Customer Reviews

None Left Behind: The 10th Mountain Division and the Triangle of Death

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It saddens me to here all the negative reviews that Mr. Sasser receives for writing this book. To start, this book is not a historical book. There is a difference between writing a historical document or literature, (also know as a primary source) and telling a story! Secondly, to anyone that was in 4-31 during this tour. There is a page in this book that everyone should read and REMEMBER while reading this book. That page is page two. I was either there for everything that happened of I was briefed from our command group or NCO's that were closely tied to our Battalion staff about the events that took place through out the duration of this deployment. Yes, there are people that have embellished some of the stories. (and we know who they are) It is obvious to us that were in Delta Company and 4-31 that Mr. Sasser was not given correct accounts of what truly happened in some instances, which he accounts for on page two. Those that were in Delta Company know what happened, what went on, and no one can ever take that away from us. Instead of looking at all of the inaccuracies and the "glorification" of certain individuals, look at the great gesture that Mr. Sasser has given Delta Company. He tried to tell our story, a story that should be told. We as Polar Bears are the worst critics because we were there! Not many people can say they were a part of something that has a book written about it! Also, remember what our Battalion did as a whole! Remember all the men that gave the ultimate sacrifice and never mind the certain people that have given the author wrong accounts of what went on or portrayed themselves as prestigious leaders that made Delta Company work. Also remember that many of us that were a part of this tour had gotten out of the military when Mr. Sasser conducted a major portion of the interviews for this book, leaving many gaps in the events that had taken place, or someone there to say no that is not what happened. I will assume that most of the negative reviews that follow will be from soldiers that were in 4-31 and again I will suggest that you read page two before you bash the author!

Author Charles W. Sasser has written many truly great books over the past decade including his award winning book "God in the Foxhole". However, his newest book "None Left Behind: The 10th Mountain Division And The Triangle Of Death" has all of them beat. It offers readers all of the emotions, action, death, fear, and courage, that one would get from any great thriller novel - but what hits you is that this is a true story of real people involved in a real war. The author delivers it in a package of prose and words that is readable, inspiring and entertaining. Well written and authentic by someone who has obviously worn the uniform proudly himself.

You will find yourself fully engrossed in the storyline as he follows the action through the experiences of the real life warriors who were there. The bottom line is that he truly loves and respects all these soldiers and it shows. His book honors all those of the 10th Mountain Division as well as those fighting the current war on terrorism.

This book has my fullest endorsement and recommendation.

W.H. McDonald jr.
Founder of the Military Writer's Society of America
Author, Minister and Purple Heart Vietnam Veteran

My previous review of "None Left Behind" was apparently disliked by one or two people whose nom de plume is "X", "Malibu" or "Yusifiyah". I received several responses to my review of the book, none of them on point or involving a review of the book. Usually the comments were just pointless comments that had nothing to do with the book, the contents of the book, or the author or personal attacks. But always nothing on the book. I received several compliments about my review from friends that read the book and that were deployed with 4-31. Most people added things that I had forgotten. But this one or two people complained enough to Amazon and even though my review is compliant with their policy for reviewing books, it's been asked to revise the review.

First, the book is not titled correctly. "None Left Behind: The 10th Mountain Division and the Triangle of Death" is a misrepresentation of the book and the content. It's true that the book talks about elements of the 10th Mountain Division during deployment, but a more accurate title would have been "LTC Michael Infanti and Delta Company in Iraq" or something like that.

I shouldn't have read this book. That's a sentiment shared by most of the people that I remain close with after the deployment and after everybody going their separate ways. I hoped against reason that the book would be accurate or at a minimum, less embellished. My common sense told me that if the Command Group had anything to do with it only the monumental success that the battalion enjoyed of the backs of the soldiers would be described and not the tragic failures that would have made the book a significantly better read and a more accurate account on what actually happened. As soon as I read the part about the BC and the XO and the CSM all living in separate shipment containers, I knew that I was reading fiction. As a litmus test, I had a non military person specifically read those passages in the book and then tell me what image they could conjure up in their mind about their specific living conditions. What I got sounded like something out of a movie. They imagined a box, huge holes blown through them with rusted and charred metal all over the place, no electricity, scorching heat, and a single cot or sleeping roll on the dirt. Everybody there knows that simply wasn't the case. This book is definitely not intended for anybody that was deployed, but more for the person looking to read a good military story. That's the only way that things like the description of living quarters for the top three can fly. Don't get me wrong, it's a great military story, but it was a great story without the dramatization of the details and the flat out embellishment of the facts.

It's true that the author does inform the reader that the book has been fleshed out to make it readable and in no way did he intend to leave out or offend other members of the battalion. Immediately after this warning, certain members of the battalion are glorified, sensationalized and made to seem like venerable supermen.

More accurately, the book should be listed under "Historical Fiction". Titanic, Saving Private Ryan and most recently, Valkyrie are all recent examples of historical fiction. Historical fiction is a sub-genre of fiction that often portrays fictional accounts or dramatization of historical figures or events. Dramatization being the most important word there. Honestly, with the exception of the guy that drank motor oil, the guy that swallowed a hand full of nails, or the NCOs that were made to guard the gym or the porta potties (all interesting historical events that don't need embellishment to make them readable and relevant) most of us can agree that 15 months with 4-31 in that area required no dramatization. There was plenty of real life drama, life and death, and for some, the entire tumult of the human emotional experience to fill several volumes of very interesting and educational reading.

At best, the book is filled with half-truths that center around significantly historic events that were experienced by the entire battalion. There are major liberties taken with dialogue. Some conversations are simply an amalgamation of every single one of your favorite movies and their most memorable quotes. Very non original material.

Most of the reviews here are lockstep with my view on this book. I simply chose to call out the central character actors that are trumped up in the book. Although my language is inflammatory, nobody has ever questions or refuted my claims that with the good, there was some significant bad, and I'm not talking about the bad based simply off the predicament of being in the most dangerous region of the most dangerous place in the world. The bad brought about by the Chain of Command, like the ridiculousness of the incident at the power plant with 2-14, would have been good to have in the book as well. And other battalions and units in the task force had their issues to deal with as well. Things that most commanders and most senior NCOs would rather not divulge to the world. Like I'm sure that LTC Infanti or the CSM don't sit around telling war stories and bring up SGM McCormick and his extra marital affair with a lower enlisted soldier. Most people would like to forget about that happening, but if you're going to disclose the events and the morale of the battalion, which for the purposes of this book simply means the BC, XO, CSM and D Co., FULL DISCLOSURE should be paramount. No selective disclosure as depicted in this book.

At least three other people that took the time to review this book share my point of view. One of them wasn't there (Wife) but she hits the nail right on the head. The book serves as more of a publicity vehicle for certain members of the battalion, for whom the world apparently spins around.

The reader should be made aware of the fact that when the interviews were performed, which was the foundation of the book, that a significant number of the people in the battalion had transitioned to civilian life, re-enlisted to get out of the battalion, were released from a stop-loss, or simply moved on to better assignments. That being said, I'm sure that nobody that remained that was interviewed would give a derogatory account of what they did or what their interpretation was of what was going on to a journalist. Without fact checking or anybody there to refute tales of things that either didn't happen or are being distorted, human nature would bring out the story teller and where the author didn't have facts, he plugged in what he thought would be the logical thing. Unfortunately the logical thing to him is some cliché line or some contrived scenario.

Over time, I believe that members of the battalion will experience a morphing of their memories of how things happened with what was written down until the book becomes their memories. It's a phenomenon that happens quite frequently. That's why I'm glad I journalized everything that I experienced and heard, recorded still images, times places, saved emails etc. That way my memory of what happened and when and who was involved won't be degraded or distorted over time.

I would be remiss if I did not say that most Polar Bears performed their duties during that deployment in a fashion that they can be proud of, that their families can be proud of, and a way that will enrich the Polar Bear heritage for all time. I don't think that this book does them justice with the creative broad strokes of a favorable paint brush that has been applied to this sometimes fantastical work of historical fiction.

Bottom line, if you weren't deployed or service connected, this is a light, non-challenging read that will most likely conjure images of your favorite war movie.

If you were deployed, are service connected, or were with the battalion, you probably will spend a lot of time saying to yourself "This never happened" or "He never said that"

I welcome any rebuttal, any clear and concise evidence to the contrary would be appreciated. If like the last time, you want to name call, get involved in personal attacks or whatever, take it someplace else or give us your take on the book and how factual it is and what roll you played in the crafting of it. If you want to compare brain pans, education, or engage me in a progressive theological debate,compare merits or pedigree, when I get done laughing, I'll respond.

Good news is this very accurately details life for infantry soldiers beyond the wire.Most people don't know this and the news doesn't portray it at all.Bad news, the title is misleading. It is not about the 10th Mountain, 2d Brigade, or the 4th Battalion.Its really Delta Co. Since I had a relative in another company, I was disappointed.Maps and an outline of the overall picture would also be helpful.

This was an emotional book to read for sure. Sasser does a good job of painting a picture of the hell that Delta Company had to live through on a daily basis while in the triangle. He brought to life those brave soldiers in Delta and conveyed what they must have been thinking as their tour progressed.

It was hard to put this book down and I finished it in 2 days. I was "choked-up" several times while reading this book. The ending was very emotional. This is a hard but necessary read for anyone that wants to know what the soldier on the front line has to go through while in Iraq/Afghanistan.

I am not a soldier, but work with them on a daily basis. I was with 2BCT 10MTN and 4/31IN during this tour and remember exactly where I was at when I heard the news...one of those JFK or 9/11 deals where you will never forget what you were doing or who told you when you first heard it. Sasser's book helps ensure that no one ever forgets those who made the ultimate sacrifice so that we might continue to enjoy our freedom.

My son spent 4 years with the 1BCT of the 10th Mountain, including 2 deployments for a total of 26 months in Iraq. I've read everything I can get my hands on about the war on terror. I admire the intent of author Charles Sasser obviously had in writing this story. But even before reading input here from soldiers who were with 4-31, much of it rang untrue... the conversations between soldiers, for example. Some of it right out of old school war movies. Young people today "just don't talk that way". Dare I say some of the dialog was downright cheesy? Regardless, it was a story that needs to be told... those young men who gave the ultimate sacrifice need to have their stories shared. When I first read the chapter describing what transpired on 12 May '07, I was a bit taken aback... there were no survivors, yet Sasser writes about it as if it was based on testimony from someone who was there. But I think we all know what he's going for is telling their story... through his storytelling, we come to know (even if only a little bit) the seven fine young Americans who were killed or captured that day. Because of this book, I know their names, and to this day I think of them. Of all the soldiers insurgents could have abducted and murdered, they managed to choose 3 who were genuinely fine young men, so far from the 4 who committed the rape/murder on the al Janabi family the year before it's simply too tragic for words. So for that, we have to thank author Charles Sasser. This book is no "Black Hearts" or "The Good Soldiers", but it has its own merits.

I read this book in one day. The story carried itself, but I was interested because I served in another Brigade in the 10th Mountain Division. When the news came out of the DUSTWUN situation, it really got to us. I was in military intelligence, and we did what we could from back at Fort Drum to help, but it wasn't much, we were just too far away.

Leaving aside my personal interest in the story, the author captured the smells and sights and sounds of Iraq like he himself had spent several combat tours there. The call to prayer, the helicopters, the smell of dust mixed with sewage, the amazing sunsets. It took me right back there. I also loved his handle on the military slang, the constant joshing around and off-color commentary of ordinary Joes, and the privations the combat soldiers went through compared to us FOBbits who had first dibs at the PX, hot chow three times a day unless a mortar barrage kept us under cover, and AC pretty much as long as the generators were running (which was usually.)It really pissed me off when they wouldn't let the Infantry guys in from a patrol base into the PX or chow hall because they were sweaty, dirty, and God forbid, a bit bloody. The garrison style rules were a source of constant frustration for everyone. We wanted to get shirts made that said, "Don't you know there's a war on?" But the command would have squashed that pretty quickly so we didn't bother.

Great story, highly recommended. I know some of the guys that were in the unit took exception to some of it as being inaccurate. Since I wasn't there, I will take their word for it.

I was deployed with the unit that the author refers to in this book. I have first hand knowledge of a majority of the events that are described in this book. I am very disappointed that the author did not research his facts before publishing the book and since he didn't anyone that reads this book will walk away with a twisted version of what really happened. Most of the book seemed to be written to greatly glorify certain individuals. Some of the events were more dramatic then they actually were. I would not label this book as historically accurate.

As a Polar Bear myself i believe this was a great book..I did not like the way the Author made Dco seem like they were he main efford for the Batallion. I think the author could of also wrote about other Companies in the Batallion who also did as much if not more. I recommend this book to any Iraq vet it will remind you of alot of your own experience, it sure reminded me of mine

I am so happy to have been a part of the life of one of the soldiers mentioned in this book. He is very special to me and always will be. One of the reviews here says "The book serves as more of a publicity vehicle for certain members of the battalion, for whom the world apparently spins around." Hehe, that is true for me as my world does spin around that soldier. Another comment reads "Most of the book seemed to be written to greatly glorify certain individuals." Again, I am proud that he was mentioned or glorified as that comment suggests, not withstanding the efforts of all his friends that were there. Another comments reads "I just don't think that Mr. Sasser had the resources to dig deep enough. He was embedded and conducted most the interviews while the battalion was at West Point." My soldier was at West Point when the group had thier rememberance for the found missing soldiers, so, I am sure Mr. Sasser had interviewed my soldier. The comment goes on to read "There were too many people that he did interview that embellished stories that is for sure." Maybe so, I don't know. What I do know is that I am proud to know the soldier I speak of. Not because of what he has done in the Army, but, in my life. He will always hold a special place in my heart. I love you Pupper! :-)