They Called Us Lucky, Ruben Gallego
They Called Us Lucky, Ruben Gallego
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They Called Us ""Lucky""
The Life and Afterlife of the Iraq War's Hardest Hit Unit

Author: Ruben Gallego, Jim DeFelice

Narrator: Ruben Gallego, Stephen Graybill

Unabridged: 8 hr 58 min

Format: Digital Audiobook Download

Publisher: HarperAudio

Published: 11/09/2021


Synopsis

From Arizona Senator Ruben Gallego, a ""powerful"" and ""searing"" memoir of his journey from childhood poverty to Harvard to the Marine Corps, where served in the hardest-hit unit of the Iraq WarAt first, they were “Lucky Lima.” Infantryman Ruben Gallego and his brothers in Lima Company—3rd Battalion, 25th Marines, young men drawn from blue-collar towns, immigrant households, Navajo reservations—returned unscathed on patrol after patrol through the increasingly violent al Anbar region of Iraq. After two months, Lima didn't have a casualty, not a single Purple Heart, no injury worse than a blister. Then, in May 2005, Lima’s fortunes flipped. Unknown to Ruben and his fellow grunts, al Anbar had recently become a haven for al Qaeda in Mesopotamia. The bin Laden-sponsored group had recruited radicals from all over the world for jihad against the Americans. On one fateful day, they were lured into a death house; the ambush cost the lives of two men, including a platoon sergeant. Two days later, Ruben’s best friend, Jonathon Grant, died in an IED attack, along with several others. Events worsened from there. A disastrous operation in Haditha in August claimed the lives of thirteen Marines when an IED destroyed their amphibious vehicle. It was the worst single-day loss for the Marines since the 1983 Beirut bombings. By the time 3/25 went home in November, it had lost more men than any other single unit in the war. Forty-six Marines and two Navy Corpsmen serving with the battalion in Iraq were killed in action during their roughly nine-month activation.They Called Us “Lucky” details Ruben Gallego’s journey and includes harrowing accounts of some of the war’s most costly battles. It details the struggles and the successes of Ruben and the rest of Lima Company following Iraq, examining the complicated matter of PTSD. And it serves as a tribute to Ruben’s fallen comrades, who made the ultimate sacrifice for their country.

About Ruben Gallego

Ruben Gallego (D, AZ) represents the 7th District of Arizona in the U.S. House of Representatives. A son of Hispanic immigrants, Representative Gallego was the first in his family to attend college, graduating from Harvard University with a degree in international relations. While an undergrad, Gallego enlisted as an infantryman in the Marine Corps Reserve. Corporal Gallego deployed to Iraq in 2005, where he and the other members of Lima Company, 3rd Battalion, 25th Marine Regiment, saw some of the fiercest fighting of the war. Elected to Congress in 2014 as a Democrat, Gallego is a member of the House Committee on Veterans’ Affairs and the House Armed Services Committee, where he serves as chairman of the Intelligence and Special Operations subcommittee. Gallego lives in Phoenix, Arizona, with his wife and son.

About Jim DeFelice

Jim DeFelice is the author of sixteen New York Times bestsellers, including American Sniper, the basis for Bradley Cooper’s blockbuster movie of the same name. Some of his other credits include Every Man a Hero, a bestselling account of Army medic Ray Lambert’s heroics at D-Day in World War Two, and They Called Us Lucky, the story of Lima 3/25, the Marine Corps’ hardest hit unit in the Iraq War and the life of Congressman Ruben Gallego, a Harvard undergrad who joined the Corps to serve as an enlisted grunt.


Reviews

My heart hurts. This was raw and emotional. The affects of war...the sacrifices, it is an important read, but not light. In some ways I would say it is upsetting, yet inspiring. There is a lot to think about after this. I am thankful mental health is talked about in this. I hope that it reaches many......more

Goodreads review by Lyn

The author represents Arizona’s 3rd Congressional District in the House of Representatives, which is the District I live in. I’ve met him several times and have always voted for him - he does great work for the people he represents and for all Americans. This book basically gives you a lot of insigh......more

Goodreads review by Erik

As a Soldier in the Army I didn’t know these Crayon Eaters were capable of writing a book, but after reading “They Called Us Lucky” I’ve had a change of heart. Gallego and DeFelice recount L, 3/25 so good that I could just see everything happening in my head. I thank Gallego, Grant, McKenzie and eve......more

Goodreads review by Deva

It took me a couple of months to get through this book. The tears flowed. Some parts made me smile. But mostly, my heart ached for these young men. I lost my cousin, who was more like my brother Lcpl Jonathan Grant. Thank you for this book, Ruben. Thank you for remembering the men who gave their liv......more