Raider [Mass Market Paperback]

Charles W. Sasser (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: July 14, 2002

The true story of the legendary soldier who performed more POW raids than any other American in history.

He went into battle as a boy. And on one of the most daring missions of World War II, he became a man-- and the perfect soldier for America's next wars...

Galen Charles Kittleson was slight, modest, and born to wage war. The son of an Iowa farmer, Kittleson volunteered in 1943 and caught the eye of his commanders. By 1945, PFC Kittleson was selected for the Army's smallest elite unit, the Alamo Scouts. While U.S. forces were pushing back the Japanese in the Pacific, the Alamo scouts unleashed legendary raids deep behind enemy lines, including the liberation of over 500 starved, beaten prisoners of the Bataan Death March in the Philippines. For Kittleson, a career as a raider had just begun...

Charles W. Sasser chronicles the remarkable journey that was Kit Kittleson's courageous life in the service of his country. Now a veteran after first going to war as a boy twenty-five years ago, Kittleson volunteered for one last mission-- the most extraordinary and daring POW raid ever attempted by secret American Special Forces in Vietnam...

Editorial Reviews

Review

"Containing some of the best writing in the field...provides an electrifying glimpse into the dangerous life of a chopper pilot in Vietnam."--W.E.B. Griffin, Bestselling Author of the Corps Series on Taking Fire

About the Author

Charles W. Sasser is a decorated Vietnam veteran and Green Beret, as well as one of today's most respected military and true crime writers. He has authored more than a dozen books, including Taking Fire and One Shot, One Kill.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Mass Market Paperback: 336 pages
• Publisher: St. Martin's Paperbacks; 1st edition (July 14, 2002)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0312982496
• ISBN-13: 978-0312982492
• Product Dimensions: 6.8 x 4.2 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 5.4 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (7 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,930,700 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Raider but not a barbarian!, March 2, 2004

By A Customer

This review is from: Raider (Mass Market Paperback)

Galen Kittleson's uncanny ability to see the enemy first and valor under fire behind enemy lines are legend. I just finished his biography and am thankful for his service to his country. Through Charles Sasser's words the persona of Kittleson is clear and his humility is reminiscent of medal of honor recipients.

I gained insight into the horrific conditions of our prisoners of WWII (especially Baatan) and Viet Nam (Son Tay and Hanoi Hilton) and the bravery of men like Galen Kittleson who dared try to return them home. De Opresso Liber. Thank you Command Sargeant Major Kittleson. You are the epitome of a Special Forces Quiet Professional.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars CSM Galen Kettleson, May 8, 2006

By 

Alamo Scouts (Charles City, Iowa) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Raider (Mass Market Paperback)

Galen Kettleson is the most courages person that has inspired many people though out his life. Reading this book has given me a much higher respect for this man. Kettleson has been a friend of my family for close to thirty years, on May 4th 2006, Galen passed away. We have lost a true American Hero. ALAMO ALL THE WAY

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars True meaning of selfless sacrifice, May 30, 2010

By 

Michael Curtis "Slightly educated" (Bagram, Afghanistan) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Raider (Paperback)

What Galen Kittleson volunteered for, no less than four times, is a cause more worthy than will ever come across the desk of my life. I admire his accomplishments and those of his peers.

However, this review is about the book not the man. My expectations were that I wanted a glimpse into POW liberation with some history thrown in for good measure.

The writer takes a very rose colored look into Galen's history, mostly because it fits the view that his POW liberations' were ordained by a higher power. Furthering the moral of this book that God chooses who lives and dies in wars.

Where the book really goes wrong is the subject, it doesn't pick a path, history or biography, and stay on it. The book doesn't provide more history than a chronology of asymmetrical warfare, or more biography than the months of WWII and Vietnam. It ends up skirting both and suffering for it.