None Braver: U.S. Air Force Pararescuemen in the War on Terrorism [Hardcover]

Michael Hirsh (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: September 2, 2003

From award-winning journalist and combat veteran Michael Hirsh comes the thrilling inside story of the Air Force's pararescue operations in Afghanistan. The first journalist to be embedded with an Air Force combat unit in the war on terrorism, Hirsh flew from Moody Air Force Base, Georgia, with the 71st Rescue Squadron to their expeditionary headquarters at a secret location in Central Asia.

Unparalleled access to the pararescue jumpers-or PJs-as well as to the courageous men and women who fly them where they have to go, often under enemy fire, allowed Michael Hirsh to uncover incredible stories of courage. Among them: the drama of a plane crash at 10,000 feet in the Hindu Kush mountains, where PJs climb with hundred-pound packs through chest-deep snow to rescue the crew...the tension of an unprecedented nighttime combat parachute jump into the middle of an Afghan minefield...the heartbreak during Operation Anaconda, when seven American fighting men die, including the first PJ killed in combat since Vietnam.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

A cross between Green Berets and 911 paramedics, Air Force pararescuemen-PJs for short-parachute or helicopter in, sometimes under fire, to treat and evacuate sick or wounded soldiers. Narrowly specialized, highly trained and bound by the credo "That Others May Live," PJs are the embodiment of the hyper-professionalism and leave-no-comrade-behind ethos of today's military. This gung-ho and often gripping account celebrates their exploits in the war in Afghanistan. Investigative reporter Hirsh loves to shoot the breeze with PJs while they regale him with anecdotes, brag about their maniacal training regimen and disparage other commando units, especially the Navy SEALs ("We don't think the world revolves around us," says one PJ. "Whereas the SEALs do"). Sometimes Hirsch lets his subjects go on too long, giving readers an all too vivid impression of a torpid day at the base. But when the action starts, he depicts their harrowing adventures with verve and insight, writing in a laconic, acronym-heavy military-ese that aptly conveys the cool-headed grit with which soldiers cope with the chaos of combat ("Captain Self began to sense that the shrapnel wound in his right thigh was going to cause mobility problems as the day wore on"). A Vietnam vet himself, Hirsh retains a certain scorn for the brass, especially when they evince a lack of faith in the PJ's ability to get the job done. Full of special-ops procedural, you-are-there detail, and moments of real pathos as soldiers confront the horrors of war, this book will delight military buffs.
Copyright 2003 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Booklist

Medics in paratrooper gear, "PJs" are the air force's elite search-and-rescue personnel, ready in peacetime to save civilians (as recounted in Jack Brehm's That Others Might Live [2000]) titled after the PJ credo) and in war to save soldiers. Several missions in the latter category are covered in Hirsh's account, drawn from his interviews of pararescuemen mobilized for the war on the 9/11 terrorists in Afghanistan. Few details are left out in Hirsh's chronicle, which is dense with the minutiae of equipment, the specs of planes and helicopters, and at the crux of the matter, the medical status of the PJs' charges injured in the war zone. This detailed style might overwhelm casual readers of military affairs, but for those well acquainted with them, and with special operations in particular, Hirsh's approach captures the flavor of active duty life and the inner commitment to selflessness of the men it profiles: several PJs died on the exceedingly hazardous missions Hirsh reconstructs. In libraries where special-ops titles circulate, Hirsh's title merits consideration. Gilbert Taylor
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 320 pages
• Publisher: NAL Hardcover; 1St Edition edition (September 2, 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0451209834
• ISBN-13: 978-0451209832
• Product Dimensions: 9.3 x 6.3 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.3 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (25 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #689,457 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

34 of 34 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Best book about PJs yet, September 25, 2003

By 

"brackishjack" (Navarre, FL USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: None Braver: U.S. Air Force Pararescuemen in the War on Terrorism (Hardcover)

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.

15 of 18 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Good Military Journalism, January 13, 2004

By 

Richard Thomas (washington, dc) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: None Braver: U.S. Air Force Pararescuemen in the War on Terrorism (Hardcover)

Michael Hirsch's "None Braver: U.S. Air Force Pararescuemen in the War on Terrorism" is an engaging work of military journalism. Hirsch, a Peabody Award winning documentary filmmaker and Vietnam veteran, has chosen an unusual subject for his study of combat in Afghanistan: the U.S. Air Force's Pararescue Jumpers, or PJs.

Hirsch is already familiar with PJs from his previous book, "Pararescue: The Skill and Courage of the Elite 106th Rescue Wing." Most readers will be familiar with PJs from either reading or seeing "A Perfect Storm." The bravery and skill of the Search and Rescue crews of the 106th were prominently featured in both. Unlike the rest of the U.S. Military's Special Forces troopers, PJs find regular, hazardous employment in peacetime operations. Jumping out of a helicopter into treacherous stormy seas to rescue civilians from sinking ships is a not uncommon example of a non-combat Search and Rescue operation. Those volunteering to become PJs must pass a grueling 10-week indoctrination course where the failure rate regularly exceeds 85%. By comparison, the SEAL school's failure rate is 75%. Those who pass indoctrination go on to training in advanced combat medicine, HALO parachute jumping, SCUBA diving, mountaineering, special tactics and everything else a man with the primary mission of rescuing injured, downed pilots might need to be able to do to get the job done.

The book provides an enlightening look at what may very well me the most dangerous combat mission of all: to save the lives of fellow soldiers. Whether it is fighting the grizzled veteran muhajadeen of the Taliban, parachuting into a minefield, or offering to hike off the peak of a 10,000-foot high mountain through enemy territory just to lighten the load on an overburdened helicopter, the seriousness with which these men take their mission is readily apparent. While no planes were shot down in Afghanistan, the PJs did find themselves entering enemy territory to rescue crews from crashes, and also going into combat situations where ordinary combat medics could not. Hirsch's retelling of the PJ missions is thrilling.

"None Braver" also provides some insight into what was going on in the rear. Highly motivated and engaged in a dangerous profession, the PJs spared no effort to make their quarters in Pakistan and Uzbekistan as comfortable as possible. The accompanying tales of improving the facilities and "acquiring" creature comforts strike a light and amusing chord. Weighing heavier is Hirsch's attitude towards heavy military bureaucracy and incompetent leadership. His experience as a Vietnam veteran shows strongly in his contempt for bumbling, self-absorbed, careerist officers. It begins with a Colonel (but still just a petty bureaucrat) who spitefully torments Hirsch and his Air Force "minder" upon arrival in the theatre, merely because she had not been informed of their mission. From there, the matter escalates to his damning criticism of interservice rivalry that risks the lives of the men in the field, and to the incompetent planning and execution of Operation Anaconda. Hirsch shows the bitterness of a man who once wore the uniform and feels very poorly used by his superiors.

Michael Hirsch has written an entertaining and informative book on Combat Search and Rescue. That it is drawn from recent events only makes it more thrilling, and hopefully educational.

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Thank you Michael Hirsh, August 5, 2005

By 

Karl Weihert (WIS USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: None Braver: U.S. Air Force Pararescuemen in the War on Terrorism (Hardcover)

I found Michael Hirsh's writing style very entertaining. You, the reader, must realize the rare privilege it is to have before you an account so accurate in factual detail of what embodies a USAF pararescueman. Having the honor of being a PJ from Sep84-Dec92 I have witnessed alot so life doesn't suprise me much anymore. The effect this book had on me was suprising. Many times while reading this book I paused to shake off cold shivers or to loosen my white-knuckle grip for I felt I was right there among these supermen doing the almost impossible...living life as a PJ! One thing I did not like was the lack of respect Michael Hirsh showed toward the special operations people from the other military branches. I have had the privilege and honor to work with many fine spec op folks from the other branches of our military. Even though there is the traditional and expected "ribbing" that goes on between us highly-trained experts I have forged lasting friendships with many of these spec op guys. Michael Hirsh, you wrote a great book about pararescuemen. You even made us PJ's feel uneasy (which is hard to do) by giving us a pat on the back for doing our jobs albeit appreciated. In your writing please do not convey the false idea that PJ's are so much better than all other special operations people. Special operations/forces of the navy, army, marines and air force all have outstanding people expertly trained for a specific purpose. However, I will state that when your day has gone bad putting your money on a PJ is a better bet than on one of them SEALs.