Preview
  • The Operator

  • Firing the Shots That Killed Osama Bin Laden and My Years as a SEAL Team Warrior
  • By: Robert O'Neill
  • Narrated by: Robert O'Neill
  • Length: 9 hrs and 42 mins
  • 4.9 out of 5 stars (19,342 ratings)

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The Operator

By: Robert O'Neill
Narrated by: Robert O'Neill
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Publisher's summary

Stirringly evocative, thought provoking, and often jaw dropping, The Operator ranges across SEAL Team Operator Robert O'Neill's awe-inspiring 400-mission career that included his involvement in attempts to rescue "Lone Survivor" Marcus Luttrell and abducted-by-Somali-pirates Captain Richard Phillips and culminated in those famous three shots that dispatched the world's most wanted terrorist, Osama bin Laden.

In this book O'Neill describes his idyllic childhood in Butte, Montana; his impulsive decision to join the SEALs; the arduous evaluation and training process; and the even tougher gauntlet he had to run to join the SEALs' most elite unit. After officially becoming a SEAL, O'Neill would spend more than a decade in the most intense counterterror effort in US history. For extended periods, not a night passed without him and his small team recording multiple enemy kills - and though he was lucky enough to survive, several of the SEALs he'd trained with and fought beside never made it home.

The Operator describes the nonstop action of O'Neill's deployments in Iraq and Afghanistan, evokes the black humor of years-long combat, brings to vivid life the lethal efficiency of the military's Tier One units, and reveals firsthand details of the most celebrated terrorist takedown in history.

©2017 Robert O'Neill (P)2017 Simon & Schuster Audio
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Critic reviews

"Gripping...this story is impossible to put down.... What O'Neill has written is unique, surprising, a kind of counternarrative." (Doug Stanton, New York Times best-selling author of In Harm's Way and Horse Soldiers)
"O'Neill wrote himself into American history with the three shots he fired into Osama bin Laden...intensely moving and awe-inspiring." (Marcus Luttrell, New York Times best-selling coauthor of Lone Survivor and Service)

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The titles that fall under the designation of military audiobooks are more varied and diverse than you might think. From firsthand combat accounts to imaginative works of fiction, these listens cover a lot of ground on both domestic and international disputes, scientific and sociological analyses, male and female perspectives, lessons from victory and loss, and more. What they have in common, though, are themes of courage, loss, and determination.

What listeners say about The Operator

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Great

Have read a bunch of books by operators. This stands a hair above the other's by virtue if the author doing the narrating and the impeccable comic timing of the laugh out loud takes on tho vs that intersperse the life and death episodes.

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14 people found this helpful

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One Damn good book!

One of the absolute best audio books I have listened to date!. Well worth it

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Emotional, humorous and reverent

great story, loved the humor and conversational tone. The author takes special care to honor those whom impacted his career and life. Honest and reverent account for his participation as one of this country's bravest warriors.

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AMAZING!!!

From the bottom of heart,

THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE!

What a great book knocked this out in no time. I couldn’t stop listening to it. Unexpected points of humor and moments of tearing up. Loved it. Made my kid read it.

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Wow!

Normally I wouldn’t pick a book like this...war, fighting, non-fiction. But this book is fantastic! Not to mention narrated by the author. Thumbs up and five stars!

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Incredible book!

Loved everything about it. Sad it had to end. Having the author read the book was great and made it even more enjoyable to listen to

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Epic point of view

Really enjoy getting to hear about some of the operators he fights along with. I think we all know who “Greg” is in the book. Best way to enjoy is through audible because he is the real person.

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  • Overall
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Eye opening

Loved it. Gives you the reality of SEAL training and the truth behind killing OBL

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Definitely worth the listen

I have listened to this 4 times and I pick up something I never caught the time prior. It’s even more relatable when the author is the narrator. Thank you and the seal team that defeated this faceless coward!

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must read

glad the narrator was the author. was a very good story and easy to listen to

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