a highly decoratd Vietnam veteran. Chairman of Harbor Wing Technologies Inc, producers of unmanned open ocean surveillance and research vessels, Admiral Platt also serves on the corporate board of DRS Technologies Inc. He is the chairman of the Historic Ships Foundation in San Francisco, and a Presidential Appointee to the Board of Governers of the United States Merchant Marine Academy. Admiral Platt holds a MS (Operations Analysis) from the Simon Graduate School of Business, as well as a BS degree from the University of Rochester, and an MBA from the University of Michigan. He is the published author of two books and numerous Op-Ed and scholarly works. He is a former Wall Street Journal Scholar and is a graduate of the Executive Program at Stanford's Graduate School of Business.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 320 pages
• Publisher: Granville Island (September 1, 2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1894694481
• ISBN-13: 978-1894694483
• Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 6.1 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.4 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #173,189 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #6 in Books > History > Middle East > Kuwait
  • #24 in Books > History > Military > United States > Operation Desert Storm

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Understanding those who serve., August 28, 2006

By 

Bryan Catherman (Salt Lake City, Utah, USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Letters from the Front Lines: Iraq and Afghanistan (Hardcover)

Letters from the Front Lines is a compilation of war letters, e-mails, and blogs from soldiers, sailors, marines, and even one civilian mom. Although there are other letter-type books, this one is valuable because each chapter is comprised of one person's letters, e-mails, or blogs from one person's perspective of the war and the events that play out in a combat zone. The book is neither pro nor anti-war; it's simply what it is.

In fairness, I should say that my e-mails make up Chapter 3. I won't review my own chapter and as far as I know, none of the contributors will receive any financial returns from the book. Yes, I do hold a bias; however, I wanted to share my thoughts on the impact of the other contributors and the book as a whole.

Letters from the Front Lines is a valuable read for anybody trying to understand war from the perspective of those who fight it. Letters come from low-ranking enlisted and high-ranking brass alike. E-mails and blogs start early in the "war on terror" and span well past the first Iraq election. Some letters cover detailed political thoughts while others talk about the food and dust storms. Many letters carry a hint of missing life back home, but all understand the importance of service and duty. Not every author is for the war and not everybody is against it. These un-edited letters share the raw emotion found in war, even if they don't share the war itself.

Many different perspectives are shared. Brian Baldrate writes about the same time I was there. He had little hesitation sharing things that may have scared his family back home. I, on the other hand, found it far easier to write about non-war items to let my family know I was safe but not frighten them at the same time. Officers write about the larger perspectives of war while the enlisted, those in the trenches, often talk about duty.

I loved most of this book because as a veteran myself, I could relate to the emotion shared in Letters from the Front Lines. People still ask me about war. My recommendation is that they read this book.

Contributors include SGT Chris McCarthy USMC (Chapter 1: The View From Here), CPT Brian Baldrate US Army (Chapter 2: Law and Order), SSG Bryan Catherman US Army (Chapter 3: The Other Side of the Sandbox), SGT Chris Missick US Army (Chapter 4: A Line in the Sand), CPT John Upperman Texas National Guard (Chapter 5: Who's Your Baghdaddy?), SGT David S. Bateman USMC (Chapter 6 Devil Dog), LTC Dan Hokanson National Security Fellow at Harvard University (Chapter 7: Citizen Soldiers), Karey Keel-Stidham Marine Mother (Chapter 8: Devil Dogma), MAJ Eric Rydbom US Army (Chapter 9: Letters to America), Vice Admiral J.D. McCarthy and CPT Kurt Kunkel USN (Chapter 10: The View From Here), Rear Admiral Robert Conway Jr. USN (Chapter 11: Transformation- Part One), Brigadier General Mike Regner USMC (Chapter 12: Transformation- Part Two), and Major General Kevin Kuklok USMC (Chapter 13: Eight Months in the Palace).

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Highly recommended., December 4, 2006

By 

Midwest Book Review (Oregon, WI USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Letters from the Front Lines: Iraq and Afghanistan (Hardcover)

Rear Admiral Stuart Franklin Platt presents Letters From The Front Lines: Iraq and Afghanistan, a compendium of first-person testimonies of servicepeople that gives an up-close and personal perspective of what is really happening in Iraq and Afghanistan day to day. In a modern era where email and online blogging is fast supplanting the serviceman's handwritten letter, Letters From The Front Lines preserves a piece of history and tradition even as it reveals the harsh conditions under which men and women risk their lives for the sake of their country. Highly recommended.

5.0 out of 5 stars letters from the front lines, September 7, 2010

By 

A Caroline Katzaroff - See all my reviews

This review is from: Letters from the Front Lines: Iraq and Afghanistan (Kindle Edition)

The truth never changes. A masterpiece from a true patriot Admiral Stuart Platt with lessons for all Americans. It is worthy to read about what our young men and women have done in the war zones. I suggest you digest this versus early press reports Jim Katzaroff Kennewick Washington