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Thirteen Soldiers
- A Personal History of Americans at War
- Narrated by: John McCain
- Length: 13 hrs and 43 mins
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Publisher's summary
John McCain’s evocative history of Americans at war, told through the personal accounts of 13 remarkable soldiers who fought in major military conflicts, from the Revolutionary War of 1776 to the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.
As a veteran himself, a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, and a long-time student of history, John McCain brings a distinctive perspective to this subject. Thirteen Soldiers tells the stories of real soldiers through the years who personify an essential characteristic of combat, from valor, savagery, and terror to obedience, enterprise, and love. You’ll meet Joseph Plumb Martin, who at the tender age of 15 fought in the Revolutionary War; Charles Black, a freeborn African American sailor in the War of 1812; and Sam Chamberlain, of the Mexican American War, whose life inspired novelist Cormac McCarthy. Then there’s Oliver Wendell Holmes, an aristocratic idealist disillusioned by the Civil War, and Littleton “Tony” Waller, court-martialed for refusing to massacre Filipino civilians.
Each account illustrates a particular aspect of war, such as Mary Rhoads, an Army reservist forever changed by an Iraqi scud missile attack during the Persian Gulf War, and Monica Lin Brown, a frontline medic in rural Afghanistan who saved several lives in an ambushed convoy. From their acts of self-sacrifice to their astonishing bravery, the 13 soldiers profiled here embody the best America has to offer.
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The year is 1918. German engineers have fortified Montfaucon, a rocky butte in Northern France, with bunkers, tunnels, trenches, and a top-secret observatory capable of directing artillery shells across the battlefield. Following a number of unsuccessful attacks, the French deem Montfaucon impregnable and dub it the Little Gibraltar of the Western Front. Capturing it is a key to success for AEF commander in chief John J. Pershing's 1.2 million troops.
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Compelling narrative, meticulous research
- By JKW on 07-18-16
By: William Walker
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Chesty
- The Story of Lieutenant General Lewis B. Puller, USMC
- By: Colonel Jon T. Hoffman USMCR
- Narrated by: Sean Runnette
- Length: 23 hrs and 21 mins
- Unabridged
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The Marine Corps is known for its heroes, and Lieutenant General Lewis B. Puller has long been considered the greatest of them all. His assignments and activities covered an extraordinary spectrum of warfare. With his bulldog face, barrel chest (which earned him the nickname Chesty), gruff voice, and common touch, Puller became - and has remained - the epitome of the marine combat officer. Author Jon Hoffman has been given special access to Puller's personal papers as well as his personnel record. The result will unquestionably stand as the last word about Chesty Puller.
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Great book great man good read
- By Just_Shoppin on 07-10-18
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Honor Before Glory
- The Epic World War II Story of the Japanese American GIs Who Rescued the Lost Battalion
- By: Scott McGaugh
- Narrated by: Traber Burns
- Length: 8 hrs and 7 mins
- Unabridged
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On October 24, 1944, more than 200 American soldiers were surrounded by German infantry deep in the Vosges Mountains of Eastern France. When their food, ammunition, and medical supplies ran out, the area's army headquarters turned to the 442nd Regimental Combat Team, a segregated unit of Japanese American soldiers, to achieve what other units had failed to do: rescue the "lost battalion".
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Sincere gratitude for the honor, courage and integrity of all of the Japanese/American soldiers who served in WW2
- By Michael on 12-30-20
By: Scott McGaugh
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The Generals
- Patton, MacArthur, Marshall, and the Winning of World War II
- By: Winston Groom
- Narrated by: Robertson Dean
- Length: 16 hrs and 2 mins
- Unabridged
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Celebrated historian Winston Groom tells the intertwined and uniquely American tales of George Patton, Douglas MacArthur, and George Marshall - from the World War I battle that shaped them to their greatest achievement: leading the allies to victory in World War II.
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Nothing new here
- By Mike From Mesa on 01-13-16
By: Winston Groom
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The Lions of Iwo Jima
- The Story of Combat Team 28 and the Bloodiest Battle in Marine Corps History
- By: Major General Fred Haynes (USMC-Ret.), James A. Warren
- Narrated by: Michael Prichard
- Length: 9 hrs and 8 mins
- Unabridged
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It was the bloodiest battle in Marine Corps history, claiming a third of all marines killed in World War II. The relentless fighting on Iwo Jima lasted for 36 days, but most of us only know the iconic photo of five soldiers raising the American flag on Mount Surabachi. For Fred Haynes, a young captain in Combat Team 28, Surabachi was one marker in a ferocious blood-letting against an enemy of 22,000 warriors who were dug into caves and tunnels.
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Excellent Account of the Battle
- By Jesse on 11-25-11
By: Major General Fred Haynes (USMC-Ret.), and others
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My Fellow Soldiers
- General John Pershing and the Americans Who Helped Win the Great War
- By: Andrew Carroll
- Narrated by: Andrew Carroll
- Length: 11 hrs and 32 mins
- Unabridged
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Andrew Carroll's intimate portrait of General Pershing, who led all of the American troops in Europe during World War I, is a revelation. Given a military force that on the eve of its entry into the war was downright primitive compared to the European combatants, the general surmounted enormous obstacles to build an army and ultimately command millions of US soldiers. But Pershing himself - often perceived as a harsh, humorless, and wooden leader - concealed inner agony from those around him.
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Don’t pass this up
- By PineappleSmoothy on 03-29-18
By: Andrew Carroll
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Kokoda
- By: Paul Ham
- Narrated by: Peter Byrne
- Length: 21 hrs and 20 mins
- Unabridged
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It was a war without mercy, fought back and forth along 90 miles of river crossings, steep inclines and precipitous descents, with both sides wracked by hunger and disease, and terrified of falling into enemy hands. Defeat was unthinkable: the Australian soldier was fighting for his homeland against an unyielding aggressor; the Japanese ordered to fight to the death in a bid to conquer ‘Greater East Asia’.
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Pulls no Punchs
- By daryl on 10-03-10
By: Paul Ham
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All the Way to Berlin
- A Paratrooper at War in Europe
- By: James Megellas
- Narrated by: Richard M. Davidson
- Length: 2 hrs and 34 mins
- Abridged
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In mid-1943 James Megellas, known as "Maggie" to his fellow paratroopers, joined the 82nd Airborne Division, his new "home" for the duration. His first taste of combat was in the rugged mountains outside Naples.
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Incredible book - narrator was terrible
- By joseph metz on 01-06-22
By: James Megellas
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Desert Fox
- The Storied Military Career of Erwin Rommel
- By: Samuel W. Mitcham Jr.
- Narrated by: Nigel Patterson
- Length: 11 hrs and 39 mins
- Unabridged
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This is the strange and fascinating life of Erwin Rommel, from his days as a youth in Imperial Germany - when he had a child out of wedlock with an early girlfriend - through his lauded military exploits during World War I to his death by suicide during World War II, after he attempted a failed coup against Hitler. Rommel was a man of contradictions: a soldier who wrote a best-selling book about World War I, a commander who went from commanding Hitler's bodyguard to trying to kill him, and a serious military mind who was known for participating in practical jokes.
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Amazing Detail, Amazing Story!
- By Al888 on 05-19-19
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The Darkest Summer
- Pusan and Inchon 1950: The Battles That Saved South Korea---and the Marines---from Extinction
- By: Bill Sloan
- Narrated by: Michael Prichard
- Length: 13 hrs and 44 mins
- Unabridged
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The outcome of the Korean War was decided in the first three months. The Darkest Summer is the hour-by-hour, casualty-by-casualty story of those months---a period that saw American and UN forces almost driven into the sea by the North Korean invaders, then stage an incredible turn-around that reversed the entire course of the war.
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Great intro to Korea
- By I Ate Your Pug For Lunch and It was Tasty on 01-14-11
By: Bill Sloan
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Eleventh Month, Eleventh Day, Eleventh Hour
- Armistice Day, 1918 World War I and Its Violent Climax
- By: Joseph E. Persico
- Narrated by: Jonathan Marosz
- Length: 17 hrs and 1 min
- Unabridged
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The best-selling author of Roosevelt's Secret War traces the last day of World War I, weaving together the experiences of the famous, such as President Wilson, General Pershing, and Douglas MacArthur, and the unsung and unremembered.
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Beauty amidst savagery
- By Amazon Customer on 12-06-04
What listeners say about Thirteen Soldiers
Average customer ratingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
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- Dennis Larocque
- 04-01-19
excellent read. First person accounts!
wonderful flowing account of many under looked wars, battles, and famous historical events. Strongly recommended.
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- Jean
- 11-21-14
Stories of courage
John McCain, a Senator from Arizona and a former Navy aviator wrote this book about thirteen soldiers. The author identifies a single soldier, sailor, airman, or marine from each of American’s thirteen major wars to eulogize for courage under fire. The chapters follow the books basic format, setting the world stage, recalling the principal person’s prewar life and then describing the person’s performance of duty.
For example, the Civil War the authors chose Oliver Wendell Holmes Jr. For the 1898 Spanish American war Edward Baker, a Buffalo Soldier cavalryman and Medal of Honor recipient. Persian Gulf War Mary Rhoads a reservist and the Afghanistan War medic Monica Lin Brown. The war of 1812 a black seaman named Charles Black. From the Viet Nam war Leo Thorsness an F-105 wild Weasel pilot, prisoner of war and Medal of Honor recipient.
The Wide variety of characters from different race and gender from each military service makes for many fascinating stories. The book as a whole offers insights into life during battle. The authors cover ordinary soldiers going through difficult experiences. The story I enjoyed the most was of Medic Monica Lin Brown. I was familiar with most of the other story told. John McCain narrates the book.
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6 people found this helpful
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- Majorie
- 11-21-14
Fascinating and Insightful
I found the history of various individuals who fought in America's wars to be insightful and tragic as well as moving. I served as a nurse at the 91st Evac Hospital in Chu Lai, South Vietnam. I heard the stories and saw the results of men who gave all to save their comrades. The stories in this book moved me deeply. Two stood out for me, the story of the African American sailor who served so gallantly in the war of 1812 and the story of Corporal Red Cloud in Korea. Men who in their own country were often despised and faced terrible discrimination but gave their all to serve that country. Thank you for telling their stories.
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8 people found this helpful
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- Spencer
- 02-23-15
Great Story
John McCain, as much as I respect him and his service to this country, he shouldn't be reading anything for other people to listen to.....Sorry John.....
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- Brian
- 05-05-17
All around average listen
What did you like best about Thirteen Soldiers? What did you like least?
Hearing about the soldiers from the most recent conflicts. Just returned from a deployment, interesting to hear their perspective.
How would you have changed the story to make it more enjoyable?
Covered more of what life was like for those people in the conflicts. Too much history was covered.
Would you listen to another book narrated by John McCain?
Probably not
Was Thirteen Soldiers worth the listening time?
Yes, but it didn't grip me as much as other books I've listened to. I used it for when I was doing chores around the house and didn't mind missing some of the audio.
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