What do you think?
Rate this book
Alpha: Eddie Gallagher and the War for the Soul of the Navy SEALs
An “infuriating, fast-paced” ( The Washington Post ) account of the Navy SEALs of Alpha platoon, the startling accusations against their chief, Eddie Gallagher, and the courtroom battle that exposed the dark underbelly of America’s special forces—from a Pulitzer Prize–winning reporter
WINNER OF THE COLORADO BOOK AWARD • “Nearly impossible to put down.”—Jon Krakauer, New York Times bestselling author of Where Men Win Glory and Into the Wild
In this “brilliantly written” ( The New York Times Book Review ) and startling account, Pulitzer Prize–winning New York Times correspondent David Philipps reveals a powerful moral crucible, one that would define the American military during the years of combat that became known as “the forever war.”
When the Navy SEALs of Alpha platoon returned from their 2017 deployment to Iraq, a group of them reported their chief, Eddie Gallagher, for war crimes, alleging that he’d stabbed a prisoner in cold blood and taken lethal sniper shots at unarmed civilians. The story of Alpha’s war, both in Iraq and in the shocking trial that followed the men’s accusations, would complicate the SEALs’ post-9/11 hero narrative, turning brothers-in-arms against one another and bringing into stark relief the choice that elite soldiers face between loyalty to their unit and to their country.
One of the great stories written about American special forces, Alpha is by turns a battlefield drama, a courtroom thriller, and a compelling examination of how soldiers define themselves and live with the decisions in the heat of combat.
WINNER OF THE COLORADO BOOK AWARD • “Nearly impossible to put down.”—Jon Krakauer, New York Times bestselling author of Where Men Win Glory and Into the Wild
In this “brilliantly written” ( The New York Times Book Review ) and startling account, Pulitzer Prize–winning New York Times correspondent David Philipps reveals a powerful moral crucible, one that would define the American military during the years of combat that became known as “the forever war.”
When the Navy SEALs of Alpha platoon returned from their 2017 deployment to Iraq, a group of them reported their chief, Eddie Gallagher, for war crimes, alleging that he’d stabbed a prisoner in cold blood and taken lethal sniper shots at unarmed civilians. The story of Alpha’s war, both in Iraq and in the shocking trial that followed the men’s accusations, would complicate the SEALs’ post-9/11 hero narrative, turning brothers-in-arms against one another and bringing into stark relief the choice that elite soldiers face between loyalty to their unit and to their country.
One of the great stories written about American special forces, Alpha is by turns a battlefield drama, a courtroom thriller, and a compelling examination of how soldiers define themselves and live with the decisions in the heat of combat.
480 pages, Paperback
Published September 13, 2022
4 people are currently reading
1437 people want to read
About the author
David Philipps
6 books66 followersDavid Philipps is a Pulitzer Prize–winning national reporter for the New York Times. He is the author of Wild Horse Country and Lethal Warriors and a graduate of the Columbia School of Journalism. He lives in Colorado with his family.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
February 25, 2023
Even IF the story went exactly as told by Mr. Phillipps, it’s hard to look past how the rest of Eddie’s platoon is not complicit in his crimes. Time and time again they had the chance to act and instead chose to do nothing. A sad, infuriating and riveting story about a world and profession shrouded in secrecy.
Mr. Phillips paints the whole ordeal as mostly black and white. The accusers, Alpha platoon, are innocent forces of good and Eddie is the villain. In reality I think it’s closer to a large swathe of murky gray.
I think it should also be noted that there are several times Mr. Phillipps fills in gaps of the story with his own beliefs. This book should not be taken as fact. Many moments are unfortunately left to “best-guess”.
I found the subject matter interesting before I read Alpha, but I still think Mr. Philipps story-telling ability is enough to captivate any reader who happens to pick this book up off the shelf. The way he weaves from the main constructed narrative to the history of the SEALs to the courtroom drama is done in a very fluid and engaging way. I wouldn’t be surprised if I read this one again in the future.
Mr. Phillips paints the whole ordeal as mostly black and white. The accusers, Alpha platoon, are innocent forces of good and Eddie is the villain. In reality I think it’s closer to a large swathe of murky gray.
I think it should also be noted that there are several times Mr. Phillipps fills in gaps of the story with his own beliefs. This book should not be taken as fact. Many moments are unfortunately left to “best-guess”.
I found the subject matter interesting before I read Alpha, but I still think Mr. Philipps story-telling ability is enough to captivate any reader who happens to pick this book up off the shelf. The way he weaves from the main constructed narrative to the history of the SEALs to the courtroom drama is done in a very fluid and engaging way. I wouldn’t be surprised if I read this one again in the future.
January 8, 2024
As sobering as it is vivid.
I found the most interesting sections those where Philipps tied the current culture of the SEALs back to the impacts of previous generations, from the unconventional frogmen that served as their origin to the corrosive effect that Vietnam had on so much of the military, including the Teams. The Americal Division and their participation in the My Lai Massacre is also cited when it comes to showing the culture around reporting and prosecuting war crimes within the chain of command.
All in all a great book for any interested in a somber look inside the world of Special Forces in the later years of the War on Terror.
I found the most interesting sections those where Philipps tied the current culture of the SEALs back to the impacts of previous generations, from the unconventional frogmen that served as their origin to the corrosive effect that Vietnam had on so much of the military, including the Teams. The Americal Division and their participation in the My Lai Massacre is also cited when it comes to showing the culture around reporting and prosecuting war crimes within the chain of command.
All in all a great book for any interested in a somber look inside the world of Special Forces in the later years of the War on Terror.
February 15, 2024
OMG -- I never thought I would enjoy a book about the military -- but this book exposes the true story of what happened with Eddie Gallagher. OMG. Horrifying at times and shows the way the Navy Seals cover up for each other 'their code.' Whoa -- what a story --- and this is very well written and compelling. A lot of detail but the author does his homework and talks to many of the people who witnessed what was going on for years. Crazy scary story.
August 3, 2024
It’s hard to believe that the most riveting book I read all year is about a Navy court martial, but Phillipps makes this an un-put-downable story. I knew nothing about this case, not being American and not following American news very closely, and found the twists and turns almost unbelievable. Cannot recommend this book highly enough if you have any interest at all in the military, courtroom drama, or life-and-death ethical dilemmas.
December 16, 2022
This book takes an in-depth look of the Seals and the case of Eddie Gallagher. One can feel the deep impact the events had on each Seal and Seal culture.
April 30, 2023
Excellent reporting, but I wouldn't recommend it to anyone. Took me forever to get through it because it's so enraging.
August 3, 2023
Not only brilliant but important— and astounding.
July 4, 2025
What an incredible story that is both heartbreaking and terrifying. The terrifying part is to not take things for face value and how powerful stories can be to influence powerful people.
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews