That Others May Live: The True Story of the PJs, the Real Life Heroes of the Perfect Storm (Paperback)

by Jack Brehm (Author), Pete Nelson (Author) "IN A C-130 HERCULES, FLYING AT 26,000 FEET, SMSGT JACK BREHM and five other men are preparing to jump..." (more)
Key Phrases: cutaway handle, cherry mission, log abbreviation, Air Force, Jack Brehm, Coast Guard (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description
Pararescue jumpers, or PJs, are the military's most elite force, a highly trained group of men serving in the Air Force and the National Guard. In battle, they fly behind enemy lines to rescue downed pilots. In peacetime, PJs stay sharp with daring civilian rescues, recovering victims from scorching deserts, treacherous mountaintops, raging seas, and natural disasters. Their almost unimaginable courage first came to the public's attention in Sebastian Junger's The Perfect Storm, with that book's riveting account of how a helicopter of PJs plunged into the Atlantic during a tragic rescue attempt. Senior Master Sergeant Jack Brehm was the PJ supervisor coordinating their dramatic efforts that night.

That Others May Live not only sheds new light on that rescue, it also tells the thrilling story of Jack Brehm's devotion to the PJs, a career choice that transformed him from an aimless kid to an on-call hero. Jack's vivid account reveals not only the dangerous rescues and relentless training he and his fellow PJs endure, but the emotional struggles as well: losing friends, waiting anxiously to be called into action, and trying to keep their families together despite the enormous life-and-death pressures of the job. This book is a compelling and deeply personal story of one man's "ordinary" heroism that is, in reality, extraordinary.

From the Inside Flap
Pararescue jumpers, or PJs, are the military's most elite force, a highly trained group of men serving in the Air Force and the National Guard. In battle, they fly behind enemy lines to rescue downed pilots. In peacetime, PJs stay sharp with daring civilian rescues, recovering victims from scorching deserts, treacherous mountaintops, raging seas, and natural disasters. Their almost unimaginable courage first came to the public's attention in Sebastian Junger's The Perfect Storm, with that book's riveting account of how a helicopter of PJs plunged into the Atlantic during a tragic rescue attempt. Senior Master Sergeant Jack Brehm was the PJ supervisor coordinating their dramatic efforts that night.

That Others May Live not only sheds new light on that rescue, it also tells the thrilling story of Jack Brehm's devotion to the PJs, a career choice that transformed him from an aimless kid to an on-call hero. Jack's vivid account reveals not only the dangerous rescues and relentless training he and his fellow PJs endure, but the emotional struggles as well: losing friends, waiting anxiously to be called into action, and trying to keep their families together despite the enormous life-and-death pressures of the job. This book is a compelling and deeply personal story of one man's "ordinary" heroism that is, in reality, extraordinary.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 304 pages
• Publisher: Three Rivers Press (January 30, 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0609806769
• ISBN-13: 978-0609806760
• Product Dimensions: 8 x 5.2 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 10.2 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 3.4 out of 5 stars See all reviews (10 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #398,139 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A bit misleading. Still pretty good., January 26, 2006

By	Kevin Lewallen (Wyoming) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

I bought this book in tandem with Michael Hirsh's None Braver. In truth, I preferred the latter, however that opinion lies mostly in differing expectations. I had anticipated a more in-depth account of PJ training and missions. While this book contains a fair amount of that, Brehm and his co-author use it mostly to lace together what is more aptly described as an auto-biography. You are looking at mostly the personal aspect of the job: family life, stress, emotions, tough decisions, etc. Not nearly as gripping or action-packed, if you will. The disappointment notwithstanding, I found it enjoyable and a decent read, with just enough "adventure" to pull me in. If you are more interested in the technical aspects or more detail about combat missions and life during a war (Brehm served mostly in the U.S.), I advise Hirsh's book. However, Brehm's heart-felt stories are still worth a look. It's just another side of the coin - the rest of the story, so to speak.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars All and all a good book, September 18, 2003

By	Michael L. Donaldson "Dregan" (Fort Walton Beach, FL) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

I thought this was a good book. Obviously that guy Frank who rated it has some serious issues about pararescue jumpers, maybe he washed out of the course and is a little bitter? Don't be mad frank, it's an 80% wash out rate. The book focuses on Jack Brehm, because he is the author, and can only tell the stories from his perspectives. Granted it's kind of slow, but this isn't a Science Fiction book, it's a Military History book, so it's not going to read like a Star Wars book. I work around and with these guys, and they are heroes and I think frank might change his mind if he ever had to be rescued by one.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars PJs Are Hereos, December 11, 2003

By	BEHR (San Jose, CA United States) - See all my reviews

An easy-flowing book to read from start to finish; however, I wish there was more on the pipeline training. For those who expected more on the PJ's lifestyle, I recommend the video, "Pararescuemen - That Others May Live".