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Swords of Lightning: Green Beret Horse Soldiers and America's Response to 9/11
The first-person account of how a small band of Green Berets used horses and laser-guided bombs to overthrow the Taliban and al-Qaeda in Afghanistan after 9/11.
They landed in a dust storm so thick the chopper pilot used dead reckoning and a guess to find the ground. Welcomed by a band of heavily armed militiamen, they climbed a mountain on horseback to meet the most ferocious warlord in Asia. They plotted a war of nineteenth-century maneuvers against a twenty-first-century foe. They trekked through minefields, sometimes past the mangled bodies of local tribesmen who’d shared food with them hours before. They saved babies and treated fractures, sewed up wounded who’d been transported from the battlefield by donkey. They found their enemy hiding in thick bunkers, dodged bullets from machine-gun-laden pickup trucks, and survived mass rocket attacks from vintage Soviet-era launchers. They battled the Taliban while mediating blood feuds between rival allies. They fought with everything they had, from smart bombs to AK-47s.The men they helped called them brothers. Hollywood called them the Horse Soldiers.
They called themselves Green Berets—Special Forces ODA 595.
They landed in a dust storm so thick the chopper pilot used dead reckoning and a guess to find the ground. Welcomed by a band of heavily armed militiamen, they climbed a mountain on horseback to meet the most ferocious warlord in Asia. They plotted a war of nineteenth-century maneuvers against a twenty-first-century foe. They trekked through minefields, sometimes past the mangled bodies of local tribesmen who’d shared food with them hours before. They saved babies and treated fractures, sewed up wounded who’d been transported from the battlefield by donkey. They found their enemy hiding in thick bunkers, dodged bullets from machine-gun-laden pickup trucks, and survived mass rocket attacks from vintage Soviet-era launchers. They battled the Taliban while mediating blood feuds between rival allies. They fought with everything they had, from smart bombs to AK-47s.The men they helped called them brothers. Hollywood called them the Horse Soldiers.
They called themselves Green Berets—Special Forces ODA 595.
334 pages, Hardcover
First published May 17, 2022
44 people are currently reading
230 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews
December 25, 2024
This is a very good book about the Green Berets first inserted into Afghanistan following the terrorist attacks on 9/11. It is written by one of the Green Beret team members who was actually there on the ground. It begins with the planning stages of the mission and follows the exploits of the ODA team from its landing in Afghanistan, through the famous horse charge to the liberation of the country by the Northern Alliance forces and contains a good description of the death of intelligence officer Mike Spann.
I was disappointed to find out through reading this book that one of the previous books that I had enjoyed about their exploits was a highly fictionalized account, though sold as non-fiction. This book was not as fast paced as others on the subject. There are reasons for this.
1. It is not fictionalized or jazzed up for public consumption.
2. It was written by someone who was actually there.
3. It is written by a member of the military used to writing after action reports.
If you want to know how it really happened, read this book. I highly recommend it.
I was disappointed to find out through reading this book that one of the previous books that I had enjoyed about their exploits was a highly fictionalized account, though sold as non-fiction. This book was not as fast paced as others on the subject. There are reasons for this.
1. It is not fictionalized or jazzed up for public consumption.
2. It was written by someone who was actually there.
3. It is written by a member of the military used to writing after action reports.
If you want to know how it really happened, read this book. I highly recommend it.
May 26, 2022
In mid October 2001, I got a call from my on-again off-boyfriend of 9 years: He was headed down range in Afghanistan as part of an Special Forces ODA. I had expected as much - an 18B cross trained as an 18F who was also a HALO JM & combat dive supervisor, there was no where else he would want to be at that moment in time.
When he returned to the states in October 2002 (we married 20 days later), he told me of the horse soldiers & their legendary feats. Over the years, I’ve read every book & seen every movie or tv show about ODA 595 & have wondered where were the Special Forces men I have known over the last 30 years in those tales? Where were the quiet, humble, unassuming operators tasked with a unique mission, men with unflinching courage that I’ve spent the majority of the last 30 years associating with? The other re-tellings, while interesting and exciting, lacked much of the fortitude, intelligence, and quick humor of the soccer dads & warriors I had come to admire and respect over three decades. We got a brief glimpse of them in the TV special “Legion of Brothers,” but not enough.
I found them. They are in the pages of this book.
This account of ODA 595’s time in Afghanistan is superbly told by the men who were there & is just as I would expect from a book authored by Special Forces soldiers. My only regret is I could only give it five stars because it deserves far more.
When he returned to the states in October 2002 (we married 20 days later), he told me of the horse soldiers & their legendary feats. Over the years, I’ve read every book & seen every movie or tv show about ODA 595 & have wondered where were the Special Forces men I have known over the last 30 years in those tales? Where were the quiet, humble, unassuming operators tasked with a unique mission, men with unflinching courage that I’ve spent the majority of the last 30 years associating with? The other re-tellings, while interesting and exciting, lacked much of the fortitude, intelligence, and quick humor of the soccer dads & warriors I had come to admire and respect over three decades. We got a brief glimpse of them in the TV special “Legion of Brothers,” but not enough.
I found them. They are in the pages of this book.
This account of ODA 595’s time in Afghanistan is superbly told by the men who were there & is just as I would expect from a book authored by Special Forces soldiers. My only regret is I could only give it five stars because it deserves far more.
September 25, 2023
A gripping and insightful memoir of ODA 595 and its campaign, told by its commander and his deputy.
The authors discuss all the major aspects of the campaign for Mazar-e Sharif, such the role of Mike Spann and other CIA officers, and the capture of John Walker Lindh. They do a good job describing the background of the war, the campaign, and the lives of the team members. He also covers the team’s interaction with Dostum and his men. The book also covers the prison uprising at Qala-i Jangi, though it relies less on firsthand accounts than previous sections of the book.
The writing is riveting. The coverage of the fighting itself can be a bit dry and remote, but the authors remind the reader that the Americans were often distant from the battles, with Afghans doing most of the fighting at the front. They also note that the higher-ups had expected this campaign to take at least six months to make headway. At the same time, the team often faced pressure from on high to produce results quickly, receiving demands that the authors call “ridiculous,” though they do acknowledge the pressure on the Bush administration in the wake of a spectacular terrorist attack that had killed thousands of Americans on American soil. The book also goes into a lot more detail than some other accounts of the war regarding the difficulties in calling in close air support and the unusual challenges faced by American pilots. At one point the authors refer to the antics of a certain “superstar unit” that captured some of their Afghan allies at a suspected bomb factory. “They will remain nameless to protect the guilty, but they sure get a lot of publicity.”
Some readers may wish for more maps. Some chapters end a bit abruptly. There’s a few typos here and there. There’s also a few quibbles with the story. At one point the authors write that bin Laden was responsible for the 1993 World Trade Center bombing. They also refer to a Special Forces NCO “who had equipped the mujahideen in the nineties during their fight with the Soviets,” when they mean the eighties. They also refer to the CIA by using the common military euphemism “other government agency”: at one point they even refer to “a team made up of members from other government agencies一let your imagination run wild!”
An interesting and well-written work.
The authors discuss all the major aspects of the campaign for Mazar-e Sharif, such the role of Mike Spann and other CIA officers, and the capture of John Walker Lindh. They do a good job describing the background of the war, the campaign, and the lives of the team members. He also covers the team’s interaction with Dostum and his men. The book also covers the prison uprising at Qala-i Jangi, though it relies less on firsthand accounts than previous sections of the book.
The writing is riveting. The coverage of the fighting itself can be a bit dry and remote, but the authors remind the reader that the Americans were often distant from the battles, with Afghans doing most of the fighting at the front. They also note that the higher-ups had expected this campaign to take at least six months to make headway. At the same time, the team often faced pressure from on high to produce results quickly, receiving demands that the authors call “ridiculous,” though they do acknowledge the pressure on the Bush administration in the wake of a spectacular terrorist attack that had killed thousands of Americans on American soil. The book also goes into a lot more detail than some other accounts of the war regarding the difficulties in calling in close air support and the unusual challenges faced by American pilots. At one point the authors refer to the antics of a certain “superstar unit” that captured some of their Afghan allies at a suspected bomb factory. “They will remain nameless to protect the guilty, but they sure get a lot of publicity.”
Some readers may wish for more maps. Some chapters end a bit abruptly. There’s a few typos here and there. There’s also a few quibbles with the story. At one point the authors write that bin Laden was responsible for the 1993 World Trade Center bombing. They also refer to a Special Forces NCO “who had equipped the mujahideen in the nineties during their fight with the Soviets,” when they mean the eighties. They also refer to the CIA by using the common military euphemism “other government agency”: at one point they even refer to “a team made up of members from other government agencies一let your imagination run wild!”
An interesting and well-written work.
July 23, 2022
If you want to know what the Green Berets do (US Army Special Forces), then read this book. The authors have now told their story that many first learned about after watching the film 12 Strong. However, this account digs into what actually happened, lessons learned for small units, how to work with indigenous forces, and how the Special Forces are truly a force multiplier. I was fortunate to meet Mark Nutsch at a small restaurant near Dallas, Texas when he and another SF vet were raising awareness for their organization that serves small tribes in Afghanistan. His unassuming nature exhibited the quiet professional. I wanted to interview him about SF operations for my master's thesis on Aaron Bank. He barely mentioned that mission in 2001 and only championed his brothers. That's the type of thing you'll read in this book. Brothers-in-arms helping the oppressed.
May 26, 2022
Good story not well written
I can tell this was written by Army personnel. I like the factual aspect but I did not care for how it was written. For non service members, the book is worth a read.
I can tell this was written by Army personnel. I like the factual aspect but I did not care for how it was written. For non service members, the book is worth a read.
September 30, 2023
This is a great story about U.S. Army Special Forces troops who deployed to Afghanistan right after September 11, 2001, and helped organize the Northern Alliance into an effective fighting force against the Taliban.
It is definitely told through they eyes of two Army soldiers, as it does have that feeling about it. The words are ostensibly written by Jim DeFelice, who served as a ghost writer. Herein lies the problem with this book.
DeFelice is an okay writer but, as he tells us in his Collaborator's Note, he didn't want this to slip into what he calls a "mutual admiration society" between the two men, one of whom is humorous while the other is serious. He admits trying to "find a balance between the two." It is in this regard that he failed in achieving his objective.
He mentions that "there is a lot missing from this book," including his desire to "avoid too much technical jargon, and very technical descriptions of the battle maneuvers." In essence, he thinks the general public is too stupid to understand the material.
What is left is a boring milquetoast after action report about what these guys did. We don't come away feeling anything from this book. There is no emotion. We do not feel these characters, we think them. We do not really understand the geography because it is told to us like we are looking at a Rand McNally Atlas of Afghanistan. We are told that they were in hairy situations but we don't experience them. Heck, even the meeting with the Secretary of Defense was written as a "ho hum." The SecDef didn't even utter a word, though his aide did.
DeFelice is correct that a lot is left out. That's the travesty of this. All of the important details that we need in order to experience this are all left out. It's a shame because they had an amazing adventure and it really would have been nice to let Bob's humor rip through these humorless pages.
Lastly, DeFelice overused the word "ostensibly" in this narrative. It got irritating reading it on every fifth page.
I was really disappointed in this because Ibreally wanted to hear Mark and Bob's voice in this book. It could have been written much better.
It is definitely told through they eyes of two Army soldiers, as it does have that feeling about it. The words are ostensibly written by Jim DeFelice, who served as a ghost writer. Herein lies the problem with this book.
DeFelice is an okay writer but, as he tells us in his Collaborator's Note, he didn't want this to slip into what he calls a "mutual admiration society" between the two men, one of whom is humorous while the other is serious. He admits trying to "find a balance between the two." It is in this regard that he failed in achieving his objective.
He mentions that "there is a lot missing from this book," including his desire to "avoid too much technical jargon, and very technical descriptions of the battle maneuvers." In essence, he thinks the general public is too stupid to understand the material.
What is left is a boring milquetoast after action report about what these guys did. We don't come away feeling anything from this book. There is no emotion. We do not feel these characters, we think them. We do not really understand the geography because it is told to us like we are looking at a Rand McNally Atlas of Afghanistan. We are told that they were in hairy situations but we don't experience them. Heck, even the meeting with the Secretary of Defense was written as a "ho hum." The SecDef didn't even utter a word, though his aide did.
DeFelice is correct that a lot is left out. That's the travesty of this. All of the important details that we need in order to experience this are all left out. It's a shame because they had an amazing adventure and it really would have been nice to let Bob's humor rip through these humorless pages.
Lastly, DeFelice overused the word "ostensibly" in this narrative. It got irritating reading it on every fifth page.
I was really disappointed in this because Ibreally wanted to hear Mark and Bob's voice in this book. It could have been written much better.
April 12, 2023
I’m an ordinary 78 year old woman, not associated with the military in any way. I have seen the movie 12 STRONG many, many times, watched a number of interviews, then read the book. Yep! Truth IS stranger than fiction. The movie is entertainment only, but gives the reader a visual picture of what is read, the visceral feeling is unbelievable. My pride of American SFs soldiers is off the charts! The book says several things to me…DON’T TRAIN A SOLDIERS TO DO SOMETHING THEN DON’T LET HIM DO IT!!! And, don’t question what they want—WHAT THEY NEED to get the job done. Furthermore, that old saying of “too many cooks spoil the broth” certainly comes to mind when other high-ranking officers throw themselves into the mix trying to throw their weight around and imposing orders when they don’t seem to know the truth of the situation. On an aside—I wish the book had a map of the area stated…I was so confused. The names are, well, foreign and unpronounceable. Last, but absolutely not least, “thank you ladies and gentlemen for your supreme service to your country”. Words are not enough to express how my heart and soul soars just knowing you are there being your quiet and professional self. Thank you, thank you, thank you!
July 4, 2025
4.75 stars truly opened the story more to this.
So going into this book I knew I would need to let go of the past books I have read about this conflict. I read horse soldiers and have read plus watched 12 strong. This book was written by those men that were apart of the actual war on terror at the start. This shed some new things on me how long it actually took for them to put them behind enemy lines. The way the families were played and toyed with each day until they were finally gone. They spoke a little about how the movie you know Hollywood made it more flashy and stylish to be on a horse they would beg to differ. I felt apart of this story and journey for the authors broke each segment from start to finish of the mission. The details had a major impact on how you read this book.
So going into this book I knew I would need to let go of the past books I have read about this conflict. I read horse soldiers and have read plus watched 12 strong. This book was written by those men that were apart of the actual war on terror at the start. This shed some new things on me how long it actually took for them to put them behind enemy lines. The way the families were played and toyed with each day until they were finally gone. They spoke a little about how the movie you know Hollywood made it more flashy and stylish to be on a horse they would beg to differ. I felt apart of this story and journey for the authors broke each segment from start to finish of the mission. The details had a major impact on how you read this book.
September 18, 2023
Great firsthand account of the Horse Soldiers saga in Afghanistan. Frustrating to read about the successes of the early operations, textbook examples of the worth of an ODA supported by air cover and local HUMINT, when we can now look back at the strategic failure of a massive military campaign run by regular forces.
February 8, 2024
A very easy read written from the point of view of the leaders of ODA 595, Mark Nutsch and Bob Pennington. What the horse soldiers accomplished in Afghanistan was a text book Special Force mission and their reason for existing. Combined with the overwhelming air power America was able to bring to bear, they “exceeded expectations”.
June 6, 2022
Great read
To finally know the truth of the horse soldiers was very gratifying. One can read between the lines and get a feel of what really happened at times. The book also highlighted how inept the U.S. Military can be at times.
To finally know the truth of the horse soldiers was very gratifying. One can read between the lines and get a feel of what really happened at times. The book also highlighted how inept the U.S. Military can be at times.
October 14, 2022
This was an excellent book and I would highly suggest it to anyone who is looking for real-life insight into the bravery of our special forces. Thank you for sharing your story, the detail, and most importantly modeling the care of other human beings no matter their race, religion, and ideals.
January 16, 2024
Good insight on what the initial assault into Afghanistan was truly like.
This is written by the men who actually did it. Very good read! It seems to a no BS look at what actually happened! Really enjoyed this one!!
This is written by the men who actually did it. Very good read! It seems to a no BS look at what actually happened! Really enjoyed this one!!
June 3, 2022
Excellent
June 21, 2022
A good story about some very good soldiers. A few too many typos for my liking: words and letters missing, mixed tenses. Also, a B52 has eight engines, not four (p28).
September 5, 2022
An actual Appropriate use of the word Steampunk. Book was great have no desire to see a movie though.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 21, 2023
Good book, very interesting.
Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews