The gripping story of a small-town Army Reserve unit working in one of the most dangerous places on Earth, Taking Anbar is an extraordinary firsthand account of the rise of Iraq's insurgency and the brutal fight for Anbar Province following the 2003 fall of Baghdad. Praised for its personal and often jaw-dropping descriptions of initial combat operations in the now-infamous cities of Ramadi, Fallujah and Hit, Taking Anbar is the chronicle of the 94th Military Police Company's nearly two-year deployment from citizen to soldier and back again. Recipient of the U.S. Army's Valorous Unit Award, the 94th found itself in nearly every major tactical mission of Operation Iraqi Freedom. The book describes, in often raw and unexpected detail, the military's lethal contest to bring Anbar under control: from the high profile counter-IED and convoy escort missions you've seen in the news, to the quieter work with Special Forces and intelligence teams few would ever experience until now, the 94th bore witness to a number of OIF's most significant operations and outcomes. A striking portrayal of the disbelief, sadness, humor, and rage of combat, Taking Anbar is a compelling and often extremely critical account of U.S. military leadership & tactics in a post-war battlefield. With a rare level of detail surrounding the ground truth of this conflict, it's poised to be one of the most definitive books on the Iraq War. Written by Soldier of Fortune contributing writer and 94th MP CO platoon leader Captain Michael Gifford, proceeds from Taking Anbar will help fund OnBehalf.org, an all-volunteer nonprofit that offers financial support to combat wounded troops of Iraq & Afghanistan.
- | Author: Michael J. Gifford
- | Publisher: CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform
- | Publication Date: Jan 28, 2016
- | Number of Pages: 474 pages
- | Language: English
- | Binding: Paperback
- | ISBN-10: 1519677286
- | ISBN-13: 9781519677280