Shadow Warriors: A History of the US Army Rangers (General Military) (Hardcover)

~ (Author)
Key Phrases: elements concurrently constituted, combat streamer, combat parachute assault, Ranger Regiment, Air Force, Takur Ghar (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description

No American military unit can claim as colorful and volatile a history as the Rangers, who have led the way in America's wars for well over 300 years. This book traces the Rangers from the time of Robert Rogers during the French-Indian War of the 18th century to the most recent combat operations in Iraq. With a focus on today's Army Rangers, who combine the rugged individualism of American frontiersmen with the finely honed ability to operate as a close-knit team, wreaking havoc behind enemy lines, this fascinating volume incorporates many first-hand accounts of dramatic Ranger actions by the combatants themselves.

About the Author

Mir Bahmanyar received his BA in History from the University of California at Berkeley. Subsequently, he joined the US Army, serving with the 2d Battalion, 75th Ranger Regiment as a machine-gunner and training non-commissioned officer. Mir also created www.suasponte.com a website chronicling the history of the American Ranger. He is a feature film producer and screenwriter, recently completing the film Soldier of God (www.soldierofgod.net). He lives in Los Angeles.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 336 pages
• Publisher: Osprey Publishing (September 10, 2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 184176860X
• ISBN-13: 978-1841768601
• Product Dimensions: 10.1 x 7.5 x 1.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 3.3 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 2.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (8 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #558,366 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

11 of 16 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great Book, October 7, 2005

By	Tom Lawrence "EnglishRanger" - See all my reviews

This book goes beyond the usual history books or poorly written "to be a Ranger" type efforts. Lots of first-hand accounts of Rangers in action, lots of truth too. Issues such as the changing of the beret, morale and problems with the chain of command are all discussed honestly. This is an account of the modern Ranger, post Vietnam, Mosby and Rogers are briskly covered as are the World War II Rangers. The main detail is saved for more modern times. Mr. Bahmanyar obviously knows his subject and has been blessed with the cooperation of the 75th Ranger Regiment, making the information that little more accurate and useful.
Overall a great book, if you only read one book on the Rangers then this should be it.

5.0 out of 5 stars Author got it right, October 5, 2009

By	Critic - See all my reviews

This review is from: Shadow Warriors: A History of the US Army Rangers (General Military) (Paperback)

Reading the book several years after its publication the author is correct in holding Bush and Rumsfeld accountable for the mishandling of the current wars. Many generals and admirals have expressed the very same ideas put forth in this book and the author even quotes Marine General Riper who was one of the most vocal military officers at odds with Rumsfeld.

No matter what political affiliation, the stories about the rangers are excellent and well worth the read.

7 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Poorly Written, December 28, 2005

By	C. Dorsey (Flower Mound, TX United States) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

As someone who will read anything about Rangers I knew I was in trouble a few pages into the book and I didn't think I wanted to finish it. This book seems to be a poorly thrown together collection of anecdotes, unnecessary appendices and the authors own political viewpoints. The anecdotes/oral history content was both the best and worst of the book. The good ones (such as the Ranger Battalion Surgeon) I found to be extremely interesting however, most were expletive laced blog type content that held no historical value for me whatsoever. It's a good looking (and extremely heavy) book but I recommend looking elsewhere.