War Stories of the Tankers: American Armored Combat, 1918 to Today 

Book Description:
These are the harrowing firsthand accounts of armored combat, from the days of the century’s first tanks to the latest encounter on the streets of Baghdad: the still-vivid impressions of those who fought in no-man’s land during World War I; the stories of green American tankers taking on German Tigers or fighting through a sea of Red Chinese soldiers in Korea. From the American boys who faced the Viet Cong to the soldiers fighting in Iraq, these are the heroes of our time, taking that rare moment to tell us what it is like to confront the enemy in tank warfare.

Why We Like It:
The Tanker "story" that starts on page 291 is by Capt. (today Major) John Moore (U.S. Army) who is an old DLI buddy.  Talking with him was what inspired Computers For Soldiers®.



The Long Road Home: A Story of War and Family

Book Description:
From ABC White House correspondent Martha Raddatz, the story of a brutal forty-eight-hour firefight that conveys in harrowing detail the effects of war not just on the soldiers but also on the families waiting back at home.

In April 2004, soldiers from the 1st Cavalry Division were on a routine patrol in Sadr City, Iraq, when they came under surprise attack. Over the course of the next forty-eight hours, 8 Americans would be killed and more than 70 wounded. Back home, as news of the attack began filtering in, the families of these same men, neighbors in Fort Hood, Texas, feared the worst. In time, some of the women in their circle would receive "the call"-the notification that a husband or brother had been killed in action. So the families banded together in anticipation of the heartbreak that was certain to come.

The firefight in Sadr City marked the beginning of the Iraqi insurgency, and Martha Raddatz has written perhaps the most riveting account of hand-to-hand combat to emerge from the war in Iraq. This intimate portrait of the close-knit community of families Stateside-the unsung heroes of the military -distinguishes The Long Road Home from other stories of modern warfare, showing the horror, terror, bravery, and fortitude not just of the soldiers who were wounded and killed but also of the wives and children whose lives now are forever changed.

Why We Like It:
Major John Moore (U.S. Army) was part of this battle.  Major Moore is an old DLI buddy and it was a conversation with him that inspired Computers For Soldiers®.



They Fought for Each Other: The Triumph and Tragedy of the Hardest Hit Unit in Iraq

Will be Released March 2010

Book Description:
Charlie 1-26 confronted one of the worst neighborhoods in Baghdad and lost more men than any battalion since Vietnam
 
Based on “Blood Brothers”, the Michael Kelly Award nominated series that ran in Army Times, this is the remarkable story of a courageous military unit that sacrificed their lives to change Adhamiya, Iraq, from a lawless town where insurgents roamed freely, to a secure neighborhood with open storefronts and a safe populace.

Army Times writer Kelly Kennedy was embedded with Charlie Company in 2007, went on patrol with the soldiers and spent hours in combat support hospitals. During that period, one soldier threw himself on a grenade to save his friends, a well-liked first sergeant shot himself to death in front of his troops, and a platoon staged a mutiny. The men of Charlie 1- 26 would earn at least 95 combat awards, including one soldier who would go home with three Purple Hearts and a lost dream. This is a timeless story of men at war and a heartbreaking account of American sacrifice in Iraq. 

About the Author: KELLY KENNEDY served as a soldier in Desert Storm and Mogadishu, Somalia. She has written for The Salt Lake Tribune, The Portland Oregonian, The Chicago Tribune, and Army Times. She lives in Virginia.

Why We Like It: 
Kelly Kennedy and Philip Spry served together during the first Gulf War. 

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