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Three Wise Men: A Navy SEAL, a Green Beret, and How Their Marine Brother Became a War's Sole Survivor
From Beau Wise and Tom Sileo comes Three Wise Men , an incredible memoir of family, service and sacrifice by a Marine who lost both his brothers in combat―becoming the only "Sole Survivor" during the war in Afghanistan.
Shortly after the 9/11 attacks, three brothers by blood became brothers in arms when each volunteered to defend their country. No military family has sacrificed more during the ensuing war, which has become the longest ever fought by America’s armed forces.
While serving in Afghanistan, US Navy SEAL veteran and CIA contractor Jeremy Wise was killed in an al Qaeda suicide bombing that devastated the US intelligence community. Less than three years later, US Army Green Beret sniper Ben Wise was fatally wounded after volunteering for a dangerous assignment during a firefight with the Taliban. Ben was posthumously awarded the Silver Star, while Jeremy received the Intelligence Star―one of the rarest awards bestowed by the U.S. government―and also a star on the CIA’s Memorial Wall.
United States Marine Corps combat veteran Beau Wise is the only known American service member to be pulled from the battlefield after losing two brothers in Afghanistan. Told in Beau’s voice, Three Wise Men is an American family’s historic true story of service and sacrifice.
Shortly after the 9/11 attacks, three brothers by blood became brothers in arms when each volunteered to defend their country. No military family has sacrificed more during the ensuing war, which has become the longest ever fought by America’s armed forces.
While serving in Afghanistan, US Navy SEAL veteran and CIA contractor Jeremy Wise was killed in an al Qaeda suicide bombing that devastated the US intelligence community. Less than three years later, US Army Green Beret sniper Ben Wise was fatally wounded after volunteering for a dangerous assignment during a firefight with the Taliban. Ben was posthumously awarded the Silver Star, while Jeremy received the Intelligence Star―one of the rarest awards bestowed by the U.S. government―and also a star on the CIA’s Memorial Wall.
United States Marine Corps combat veteran Beau Wise is the only known American service member to be pulled from the battlefield after losing two brothers in Afghanistan. Told in Beau’s voice, Three Wise Men is an American family’s historic true story of service and sacrifice.
304 pages, Hardcover
First published January 5, 2021
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 146 reviews
April 20, 2021
What an absolutely amazing book. it is hard to think of a review that will do such a book justice.
It is about the three Wise brothers whom all served in the US Armed forces during the current War on Terror, the oldest a Navy SEAL, the middle one a Green Beret and the youngest a US Marine. Both older brothers lost their lives in the line of duty and the youngest was taken off frontline duty as being the Sole Survivor. This is the bones of the story, but alongside this the book is filled with what can only be described with words such as: Honor, Duty, Dedication, Sacrifice, Faith, Loyalty, and many more words like these. The book will stay with me and I will think many times in the future of what I read in these pages that are filled with raw emotion and honesty. Highly recommended and one of the best books I will read not only in 2021, but in my life!!
It is about the three Wise brothers whom all served in the US Armed forces during the current War on Terror, the oldest a Navy SEAL, the middle one a Green Beret and the youngest a US Marine. Both older brothers lost their lives in the line of duty and the youngest was taken off frontline duty as being the Sole Survivor. This is the bones of the story, but alongside this the book is filled with what can only be described with words such as: Honor, Duty, Dedication, Sacrifice, Faith, Loyalty, and many more words like these. The book will stay with me and I will think many times in the future of what I read in these pages that are filled with raw emotion and honesty. Highly recommended and one of the best books I will read not only in 2021, but in my life!!
October 17, 2020
There are books that I struggle to review because I want the review to really do the book justice, and this one is one of those. It is not often that I cry through writing a review, yet here I am. This is a beautiful book of brotherly love, love of country, and the ties that bind them together in life, and in death. The writing of this book was so spot on, I felt gutted by the loss that Beau and his family has felt, but I also could see the love that went into this, and the pride that the brothers had in each other and serving their country.
This book tells the true story of 3 brothers growing up together in Arkansas and through their decisions that resulted in them all joining the military and serving during the war on terror. Jeremy served as a Navy SEAL, Ben in the Army, with the latter part of his career as a Green Beret, and Beau as a Marine. It is no surprise based upon the book description that 2 of the brothers are killed, leaving Beau the only brother left alive of the trio.
This book made me appreciate (even more) how much of a sacrifice the young men and women serving our country are willing to make in putting their duty above themselves. What makes this book unique is that it is co-written by one of the three brothers who made that same choice for himself, and it is written from that perspective. He grieves deeply with the loss of each one, but also feels like it should have been him. He not only shows the bond he had with his brothers by blood, but also his brothers serving alongside him. The guilt he feels by not being there for his fellow Marines, even when he is going through the most difficult times in his own life shows how much that bond truly means. But, I think the most telling thing is that he does not choose to focus on his own loss (and I imagine anger and bitterness) at losing his aspirations for his own career when he is taken out of combat in this book - he chooses to focus on memorializing his brothers, rather than focusing on himself.
Amazing book, wonderful, heartfelt account of the unbreakable bond of three brothers who all chose to put their country ahead of themselves. This book has touched my soul and made a mark on me - I wish there was a way to give this one more than 5 stars.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.
This book tells the true story of 3 brothers growing up together in Arkansas and through their decisions that resulted in them all joining the military and serving during the war on terror. Jeremy served as a Navy SEAL, Ben in the Army, with the latter part of his career as a Green Beret, and Beau as a Marine. It is no surprise based upon the book description that 2 of the brothers are killed, leaving Beau the only brother left alive of the trio.
This book made me appreciate (even more) how much of a sacrifice the young men and women serving our country are willing to make in putting their duty above themselves. What makes this book unique is that it is co-written by one of the three brothers who made that same choice for himself, and it is written from that perspective. He grieves deeply with the loss of each one, but also feels like it should have been him. He not only shows the bond he had with his brothers by blood, but also his brothers serving alongside him. The guilt he feels by not being there for his fellow Marines, even when he is going through the most difficult times in his own life shows how much that bond truly means. But, I think the most telling thing is that he does not choose to focus on his own loss (and I imagine anger and bitterness) at losing his aspirations for his own career when he is taken out of combat in this book - he chooses to focus on memorializing his brothers, rather than focusing on himself.
Amazing book, wonderful, heartfelt account of the unbreakable bond of three brothers who all chose to put their country ahead of themselves. This book has touched my soul and made a mark on me - I wish there was a way to give this one more than 5 stars.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.
December 12, 2020
I have read Three Wise Men by Beau Wise and Tom Sileo. First I have to thank #StMartinsPress #Macmillan and #Edelweiss for giving me this arc for review. This is a story about sacrifice, love and faith from a family which have had to endure more than most when it comes to loss. It's one of the best military biographies set in modern times I've read in a long time. How three brothers growing up together with the conviction of need to serve in the military. One became a Navy SEAL, one a Green Beret and the youngest a Marine. The book is well written and the research is phenomenal. If you like to read about servicemen this book is a must read. Highly recommended.
August 21, 2021
Beautifully written and heartfelt. I cried several times listening to this audiobook. Wholly sincere and expressive, this memoir will leave a mark on its readers.
January 16, 2021
Three Wise Men is the courageous story of three brothers who have served our country with love and sacrifice. As heartbreaking and incredible of a story it is, much of the courage is found in Beau’s retelling of such heartbreak and loss. I laughed, cried, and cried some more. As an Army veteran myself, these stories brought back so many memories of friendship, sacrifice, and the horrors of war. I’m incredibly thankful for this book and the grand reality that all who are in Christ are citizens of heaven (Phil. 3:20).
September 2, 2020
One often hears of the person that will run into the fire or danger but we rarely get the full tale or the scope of the person that actually does so. In this heartbreaking story we learn of the ultimate sacrifice a family can make during times of military conflict while also telling the tale of amazing heroism for two brave sons. Beau Wise starts this story with the telling of growing up with his brothers, to their desire to serve their country and the paths that they took to do so, to some of the experiences that they had while serving our country, to finding love and building families and then to their unfortunate demise while protecting their country and their beliefs. While reading this book it made me proud to know of these men as well as the other men and women that serve this country and our freedoms while sacrificing so much to do so.
February 24, 2024
A MUST read for every American.
A story about three brothers who served our country with love, courage and the ultimate sacrifice.
I don’t say this very often about books but this book left a lasting impression on my heart. It was an absolute privilege to read this book. It’s well-written filled with raw, real emotions and a glimpse of what it’s like for the men and women who serve our country. The ending was a complete surprise I didn’t see coming but I absolutely LOVED it. It’s a must read for every American. You will walk away feeling more proud to be an American!
A story about three brothers who served our country with love, courage and the ultimate sacrifice.
I don’t say this very often about books but this book left a lasting impression on my heart. It was an absolute privilege to read this book. It’s well-written filled with raw, real emotions and a glimpse of what it’s like for the men and women who serve our country. The ending was a complete surprise I didn’t see coming but I absolutely LOVED it. It’s a must read for every American. You will walk away feeling more proud to be an American!
July 27, 2021
I've read a variety of war memoirs but this one stood out. I feel that is my duty to learn about the services and sacrifices of those in our military because I am a direct beneficiary of what they have provided. While there are obvious comparisons of the Wise family story to Saving Private Ryan, I'm struck by how two brothers could die in combat in today's military. These were volunteers, not conscripted soldiers. Each of these brothers could have been doctors, businessmen, or teachers, yet they choose to give their time to serving in the military. Two ended up giving the ultimate sacrifice. Their journey is what makes the story so beautiful yet so tragic. My prayer is that their story won't fade away yet remind Americans about the toll that these two wars have had on an everyday family.
November 8, 2020
This is a great book, but it does have some language that some might find offensive. However, it isn't in there just because, or for shock value, but because that is the way most real people speak when placed in situations where their lives are at risk or they are speaking out of anger or frustration.
The story is told by Beau Wise, the youngest brother in a family with three boys and a girl. The family is very close and is a family of faith.
Beau, as well as his two older brothers, all join the military, although they take different paths to get there and serve in different branches. The two older brothers are both killed and Beau is left with the survivor guilt, feeling he let them down, and frustrated to be unable to continue in service to the country as the "sole survivor" in his family.
The events in the book are ones that made it on the news so this will bring recent events to life for the reader. You will have a greater appreciation and understanding of what makes our country's Gold Star families so special.
The story is told by Beau Wise, the youngest brother in a family with three boys and a girl. The family is very close and is a family of faith.
Beau, as well as his two older brothers, all join the military, although they take different paths to get there and serve in different branches. The two older brothers are both killed and Beau is left with the survivor guilt, feeling he let them down, and frustrated to be unable to continue in service to the country as the "sole survivor" in his family.
The events in the book are ones that made it on the news so this will bring recent events to life for the reader. You will have a greater appreciation and understanding of what makes our country's Gold Star families so special.
January 7, 2021
I received this book though a Goodreads giveaway and the St. Martin's Press. The following opinion is my own.
An amazing book about the bond between 3 brothers and their desire to serve their country. It takes you through their early life up through the service to their country in their respective Military units. Ending with the ultimate sacrifice they and their family made to keep America safe.
This book brought tears to my eyes several times.
An amazing book about the bond between 3 brothers and their desire to serve their country. It takes you through their early life up through the service to their country in their respective Military units. Ending with the ultimate sacrifice they and their family made to keep America safe.
This book brought tears to my eyes several times.
August 21, 2022
How to put into words all the emotions this book made me feel. As a soldier during the same time frame as the Wise Brothers, my heart was proud, angry, heartbroken w tears in this book. Thank you for writing your story! God Bless. 🙏🏻🇺🇸
February 18, 2021
This book is gut wrenching but amazing. I can’t think of any other way to describe it. Beau’s accounts of his brothers’ heroism and ultimate sacrifice hit me to my core.
January 9, 2022
This book was so poorly written, boring and uninvolving, I didn't finish it.
I wanted to like this book. The problem is twofold: the authors (there's a ghostwriter) do not develop the characters (the three Wise brothers), they have names, no personalities. I found myself flipping back & forth, looking at photos, bios, to ascertain if I was reading about the late Ben or the late Jeremy Wise.
Beau is the youngest of the three Wise brothers, he's in awe of his eldest brother Jeremy who drops out of West Point (a true loser), practically flunks out of medical school (he's forced to repeat his second year of medical school) which hurts his father, who's a doctor & whose dreams involve having his eldest son become a doctor. Jeremy's life dream is to be a Navy SEAL. Why he dropped out of West Point it's never clear. His family was humiliated that he dropped out. It's a decision that Jeremy regretted for the rest of his short life.
When the 9/11 al-Quada terrorist attacked happened, Jeremy leaves medical school & joins the Navy. His SEAL training (though long talked about) is not discussed. This is another bad writing faux pas.
Meanwhile, the second brother (also Beau's older brother) is less physically gifted than Jeremy but he joins the Army with NO GUARANTEE that he'll be allowed to try to become a Ranger of a Green Beret because he does it without conferring with his parents or his older brother, basically he's kinda dumb. The manner in which Ben joins means the Army can send him straight into the infantry & he may NEVER be given a chance to try for Ranger or Special Forces.
Once Ben joins, again we have few to no details about his training. The brothers do communicate regularly via phone and email. Ben is sent to Iraq, he's in a tank in the turret as a gunner hunting for members of the Hussein regime.
Although this book was published in 2021, the author Beau Wise, is still spewing the lies & disinformation pumped out by W. Bush/Cheney/Rumsfeld/Rice/Tenet et al., about 'fighting terrorism" (one can't fight a concept) in Iraq (where al-Qaeda NEVER existed prior to the U.S. overthrow of the Hussein regime). It made me nauseous to read about Ben's quest to 'hunt down' the Hussein regime's leaders as if it had something to do with the al-Qaeda attack on Sept. 11th.
Somehow, we don't know, because it's never discussed how Jeremy got into Navy SEAL training, we do know that he flunked out but was given a second shot (unheard of).
The book jumps ahead in time and somehow ???? Jeremy leaves the Navy SEALs!!!! and joins Blackwater (which Beau refers to as their new name Xe), in other words, Jeremy becomes a mercenary for an ultra-fascist, private military group headed by heir to a fortune Erik Prince (younger brother of elitist, public school enemy former Sec. of Education Betsy DeVoss; she of 10+ mansions and 4 yachts, none of whose children ever went to public school).
Erik Prince's Blackwater made at least $1 TRILLION from W. Bush administration on contracts which include slaughtering 17 Iraqi civilians & injuring 20 more, from a helicopter. After that (the horror is on videotape) the Iraqi government banned Blackwater; the killers were tried in U.S. courts.
Erik Prince changed Blackwater to Xe then sold it for billions, to avoid any responsibility.
As a mercenary for Blackwater, Jeremy is assigned to do security for a super secret CIA mission; for a supposed Jordanian double-agent who was supposedly a mole inside al-Qaeda for the CIA. The meeting pushed by the CIA (supposedly against the instincts of Jeremy) is set for the Jordanian mole to meet with CIA & Blackwater operatives on a FOB (Forward Operating Base) in remote Afghanistan. The double-agent had provided the CIA with 'secret' videos of high-level al-Qaeda meetings inside tents & other juicy intelligence.
One problem, the double-agent wasn't a mole for the CIA, he was a triple-agent for al-Qaeda (there's a book called TRIPLE AGENT & the film ZERO DARK THIRTY with Jessica Chastain is about this FIASCO).
Beau describes the Jordanian MDs's arrival in a Subaru Outback, late at night at the FOB. The deal was: the agent wasn't going to be frisked nor was his vehicle searched prior to entering the FOB, nor was the agent searched before his Subaru drove up in front of the team of 14 Americans (CIA & Blackwater) awaiting him. Beau claims that his brother Jeremy knew something was wrong.
How? I don't know because there's NOT visual record or written record of this meeting. But, Beau claims that as the agent (triple-agent, al-Qaeda terrorist) starts to exit the Subaru, Jeremy (a big, muscular man) steps up to the agent, apparently scaring the shit out of him because, according to Beau, the terrorist realizes that Jeremy knows that he's a suicide bomber, so the terrorist scrambles back into the car, slides across the backseat to get as far away from Jeremy (who's shouting at him, not shooting) so that he can detonate the giant bomb that's wrapped around his body.
All 14 Americans are blown to bits; including two women CIA operatives. CIA Director Leon Panetta (who would be promoted to Sec. of Defense by POTUS Obama) and POTUS Obama attend a large memorial service to honor the fallen CIA agents. There's a wall of black stars at CIA headquarters in VA, no names, just one black star for each fallen CIA agent. One of those stars is for Jeremy.
Beau writes about Jeremy 'going to a beautiful place'. Beau is EXTREMELY religious. Beau shares the letters of condolences written by POTUS Obama & Sec. of Defense Panetta to the Wise family upon the death of both of his brothers. He also shares segments of their speeches at the CIA memorial.
Beau joins the military and becomes a USMC. At some point, his middle brother, who's now become a Green Beret, is killed in Iraq. At this point, military brass and Sec. of Defense Panetta pull Beau from active duty in the Afghanistan/Iraq wars because it's unacceptable for one family to lose more than two sons in battle.
I stopped reading because there's no details about any of this. His brothers are stick figures as are his entire family. I was appalled by his far right politics. I didn't want to get to the point where he was (probably) praising draft-dodger, serial adulterer Trump because it would make me nauseous and make my late U.S. Army Chief Warrant Officer father rollover in his grave.
Between his religious & political views, I stopped reading.
"The New York Times reported in May 2018 that Prince arranged an August 2016 meeting in Trump Tower, attended by himself, Donald Trump, Jr., George Nader and Joel Zamel, during which Nader reportedly told Trump Jr. the crown princes of Saudi Arabia and the UAE were eager to help his father win the election, and Zamel pitched a social media manipulation campaign from his Israeli company Psy-Group."
"Special Counsel investigators have examined a meeting around January 11, 2017, in the Seychelles that was convened by the UAE Crown Prince Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan (known as "MBZ"), which Prince attended. Also present at that meeting were Nader and Kirill Dmitriev, the CEO of the state-owned Russian Direct Investment Fund, who is close to Vladimir Putin. UAE officials reportedly believed that Prince was representing the Trump transition and Dmitriev was representing Putin. The Washington Post had reported on April 3, 2017, that American, European and Arab officials said the Seychelles meeting was "part of an apparent effort to establish a back-channel line of communication between Moscow and President-elect Donald Trump."
"The New York Times reported in March 2020 that in recent years Erik Prince had recruited former intelligence agents to infiltrate "Democratic congressional campaigns, labor organizations and other groups considered hostile to the Trump agenda." Prince's efforts were reportedly conducted to assist Project Veritas, a widely discredited conservative organization that was described as disseminating "coordinated disinformation" due to its repeated use of deceptively edited videos in attempts to discredit Democrats, the media, and liberal groups."
"In May 2021, The New York Times reported that Project Veritas, with the assistance of a former British spy and Erik Prince, secretly surveilled government employees during the Trump administration with the goal of discrediting perceived critics of former President Trump. Tactics included arranging dates for FBI employees with the intent to record them. The operation failed to record a single official disparaging Trump despite extensive expenditures including rental of an expensive Georgetown home."
"In April 2020, The Intercept reported that Prince has offered his services as a subcontractor to Russian Wagner group's activities in Mozambique and Libya, suggesting to provide aerial surveillance platforms and a ground force. Investigations by Rolling Stone and The New York Times, based on an internal United Nations report, have since revealed a number of connections between Prince and the Libyan warlord Khalifa Haftar's attempts in 2019 to overthrow the U.N.-backed government of Libya."
Prince said, "I saw a lot of things I didn't agree with--homosexual groups being invited in, the budget agreement, the Clean Air Act."
"Prince's first wife, Joan Nicole, died of cancer in 2003 at age 36. She introduced Prince to Catholicism. They had four children. He later wrote that he had an affair with Joanna Ruth Houck, his children's nanny, while his wife was dying. Prince and Houck married in 2004. He is now married to Stacy DeLuke, a former Blackwater spokesperson.
Prince is a baby daddy to 7 children.
I wanted to like this book. The problem is twofold: the authors (there's a ghostwriter) do not develop the characters (the three Wise brothers), they have names, no personalities. I found myself flipping back & forth, looking at photos, bios, to ascertain if I was reading about the late Ben or the late Jeremy Wise.
Beau is the youngest of the three Wise brothers, he's in awe of his eldest brother Jeremy who drops out of West Point (a true loser), practically flunks out of medical school (he's forced to repeat his second year of medical school) which hurts his father, who's a doctor & whose dreams involve having his eldest son become a doctor. Jeremy's life dream is to be a Navy SEAL. Why he dropped out of West Point it's never clear. His family was humiliated that he dropped out. It's a decision that Jeremy regretted for the rest of his short life.
When the 9/11 al-Quada terrorist attacked happened, Jeremy leaves medical school & joins the Navy. His SEAL training (though long talked about) is not discussed. This is another bad writing faux pas.
Meanwhile, the second brother (also Beau's older brother) is less physically gifted than Jeremy but he joins the Army with NO GUARANTEE that he'll be allowed to try to become a Ranger of a Green Beret because he does it without conferring with his parents or his older brother, basically he's kinda dumb. The manner in which Ben joins means the Army can send him straight into the infantry & he may NEVER be given a chance to try for Ranger or Special Forces.
Once Ben joins, again we have few to no details about his training. The brothers do communicate regularly via phone and email. Ben is sent to Iraq, he's in a tank in the turret as a gunner hunting for members of the Hussein regime.
Although this book was published in 2021, the author Beau Wise, is still spewing the lies & disinformation pumped out by W. Bush/Cheney/Rumsfeld/Rice/Tenet et al., about 'fighting terrorism" (one can't fight a concept) in Iraq (where al-Qaeda NEVER existed prior to the U.S. overthrow of the Hussein regime). It made me nauseous to read about Ben's quest to 'hunt down' the Hussein regime's leaders as if it had something to do with the al-Qaeda attack on Sept. 11th.
Somehow, we don't know, because it's never discussed how Jeremy got into Navy SEAL training, we do know that he flunked out but was given a second shot (unheard of).
The book jumps ahead in time and somehow ???? Jeremy leaves the Navy SEALs!!!! and joins Blackwater (which Beau refers to as their new name Xe), in other words, Jeremy becomes a mercenary for an ultra-fascist, private military group headed by heir to a fortune Erik Prince (younger brother of elitist, public school enemy former Sec. of Education Betsy DeVoss; she of 10+ mansions and 4 yachts, none of whose children ever went to public school).
Erik Prince's Blackwater made at least $1 TRILLION from W. Bush administration on contracts which include slaughtering 17 Iraqi civilians & injuring 20 more, from a helicopter. After that (the horror is on videotape) the Iraqi government banned Blackwater; the killers were tried in U.S. courts.
Erik Prince changed Blackwater to Xe then sold it for billions, to avoid any responsibility.
As a mercenary for Blackwater, Jeremy is assigned to do security for a super secret CIA mission; for a supposed Jordanian double-agent who was supposedly a mole inside al-Qaeda for the CIA. The meeting pushed by the CIA (supposedly against the instincts of Jeremy) is set for the Jordanian mole to meet with CIA & Blackwater operatives on a FOB (Forward Operating Base) in remote Afghanistan. The double-agent had provided the CIA with 'secret' videos of high-level al-Qaeda meetings inside tents & other juicy intelligence.
One problem, the double-agent wasn't a mole for the CIA, he was a triple-agent for al-Qaeda (there's a book called TRIPLE AGENT & the film ZERO DARK THIRTY with Jessica Chastain is about this FIASCO).
Beau describes the Jordanian MDs's arrival in a Subaru Outback, late at night at the FOB. The deal was: the agent wasn't going to be frisked nor was his vehicle searched prior to entering the FOB, nor was the agent searched before his Subaru drove up in front of the team of 14 Americans (CIA & Blackwater) awaiting him. Beau claims that his brother Jeremy knew something was wrong.
How? I don't know because there's NOT visual record or written record of this meeting. But, Beau claims that as the agent (triple-agent, al-Qaeda terrorist) starts to exit the Subaru, Jeremy (a big, muscular man) steps up to the agent, apparently scaring the shit out of him because, according to Beau, the terrorist realizes that Jeremy knows that he's a suicide bomber, so the terrorist scrambles back into the car, slides across the backseat to get as far away from Jeremy (who's shouting at him, not shooting) so that he can detonate the giant bomb that's wrapped around his body.
All 14 Americans are blown to bits; including two women CIA operatives. CIA Director Leon Panetta (who would be promoted to Sec. of Defense by POTUS Obama) and POTUS Obama attend a large memorial service to honor the fallen CIA agents. There's a wall of black stars at CIA headquarters in VA, no names, just one black star for each fallen CIA agent. One of those stars is for Jeremy.
Beau writes about Jeremy 'going to a beautiful place'. Beau is EXTREMELY religious. Beau shares the letters of condolences written by POTUS Obama & Sec. of Defense Panetta to the Wise family upon the death of both of his brothers. He also shares segments of their speeches at the CIA memorial.
Beau joins the military and becomes a USMC. At some point, his middle brother, who's now become a Green Beret, is killed in Iraq. At this point, military brass and Sec. of Defense Panetta pull Beau from active duty in the Afghanistan/Iraq wars because it's unacceptable for one family to lose more than two sons in battle.
I stopped reading because there's no details about any of this. His brothers are stick figures as are his entire family. I was appalled by his far right politics. I didn't want to get to the point where he was (probably) praising draft-dodger, serial adulterer Trump because it would make me nauseous and make my late U.S. Army Chief Warrant Officer father rollover in his grave.
Between his religious & political views, I stopped reading.
"The New York Times reported in May 2018 that Prince arranged an August 2016 meeting in Trump Tower, attended by himself, Donald Trump, Jr., George Nader and Joel Zamel, during which Nader reportedly told Trump Jr. the crown princes of Saudi Arabia and the UAE were eager to help his father win the election, and Zamel pitched a social media manipulation campaign from his Israeli company Psy-Group."
"Special Counsel investigators have examined a meeting around January 11, 2017, in the Seychelles that was convened by the UAE Crown Prince Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan (known as "MBZ"), which Prince attended. Also present at that meeting were Nader and Kirill Dmitriev, the CEO of the state-owned Russian Direct Investment Fund, who is close to Vladimir Putin. UAE officials reportedly believed that Prince was representing the Trump transition and Dmitriev was representing Putin. The Washington Post had reported on April 3, 2017, that American, European and Arab officials said the Seychelles meeting was "part of an apparent effort to establish a back-channel line of communication between Moscow and President-elect Donald Trump."
"The New York Times reported in March 2020 that in recent years Erik Prince had recruited former intelligence agents to infiltrate "Democratic congressional campaigns, labor organizations and other groups considered hostile to the Trump agenda." Prince's efforts were reportedly conducted to assist Project Veritas, a widely discredited conservative organization that was described as disseminating "coordinated disinformation" due to its repeated use of deceptively edited videos in attempts to discredit Democrats, the media, and liberal groups."
"In May 2021, The New York Times reported that Project Veritas, with the assistance of a former British spy and Erik Prince, secretly surveilled government employees during the Trump administration with the goal of discrediting perceived critics of former President Trump. Tactics included arranging dates for FBI employees with the intent to record them. The operation failed to record a single official disparaging Trump despite extensive expenditures including rental of an expensive Georgetown home."
"In April 2020, The Intercept reported that Prince has offered his services as a subcontractor to Russian Wagner group's activities in Mozambique and Libya, suggesting to provide aerial surveillance platforms and a ground force. Investigations by Rolling Stone and The New York Times, based on an internal United Nations report, have since revealed a number of connections between Prince and the Libyan warlord Khalifa Haftar's attempts in 2019 to overthrow the U.N.-backed government of Libya."
Prince said, "I saw a lot of things I didn't agree with--homosexual groups being invited in, the budget agreement, the Clean Air Act."
"Prince's first wife, Joan Nicole, died of cancer in 2003 at age 36. She introduced Prince to Catholicism. They had four children. He later wrote that he had an affair with Joanna Ruth Houck, his children's nanny, while his wife was dying. Prince and Houck married in 2004. He is now married to Stacy DeLuke, a former Blackwater spokesperson.
Prince is a baby daddy to 7 children.
March 14, 2021
Heartbreaking modern-day true story with echoes of Saving Private Ryan. “Shortly after the 9/11 attacks, three brothers by blood became brothers in arms when each volunteered to defend their country. No military family has sacrificed more during the ensuing war, which has become the longest ever fought by America's armed forces.
While serving in Afghanistan, US Navy SEAL veteran and CIA contractor Jeremy Wise was killed in an al Qaeda suicide bombing that devastated the US intelligence community. Less than three years later, US Army Green Beret sniper Ben Wise was fatally wounded after volunteering for a dangerous assignment during a firefight with the Taliban. Ben was posthumously awarded the Silver Star, while Jeremy received the Intelligence Star--one of the rarest awards bestowed by the U.S. government--and also a star on the CIA's Memorial Wall.
United States Marine Corps combat veteran Beau Wise is the only known American service member to be pulled from the battlefield after losing two brothers in Afghanistan. Told in Beau's voice, Three Wise Men is an American family's historic true story of service and sacrifice.”
While serving in Afghanistan, US Navy SEAL veteran and CIA contractor Jeremy Wise was killed in an al Qaeda suicide bombing that devastated the US intelligence community. Less than three years later, US Army Green Beret sniper Ben Wise was fatally wounded after volunteering for a dangerous assignment during a firefight with the Taliban. Ben was posthumously awarded the Silver Star, while Jeremy received the Intelligence Star--one of the rarest awards bestowed by the U.S. government--and also a star on the CIA's Memorial Wall.
United States Marine Corps combat veteran Beau Wise is the only known American service member to be pulled from the battlefield after losing two brothers in Afghanistan. Told in Beau's voice, Three Wise Men is an American family's historic true story of service and sacrifice.”
January 26, 2021
Wonderful, wonderful book. I haven’t read a book in a while that kept me wanting to read all day. The sacrifices this family made & the love of God and country are truly amazing.
June 9, 2021
Wow. Rarely have I ever actually cried while reading a book. The author’s faith & family sacrifice in support of our country is awe-inspiring. This is a remarkable story of a remarkable American family. 🇺🇸
December 11, 2024
Well told, sad, family, overcoming adversity, didn't want to stop reading, powerful, spiritual. Maybe the best book I have ever read. Sending prayers to this family and all others who have been affected by wars and all that surround it.
September 28, 2024
This was a tough read. My heart breaks for this family. My brother served with Ben and to hear a small portion of what they went through is difficult. I can not thank our American soldiers enough for serving our country and protecting me and my family. I think about their momma and how strong she is and the pain that she endured. What an amazing family and it is obvious from what others have said, they are strong in their faith and believers in Christ.
September 21, 2024
I have a hard time not rating books like this 5 stars. This book encapsulates the meaning of American Warrior. The way Beau Wise explains the sheer and utter pain his family and him went through at the lost of not 1 but 2 brothers is riveting. You can feel his pain through the pages and as a former marine myself with a brother whom served in Afghanistan I can’t and don’t want to imagine the feeling this man’s family went through not once but twice. This was a hard book to put down. Every time I would read I would say I’m going to read for 20 min etc and found myself reading way over that because it was that hard to put down. Thanks for a great book Beau and god bless your family from one marine to another !
August 17, 2023
Beau Wise has written a non-fiction book (Three Wise Men) that I think every single American would benefit from reading. It is a story of his family, and the sacrifices they've made for our freedom. Three Wise sons. Three Wise soldiers. All voluntarily served our country during the war in Afghanistan.
The two oldest brothers (Jeremy & Ben) made the ultimate sacrifice, leaving Beau the last remaining son. Under the Sole Survivor Policy, Beau was not allowed to continue his service. He struggled with this mightily, feeling he was letting himself and his brothers down, before admitting and accepting the purpose of this policy is well-served.
The Wise family of Arkansas exhibits love and support for each other throughout the entire book. The family's loss is unimaginable. Their courage and patriotism are on full display. Most importantly, readers will see their love and Christian faith--not by words written in this book by Beau but in relationships, actions, and prayers that fill the pages of Three Wise Man.
A Navy SEAL, a Green Beret, and a Marine. I want to thank these young men and their dear families for their service and their sacrifices. Beau, thank you for sharing your family's story. There were many times I had to stop reading to take a breath and wipe away tears. Your book touched my heart and moved my spirit.
The two oldest brothers (Jeremy & Ben) made the ultimate sacrifice, leaving Beau the last remaining son. Under the Sole Survivor Policy, Beau was not allowed to continue his service. He struggled with this mightily, feeling he was letting himself and his brothers down, before admitting and accepting the purpose of this policy is well-served.
The Wise family of Arkansas exhibits love and support for each other throughout the entire book. The family's loss is unimaginable. Their courage and patriotism are on full display. Most importantly, readers will see their love and Christian faith--not by words written in this book by Beau but in relationships, actions, and prayers that fill the pages of Three Wise Man.
A Navy SEAL, a Green Beret, and a Marine. I want to thank these young men and their dear families for their service and their sacrifices. Beau, thank you for sharing your family's story. There were many times I had to stop reading to take a breath and wipe away tears. Your book touched my heart and moved my spirit.
October 10, 2020
Thank you to #NetGalley, the author, and the publisher for providing me with a digital copy of this book prior to publication in exchange for my honest review. Three Wise Men by Beau Wise and Tom Sileo is one of the best books I have read this year and I have read hundreds. It is the story of Beau Wise, a United States Marine, his brother Jeremy, a US Navy Seal veteran and CIA contractor and brother Ben, a US Army Green Beret. Growing up in a close knit family in small town El Dorado, Arkansas, the boys and their sister could have been anything they wanted to be when they grew up. In fact, their father who was a doctor, was hoping that at least one of his children would follow him into medicine. It seemed that their father would get his wish when Jeremy was attending the University of Arkansas Medical School. However, shortly after 9-11 Jeremy dropped out of medical school to become a Navy SEAL, following in the steps of brother Ben, who enlisted in 2000 to become a Green Beret. Brother Beau enlisted in the US Marine Corps in 2008. It is a story full of love, heroism and ultimately, heartbreak as Beau loses one brother to a suicide bomber in Afghanistan and then loses Ben who volunteered to clear a cave during a firefight with the Taliban. With the death of his brothers, Beau Wise became a "sole survivor", the only one during the war in Afghanistan, meaning that he would not be sent into combat again during his military career. I cannot say enough good things about this book and I highly recommend it.
February 5, 2021
Three Wise Men by Beau Wise with Tom Sileo is an amazing memoir and glance into the soul of a hero that was riveting from beginning to end.
This is a story of a family (trio of brothers) that entered different branches/jobs within our nation’s military and sacrificed more then most can ever comprehend.
I am stunned, heartbroken, and yet immensely grateful, proud, and warmed by Beau’s story. A Marine, Beau experienced service and sacrifice firsthand. Here he tells not only his story, but the story of a man whom has lost two brothers: Jeremy as a Navy SEAL and Ben as a Green Beret. Here Beau tells of not only his own personal struggles, feelings, and sometimes a survival’s guilt of sorts while he also tells of the exceptional lives of his two brothers that are heroes in their own rights, but also the loss that is felt as well.
This is a story that touches my heart in so many ways. As someone whom greatly honors and respects veterans and active military (my own father and uncle are Marines that voluntary served in Vietnam and both grandfathers served in WWII in the Army) this story hits home in so many ways. I will forever be grateful of my family and all of our service men and women that risk their lives daily for the safety and integrity of our fine nation. This book is stunning and I am honored to have the privilege to read and review it.
A book everyone must read, and one I will thankfully never forget.
5/5 stars
Thank you Beau and St. Martin’s Press for sending me this amazing copy and in return I am submitting my unbiased and voluntary review and opinion.
I am posting this review to my GR, Bookbub, Amazon, Instagram, and B&N accounts immediately. Published 1/12/21.
This is a story of a family (trio of brothers) that entered different branches/jobs within our nation’s military and sacrificed more then most can ever comprehend.
I am stunned, heartbroken, and yet immensely grateful, proud, and warmed by Beau’s story. A Marine, Beau experienced service and sacrifice firsthand. Here he tells not only his story, but the story of a man whom has lost two brothers: Jeremy as a Navy SEAL and Ben as a Green Beret. Here Beau tells of not only his own personal struggles, feelings, and sometimes a survival’s guilt of sorts while he also tells of the exceptional lives of his two brothers that are heroes in their own rights, but also the loss that is felt as well.
This is a story that touches my heart in so many ways. As someone whom greatly honors and respects veterans and active military (my own father and uncle are Marines that voluntary served in Vietnam and both grandfathers served in WWII in the Army) this story hits home in so many ways. I will forever be grateful of my family and all of our service men and women that risk their lives daily for the safety and integrity of our fine nation. This book is stunning and I am honored to have the privilege to read and review it.
A book everyone must read, and one I will thankfully never forget.
5/5 stars
Thank you Beau and St. Martin’s Press for sending me this amazing copy and in return I am submitting my unbiased and voluntary review and opinion.
I am posting this review to my GR, Bookbub, Amazon, Instagram, and B&N accounts immediately. Published 1/12/21.
August 10, 2021
Definitely needed tissues for this one! A beautiful tribute to the Wise men
February 1, 2021
Theee Wise Men is one of the most compelling books I have read in a long while. The true account of the story of Jeremy, Ben, and Beau Wise is a real life account of service, sacrifice, and honor.
I have the honor of knowing Ben and his wife Traci, and they are both every bit as amazing as portrayed in this book. I will always be grateful to Ben and Traci for their kind words and encouragement as my husband was heading off to his first deployment.
Thank you Beau Wise and Tom Sileo for telling this incredible story.
I have the honor of knowing Ben and his wife Traci, and they are both every bit as amazing as portrayed in this book. I will always be grateful to Ben and Traci for their kind words and encouragement as my husband was heading off to his first deployment.
Thank you Beau Wise and Tom Sileo for telling this incredible story.
February 2, 2021
This was probably the hardest book I’ve read in a long time. It’s an absolutely incredible story of an amazing family, but it was devastating to read. Hard to imagine the loss the Wise family suffered. Thank you Beau and Tom for telling their stories. Pretty incredible to know that these guys grew up not too far from where I live.
February 13, 2021
There's not much I can say about this book. It wrecked me, conjuring deep emotions and tears. It's a beautifully tragic tribute to brave men who put themselves in harms way so that we may be free. I extend my deepest gratitude and condolences to the Wise family for their service and sacrifice.
April 3, 2021
It’s hard to put this book down.
Its perspective on history meant I learned a great deal - and its sharing of personal history, a family’s history, left me greatly moved.
Thank you to Beau Wise and Tom Sileo; St. Martin’s Press; and Goodreads Giveaways for my copy.
Its perspective on history meant I learned a great deal - and its sharing of personal history, a family’s history, left me greatly moved.
Thank you to Beau Wise and Tom Sileo; St. Martin’s Press; and Goodreads Giveaways for my copy.
September 27, 2021
I’ve never cried so much reading a book before.
Lord bless and keep the families of our fallen heroes.
Beau Wise: “You might see the title of this book and think the third wise man is me, it’s not. It’s my Dad.”
Lord bless and keep the families of our fallen heroes.
Beau Wise: “You might see the title of this book and think the third wise man is me, it’s not. It’s my Dad.”
June 16, 2025
Really great and tragic story
March 19, 2022
Patriotism. That is what this books means to me. While this was a dark book due to subject matter, it was a tough and depressing read. One that everyone should read to get a real understanding of what serving in the military is like along with a glimpse of war. I am proud to be an American.
From a readers perspective on the writing… this was a bit redundant and felt like some words and descriptions kept being overused to add emphasis on depressing emotion. The writing was clear but felt it was over kill. This would’ve been my biggest critic in the writing. Fairly short chapters. Portrayed a lot of emotions. And was described well without too much fluff. I am glad that the Wise brothers were brought up in their strong Christian faith, but felt the religion was used as overkill as well. The brothers were already noble men by their service but felt this could’ve been toned down some. The ending was a bit long, it needed to wrap up, but was worth it. I loved the tribute to his father and Beau’s suicide saving. PTSD is very real and as much of a tough topic as suicide is… this was a great way for Beau to still have a connection with his brothers and them saving him. The pictures were an excellent touch to the book. I felt as a reader, I was able to connect with the family better and felt more emotion forward the “characters”. I thought the letters from the presidents was special too. This was a fantastic tribute to both of his brothers and family.
From a readers perspective on the writing… this was a bit redundant and felt like some words and descriptions kept being overused to add emphasis on depressing emotion. The writing was clear but felt it was over kill. This would’ve been my biggest critic in the writing. Fairly short chapters. Portrayed a lot of emotions. And was described well without too much fluff. I am glad that the Wise brothers were brought up in their strong Christian faith, but felt the religion was used as overkill as well. The brothers were already noble men by their service but felt this could’ve been toned down some. The ending was a bit long, it needed to wrap up, but was worth it. I loved the tribute to his father and Beau’s suicide saving. PTSD is very real and as much of a tough topic as suicide is… this was a great way for Beau to still have a connection with his brothers and them saving him. The pictures were an excellent touch to the book. I felt as a reader, I was able to connect with the family better and felt more emotion forward the “characters”. I thought the letters from the presidents was special too. This was a fantastic tribute to both of his brothers and family.
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