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Summary
Summary
How a ragtag National Guard unit found itself thrust into the War on Terror and triumphed against impossible odds
On the eve of September 11, 2001, New York CityÂs famous National Guard regiment, the Fighting 69th Infantry, was not fit for duty. Most of its soldiers were immigrant kids with no prior military experience and no intention of serving their country any longer than it took to get a paycheck or college credit. Once a respected all-Irish outfit, the 69th was now a Technicolor mix of Puerto Ricans, Dominicans, Colombians, African Americans, Russians, Poles, Koreans, Chinese, and a few token Irish Americans. Their uniforms were incomplete and their equipment was downright derelict. The thought of deploying such a unit was laughable. But that is exactly what happened.
With a charismatic mix of irreverent humor and eye-opening honesty, Sean Flynn, himself a member of the 69th, memorably chronicles the transformation of this motley band of amateur soldiers into a battle- hardened troop at work in one of the most lethal quarters of Baghdad: the notorious Airport Road, a blood- soaked strand that grabbed headlines and became a bellwether for progress in postinvasion Iraq. At home on the concrete and asphalt like no other unit in the U.S. Army, GothamÂs Fighting 69th finally brings its own rough justice to this lawless precinct by ignoring army discipline and turning to the street-fighting tactics they grew up with and know best.
The Fighting 69th is more than a story about the impact of terrorism, the war on Iraq, or the current administrationÂs failures. It is the story of how regular citizens come to grips with challenges far starker than what they have been prepared for. FlynnÂs dark humor, empathy, and candor make for a fresh look at who our soldiers are and what they do when faced with their toughest challenges.
Reviews (4)
Publisher's Weekly Review
Flynn (Land of Radioactive Midnight) draws on his experience as a company commander with the 1st Battalion, 69th Infantry Regiment of the New York National Guard-the "Fighting 69th" of Civil War, WWI and WWII fame-for this riveting account of the unit's service following 9/11. Considered "the worst unit in the National Guard," at the turn of the 21st century, according to Flynn, the 69th was "under-trained, under-resourced, and under-led." Activated on 9/11, its soldiers were the first to arrive at ground zero, and then guarded New York City's bridges and tunnels and the U.S. Military Academy at West Point. In 2004, after retraining, the unit was flagged "Task Force Wolfhound" and certified for overseas deployment, but was "barely functional in the field." In Iraq, the 69th provided route security along a six-mile stretch known as "'The Most Dangerous Road in the World,'" the main highway between the airport and downtown Baghdad. Learning on the job, the 69th "effectively neutralized" the roadside bomb threat that has caused a high percentage of the war's casualties, but paid a heavy price in its own killed and injured. Drawing on combat journals, operations orders and interviews with survivors, Flynn fashions a tale equal to the making of the new, contemporary heroes of the Fighting 69th who, against all odds, restored a previously distinguished unit to its former glory. (Jan.) (c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved
Booklist Review
The Sixty-ninth Infantry Regiment of the New York National Guard has a long and illustrious record in the world wars and a long association with New York's Irish community. By the 1990s, the Irish were mostly gone, and the tossed salad of street ethnics that remained had little prospect of doing anything illustrious. Reform-minded officers and enlisted men crept on to the roster, however, and matters proceeded much more rapidly after the cataclysm of 9/11. The regiment was mobilized, reequipped, retrained, and finally loaded out for Iraq, where it had the not uncommon National Guard experience of learning that an armed enemy does more to turn amateurs into professionals than all the training programs ever devised. Not all the Sixty-ninth's men survived that learning experience on the airport highway. As an officer who commanded rifle companies on two tours in Iraq, Flynn may perhaps favor his unit, but he has added a readable, powerful narrative to the literature on the Iraq War.--Green, Roland Copyright 2008 Booklist
Kirkus Review
Lively account of an inept National Guard battalion that pulled itself together, went to Iraq and performed heroically. Eulogized in a 1940 film with James Cagney, "The Fighting 69th" fought with distinction from the Civil War to World War II, but by the 1990s, reclassified as National Guard, it had declined significantly. Former company commander Flynn (Land of Radioactive Midnight: A Cheechako's First Year in Alaska, 2003) draws a vivid picture of his Manhattan-based unit's disgraceful state as the 21st century began. Members treated meetings as a chance to party. Alcohol and drugs flowed freely. Many officers were old, incompetent or simply uninterested. State commanders overlooked the lack of discipline in an effort to keep the already depleted 69th from losing more men. Despite this apathy, on 9/11 hundreds rushed to the armory without being summoned, sacrificing jobs and personal convenience to help out. When the 69th received orders to deploy to Iraq, its leaders knew it was unfit for combat, and the subsequent hasty training did not improve matters. However, after the men took over pacification efforts in a dangerous Baghdad neighborhood in October 2004, the motley group of amateur soldiers transformed themselves into battle-hardened professionals. Flynn becomes surprisingly sophisticated and even politically incorrect in his descriptions of how they learned on the job. Sunni and Shia Iraqis hated each other more than they hated Americans. Men of the 69th showed no love for either group and came perilously close to taking revenge on civilians when comrades were killed. Roadside and car bombs inflicted massive casualties, so pacification involved nerve-wracking patrols, perpetual suspicion and frequent raids on homes during which public relations became a low priority. Yet the 69th succeeded. Area commanders delivered praise; local Iraqis showed gratitude. Sadly, Flynn reminds us, successful counterinsurgency requires units to "clear, hold, and build." The 69th did not stay long enough to "hold," and rebuilding did not happen, so insurgents returned once the soldiers departed. Tough-minded and thus more inspirational than the usual worshipful chronicle of brave soldiers in battle. Copyright ©Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Library Journal Review
As reported by its commander, New York's National Guard regiment-once famed as the Fighting 69th Infantry-had a lot to learn after 9/11. (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Excerpts
Excerpts
One Remarkable National Guard Unit's Journey from Ground Zero to Baghdad On the eve of September 11, 2001, New York City's famous National Guard regiment, the fighting 69th Infantry, was not fit for duty. Most of its soldiers were immigrant kids with no prior military experience, their uniforms were incomplete, and their equipment was derelict. The thought of deploying such a unit was laughable. Sean Flynn, himself a member of the 69th, memorably chronicles the transformation of this motley band of amateur soldiers into a battle-hardened troop at work in one of the most lethal quarters of Baghdad: the notorious Airport Road, a blood-soaked strand that grabbed headlines and became a bellwether for progress in post-invasion Iraq. At home on the concrete and asphalt like no other unit in the U.S. Army, Gotham's Fighting 69th brought justice to this lawless precinct by ignoring army discipline and turning to the street-fighting tactics they grew up with. The Fighting 69th is the story of how regular citizens come to grips with challenges far starker than what they have been prepared for--a candid look at who our soldiers are, and what they do when faced with their toughest challenges. Sean Michael Flynn served as a company commander during the Fighting 69th's service from Ground Zero to Iraq. Before joining the Army National Guard as an infantryman, Flynn served on active duty in the U.S. Air Force. Flynn has a bachelor's degree in journalism from the University of Maryland at College Park. He lives in New York State. Erik Steeleis a professional actor living in New York City, where he has worked both on and off Broadway, and in film. He has toured with the prestigious Acting Company, performing Shakespeare and Sheridan in theatres from Atlanta to Anchorage. He holds an M.F.A. in acting from New York University and a B.A. from Vassar College. Excerpted from The Fighting 69th: One Remarkable National Guard Unit's Journey from Ground Zero to Baghdad by Sean Michael Flynn All rights reserved by the original copyright owners. Excerpts are provided for display purposes only and may not be reproduced, reprinted or distributed without the written permission of the publisher.
Table of Contents
| Author's Note | p. xvii |
| An Infantry Primer | p. xix |
| Prologue: October 1991 | p. 1 |
| Book I Homeland Defense: March 2001-February 2004 | |
| 1 Weekend Warriors | p. 11 |
| Saint Patrick's Day 2001 | |
| Failure to Launch | |
| Missionaries, Mercenaries, and Misfits | |
| 2 Minutemen | p. 32 |
| A New Paradigm | |
| Beirut-on-Hudson | |
| 3 The Strategic Reserve | p. 51 |
| Not Ready for Prime Time | |
| The Roughnecks | |
| 4 Preemption | p. 69 |
| Parking Lot Heroes | |
| Saint Patrick's Day 2002 | |
| The Bridge-and-Tunnel Group | |
| 5 The End of the Whip | p. 88 |
| The Storm Before the Hurricane | |
| Saint Patrick's Day 2003 | |
| When Pigs Fly | |
| Book II Operation Iraqi Freedom: March 2004-September 2005 | |
| 6 When the 69th Comes Back | p. 115 |
| Saint Patrick's Day 2004 | |
| Checking the Box | |
| The Blacksheep | |
| General Order Number 1 | |
| 7 Green in the Desert | p. 141 |
| Reconnaissance | |
| Shithouse Poets | |
| Mach Jesus | |
| 8 Taji | p. 158 |
| Task and Purpose | |
| Babes in the Woods | |
| Napalm in the Morning | |
| 9 The Rouge Bouquet | p. 178 |
| Framework Operations | |
| The First Kill | |
| The Economy of Force | |
| 10 The Infantry | p. 200 |
| Counterinsurgency | |
| Charlie 24 | |
| The Heart of Darkness | |
| 11 Information Operations | p. 215 |
| Hagar the Horrible | |
| The Most Dangerous Road in the World | |
| 12 Route Irish | p. 231 |
| Last Man Standing | |
| Checkpoint 541 | |
| Vehicle-Borne Death | |
| Saint Patrick's Day 2005 | |
| 13 Task Force Wolfhound | p. 250 |
| Fresh Legs | |
| The Trial | |
| Revenge of the Assassins | |
| Iraqization | |
| 14 Boots Off the Ground | p. 272 |
| 69 Minutes | |
| The Enemy at Home | |
| Afterword: The Operational Reserve | |
| Saint Patrick's Day 2006 | p. 284 |
| Acknowledgments | p. 289 |
| Index | p. 291 |
