In the Company of Heroes

Rating:
Summary: A True Hero
Review: A story of amazing courage. It was inspiring to learn what Michael Durant went through and how he dealt with it both during the ordeal and afterwards. I highly recommend this book to anyone who is brave enough to see what happened in Somalia from Durant's perspective.

Rating:
Summary: I'm glad you told us Mike.
Review: After seeing Blackhawk Down, I had always wondered about what happened to Michael Durant after he was captured. This book told every last detail of his captivity including many intermitant chapters about his background and career with the Night Stalkers - SOAR Special Ops Helicopter group. Including training/bootcamp, missions in Panama, the Gulf War and so on.

Very compelling book. The descriptions of the atmospheres, emotions and pain of his ordeal in captivity are vivid and captivating. I read this book straight through in 2 sittings. Very compelling. A must read for any enthusiast of military, war, government and personal trials and tribulations fans.

Get it.

Rating:
Summary: Good for the Nightstalkers themselves
Review: As a nightstalker wife. This book is a must have for all 160th soldiers. Especially is they have the movie. It's a key point of NSDQ history and it reminds us LNSDQ of the possibilites and the strength of our husbands and their soldiers. There aren't many books about nightstalkers, so it's about time one got written. This book was written from a man's point of view whose been there. Now, I'm gonna explain from a wife's point of view of being there. Still this book is definately a must have.

Rating:
Summary: Great background Information
Review: Black Hawk Down by Mark Bowden, had its own problems, Mark didn't interview several people, left stuff out, even military veterans agree who have an idea or were there in Somalia when this happened. He relied only on a handful of people who were there and discounted the others.

Now 'In the Company of Heroes' is like Part II of the "Somalia" series, it's hard to believe that only two real books have been written about Somalia. Grant it, Col. Hackworth mentioned numerous loss limbs in the battle (there was only one) in Hazardous Duty, there has to be more. You have numeruos accounts of Vietnam, WWII, Revolutionary War and even the first Gulf War.

There will more stories written of course about what happened in Somalia during that tragic event though the American public has mostly once again forgotten about it (last October was the 10th Anniversary but you heard nothing in the media about it).

The major problem I had with this book was how it switched around, was it totally about Somalia? Hm no. He's in Korea, Iraq/Kuwait, Panama, back home, Somalia, back home. There was no real fluid or time table in the book, it seems as though when he was telling the story to Steven Hartov, he didn't start off with any background information about himself but just leaped right into October 3rd, 93.

I love the stories about the guys he served with and the friendships that went beyond the work place and how Briley, dedicated a song to him, whether or not he actually did, is kinda up in the air. It was defitinely a favorite of Briley's but as he stated in the book: That must have meant that Briley survived.

He explains on how the SOAR operated, the Little Bird pilots who thought they were pilots out of the movie, Top Gun, and how everyone was almost trained for something else. Also the Officer's Club, where there was "entertainment" if you'd like to call it. Durant seems to think back to the better days of the politically incorrect military and how the OC's are basically empty now.

Durant also goes through a review of his post-Somalia days, which is like one chapter, which he explains about six years of his life and it includes a letter from Mrs. Shughart which I thought was the most heartfelt part of the book.

Maybe if he didn't skip around, he wouldn't have felt so rushed in the Aftermath chapter and might have been able to expand it a little bit. However Colonel Hackworth's attacks, not wise, the man has gone a tad bit off his normal views including about the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq, but I would have never let it got to me.

Mike Durant, may be a good pilot, but is he the best? There's probably some one out there who could put him to shame but his story should be told, however I wish he didn't rush it so.

Rating:
Summary: A harrowing story...
Review: In this book, Durant tells his story of captivity during the ill-fated US Somalia mission of the early 1990's. Additionally, Durant gives details of his entire career as an Army helicopter pilot. The story Durant tells about his captivity in Mogadishu is absolutely terrifying, especially the part about his actual capture. Durant is very lucky to be alive, especially considering the fate of quite a few of his brave comrades. If you are interested in learning more about the Somalia mission, or simply want to read about a true American hero, do yourself a favor and read this book. Highly recommended!

Rating:
Summary: Just when you think...
Review: Just when you think you know the story, here comes "In The Company Of Heroes". Five stars doesn't seem to be enough stars for this book. It was a hard book to put down. Sure, he bounces from place to place, but that gave me a bit of an idea of who he was and why he liked what he did so much. In it, you read about his side of the Battle in Bakara Market. I like that he prefaced that this was his story and how he remembered it. As I read the book, I began to understand why Durant is my hero: he may have been scared while a POW, but he never gives it away. He becomes convinent 'friends' with his captors and he finds strength within to keep wits about him long enough to write the day to day activites in the spine of his bible.

He holds tight to the NSDQ line while a POW. This is a moving story about a young man who loves his job and his friends. I like that he didn't just 'touch on' Cliff Wolcott or Donovan Briley, but was able to tell stories of them, in a way, bringing them back.

What I liked most was how honest he was about his thoughts about the President that led them to this ill fated battle and how he still managed to keep his mouth shut, which is more than I would have done.

This book will captivate you and you will find it hard to put down. You'll want to read it again and again. This book certainly deserves more than five stars. CW4 Durant wrote this book to help healing...and to give us all an idea of what he endured for 11 days. It is the best book written out there about one man's journey to Somalia and back.

Rating:
Summary: This book held me in captivity!
Review: Michael Durant deserves plenty of praise and respect as do all the other Task Force Rangers who are alive and those that have unfortunately sacrificed their lives. Simply put, I could not put this book down and found every chapter fascinating. Mr. Durant does an excellent job of relating the events in every detail and you truly feel as if you are there with him through it all.

Regardless of what you may already know about these events, you will find yourself spellbound by the story. I kept imagining how I might have responded or reacted had I been in that situation and I am not sure I would have been as brave or cool-headed as Mr. Durant. Knowing his inner thoughts and strategies as well as other events of his military career was completely inciteful and I am really appreciative that he was able to share them with everyone. Thanks Mike!

Rating:
Summary: Excellent, a must read
Review: The name Mike Durant should be a familiar one. As a member of the US Army's elite 160th SOAR (Special Operations Aviation Regiment), he was one of the world's finest helicopter pilots. During the battle in Mogadishu, Somalia made famous by Mark Bowden's book BLACK HAWK DOWN and the movie of the same name, Chief Warrant Officer 4 Durant piloted a Black Hawk helicopter that was shot down.

In this book, Durant does an excellent job of recounting that fateful day when his Black Hawk was shot down and the ensuing 11 days he spent held as a prisoner of war (POW) by the most powerful tribal faction in Somalia before his release. Along with recounting those harrowing days in captivity, Durant provides an autobiographical look of important times and missions of his military career.

This book is a very fast read and an excellent one. It would certainly help the reader to know the events and situations taking place during Operation Gothic Serpent, so I would highly recommend reading Mark Bowden's BLACK HAWK DOWN prior to reading this book. However, knowing the circumstances of the battle nor reading Bowden's book are not really necessary to enjoying this incredible book. Durant's POW experience is certainly a unique one and the book does a good job of relating what Durant went through. Contrary to what you might think before reading the book, not all POWs are beaten and treated poorly; Durant makes it explicitly known that his captors treated him humanely.

I wholeheartedly recommend this book to any reader. One does not need a thorough knowledge of the military or its Special Operations forces to enjoy this book (though it may help). It is at times very moving, and there was one instance where I had to fight back tears.

Rating:
Summary: Two thumbs up Michael Durrant....and co.
Review: This book is an amazing faith builder, and an eye opener into the minds of those on the "frontline".

Freedom is taken for granted these days and its true definition is squashed by Courtrooms and confused intellectuals abusing the boundaries set in place within the structure that is Creation, thus creating Laws instead of enforcing them.

I reccomend this book, to the Faithful under Fire no matter where or what ( <>< ) your call is! And to anyone who feels that they are held captive whether it be circumstance or habit.

Rating:
Summary: Michael Durant is a true American Hero
Review: This book was hard to put down. Durant's writing style and sense of humor make it compelling, as if you're hearing a story from a good friend.

The slices of his life besides his captivity in Somalia also give insight into this man and show how they forged his will and gave him the ability to survive his 10 days in captivity and keep his mind intact.

I'd reccomend this book to anyone who has read Black Hawk Down; especially if you think Bowden came off as a Clinton apologist. Durant expresses the feelings of every red-blooded American Serviceman who has served durring the past 10 years!

I found one small error in the book and even it was probably just an oversimplification and not crucial to the plot, itself. Other than that, it's earned a place of honor on my bookshelf. One that is increasingly becoming more "Army" than "Marines". I left the Corps 10 years ago and I'm going into the Army in the next 10 days!

All we need now is for this story to be turned into a movie and done well. The small piece of it shown in Black Hawk Down does not do this man any justice.

Thank you, Michael Durant. God Bless you and your family! Semper Fi! Hoo-Ah! NSDQ!