None Braver: U.S. Air Force Pararescuemen in the War on Terrorism

by Michael Hirsh

From award-winning journalist and combat veteran Michael Hirsh comes the thrilling inside story of the Air Force’s pararescue operations in Afghanistan.The first journalist to be embedded with an Air Force combat unit in the War on Terrorism, Hirsh flew from Moody Air Force Base, Georgia, with the 71st Rescue Squadron to their expeditionary headquarters at a secret location in Central Asia. Unparalleled access to the PJs, as well as to the courageous men and women who fly them where they have to go, often under enemy fire, allowed Hirsh to uncover incredible stories of courage.

Genres: Military Fiction, History, Nonfiction, Military History, War, Terrorism, American History

336 pages, Paperback

Published September 7, 2004

About the author

Michael Hirsh is the author of numerous books. During a 40-year career in broadcasting, he produced documentaries and specials for PBS, CBS, ABC and HBO, receiving multiple awards, including the Peabody.

He lives and writes in Punta Gorda, Florida

Reviews

[Terri · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'm embarrassed to say that up until a few months ago I had no idea who the Pararescue (PJ) were or that they even existed. I asked my friend when she mentioned them, "What is the difference between a Paratrooper and a Parajumper?" It was explained to me that they are Pararescue.
Fully trained in field medicine, able to do what a Paratrooper can do except they can also do everything that a team medic can do plus much, much more, they can jump from planes and choppers, rappel from choppers, and carry a 90+ pound pack and a soldier on their backs as they bring him to safety. Their motto is 'So that others may live'.
At least I know who they are now, but for some bizarre reason they are not a very well known branch of the Airforce. I don't know why. These guys are heroes and perform heroic acts on a regular basis. It must be a special feeling when you are injured in combat, or have a mate hurt in combat, and you turn around to see one of these guys stepping up to you.
Go the PJs!

On another note, the actual book, nearly got 4 stars from me and I still feel I shouldn't be giving it 3 stars. I had real issues with the authors writing style though.

[Neil · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this book partly out of a personal interest and partly because I am using it as a source for a report. It was an interesting book and it was also hard to read especially the end, where it describes what one particular family went through after one of the PJs in the book was killed in action. It shares stories of men who wanted to join the military, but they wanted to save lives instead of taking lives and destroying things. It has funny anecdotes, crazy stories, and serious moments. I thought the author did an excellent job telling the stories of these brave men. My interest was held throughout the entire book.

The latter half of the book focuses on the days prior to and the first couple of days of Operation Anaconda. The author clearly does not hold a high opinion of the upper-echelon officers who made the “final decisions” in how the operation would proceed. He was not necessarily disrespectful, but he was not happy and he called into question several decisions that were made by men who he felt only listened to what they wanted to hear and ignored anything to the contrary.

Some of the experiences in the book were crazy to me. The first chapter discusses how two helicopters were on the way to recover a British SAS team on some kind of “top-secret” mission when one of the helicopters crashed. All of the men survived; some of them were badly injured. The men were able to exfiltrate to a copse before proceeding further down the mountain to some caves. Fortunately, one of the men spoke the local language as a large body of people from “nearby” villages were following them down the mountain and drawing near to “their” cave. The “interpreter” spoke with the villagers and said they were friends and trying to leave the area; the villagers left them alone and a potentially dangerous moment was avoided. When the second helicopter came back, it dumped enough fuel and whatnot so all eleven men could pile onboard. It then had to fly for quite a ways, starting at five to ten feet above ground before it generated enough speed and lift to slowly reach higher elevations up to a safe cruising height. It was crazy and amazing!

Another “story” told over several chapters involved Ditka 03, an MC-130P Combat Shadow, a modified C-130 Hercules used for refueling in combat (among other tasks), that crashed into the side of a mountain. It was interesting to read this account as I had read about it in two other books (Not a Good Day to Die and Roberts Ridge) which told the story from the perspective of the rescuers; those accounts did not reveal what happened that caused the aircraft to fly into the side of the mountain. This account does reveal what happened. While not necessarily the cockpit crew’s fault, it was a miracle that all of the men aboard the aircraft survived the crash and there was no explosion due to the fuel load onboard. The third helicopter was having trouble refueling and it was partly because of this trouble in conjunction with malfunctioning onboard equipment that the aircraft crashed. The “officer in charge” sent the helicopter away that had the PJs onboard away (partly because it needed to be refueled and he did not seem to think it could land and then take back off). The helicopter that did land was ill-equipped to handle the injuries of the wounded; one man was trapped in the snow for over an hour who could have been freed within ten minutes of the arrival of the PJs if they had been allowed to land. The officer in charge was an Army officer who apparently did not understand how best to utilize PJs or what the job of PJs entailed; neither did he appreciate the subsequent follow-up criticism from the PJs in the after-action review that took place.

Another crazy experience was when a group of PJs jumped out of an HC-130 to try to save an Australian SAS member whose leg was injured due to an old Soviet minefield. The Australians marked where they thought was the boundary of the minefield and then where they knew the PJs could land safely. The navigator was fairly new, so he had to make his best guess on the approach and when the PJs should jump out. Fortunately for all involved, he made a most excellent guess and the PJs were able to land right on target so they could attempt to aid the stricken soldier. A team of helicopters arrived sometime after to pick up the PJs and the soldier and rush the soldier back to an FST back at the American’s base. Unfortunately, the Australian died. His injuries were too severe. The doctors said even if he had been injured right in front of the FST, he would still have had only a 50/50 chance of survival due to the nature and extent of his injuries. One of the lessons learned that allowed changes to be made was for PJs to start carrying packets of blood with them onto the battlefield so they could give soldiers who had lost a lot of blood much-needed transfusions in hopes of being better equipped and able to save their lives.

The author was quite angry when it came to the chapters involving Operation Anaconda. He felt the lives that were lost were needlessly lost because the officers in charge and those above them made numerous bad decisions. Among them was not having enough men available to do the job correctly; not having anything heavier artillery-wise than mortars; and not paying attention to the intelligence coming in that said the valley was more heavily invested with insurgents and enemy soldiers than previously thought. In addition, he was furious that SRA Jason Cunningham died because the generals refused to send a rescue team to the top of Takur Ghar after the insurgents had been driven far enough back that a helicopter could have been landed safely to bring the wounded back for medical attention ASAP. Some of the men who died died because they were not picked up until night had fallen; had they been picked up earlier, they probably would have survived their wounds.

The author also felt that lives were needlessly lost because of the military’s stance that nobody is left behind, and any dead bodies would be recovered. He seemed to think it was a “waste” of men and resources for more people to be injured or killed in order to recover the dead body of a comrade. Not going to say if he is right or wrong; only a person in the military could comment on that. He does quote some PJs who said they would rather their bodies be left behind than have more people die trying to recover their corpses.

I did like that this book discussed what some Australian SAS soldiers were doing during the battle. The other two books I read mentioned that there were Australian units involved in the fighting, as well as several other units from other nations, but the other two books did not mention any of them in their narratives. So it was “nice”/interesting to read about what some of the Australian SAS were doing during the pre-stages of the operation and once the operation got going.


I had planned to read this book at some point “in the near future.” Using it as a source for a report merely sped up the point at which I would read it. I enjoyed reading the book. It is a powerful testament to men who go out into dangerous situations so that others might live, of men who risked their lives to save the lives of others. I am glad that I read it.


On a side note: The men had some incredible experiences, that is for sure, and not all of them were under fire. I found myself thinking that a mini-series could be made of this book [like HBO did for Generation Kill]. The author shared various PJs commenting on how few PJs there are, and how they constantly fight burnout because of the number of missions performed versus the number of men available. The comment was also made that if more people were in the pipeline for indoc, they would [should, statistically speaking] get more PJs out of the process; they commented on how poorly PJs had been in communicating what they did to prospective recruits. Such a show could help stir up interest in PJs and provide more potential recruits. But that is must my opinion.

[Jordan Larsen · Rating 5 out of 5]

In this unflinching and harrowing account of life on the battlefield, veteran combat journalist Michael Hirsh sets his sights on an elite fraternity of men and women whose sole purpose in theater is to serve as guardian angels to those who defend freedom in the world’s most hostile environments. Enter the United States Air Force’s combat Pararescuemen; the most skilled and versatile rescue specialists on the planet. Superbly trained and equipped to respond to a variety of diverse rescue missions anywhere, any time. This is the band of brothers and sisters that Mr. Hirsh would be embedded with during the early stages of “Operation Enduring Freedom” in Afghanistan. “None Braver” unveils the reclusive world of the combat rescue warrior and reveals the triumphs, tribulations, and the tragedies that come with the territory of being part of the ultimate rescue squad. When the Marines and even the Navy Seals need to dial 911, these are the heroes who will answer the call.

With exclusive rare access, the reader is taken on a nail-biting journey downrange into extremely dire situations: from rescuing injured Marines in the wake of a mortar attack, a helicopter crash in the Afghan mountains, to a terrorist bombing in Beirut. PJs are to search and rescue what Navy Seals are to the War on Terror. With only 350 PJs worldwide, the selection process to become one surpasses that of the Green Berets and even that of the Navy Seals with an 86% attrition rate. Those who become Pararescuemen certainly have the right stuff. Michael Hirsh does an exceptional job conveying the valor and the sacrifice of Pararescuemen. “So Other’s May Live.”

[Robert D. Calkins · Rating 2 out of 5]

I list this as "read" because I'm done reading it, though I did not finish it. This is one long "brain dump" and not entertaining. That's too bad, because to me PJ's are bigger heroes than those supposedly elite soldiers who shoot people and blow stuff up. A wasted opportunity.

[Jennifer Aupke · Rating 4 out of 5]

A bit choppy to read in parts, overa a great read.

[Matt Boesch · Rating 1 out of 5]

To be honest I could not even finish this book, it was very poorly written and hard to follow. I felt that the author did not do justice to the true heroes that he was writing about.

[Alvin · Rating 2 out of 5]

I'm with the many readers here who tried to read this book and never finished it. I can't put my finger on exactly why or how, but I found this book turgid and eventually unreadable. There's just no flow to the prose. In my own experience with war books, there are three ways the author can go: 1) Talk about the people and how they manage their lives during the run-up to war and how the conflict uproots them. Marc Bowden's Black Hawk Down sets the standard for depicting this side of things. 2) Vivid imagery -- how the people in war handle their weapons and their gear. Andy McNab's Bravo Two Zero and Immediate Action are good examples of this when he talks about the fifty-pound gas cans filled with drinking water that his team had to carry by hand over the course of their mission in Iraq, how he talks about rods and cones and how the human eye sees things differently at night time, a relevant detail to his missions. And 3) How the participants comport themselves when the fighting begins.

This book just never seems to get going in any of these directions. It starts and stops and jumps around, then ends up ranting about bad policies implemented by the Air Force. No focus that I could latch onto. The narrative is compelling but ultimately feels misleading. I didn't learn as much about PJ's as I wanted to. Not enough seemed to be written about them.

[Atar · Rating 4 out of 5]

An interesting look into the life of Air Force Pararescuemen. A job of the highly skilled, that go into harms way to rescue and save the lives of injured soldiers. That others may lIve, is their creed and it tells you everything you need to know about these extraordinary soldiers. The Author weaves a fascinating tale of these men during the early years of the war in Afghanistan. A good read worth reading.

[John Williams · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a very interesting story about the work Air Force pararescuers do. A highly trained group in our military that do not get enough recognition. My rating was not based on the story itself. I just found that there was a lot of repeated detail and the author at times went off on a tangent, before coming back to the intended storyline.

[Erik · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is an interesting account of the role of PJs in OEF. It’s definitely worth reading to gain some insight on who PJs are and what they do. I didn’t prefer the writing style, and the tangents, though informative, made the reading a little disjointed at times, but overall it’s a good read.

[Glen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great book. The stories are authentic. The only gripe is the enlisted ranks were abbreviated incorrectly and it looks awful and was difficult to get past. That’s the only reason this got a 4 out of a 5.

[Anthony Wilhoite · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great book! Had a bit of trouble getting into it but it did give some wonderful and educational information about the US Air Force Pararescue soldiers and their missions. Some details were unnecessary but overall it was a great read for anyone curious about Air Force Special Forces!

[Jason Fryer · Rating 4 out of 5]

A good collection of stories and information about a lesser known group of elite soldiers.

[Kevin Calhoun · Rating 4 out of 5]

Gave me a great understanding what it is to be a PJ/SAR, HH60G pilot. I have a whole new prospective and respect for SAR!

[Karl Petersen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Good Read

This was a hard book.to put down. I enjoyed the author's insights and occasional humor. A great book to honor a bunch of great Americans.

[Jeff · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fantastic read, I'm not good with reviews but this is a must read, when you're done with this read Alone at Dawn

[Ace Ohoolihan · Rating 5 out of 5]

A vivid novel about what it means to be a pararescueman and the crews work with them. Great read!

[Shad · Rating 2 out of 5]

The PJs are awesome; the author’s editorials and disrespect for authority are significantly less so.

[Steve · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved the authors style. Of all the specialty trained operatives the military produces, the AF PJs and CCTs are the least known. One of the few books that gives them the credit they seldom receive.

[Kellina · Rating 4 out of 5]

AF Pararescue Jumpers serving in Afghanistan during Operation Enduring Freedom in 2002. “That others may live.” I cried.

[Julian Vidales · Rating 4 out of 5]

Audiobooked it, would have gotten more if I would have read it either way PJs might be the coolest people on the planet

[Joshua Southard · Rating 4 out of 5]

After listening to this book, I have a much better understanding of why people are afraid of helicopters. Most of the stories in this book involve helicopter rescues, helicopter crashes, and general helicopter consternation. Of course, that’s not the point of the book, but it was remarkable to me. The book is about the heroes (PJs) that the US Air Force trains for rescue missions in the most extreme situations and conditions imaginable. They are trained to operate anywhere in the world from mountains to deserts, to sea, to war. They study cutting-edge battlefield medicine techniques so that they can stabilize and extract injured soldiers. When the call comes in about injuries on the battlefield (or anywhere else in the world, I think), they are dispatched with their gear to save lives. Carrying gear for survival, combat, communications, and medicine, their kits can weigh over 100 lbs. To be a PJ, you have to be extremely calm under stress. PJs can adjust and adapt to complete the mission no matter what obstacles get thrown at them. The book also covers some of the fallout that happens when rescues are not successful by telling a true story of a PJ who dies during a rescue mission. The PJs don’t get a lot of press. They don’t like the spotlight. They want to do their job, save lives, and disappear into the shadows. I have a better appreciation for their skill, training, and mission after listening to this book. Thanks for the recommendation Aleksandr.

This is for readers of history, military, rescue, and real-life adventures.
(Rated R, Score 9/10, audiobook read by Corey Snow, 12:08)

[Jeff · Rating 4 out of 5]

This gives a really good inside look into the Air Force's PJ's. I'm sure I am in the minority here, but I'm actually glad that Hirsh did not spend so much time on the training of the PJ's, there are plenty of books, films, and television shows portraying training conditions and the absolute tenacity of anyone attempting to pass PJ, SEAL, Ranger, Green Beret, Marine Recon, and other special forces groups. This book mostly recounts several helicopter and Hercules crashes during America's early months in Afghanistan in 2001 and 2002. There are a couple of exciting anecdotes including parachuting into a field strewn with landmines and PJ's and other troops showing heroism during Operation Anaconda. I would say that Hirsh has a bit of a bad taste in his mouth for the higher brass and for the Air Force and other services treatment (or lack thereof) for families of deceased PJ's. Whether or not that is true, I can only take the author's word for it and since he was embedded with a PJ squad it seems clear that he shares their perspective. This is a great book for people that want to take a break from the ubiquitous SEALs books that are out there but still want to get an inside look into an elite unit. I was particularly impressed that the PJs have a humility about them that indoctrination for the SEALs does not, showing (in my opinion) quiet certitude of abilities rather than the constant boasting and ostentatious nature that is ever so present in other special forces units. The PJs don't need to talk or punch a guy out to know that they are the best at what they do.

[David Hymas · Rating 3 out of 5]

Our mountain rescue team in Alaska works a lot with PJ's up here. They don't get close to enough credit for what they do or what they have to go through to do it. This book highlights some of their missions in Afghanistan. The book shines when it focuses on the PJ's, their training, and particularly the tragedy of Robert's Ridge. It does less well when the author is critiquing various decision makers (not that they don't deserve it in some instances; just that the book vacillates back and forth between a commentary on strategy/tactics and actual stories about the men the author is covering). It's too bad that the PJ's don't have more written about them. And unfortunately, at least in my experience, they are not going to bring attention to themselves to get that well-deserved credit.

[L.D. · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was a great read and one I enjoyed very much. The only complaint I had was that the author spent too much time complaining about the higher ups and commanders. These sections were littered with rhetorical questions and scathing opinions on the failures of the command. Whether or not the command is in the wrong or not, it was not appropriate to spend so much time on examining it. The book's subject is about the bravery of the Pararescuemen and the risk and sacrifices that they do for our country. The scolding took the spot light off of them at times and distracted from the main subject at hand. Other than that, I loved this book.

[Adam · Rating 4 out of 5]

Some awesome stories about the heroes of heroes. Pararescuemen who sacrifice constantly, some who sacrifice it all so that others may live. Hirsh tells the stories well. In such a way that I might imagine myself there, navigating the helo, working on the trauma, watching for the enemy, dealing with temperatures of any extreme; all with so precious little time. I found this to be more of a collection of war and rescue stories, it wasn't one seamless book for me. Still an excellenet resource on some of the sacrifice and work going on that doesn't seem to get much attention in conventional media coverage.

[Carol · Rating 2 out of 5]

I received a free copy of this audiobook from a Goodreads Giveaway.

While the narrator did a terrific job lending a sense of place and gravity to the book, the author just didn't quite seem to catch that elusive suspension of disbelief in making you feel that you were there, at the moment, in the action. As a wife of an Air Force member and having worked as a civilian with an Air Rescue squadron, those little things that add realism and authenticity were lacking. A shame, really, because the subject matter lends itself to excitement and true life-and-death situations that should leave you on the edge of your seat, but just didn't.

[Chuck Springer · Rating 3 out of 5]

While I know who the PJ's are, the intense training that they go through and the medical education that they receive is quite impressive. I confess that I expected this book to detail the process for an airman to become a PJ. Yet this book skipped over that crucial element in molding these young men into supporting their motto, "That others may live".

This book was focused on operations during Operation Enduring Freedom. I was surprised by the critical approach to how several military decisions were made, which in the end cost men their lives. That was heart wrenching. For the most part, I enjoyed reading this book. The writing isn't my favorite style, but the stories are inspiring!

[Beth Mason · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is one of my favorite books. The idea of men being trained to the same level or even beyond Navy Seals in order to save, not take, lives is so interesting. Their motto, So That Others May Live, exemplifies the true nature of their work. This book is both an adventure and truly heart breaking. The story of Jason Cunningham touched my heart so much that Erick and I went and placed a flower on his grave at Arlington National Cemetary. I've read it three times, and intend to read it again!

[Lucy · Rating 2 out of 5]

The only saving grace of this book is the brave soldiers and airmen whose stories are told. The authors writing is fairly poor. He frequently derails into informal 'chatty' paragraphs about irrelevant matters usually in the climax of a PJ mission to add salt to the wound. The book itself has quite a few errors missed in editing and most of the writing seems to be dictation of an informal chat rather than the quality of writing associated with a book