Ghosts of Fallujah

by Coley D Tyler

A first person account of the Second Battalion, Seventh Cavalry's participation in the Second Battle of Fallujah, the largest single engagement of the Iraq War and the largest urban battle since Hue in 1968. A First Marine Division operation, it was spearheaded by one of the most famous Army units in history. Ghosts of Fallujah is a heartfelt and somber recount of the battle, the influence of history, personal leadership, and how that can change lives.

Genres: History, Military Fiction

175 pages, Kindle Edition

Published February 28, 2020

About the author

Coley D. Tyler was a former member of the Second Battalion, Seventh Cavalry Regiment (2-7 CAV). He was the Battalion Fire Support Officer during the Second Battle of Fallujah. LTC Tyler served in many capacities during his career as an Artillery Officer in the First Cavalry Division, Physical Education Instructor at the United States Military Academy, Space Operations Officer in Korea, and Space Integration Officer to the Maneuver Center of Excellence at Fort Benning, GA. He now lives in North Carolina with his wife and four kids.

Reviews

[Chris Allen · Rating 5 out of 5]

LTC Tyler does an amazing job with his book. It's a great mix of military history, intertwined with his experiences in Fallujah. His book was hard for me to put down, and I highly recommend Ghosts of Fallujah as reading for any emerging military leader.

Chris Allen
MAJ USAR

[Jody · Rating 5 out of 5]

LTC Tyler’s personal narrative of his time in Fallujah is inspiring. It’s a true to life snapshot of the ugliness of war, but also to the strength and love of brotherhood. As a social worker working with military personnel, I know how challenging and emotionally taxing it can be to relive the difficult chapters of deployments and loss. But I find it therapeutic and courageous to speak your mind and even more so to put those words in ink. Him sharing his legacy with his children pulls at my heartstrings. Thank you Sir for passing along your story to your family and the world. I’m hoping it encourages others to share their story. Ghosts of Fallujah should definitely be added to the cadets reading list.

[Nichole · Rating 4 out of 5]

Coley Tyler grew up in Western North Carolina and decided at a very young age to pursue a career in the military. He writes about that in “Ghosts of Fallujah,” but I already knew that part. I grew up with him, and if you’d asked any member of our class what he would be when he grew up, they would have told you he’d be serving his country. He was focused and driven as a kid, and it’s clear from his book that he is even more so now.

The part I didn’t know was what he was doing after we left high school, and let me tell you: He’s done a lot. Tyler served with the Second Battalion, Seventh Cavalry in the Second Battle of Fallujah, which was the largest engagement of the Iraq War. His recounting of the battle itself and the days leading up to it give the reader a clear understanding of what a complex undertaking a U.S. military operation is and what the personal cost of it can be.

Tyler’s respect for the military at large and for his battalion, commanders and fellow soldiers specifically is obvious throughout the book. I would recommend “Ghosts of Fallujah” to anyone looking to gain a deeper understanding of modern military history.

[Joseph Karr · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book was more of a history lesson about the 2/7 Calvary and lengthy bios about officers of the 2/7 Calvary as the first 35% of the book discussed. When the book discussed Fallujah it seemed the author wrote it from after action reports instead of boots on ground events. Very disappointing!

[David Jackson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Honest and humbling firsthand account of the Battle in Fallujah!

The author’s (Coley Tyler) personal account of the Battle in Fallujah are humbling and gives the reader an understanding of the personal challenges these warriors faced. He was able to convey a substantial amount of information in a way that even a non-military person can comprehend and appreciate, per my wife. His perspective provides insight into what it takes to lead in combat. As a fellow combat veteran, I found his writing style informational and deeply appreciated his honesty.

I highly recommend this book to anyone wanting to understand and learn from someone’s own account of being a junior leader fighting in the post 9/11 wars.

[Coley Tyler]

Tell me what you think! I hope you find it both inspiring and useful.

[Jon · Rating 5 out of 5]

A History book, a Textbook for leadership, and an easy-to-follow story.

Full of lessons for life that were hard-won and battle-tested.

Any student of military history will find this book valuable beyond measure, and would take it's place on the shelf next to We Were Soldiers Once and Young by Lt. Gen Hal Moore. Both are books about the 2-7 CAV, and both books that are must-reads for military leaders. Instant classic: historically accurate, gut-wrenching, and a classroom-tool for professors.

A little birdy told me that this book is going to be part of the West Point curriculum! Good decision!

FIVE STARS ***** to Coley Tyler's "Ghosts of Fallujah"

[Joan · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm also a history buff, reading how North and South and the rest of the books/movies plus We Were Soldiers Once...And Young meant so much to him grabbed my interest in his story immediately even though I'm Canadian. I first fell in love with Patrick Swayze because of his portrayal of Orry Main and We Were Soldiers is one of my favourite books and movie. This book gives a detailed description of just how much planning and coordination between different units has to be accomplished for the best outcome of a major battle. It also shows how different branches of the military, in this case Marines and Army can gel into a force of strength.

[Michael Wojcik · Rating 4 out of 5]

Many people think that the 2nd battle of Fallujah was fought by Marines only. However, this was a joint effort by both the Marines and Army. Ghosts of Fallujah is one of the few books out there that talks about the Army's role. Coley Tyler does a remarkable job in telling this story. It is a must read.

[Cassandra Pavel]

I don’t want to rate this book poorly because it’s interesting and a good story, however it was so challenging for me to read with all of the acronyms and heavy military language. I wish it were a bit more civilian friendly!

[Hud · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great book, we need to remember these guys

It was a big deal on the news leading up. Great to read this account by a member of one of the Army's most storied units and the role they played.

[Chantelle C Nelson · Rating 1 out of 5]

Ghosts

We get it you really really liked your commanding officers. This book was obviously written by an officer and only shows that view.